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Hotel Marketing Strategies That Actually Drive Bookings

  • Writer: Billy Aberle
    Billy Aberle
  • Jul 8
  • 3 min read
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The days of relying only on OTAs and seasonal foot traffic are over. In 2025, winning in NYC hospitality marketingmeans owning your brand story, creating immersive content, and making your hotel impossible to scroll past.


At Billy Boy Studio, we’ve worked with hotels like Virgin Hotels NYC, Everdene, The Pool Club, and The Riff Raff Club to create marketing systems that don’t just get attention—they drive bookings and build brand loyalty.


Here’s what actually works.




1. Lead With Your Brand Story



Your hotel isn’t just rooms—it’s a lifestyle. Whether you’re boutique luxury, playful rooftop party, or laid-back urban retreat, your story should show up across every touchpoint.


We help clients define:


  • Target audience + emotional tone

  • Visual identity and guest expectations

  • Brand pillars that guide design and voice



A guest should know exactly what your experience feels like—before they ever check your rates.




2. Capture More Than the Room



Polished photos of pillows aren’t enough. Guests book based on energy, emotion, and vibe.


Content that converts:


  • Lifestyle shoots with real people enjoying the space

  • Motion-based Reels and video walkthroughs

  • Event and experience coverage

  • Behind-the-scenes prep, staff culture, and day-in-the-life visuals



Our campaign for Everdene focused on the buzz—live music, full tables, flowing cocktails—not just the setting. Bookings spiked.




3. Optimize Your Website for Direct Booking



We treat your website like a concierge:


  • Mobile-first, visual-heavy design

  • Booking button above the fold

  • Lightning-fast load times

  • Clear social proof (reviews, press)

  • Incentives for booking direct



Pair with smart retargeting ads and your website becomes your top salesperson.




4. Curate Your Social Media, Don’t Just Post



Treat your Instagram and TikTok like your brand’s magazine.


Build with:


  • Strategic content pillars (rooms, lifestyle, food, events, guests)

  • Seasonal content calendars

  • Branded stories, graphics, and Reels

  • Community-building captions and UGC reposts



The Pool Club’s summer social series drove thousands of RSVPs thanks to Reels that looked spontaneous—but were strategically produced.




5. Activate Your Space With Events



A hotel should be a hub—not just a place to sleep.


Host and market experiences like:


  • Rooftop DJ sets

  • Cocktail classes or food tastings

  • Pop-up partnerships with local artists or chefs

  • Wellness weekends or brand collabs



We help hotels build full event marketing systems: teaser videos, influencer invites, on-site content capture, and post-event recaps.




6. Cross-Promote With Local Creators + Brands



Partnerships = reach.


We’ve helped facilitate:


  • Floral installations from local shops

  • Rooftop yoga with boutique fitness brands

  • Chef collabs for limited-time tastings

  • In-room product placements with NYC-based businesses



Great content + shared audiences = visibility and community connection.




7. Run Paid Ads With Killer Creative



Boosting a static photo isn’t enough. We design ad campaigns that feel native, thumb-stopping, and brand-aligned.


What we deliver:


  • Reels with emotion and motion

  • Ad graphics with promo overlays

  • Targeted carousels (rooms, pool, brunch, events)

  • Lead magnets (like city guides) to grow your email list



Combine that with smart Meta and Google targeting, and you’ve got a true performance funnel.




8. Keep Marketing After Guests Check Out



Don’t stop at a thank-you email. Great post-stay content creates loyalty and amplifies word of mouth.


Ideas:


  • “Memory video” from their stay

  • Rebooking offers or invite-only loyalty rates

  • UGC campaigns using tagged guest photos

  • Personalized review requests



Treat every past guest as a future brand ambassador.




Final Takeaway: You’re Selling Energy, Not Just Rooms



The best hotel brands don’t just look great—they make people feel something. When your content, strategy, and story are aligned, bookings become effortless.


At Billy Boy Studio, we bring creative, performance, and hospitality know-how together to build hotel marketing campaigns that make people stop scrolling—and start booking.



📩 Ready to fill rooms and build a brand worth talking about?

Visit www.billyboy.studio or DM us @BillyBoyStudio

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