Hotel Social Media Ads: Platform Differences & What Works Best
With so many types of hotel social media advertising available, it’s easy for hoteliers to feel overwhelmed when choosing the best option. This guide breaks down the three most popular social PPC platforms for hotels, highlighting key features, benefits, and how to get the best return on your ad spend. Along the way, we’ll also share proven social media ad tips for hotels to help you build more effective campaigns tailored to your audience and goals.
Hotel Ads on Facebook: The Most Flexible Option
Facebook remains one of the most effective and flexible platforms for hotel social media advertising. With over three billion active users and powerful audience segmentation tools, it allows hoteliers to reach broad audiences while targeting by location, interests, behaviors, and more.
Hotels can run
- Carousel ads
- Video promotions
- Interactive offers
Popular strategies include
- Retargeting site visitors
- Promoting seasonal specials
- Spotlighting local events
With Facebook hotel ads, you can also create Custom Audiences to reconnect with previous guests or website visitors, helping boost direct bookings at a low cost per click. Learn more about building effective campaigns with Facebook hotel ads that are tailored to your audience and brand goals with our guide on Using Facebook Custom Audiences for Hotel Advertising.
Instagram Ads: Visual Storytelling That Drives Bookings
Instagram is a visual-first platform, meaning that using social media to promote a hotel is ideal for showcasing its unique offerings. High-quality images and videos of rooms, pools, dining experiences, and local attractions can captivate potential guests.
Utilizing formats like Reels, Stories, and carousel ads allows hotels to present immersive content that resonates with viewers.
Reels, in particular, have proven effective, boasting an average engagement rate of 2.08% for influencer posts, surpassing other content types like carousels and photos. This heightened engagement translates to increased visibility and potential bookings. Moreover, 61% of travelers have booked a hotel after seeing it on Instagram, underscoring the platform’s influence on booking decisions.
By leveraging Instagram’s visual tools and storytelling capabilities, hotels can effectively convert viewers into guests.
LinkedIn Ads: A Smart Move for B2B & Event Promotion
LinkedIn offers highly targeted advertising ideal for hotels that host corporate retreats, conferences, or group events.
While the cost-per-click is higher than other platforms, the ability to reach meeting planners, HR executives, and event organizers makes it a valuable B2B channel. Sponsored content and InMail are especially effective for outreach and lead generation.
LinkedIn delivers niche reach and strong conversion potential for properties focused on business travel or events, despite the premium ad costs.
How to Choose the Right Social Ad Platform for Your Hotel
Choosing the right platform starts with your goals and audience. Ask yourself:
- Are you marketing to leisure travelers or corporate/event planners?
- Do you have high-quality photos or videos to showcase your property?
- Are you focused on short-term promotions or long-term brand building?
While platforms like X (formerly Twitter) can support brand visibility, they often lack the direct booking ROI seen on Instagram or Facebook. For most hotels, a mix of platforms tailored to content type and audience delivers the strongest performance and reach.
Build a Smarter Hotel Social Ad Strategy
Choosing the right platform is key, but so is testing, optimizing, and tracking results. A smarter strategy blends creativity with data.
Explore proven tactics in our guide to social media marketing for hotels, and when you’re ready to launch smarter hotel social media ads, we’re here to help.
Contact us for all of your hospitality digital marketing needs.