So why should your marketing feel like it came from a template?
This isn’t a blog full of obvious tips like “use Instagram” or “make a website.” You’ve done that.
This is the strategy layer where we get to the stuff that actually moves the needle.
What’s working right now for boutique hotels that are booked out months in advance.
How to get more direct bookings without begging for them. How to tell your story in a way that doesn’t sound like everyone else’s.
If you’re ready to treat your marketing with the same thought you give your guest experience, you’re in the right place.
Let’s get into it!
Social Media Is Your Lobby, But Only the Entrance
Social media is often the first door your potential guests walk through. It sets the mood and answers one key question: “Is this my kind of place?”
But Instagram isn’t really the booking engine.
The number one mistake we see boutique hotels make on social media is they treat it like a sales tool.
“Hey did you know we have three pools?”
“Hey did you know we’re running a 25% off sale?”
“Come stay with us for Labor Day!”
Consumers of content are very different than consumers. People come to social media for entertainment, inspiration, and education. They want to connect and scroll to their heart’s content. So let’s stop treating it like an OTA.
Instead, shift your mindset and let’s start treating it like a story. Because people don’t book from a post. They book from a feeling that builds over time and social is where that story starts.
How to Lean Into Story-Selling
The most magnetic boutique hotels on social media platforms go beyond just showing off their spaces, they immerse people in them. They treat every post like a scene from a film: intimate, sensory, and intentional.
Instead of a wide-angle shot of a room with a caption like “Cozy vibes,” you might try something like this:
“Room 7, 4:32 PM. The rain just started. There’s chamomile in the mug, and a Billie Holiday record on the turntable.”
Same space. Entirely different impact.
You’re not asking them to book a room. You’re showing off unique features and unique experiences, making them want to be there which is the actual conversion trigger.
I’m a visual learner and I love a good example so let’s take a look at one more before we move on
Before:
A photo of a bed with layered linen and a caption that says:
“The perfect place to unwind after a long day.”
It’s fine. But it’s also generic. It doesn’t stop the scroll, spark curiosity, or communicate anything that sets you apart.
After:
Same photo, slightly zoomed in to show sunlight on the rumpled sheets. Caption:
“Room 3 catches the afternoon light just right. Guests keep asking about the linen—100% stonewashed, made by a small textile studio 20 minutes from here. Someone once left a note tucked under the pillow that just said, “Thank you. I didn’t realize how much I needed to slow down. That’s the kind of energy this room holds. Save this for your next reset.”
That version tells a story, adds specificity, signals your values (local sourcing, slow living, a thoughtful experience), and still offers a light CTA that feels natural.
Before Sharing Anything, Run Your Content Through This Three-Part Filter:
- What emotion does this evoke?
If it doesn’t stir something (comfort, curiosity, nostalgia, joy) rethink the angle. - What next move does it invite?
That could be saving the post, clicking your link, or just lingering for 10 more seconds (which helps your reach). - Would this stop someone mid-scroll who’s never heard of us?
Your content should instantly convey your vibe to total strangers. Center your target audience in the content and you’ll see more people sticking around for more. Your content should always answer the question, “why should my audience care?”
The Content Marketing Strategy That Makes People Stick Around
Think of your Instagram grid as a homepage of your hotel’s website. If someone scrolls 9 tiles, will they understand who you are and why they should care?
To get there, build content pillars, yes—but get obsessive about content patterns and emotional pacing.
Here’s a pro-level structure we use with clients:
Every 9 posts (aka the scroll window) should include:
- 1 High-Ambiance “Moodshot” (usually no people)
Think: morning light on stone walls, bathhouse steam rising, golden hour shadows. - 1 Guest POV Post
Example: “What our guest saw walking in.” Use a guest’s photo + guest testimonial snippet. - 1 Strong Value Piece
“3 reasons to stay midweek” or “Our favorite local attractions within 3 blocks.” - 2 Behind-the-Scenes or Ritual Posts
A morning staff huddle. A local jam supplier delivery. A new room reveal. - 1 Special Offer or Booking Nudge
“Last-minute cancellation just opened up Room 4 this weekend…” - 1 Repost of Guest-Generated Content
And comment back on their post, publicly. - 2 Brand Personality Posts
Quirky sign at the front desk, playlist drop, staff picks for day trips.
Pro Tip: Use the first 2 seconds of Reels as a visual hook. For example, open with the sound of a key turning, curtains blowing open, or a guest’s real-time reaction walking in.
Outbound Engagement = Algorithm Leverage
If you’re not engaging 2x more than you’re posting, you’re leaving organic reach on the table.
Daily Playbook (15 minutes, high impact):
- Search your location tag and comment on 5 local posts (genuinely).
- DM 1 guest who tagged you last month: “We loved your post. Mind if we reshare it?”
- Follow + reply to 3 local creators or small businesses you admire. No pitch. Just community-building.
- Comment meaningfully on competitor hotels. Not passive-aggressive, just showing presence.
Instagram is still a conversation-based marketing channel. Treat it like showing up to the community table every day.
Paid Social Marketing Efforts
When boutique hotels run Meta ads (Instagram + Facebook), most just boost a random post and hope for bookings. But without a true strategic structure, you’re just paying to interrupt people who didn’t ask for you.
The real value of paid marketing comes from building a lightweight funnel where each ad has a purpose, and all of it flows back to your organic content and/or website conversion pages.
Here’s are just a few ways marketers structure campaigns for boutique hotels:
Phase 1: Awareness Campaigns (Top of Funnel)
Objective: Engagement or Video Views
These ads are not about your rooms, they’re about your world. Use your strongest organic Reel or Carousel, and let it run cold to a tight interest-based or lookalike audience (e.g., NYC travelers interested in slow living, design hotels, or local food).
Creative example:
A 15-second Reel titled “What it feels like to stay here” — no voiceover, just visuals: steam rising from a coffee, sheets being fluffed, a record spinning.
CTA: “Follow for a slower kind of getaway.”
This isn’t meant to convert into bookings necessarily, but it’s meant to capture attention and curiosity and earn you some followers and engagement.
Phase 2: Retargeting Campaign (Middle of Funnel)
Objective: Traffic or Landing Page Views
Now that people have engaged, this is where you reappear strategically.
Retarget people who have previously engaged with you in some way in the last 14 days. Serve them an ad that leads to a specific landing page, not your homepage, but something like:
“Book a midweek stay and get a curated breakfast basket from [local community partner].”
Phase 3: Conversion Campaign (Bottom of Funnel)
Objective: Conversions (if you’re tracking bookings), or Messages (if you take bookings through DMs/inquiries)
This is your most direct ask, but you’ve already earned their interest.
Target website visitors and engaged users who didn’t book. Offer a time-sensitive incentive:
“We just had a cancellation this weekend. Room 4 is open and it comes with a bottle of wine and no neighbors.”
The goal isn’t just to get clicks. It’s to build a mini-narrative across paid and organic so by the time someone clicks “Book,” they already feel like they’ve stayed with you in their mind.
Want help building a sample campaign map or ad script based on your property? Let’s do it.
What Can You Do Today?
Run This Quick Audit of Your Social Media Online Presence
Take a look at your last 9 Instagram posts:
- How many show real guest experience vs. curated space?
- How many offer an emotion + a next step?
- Would someone brand new understand your hotel brand experience in 20 seconds?
Are OTA Platforms The Friend, Foe, or Funnel Feeder?
Love them or hate them, OTA platforms like Booking.com and Expedia are part of hospitality marketing. And for boutique hotels, they often drive more visibility than you could ever afford through marketing campaigns alone.
But the part most hoteliers miss is that you can use that visibility to your advantage if you know how to turn OTA browsers into direct bookers.
Reframe OTAs as Discovery, Not Necessarily Destiny
Most guests don’t find you through your website. They find you on Booking.com at 11:42 PM, halfway through planning a trip they’re not even sure they’re going to take.
But what do they do next?
They copy your name. They open a new tab. They Google you.
And that’s your moment. That’s when you either pull them into your world or lose them back to the OTA carousel.
Brand-Match + Value-Differentiator Copy
To make that jump work and actually get the booking, you need two things:
- Messaging that matches
So when they land on your site, it feels familiar, but better. Like they’ve gone from the trailer to the full film. - A reason to book direct
Not a price drop (you’ll get penalized for that). A perk. A moment. A wink. Something that makes them feel smart for coming straight to you.
If your Booking.com copy says:
“Stylish rooms in the heart of downtown with modern design and local charm,”
that’s fine—but it could describe a dozen other places. It’s not wrong, it’s just forgettable.
Your site needs to sound like the real version of what they just saw. Like this:
“Our 10-room hotel sits above a 120-year-old bookstore. We’re one block from the weekend farmers market. Each room’s named after a local author and stocked with a shelf of staff favorites.”
That’s the same basic message, but now it’s specific, memorable, and clearly you.
Here’s a 2-Minute Gut Check:
Step 1:
Look up your property on Booking.com.
Read it like a guest seeing it for the first time.
Step 2:
Now Google your hotel and click through to your site.
Pay attention to how it feels—tone, voice, detail.
Step 3:
Ask yourself: Does this feel like the same place? Or like two totally different hotels?
Start by rewriting just two lines—one headline, one room description—and make them unmistakably yours.
Why is Local Search Engine Optimization (SEO) the New Luxury Listing?
Because it’s the digital version of being featured in a glossy travel magazine or a high-end guidebook, but it works 24/7, for free, and with way more influence over real booking behavior.
When someone searches “boutique hotel in [city]”, that top 3 map pack is prime real estate. It’s where trust starts and where decisions get made. And if you’re not there, you’re invisible to a huge chunk of potential guests no matter how beautiful your space is.
So How Do You Get There?
Please please please don’t give in to the temptation to keyword stuff and walk away. Local SEO is about being the most visible, trustworthy, and relevant option in your local ecosystem.
Here’s how to start:
1. Optimize Your Google Business Profile
This is your digital storefront. Fill it out completely, choose the right categories, keep your hours updated, and respond to every review (yes, even the weird ones).
2. Geo-Tagged Photos
Upload new photos regularly—rooms, amenities, local area—and make sure they’re geotagged. Google loves fresh, location-specific content.
3. Add Schema Markup to Your Website
Use structured data to tell Google exactly what your site is about: amenities, location, reviews, room types, etc. It helps you show up in rich results and signals relevance.
4. Embed Google Reviews on Your Site
Google reviews specifically. These feed into your local ranking and build trust.
5. Mine Keywords from Real Searches
Use tools like:
- Google Search Console (what people are already searching to find you)
- Ubersuggest (keyword ideas with volume data)
- “People Also Ask” (for content inspiration)
Search phrases like:
- “romantic getaway in [city]”
- “unique hotels near [region]”
- “where to stay in [town]”
Build content around those. Not just blog posts. Landing pages, FAQs, even photo captions.
Here’s Where to Start With Your Local SEO
Google your city + “boutique hotel.”
Are you in the top 3?
If not, what are 3 things you can fix this week to start climbing?
(Hint: It probably starts with your Google Business Profile.)
Stop Throwing Influencer Partnerships at the Wall to See What Sticks
Influencer marketing isn’t dead, it’s just been heavily misused in the travel space. Too many hotels throw free stays at anyone with a decent follower count and hope for magic. What they usually get? A couple of posts that feel off-brand and a weekend they can’t re-sell. Mayyyybe a couple of new social followers if they’re lucky.
It’s time to get intentional. Think small. Think aligned.
Micro > Massive
You don’t need someone with 500K followers who’s never heard of your town. You need the person with 6K highly engaged followers who trust their taste and who represent your target audience. Or the travel creator with a visual style that matches your space to a T.
The real ROI is in resonance, not reach.
Curated Stays > Free Nights
Stop offering “free nights” and start offering curated stays with a creative purpose. For example:
“We’d love to host you for a one-night escape to experience our new winter ritual menu. It includes a sauna session, a fireside tasting, and a guided journaling kit in-room. If it inspires a story you want to share, even better.”
This sets expectations, gives direction, and respects both sides of the collaboration.
Try a Creator-in-Residence Program
Instead of chasing new influencers every month, a solid influencer marketing plan focuses on building relationships with key players. One digital marketing tactic we’ve always loved for our boutique lodging clients is creating a ‘creator-in-residence program.’
This idea is pretty simple. Once per season, you invite one local or regional content creator to stay at your property for a couple of nights. Not just to snap pretty pictures, but to really experience the place and tell your story through their own creative lens.
This isn’t a free-for-all collab. You’re choosing someone whose aesthetic and audience aligns with your brand. Someone who’ll notice the little details that make your destination unique.
In exchange for the stay, you ask for a few deliverables. This might look different month to month, but some options include a handful of posts, some behind-the-scenes stories, and permission to reshare content (with credit, of course). You might even feature them on your blog or in your newsletter as your “Winter Creator-in-Residence” giving both them and your brand a little extra narrative depth.
It’s a slower, more relationship-driven approach to influencer marketing and it tends to be way more effective. You get richer, more thoughtful content. You stop wasting time coordinating one-off posts that don’t fit. And you walk away with high-quality UGC you can actually reuse across your channels.
The Underground Content Engine
Most boutique hotels underestimate how powerful their perspective is. You’re sitting on an absolute goldmine of stories, local connections, and insider intel that people actually want to read. But you have to step out of the “business” brain for a second, and start thinking like a mini media brand and a lens into your community.
A blog or newsletter is a great place to start. Keep it personal, keep it useful, and keep it in your voice. This doesn’t need to be a weekly thing—just a steady stream of small stories that build trust and curiosity.
That could mean:
- A playlist you’d play in the lobby during golden hour (share it on Spotify and post a link)
- A mini-guide to your neighborhood for slow Sunday mornings
- A short post on your favorite rainy-day rituals
- An interview with a local artist you feature in your rooms
- A monthly note from the front desk with a memory, a moment, or something you’re excited about
This kind of content helps potential guests get to know you before they walk in the door—and keeps past guests connected long after checkout. It also quietly boosts your SEO for terms like “getaway in [your city]” or “cool places to stay near [local landmark]” without needing to write blog posts that sound like blog posts.
You don’t necessarily need a strategy doc. You just need to start sharing what you already live every day.
Loyalty Programs Without the Punch Card
The traditional loyalty model—stay five nights, get one free—was built for chain hotels. But you’re not a chain. Your guests aren’t collecting points; they’re collecting moments. So let’s build a loyalty approach that actually reflects your brand and deepens the guest relationship.
Instead of discounts and punch cards, think curated access. The kind of extras that feel considered, not transactional.
That might mean:
- First dibs on last-minute cancellations or special events
- A surprise room upgrade or a handwritten note from the owner
- An exclusive seasonal zine, mailed or emailed quarterly
- Invitations to “locals-only” happenings, like staff wine night or new menu tastings
- A small referral bonus for returning guests who bring someone new
- A “come together, stay apart” weekend. Two rooms, two friends, one shared experience
What You Can Do Today
Create a handful of guest loyalty tiers.
It doesn’t need to be a points system or an app. Just a simple structure that rewards repeat guests in a way that feels thoughtful and not transactional.
Use tier names that reflect your brand tone, like:
- Frequent Escapists – for guests who’ve stayed 2–3 times
- Locals Who Love Us – for in-town regulars who pop in often (or send friends your way)
- The Slow Stay Circle – for your most loyal guests, the ones who book every season and feel like part of the place
Each level unlocks small, meaningful perks: early access to bookings, surprise room upgrades, personal touches waiting in the room, or invitations to special events.
Metrics That Matter to Boutique Hoteliers
Not all metrics are created equal. Likes and followers might look good on paper, but they rarely tell the full story. For boutique hotels, the most valuable insights live at the intersection of experience and conversion.
Here are some metrics worth paying attention to:
- Scroll depth + time on page – These show how long people actually engage with your content. Are they skimming—or sinking in?
- Referral source quality – Where are your most valuable guests coming from? Influencer mentions? OTA platforms? A single great blog feature?
- Review sentiment trends – Beyond the stars, what are people actually saying? Themes and patterns in your reviews offer a direct line to guest perception.
- Guest-generated content frequency – Are people moved to share their stay without being asked? That’s a sign of emotional impact and it’s content you can reuse.
- Bookings by source – Important to pair with your referral source quality.
- Email click-through rate – To gauge interest in specific offers or stories.
- Repeat booking rate – Your truest long-term loyalty metric.
- Direct booking rate – What % of guests book without an OTA.
When you start tracking these consistently, patterns start to show up. And those patterns are what help you refine your strategy.
Building a simple dashboard allows you to easily see:
- Bookings over time, broken down by source
- Social engagement spikes (and what content triggered them)
- Email open rates + click-throughs for your recent sends
Email Marketing: The Most Underused Tool in Boutique Hospitality
Email might not feel as flashy as Instagram or as urgent as a last-minute OTA booking—but it’s one of the highest-converting, lowest-cost marketing channels you have.
Even one email a month can keep your brand top of mind and keep your best guests coming back.
Best Practices for Boutique Hotel Email Marketing
- Think “love letter,” not “blast.”
Every email should feel like it was written for someone, not at everyone. Use natural language, include photos with soul, and lead with story—not sale. - One email = one clear purpose.
Don’t cram three announcements into one send. Each email should have a focus, whether that’s a room reveal, a guest story, or a seasonal offer. - Keep the design simple and editorial.
Think more “digital postcard” or “mini zine” than flashy template. Beautiful imagery, clean text, minimal distractions. - Make the CTA feel like a continuation of the vibe.
Not “BOOK NOW” in bold red. Try:- “See what’s open this month”
- “Plan your next slow morning”
- “Take a peek at Room 6 (it’s glowing right now)”
- Segment if possible.
Locals. Past guests. New subscribers. People who clicked “book” but didn’t finish. The more personal the message, the better it lands.
Interesting, Non-Boring Email Ideas
Remember, it’s a privilege to be in someone’s inbox and if you’re sending emails just to check a marketing box and you’re not truly thinking about delivering value, that privilege will be promptly revoked. People aren’t shy with that unsubscribe button.
So here are a few ways you can craft emails people actually look forward to.
The “Almost Booked” Note
Subject: “Still thinking about us?”
A gentle nudge to people who visited your booking page but didn’t complete. Include a beautiful room photo + soft copy:
“We had a cancellation this weekend. Room 4 is free and she’s looking lovely.”
Slow Season Local Guide
Subject: “Winter, without the crowds”
A mini-guide to your area in the off-season. Make it dreamy. Give reasons to visit now, not later.
Guest-Letter Series
Feature short, poetic notes from guests who’ve stayed.
“I didn’t realize how much I needed to rest until the silence hit me in Room 7.”
From the Desk
Monthly or quarterly letter from the owner or manager. Keep it real. Could be a short story, a reflection, or something small they’re loving right now.
What’s Blooming
Tie your email to something that’s literally happening right outside. Wildflowers, olive harvest, first snow. Make your property feel alive.
Staff Secrets
Subject: Ask Marie about the olive oil.
Each month, spotlight one team member and a tip they always give guests.
“Marie always tells people to skip the market and head to the olive farm just outside town. You’ll see why.”
The Non-Travel Email
Subject: You don’t need to book. Just breathe.
Send something with no CTA. Just a short note about rest, space, or slow living. It builds connection without the ask and that builds long-term loyalty.
Smuggled Recipes
Subject: The jam from breakfast, in your kitchen
Share the recipe (or close enough version) of something guests always ask about (your granola, cocktail, that citrus olive oil cake.) Bonus points if you include the story behind it.
24 Hours, If You Only Had Them
Subject: A one-day reset in our town
Design a dream 24-hour itinerary. Morning coffee here, bookshop there, soak before dinner. It inspires trip planning without sounding like a pitch.
Forgotten Objects
Subject: Left behind: a book, a scarf, a note.
Each email features something small a guest accidentally left behind (anonymized of course) and the story you imagined for it. Emotional, human, and a little voyeuristic in the best way.
The “Call It In” Email
Subject: If you could call Room Service from home…
Offer a moment of sensory nostalgia. Describe one of your signature in-room experiences so vividly it transports someone for 20 seconds.
How Often to Email
Minimum: 1x per month
Ideal: 2-3x per month
Split it like this:
- 1 storytelling or editorial email (fun, useful, brand-building)
- 1 conversion email (special offer, last-minute room, referral nudge)
That’s enough to stay visible without overwhelming. If you have an event or campaign, you can briefly go weekly, but only with a clear reason.
Should You Name Your Newsletter?
Yes! If you treat it like a recurring moment, not just an update.
Name ideas:
- The Slow Stay Dispatch
- Room Notes
- From the Front Desk
- The Weekender
- Postcards from [Hotel Name]
A name gives the newsletter identity. It makes it feel curated, not automated and it’s more likely to be opened.
You’re Not a Commodity, Your Marketing Should Reflect That
There are some hotels that people book for a place to lay their head at night. And then there are others that people book as a destination in its own right.
If you’ve built a space designed for experiences, but you’re struggling to know how to get it out there, we’re your team!
At Indigo, our micro team of marketing specialists helps boutique hotels take full advantage of your marketing dollars through website and landing page copywriting, conversion audits, email marketing, paid media, social channel strategies, and more!
We’re avid travelers, boutique hotel obsessives, and marketers who care deeply about helping thoughtful spaces get the attention they deserve. Let’s tell your story!
