It’s summer 2014. The #ALSIceBucketChallenge has gripped the social media world and you’re seeing videos left and right of eager participants dumping ice over their heads. By the end of August, over 17 million people have participated and $115 million was raised for The ALS Association. 

In the digital age, nothing unites us quite like a social media trend. 

A decade later and we still see the influence trending topics bring when harnessed correctly, albeit now we have to contend with a list of ever-evolving factors. Advanced algorithms on platforms like TikTok and Facebook/Instagram Reels are programmed to show users content that relate to their interests, meaning trends can now pertain to only a select demographic. With audiences becoming increasingly segmented, brands have to strategize how to maximize their reach while still appealing to targeted markets.

Brands find their social media sweet spot by pinpointing and staying on top of the trends that keep them engaged in relevant digital spaces. For example, if a popular artist drops a new album, videos using a portion of the song have the potential to generate a new trend for users interested in that artist. Combine the audio’s popularity with a reel showcasing your hotel and voila, you’ve opened a gateway for new users to include Travel & Hospitality-related content in their algorithm. Knowing both your audience and potential audience can provide new opportunities with growth and engagement.

Tying brand initiatives into current trends gives companies a competitive advantage in their social strategies. By creating a connection between your company and the trends users love, you’re adding to your brand’s personality. This can help position your brand as modern, relevant, and in touch with your customers. 

For example, check out this recent post we did for Emmy Squared Pizza utlizing the current “Why did you swipe?” trend.

Trends also within your industry can also give you great insight into your audiences’ interests and behavior. Analyzing recent trends can help you to plan content shoots, and incorporate these interests into other aspects of your marketing.

Keeping all this in mind, we’ve compiled a list of what current social media trends in the Travel & Hospitality industry we love (and a few we hate). Each presents itself as a unique opportunity to engage with your audience in a creative, brand-friendly manner while still taking advantage of its mass reach. Read for yourself and decide which ones can work for you and which to avoid.

THREE TRENDS WE LOVE AND WHY

Room Tours

Room tour posts are a fantastic way of showcasing your property while appealing to the curiosity of the consumer. Who doesn’t want a sneak peek into one of the world’s most luxurious hotel suites? Allow the audience to imagine themselves as one of your guests with a POV-style video, or get a trusted seal of approval with an influencer partnership. Get people excited with asking them to tag who they’d like to stay there with in the comments and watch your interactions sky-rocket.

Our biggest reason to love this concept, though? It’s an evergreen engagement maximizer. You can fit it in with any current trend and sync it to any viral audio. The tone can be easily adjusted to reflect your brand’s personality, granting your team a refreshing sense of creative flexibility that benefits everyone.

Bucket Lists

Bucket list trends are a destination property’s best friend. Want your hotel to stand out from the rest? Create a list of must-visit attractions in your vicinity that incorporates a mix of popular hotspots and ‘hidden’ local gems. This is a great way to increase awareness and interest while highlighting your property as an ideal homebase. Your community will also thank you for sending business their way.

We recommend creating a seasonal bucket list rotation to create urgency for limited-time events  as well as year-round relevancy!

ASMR

Similar to the tingling feeling you get when you use a scalp massager, Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, or ASMR videos aim to trigger audio or visual stimuli that create a sense of relaxation. It’s a simple yet effective way to frame a stay at your property as a peaceful and sensorial experience. It can be as simple as the sound of drinks clinking together, housekeepers laying out sheets, fingers tapping on counter tops, or a video of a massage experience in your spa. Additionally, there are many ASMR Influencers out there, making it a great collaboration opportunity.

THREE TRENDS WE HATE AND WHY

Poking Fun at Competitors

While this may seem like a playful opportunity to poke fun at the competition, as a hospitality brand, the potential drawbacks far outweigh the benefits. You should never run the risk of alienating prospective customers who are fans of the competitor you’re devaluing. Reputation and trust in your brand is key to success. Channel your efforts into connecting with your audience through positivity and inclusion, not the inverse. Your content should always focus on the value that your brand offers in order to build long-term relationships with your customer base.

Prank Trends

We’ve all seen them. It’s another easy way to catch the audience’s attention, but amassing views can’t be the only goal. Any piece of media marketing should always have the brand’s best interests in mind and be deliberate in what it’s conveying. Prank videos forego featuring anything substantial, relying instead on shock value or suspense—not to mention videos in this trend always seem to get some sort of backlash. Especially as a hotel, you don’t want to be advertising any unwanted surprises to begin with. Don’t portray any situation that’s at the expense of guests or workers

Two Popular Hotel Prank Trends

Clickbait

If you’re looking for a surefire way to lose trust in both your audience and the algorithm, look no further. Think about the last time you saw the headline of content be something along the lines of “You’ll Never Believe This…” only to be underwhelmed when you watch the video. That’s clickbait. It’s designed to farm engagement through misleading prompts and direction. This ethically questionable tactic to catch the audience's attention was popular on social media in the 2010s but has long since outgrown its novelty. Platforms have evolved since the era of clickbait, algorithms will catch on to these trends and hinder the reach of your videos because of it.