New year, fresh opportunities. In 2025, it’s not enough to simply be present – your hotel’s social media content needs to be engaging, authentic and unforgettable.
NB: This is an article from 80 Days
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So, whether it’s a shift to storytelling, upping your photography skills, revisiting some old favourites or saying ‘so long’ to a social media stalwart, read on to discover our top hotel social media trends and how to fuel your feeds in 2025.
1. Short-form is Getting Longer
For more than 5 years, 15-second videos have reigned supreme on social media. Fast forward to 2025 and short-form video is actually getting longer, as platforms expand their maximum video lengths and longer form stories captivate the imaginations of viewers.
How to capitalise:
- Create longer, more engaging stories and don’t forget the ‘why’ behind your video.
- Explore narratives beyond quick cuts, transitions and catchy music. Consider mini-documentaries, behind-the-scenes glimpses (especially for recruitment) and more in-depth travel guides.
- Plan with purpose – ensure you maintain strong visual interest throughout your video, use dynamic camera work, captivating visuals and vary the editing to keep your viewers hooked.
“Ironically short-form content is getting longer and you don’t have to fit everything into one video. People want brands to tell them a story.” – Hannah Bennett, Head of Travel at TikTok
2. StaTic-Tok
Leading the way on video trends since it launched, and copied every step of the way by the other big platforms, TikTok shocked us all when it introduced static carousel posts – putting photography first and taking the platform by storm.
How to capitalise:
- Invest in training to ensure that your photography maintains a high brand standard.
- Tell stories through your imagery – static shots don’t need to be lifeless. Create compelling sequences that evoke emotions and inspire wanderlust.
- Utilise trending audio and effects to expand the reach of your image posts.
3. Dust Off Your YouTube Channels
As the first popular social media channel, most hotels jumped on YouTube right at the beginning, commissioning expensive videos and populating their channels. Now long forgotten and often abandoned, 2025 will see hotels revisit the platform – still the world’s 2nd biggest search engine.
3 ways to capitalise:
- Optimise your video content – use relevant keywords and create compelling video descriptions to improve your visibility through YouTube (and Google) searches.
- Build a community – actively encourage viewer interaction through comments and Q&A sessions.
- Partner with content creators – find those who are already actively producing content for your target demographic and partner up to create something special together (and gain access to their following).
