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Instagram for your Hotel

Instagram for Your Hotel: How to Turn Scrolls Into Stays

Instagram for your hotel is no longer just about pretty pictures. It’s often the first place guests find you, get a feel for your brand, and start planning a stay. Used with intention, Instagram hotel marketing can spark direct bookings and drive gift voucher sales.

TL;DR (Key Summary)

Instagram still matters in hospitality. Hotels use it to get in front of guests, share real experiences, and spark bookings. When it’s used with intention, it becomes more than a branding platform.

The smartest hotels pair strong visuals with easy ways to book or buy. That includes sharing:

  • Gift packages that combine a night’s stay with extras, like a spa visit or afternoon tea
  • Timed promotions tied to holidays, local events, or slower seasons
  • Guest-led content that builds trust and drives action

With tools like Enjovia, you can link that content directly to a checkout page. This guide shows how to build a strategy that fits how your guests already browse, plan, and book.

Why Instagram Still Matters for Hotels

Instagram for hotels still delivers, especially for independent and boutique properties looking to boost direct bookings through visual storytelling. Guests often find you here first. They see a post, picture themselves in the space, and start to plan their stay. This is why Instagram hotel marketing should be part of every hotel's revenue strategy, not just your branding playbook.

According to Blastness, 61% of travellers have booked a hotel after discovering it on Instagram.

Video content takes things even further. MGT Design found that Reels and Stories get 49% more engagement than static posts. People are also more likely to take action after watching a video.

There’s also trust in realness. Keevee reports that 84% of younger travellers trust brands more when they see real customers in the content. Posts with guest photos or videos often perform better than polished brand ads.

All of this opens a clear opportunity. Instagram is where guests get inspired. With the right tools in place, it can also be where they buy. Gift vouchers become a natural next step. They’re sharable, quick to purchase, and easy to promote in your content.

Want to go deeper? Check out our guide on how to sell hotel gift vouchers online.

Let’s get your profile ready for it.

Want more ways to turn followers into guests? Explore our strategies to increase hotel revenue.

How to Set Up Your Instagram Profile to Drive Bookings

Many hotels start their Instagram marketing with the right look, but the profile itself often doesn’t encourage action. Here’s how to fix that. 

Nice photos, a few stories, maybe a pinned post or two. But if your profile doesn’t make it easy to book a room or buy a gift voucher, it’s not doing its job. Here’s how to fix that, and keep it simple.

Is your Instagram profile set up to drive bookings and gift voucher sales?

1. Switch to a Business Profile

This gives you access to tools that matter: contact buttons so guests can call, email, or get directions; Instagram Insights to track what posts are working; and the ability to link out to your booking page or gift voucher site. It also makes your hotel look more trustworthy from the start.

2. Use Your Bio to Guide Action

Keep it short and focused. Mention what you offer and what people should do next.
Example: “Luxury coastal retreat in Cornwall. Book your stay or send a gift voucher.”
Avoid hashtags, emojis, or trying to say too much. One good line is better than three vague ones.

3. Add a Smart Link

Use a tool like Linktree, Later, or your own landing page. It should include:

  • A direct booking link
  • A link to your Enjovia-powered gift voucher page
  • Any seasonal offers or packages you’re running

Order them by what’s most useful to your guests, not just what you want to push.

4. Create Helpful Highlights

Highlights are often the first thing people tap. Use them to answer questions and show your value.
Recommended categories include: Rooms, Gift Vouchers, Reviews, Local Tips, and Offers.
Keep the cover visuals clean and use short titles like “Spa” or “Stay”- no long labels or clunky icons.

5. Turn On Action Buttons

If you offer online booking or sell vouchers, connect them to your profile. Guests shouldn’t need to DM or click around to take action.

Graphic Note: Visual Asset to Revisit

Create a branded visual titled: “Is Your Instagram Profile Booking-Ready?”
Include a simple checklist with:

  • Clear, benefit-focused bio
  • Smart link setup with voucher access
  • Action buttons visible
  • Highlights showing rooms, offers, and guest stories
  • Mobile preview mockup of an ideal hotel profile

Content That Converts (Not Just Gets Likes)

It’s easy to fall into the trap of chasing a beautiful feed. But good visuals alone won’t fill your rooms.

The most successful hotel accounts on Instagram go beyond polished images. They tell stories that lead directly to bookings. They post with purpose, show what a stay really feels like, and give people a reason to take action. 

For more on storytelling strategies that build trust and bookings, read our post on hotel experience marketing tips for 2025.

That might be booking a night away, messaging the hotel, or sharing the post with a friend.

Show what it’s actually like to stay with you

People don’t trust stock photos. What they want to see are real moments: breakfast trays on balconies, muddy boots in the hallway, someone laughing in the hot tub. Honest beats perfect, every time.

Real vs stock: Which would you trust more?

Keep the focus on experience

You’re not just showing a room. You’re offering an escape.
Try a caption like:
“Fresh sheets, brewed coffee, and a view you didn’t wake up to yesterday. That’s the beauty of a hotel stay.”
It sets a scene, not just a sales pitch.

Use short-form video to your advantage

Video gets more reach, more shares, and more emotion across.
Reels are great for quick tours or showcasing what makes your hotel special. Stories work well for flash sales, polls, and reposting guest content. Don’t overthink production. A few seconds of real life goes further than a polished ad.

Make your captions pull their weight

A good caption isn’t just filler. It should either make someone feel something, offer useful info, or open the door for conversation.
Ask a question. Drop a booking tip. Share a moment from your team. If it feels human, it works.

Repeat what works

Don’t treat every post as a one-off. If something gets shared, saved, or clicked, post a variation of it again. Or turn it into a Story, a pinned post, or a Highlight on your profile.

Content Format Cheat Sheet

Here’s a simple way to think about where to put what:

FormatBest For
ReelsStorytelling and reach
StoriesQuick updates, offers, behind-the-scenes
Grid postsRoom photos, mood shots, seasonal vibes
HighlightsFAQs, packages, gift voucher info
Your Hotel’s Instagram Playbook - Simplified

Instagram Hotel Marketing: A 7-Day Content Plan to Boost Stays and Voucher Sales

This is a weekly Instagram hotel marketing schedule packed with content ideas to help boutique hotels drive bookings and gift voucher sales.

Monday: Grid photo of the spa with a calming caption (brand tone)

Tuesday: Reel showing a guest check-in or surprise arrival (voucher moment)

Wednesday: Story poll - “Would you book a midweek spa break?” + link

Thursday: Behind-the-scenes kitchen clip in Stories

Friday: Story with countdown for weekend room package availability

Saturday: User-generated content repost

Sunday: Pin your top offer as a Highlight update

How Hotels Convert Instagram Reels into Bookings

Here’s an example: 

A hotel could repost a guest’s video capturing their surprise arrival. It was a stay gifted by a friend through the hotel’s voucher link. That kind of Story has the power to spark more sales because it feels personal and easy to act on. When content tells a real moment and points clearly to what someone can do next, people are more likely to follow through.

Measure What Matters

Once you’ve started posting with more intention, it’s worth checking how your content is performing. You don’t need to be glued to the numbers, but keeping an eye on what works will help you shape better posts moving forward.

Measuring Instagram ROI for Hotel Marketing

Focus on actions, not applause

It’s easy to obsess over likes, but they don’t mean much. What matters more is what people do next. Are they clicking your link? Watching a full Reel? Sharing it with someone? Saving it for later?

These kinds of signals are what tell you a post made an impact.

Not every post leads to an immediate sale. And that’s completely normal. Some content works best at the “inspiration” stage. A Reel today might lead to a website visit next week and a booking two weeks later. Instead of chasing instant results, look at patterns over time.

Try simple models like:

  • First-touch influence: Did a follower discover your hotel through a Reel that week?
  • Assisted conversions: Are voucher sales rising after a week of high Story engagement?
  • Campaign-specific spikes: Did countdown posts with a voucher link lead to a surge in redemptions?

Check your stats regularly

Every week or so, head into your Instagram Insights. Look at what posts people engaged with most. Did your Story get replies? Was that caption saved more than others? Did a post lead to more bio link clicks than usual?

Patterns will start to emerge. That’s your roadmap.

If you sell vouchers or experiences, track them too

For hotels using platforms like Enjovia, this is where things get interesting. You can link certain posts to specific offers and track the results through voucher sales, promo codes, or landing page traffic. You don’t have to do this for every post. But when you’re running a campaign, it’s worth it.

Still, not every post needs to lead to a sale. Sometimes people just need to see your hotel a few times before taking the next step. That’s part of the process too.

How to Track Instagram’s Impact on Voucher Sales

Most hotels treat Instagram like a flyer. They post it, hope for the best, and move on.

But the ones turning social media into real revenue are looking at the numbers. They’re not just counting likes. They’re tracking what leads to bookings, what drives interest, and what actually encourages guests to take action.

This is where gift vouchers become more than just a seasonal extra. They give you a simple, measurable way to connect content to sales.

What’s worth tracking?

Not everything. But these are a good place to start:

  • Clicks on your bio link, especially if it leads to your voucher page
  • Reels or Stories that drive traffic to your website
  • Promo codes redeemed from specific posts
  • Replies to polls or countdowns tied to limited-time offers

These signs tell you your content isn’t just being seen. It’s doing something.

Take this as an example: 

A coastal boutique hotel promoted their “Weekend Spa Escape” voucher through Instagram Stories, adding a countdown sticker and limiting the offer to 25 redemptions. In just a few days, the vouchers sold out. Most buyers were local followers who saw the post, shared it, and bought it as a last-minute gift. It’s a simple strategy that turned social content into real revenue, even during a slower midweek period.

Why tracking matters

When you understand what drives action, you can make better creative decisions. You focus on the content that fills rooms and sells packages, not just what gets the most likes.

It also helps you prove value. If you’re running campaigns or handling marketing in a small team, it’s useful to point to real results, not just vanity metrics.

A simple way to start

Choose one campaign. It could be a weekend escape or a seasonal spa bundle. Add a trackable link or a unique promo code in the caption or bio. Use Enjovia to watch the results over a week. Then compare it to a regular post without tracking.

It doesn’t need to be perfect. The goal is to learn, not to over-engineer. Once you see what works, you’ll know where to focus next.

Make Your Instagram Work Harder for Your Hotel

Most hotels are already getting views on Instagram. Guests are watching Reels, tapping Stories, saving posts they love.

The difference between looking good and driving revenue? It’s how easy you make it to take the next step.

Share real moments. Highlight bookable offers. Track what works. And if you’re selling gift vouchers or experiences, make them visible right where guests are already engaging in your content.

This isn’t about posting more. It’s about making each post do more.

What to Do This Week

  • Review your Instagram bio. Does it clearly mention gift vouchers or bookable stays?
  • Update your Smart Link to prioritise booking and voucher actions.
  • Launch one Story campaign with a countdown and voucher link.
  • Create Highlights for rooms, reviews, and special offers.
  • Open your Enjovia dashboard and choose one offer to push over the next 7 days.

Turn Instagram Followers into Guests and Buyers

Your content is already inspiring people. Now give them something to act on.
With Enjovia, you can connect your Instagram directly to gift voucher sales, flash offers, and bookable packages. Everything is trackable and designed to drive revenue.

Inspired to make your Instagram drive more than likes? See how Enjovia connects your content to real revenue.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How often should hotels post on Instagram?

A: Three to five quality posts per week is a strong starting point. Pair that with daily Instagram Stories to stay visible and top of mind. According to Innsight, consistent, thoughtful posting outperforms high-volume posting that lacks strategy.

Q: Can guests buy gift vouchers directly through Instagram?

A: Yes. By adding a link in your bio or using link stickers in Stories, you can drive followers directly to your voucher checkout. Platforms like Enjovia let you track and manage these transactions with ease, turning Instagram into a direct sales channel.

Q: What type of Instagram content leads to bookings?

A: Short-form video like Reels and Stories typically generates the most engagement and reach. Combine this with behind-the-scenes content, guest testimonials, and time-sensitive offers to build urgency and trust. According to Hospitality Net, storytelling-based content is far more likely to convert than static promotional posts.

Q: How do I measure the ROI of Instagram marketing?

A: Focus on actions that reflect intent, not just visibility. This includes link clicks, promo code redemptions, Story replies, Reel completions, and traffic to your voucher or booking page. Tools like Enjovia allow you to connect Instagram engagement directly to gift voucher sales, making it easier to quantify impact.

Q: Which Instagram features should hotels use most?

A: Use Instagram’s built-in tools to streamline discovery and encourage bookings. Business profiles unlock contact buttons, analytics, and booking integrations. Highlights can showcase rooms, reviews, and seasonal offers. Interactive Story stickers like polls, questions, and countdowns keep your audience engaged and involved.

Q: What hashtags should hotels use?

A: Stick with a blend of branded, local, and themed tags. For example, #StayWithHotelName, #VisitLakeDistrict, or #SpaEscapeWeekend. Use hashtags that match your content and are easy for your audience to search or follow.

Emma Gibson

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