Fun fact: 83% of travelers book a hotel after seeing a post(s) on Instagram!

In today’s digital age, Instagram is one of the most powerful tools a hotel can use to drive direct bookings. But simply having an Instagram account isn’t enough. If you’re not seeing an increase in reservations, engagement, or website traffic from your Instagram efforts, THIS IS FOR YOU!

Many hotels struggle with Instagram marketing because sales and marketing managers are spread thin, and social media isn’t their area of expertise. Instead of using Instagram as a strategic booking tool, they end up posting sporadically, missing seasonal opportunities, and failing to create emotional connections with their audience.

But don’t worry—these things are fixable! In this guide, we’ll breakdown the biggest reasons why your hotel’s Instagram isn’t converting and exactly how to turn things around.

3 Biggest Mistakes Hotels Make on Instagram

1. Inconsistent Posting (Or posting just to post because you feel you have to, without understanding strategy)

Instagram’s algorithm loves consistency AND so do people! If your hotel only posts when there’s a last-minute promotion or a holiday, your content won’t turn your viewers into emotionally connected, loyal fans. They will go to the hotel feed that “feeds” them!

What happens when you don’t post consistently?

• Your competition is winning!

• Your followers won’t feel invested in your content and will instead go to another hotel that tells an engaging story

• You lose out on organic reach and visibility when hotels in your area are searched online

At the same time, posting just for the sake of posting (without a strategy) can be just as ineffective. Your content won’t move the needle toward actual bookings if you post without a clear goal.

“Has Instagram been stressing you out? It may be time to delegate this task! Ask us how.”

**The Fix: Plan & Automate Your Content with SmarterQueue

One of the best ways to stay consistent is by using a social media scheduling tool like SmarterQueue. Unlike other scheduling tools, SmarterQueue:
✔️ Lets you plan content ahead of time with your hotel’s marketing goals in mind
✔️ Reposts top-performing content automatically when you’re too busy to post
✔️ Saves your team hours each week so you can focus on guest experience

💡 Pro Tip: Instead of scrambling for content, hire a social media marketing manager to help you create a branded content calendar that aligns with seasonal promotions, events, and peak booking times.

2. Not Speaking to a Specific Audience at the Right Time

A one-size-fits-all approach to Instagram marketing doesn’t work. If your posts don’t speak to a clear target audience, you’re missing the opportunity to make a meaningful connection.

For example:

• A summer family vacationer is looking for kid-friendly activities, amenities, and a stress-free stay.

• A luxury traveler wants exclusivity, high-end amenities, and personal touches.

• A business traveler needs convenience, reliability, and tech-friendly features.

• Couples looking for a romantic getaway.

“If you’re posting the same type of content year-round, you’re not leveraging the power of seasonal and audience-specific marketing.”

**The Fix: Create Marketing Campaigns That Target Different Travelers Throughout the Year

Instead of posting generic photos, create seasonal campaigns that align with your target guests' booking behaviors.

✔️ Winter Campaign Example: Cozy holiday retreats with fireplaces, warm drinks, and winter activities that are popular in your area of the world.
✔️ Spring Campaign Example: Local attractions and outdoor experiences for families, adventure seekers, and female entrepreneur biz bestie meetups.
✔️ Summer Campaign Example: Family-friendly travel ideas, poolside relaxation, and exclusive warm-weather packages.
✔️ Fall Campaign Example: Wine tastings, partnerships with local businesses, autumn foliage, and boutique stays for solo travelers or groups.

💡 Pro Tip: Use Instagram’s Carousel Posts to tell a seasonal story, taking your followers on a journey through the hotel experience during a specific time of year.

3. Lack of Emotional Connection in Content

Guests don’t just book hotels—they book experiences. If your Instagram feed feels like a professional photographer’s portfolio rather than a visual story, you’re missing a huge opportunity to make connections and inspire bookings. Your property has so many special spots for guests to escape. Shine a light on your spa and its rejuvenating body products, cozy ready nooks, your soft slippers and robes, and beautiful outdoor relaxation stations, to name a few!

Many hotels make the mistake of posting:
❌ Only perfectly staged photos that feel impersonal
❌ Static images without trending music, engaging captions, or context
❌ Disconnected visuals with different lighting and preset styles

Guests want to picture themselves in your hotel before they book.

**The Fix: Use Mini-Cinematic Reels to Make Guests Feel Like They’re Already There

Instead of posting one-off images, create Instagram Reels that string together moments with music. Think of it as a mini-movie of a guest’s stay.

✔️ A morning coffee with a magazine scene on the balcony
✔️ A slow-motion clip of the pool at sunset or shadows of the trees
✔️ A first-person view of a guest checking into their room
✔️ A quick tour of your boutique amenities

🎥 Reels bring your hotel to life—and Instagram’s algorithm loves them!

💡 Pro Tip: Use trending audio to make your Reels more discoverable. The right song paired with behind-the-scenes footage can turn a simple post into a viral moment.

How to Fix Your Hotel’s Instagram & Get More Direct Bookings

Now that we’ve covered what’s not working, let’s dive into three game-changing strategies that will set your hotel apart.

1. Build a Branded Image Library for Social Media

You are here because you are ready to avoid Instagram posts that look like a staged ad or a quick spaghetti-against-the-wall strategy!

Hotels often reuse website photos on Instagram, but website imagery is designed to be polished and formal.

* Social media imagery needs a strategy. Stop reusing professional website images that were taken when your hotel opened. Today’s challenge: Use up-to-date, branded lifestyle images with consistent lighting and your hotel’s unique style. Even better, create campaigns geared toward specific target audiences!

**The Fix: Invest in a Brand Photographer for Instagram-Specific Content: Get your free clarity call here!

A strategic brand photographer (like us!) will:
✔️ Capture lifestyle-driven images that feel real and engaging and will tell an engaging visual story
✔️ Show a guest’s perspective, not just a hotel employee’s quick snap of several unconnected moments per week
✔️ Create a mix of still shots and video clips for high-ranking Reels that land your hotel on the first page of Google searches…ahead of the competition

💡 Pro Tip: A fresh perspective from an outside-of-the-hotel photographer helps highlight details that in-house teams can overlook. The amount of relief front desk managers and sales and marketing managers will feel from working with a strategic, online marketing, brand photography expert, and social media marketing manager (Even better!) is 100% guaranteed. So are the conversions from these mini-marketing campaigns!

2. Use SmarterQueue to Plan & Automate Your Content

Consistency is key, but most hotel teams (like yours) don’t have the time to post daily, let alone the knowledge and expertise to plan and schedule social media posts. THIS is where the change happens! The numbers won’t lie!!!

Start scheduling your content today, and watch your brand’s loyalty and bookings increase.

My favorite tool - and I have TRIED THEM ALL - is drumroll…

SmarterQueue! *

Unlike other social media tools, SmarterQueue ensures that your hotel never goes silent. If you can’t post for a week or are looking for a social media marketing manager and there is some downtime in your posting, SmarterQueue will post your best-performing posts for you! Find the best social media platforms for your audience, and after creating content for Instagram (Amazing for hotels with strategic content plans.), you can schedule the same content on other social platforms.

✔️ Schedule content weeks in advance
✔️ It Reposts top-performing posts when you don’t have time to post new content
✔️ Analyze which content drives the most bookings

Wondering where to post? Here are the different types of audiences and how they consume content online:

1. Gen Z & Millennials (Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube) → Need visually engaging, story-driven content with a mix of trends and travel inspiration.

2. Gen X (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn) → Want trust-building content that speaks to luxury, convenience, and exclusive experiences.

3. Boomers (Facebook, YouTube, Email Marketing) → Prefer in-depth, informative, and nostalgia-driven content with a focus on storytelling and relaxation.

💡 Pro Tip: Set up content categories in SmarterQueue for each audience type (families, couples, business travelers) so you can rotate posts that appeal to different guests throughout the year.

3. Create a Lead Magnet to Grow Your Email List

Most hotels collect emails at checkout—but why wait?

Instagram is a great tool to build an engaged email list, but you need a lead magnet (a free resource) to encourage signups.

**The Fix: Offer a PDF City Guide with Insider Tips

Instead of a generic “Sign up for our newsletter” prompt, create a PDF city guide packed with:
✔️ Hidden gems and must-visit attractions
✔️ Best local restaurants, cafes, and nightlife
✔️ Exclusive hotel perks for email subscribers

💡 Pro Tip: Use Flodesk for easy, visually stunning email marketing that keeps guests engaged before and after their stay.

Turn Your Hotel’s Instagram Into a Direct Booking Machine

Now that you know my tricks to tapping into the power of Instagram for brand loyalty, you have some decisions to make.

• Are you tired of being in charge of content creation or leaving it to your front desk manager, who is spread too thin and ready to be released from duty?

• Have you been wanting to supercharge your email marketing for more sales?

• Do you want to attract specific audiences for conferences, events, and seasonal promotions?

• You are ready to stand out from the sea of other hotels out there in internet land and offer a more personal, connective experience online and off!

Quick Recap: The 6-Step Fix

✅ Invest in a brand photographer to capture immersive, Instagram-friendly visuals | Schedule a FREE Instagram or Website audit with us today!
✅ Hire a Social Media Marketing Manager.
✅ Supplement your brand photography with styled stock imagery and short-form videos for reels from my favorite spot: ELEVAE’ VISUALS*
✅ Create Seasonal and Target-Audience Specific Campaigns
✅ Use SmarterQueue to automate posting strategically and schedule content out 2 weeks to one month in advance and build momentum for increased engagement, viral shares, and booking! We offer social media marketing management to our brand photography clients, so click the box below!
✅ Create a PDF city guide to grow your email list and turn followers into future guests. Give your website “newsletter opt-in” an update by inviting visitors to grab your free guide in exchange for email addresses that can market to til your heart’s content. Need ideas? Hop on a call with us and grow your email list in a way you didn’t know was possible!

📞 Ready to transform your hotel’s Instagram into a booking powerhouse? Book a call with us today for your own FREE Instagram assessment. 🚀

*These are affiliate links. That means we get a small commission for any subscriptions you purchase after you try one of their generous FREE trials! I only share what I use and love.