12 Content Ideas For Your Hotel's Blog

Running a blog isn’t always easy (trust me, I know!), but it is one of the best ways to attract audiences, gain traffic and promote yourself. Most blogs begin well, but then slowly but surely start posting fewer posts, on repeating subjects, because they simply run out of original ideas.

To help out, I’ve put together a list of content ideas for your hotel’s blog.

REMEMBER! The number one thing blogs get wrong is not providing enough original and useful content. My top tip is to put yourself in the shoes of your audiences. What things do you want to know when you go travelling? What would make you click and share an article? Don’t just think, I’ve got to promote, promote, promote all the time – that tactic won’t work.

1. Photography

They say a picture says more than a thousand words, and they don’t say it for no reason! By far one of the most engaging pieces of content is photography – and you want to show off your hotel, right?

You probably already have a photo gallery somewhere on your site, so you don’t just want to repeat that on your blog (although you can direct them to it of course!).

Some ideas:

• Take photographs of the different seasons/weather experienced at your Hotel’s location
• Photograph surrounding areas/villages
• Visit local events happening in surrounding areas and take photographs

2. Customer testimonials

There’s nothing wrong with highlighting some good customer testimonials on your blog, but don’t post every single good review you get. It’ll just come across as spammy and promotional and will start to put-off your audiences – not the desired effect!

Some ideas:

• Invite customers to write a travel diary entry of their holiday
• Pick out quotes and turn them into images (these work really well on your social media pages as well)

3. Answer common questions

There’s a usual list of common questions that visitors ask when they travel. What does the Hotel room provide? How close is the nearest supermarket? You might have this information somewhere else on your site, but answering these questions in a blog post allows you to go into much further detail.

Some examples:

• What things should I pack for my stay at [insert your location here]?
• What is the weather usually like in [insert month here]?
• Is the local water supply safe to drink?

4. Ask Questions/Post Surveys

If there’s one thing people love, it’s making their opinion be known. Engage your audience by asking them questions and starting a debate. Post mini-surveys and then post the results (maybe in the form of an infographic?).

Some examples:

• What would you prefer from your hotel? [this] or [that]?
• Which dishes from our menu make your top 3?
• The results are in! 80% of our guests [insert statistic here]

5. Local culture/history/legends

Are there any ghost stories or legends in your hotel/area? Did your hotel inspire a famous novelist or star in a movie? Use those stories in your blog to entice your audience.

Also, educate potential guests about the local culture and history, describing famous historical events and explaining the roots of local customs. Some people travel for peace and quiet, but others actively seek to learn about new locations and ways of life.

Some ideas:

• Do the locals have a different way of doing things? Explain why
• Tell guests about any famous historical events

6. Promotions/Events

Of course, you’ll want to include your latest promotions, competitions and events on your blog. The trick is, to not FILL your blog with only this type of content. Otherwise, you’ll look boring and spammy. I’m a fan of the 80:20 ratio. Think 80% non-promotional content and 20% promotional content.

Some examples:

• Join us in June for our [insert event here]
• Win an all-inclusive holiday with us this summer!
• This week only! 20% off all 2014 bookings

7. Travel Tips

Travelling can sometimes be a stressful experience and even the well-travelled can forget something or suddenly realise they’ve been making it harder for themselves! Give your audience helpful and original tips on how to make their journey to you as stress-free as possible.

Some ideas:

• Make a packing checklist of what they should bring with them
• List top 10 games/gadgets to keep children entertained on long-haul flights

8. Local Guides/Resources

Provide a list of local guides and resources for your guests. Don’t just list the tour guide you work closely with, list ALL of the tour guides in your local area (although to avoid upsetting your partner, write a particularly good review about them). By providing your guests with a comprehensive list and allowing them to chose what they want to do and see, you’ll gain their trust and become known as an authoritative source.

Some examples:

• Want to try the local cuisine? A list of local restaurants in [insert location]
• Top tourist attractions that aren’t in the tour guides
• How to get around: local bus timetables

9. Useful language phrases

If your hotel is located in a foreign-speaking country, make a list of useful everyday phrases in a language guide.

Some examples:

• 10 useful phrases in [insert language]
• Lessons in Local etiquette: avoid these common language mistakes!

10. Behind the scenes

Everyone likes to be ‘in the loop’ – consider writing a blog from the perspective of your hotel staff, or giving a sneak preview of a new feature or re-design.

Some examples:

• A day in the life of a hotel cleaner
• Oops…this is what happened to our newest member of staff when they forgot to apply sun cream
• This is what our swimming pool looks like in the winter

11. Famous visitors

We live in a celebrity culture, with people lapping up every bit of media related to their favourite idols. If you have someone famous staying in your resort, mention it! Obviously, you need to be a bit careful with this one and perhaps check with said celebrity before you start splashing it all over your blog.

But even if Madonna stayed at your hotel back in the ‘80s – if you have a picture then that’s a great blog post right there.

Some examples:

• When Madonna came to visit [insert hotel name/location]
• Guess which A-list celebrity will be holidaying in [insert location] this year?

12. Interesting facts

Post some interesting and unique facts about your hotel. People crave information and enjoy learning facts in small, easy to read chunks. You could also turn this information into an infographic if you have enough of it. Use popular hashtags such as #ThrowbackThursday to post old images and facts of your hotel through the years.

Some examples:

• The craziest items that have ended up in lost and found
• Look how our suites were decorated back in the ‘60s! (It was cool back then we promise) #ThrowbackThursday
• Every 4 years, it takes [insert amount] of paint to freshen up our exterior