Let’s talk about the elephant in the (digital) room.

You’ve probably heard the advice a hundred times:

“Your hospitality brand needs to be on social media.”
“You should be running paid ads on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok…”
“You’re leaving money on the table if you’re not investing in content.”

But here’s the thing no one really talks about:

What if you do all that… and nothing happens?

If you’re a hotelier, a restaurateur, or the owner of a boutique experience brand, you’ve likely felt this anxiety. Maybe you’ve boosted posts, run campaigns, paid for pretty visuals—and all you got was a handful of likes and a depleted budget.

That’s not just frustrating—it’s scary. Because hospitality businesses don’t always have the luxury of “test and learn” marketing budgets. Every dollar matters.

So how do you make social media marketing work without throwing money into the void?

Why social media marketing feels risky in hospitality

Unlike ecommerce businesses where ROI can be quickly measured through direct sales, the return on investment for hospitality marketing is a little more nuanced.

You’re selling experiences, not products. You’re relying on seasonality, location, and mood. And conversions might happen offline or weeks after the first social impression.

All of that creates a disconnect between what you’re spending and what you’re seeing.

This often leads to two reactions:

  1. Overcommitting to platforms with no clear strategy, or
  2. Shutting everything down out of fear it’s not working.

Both can hurt your brand in the long run.

What successful hospitality businesses do differently

The good news? You don’t need to spend more. You need to spend smarter.

Here’s how hospitality brands can avoid overspending on social media—and still stay visible, competitive, and relevant:

1. Define what success looks like (before spending a cent)

Not every social media post needs to go viral. And not every ad needs to convert immediately. For hospitality brands, success might look like:

  • Increased website visits or booking inquiries
  • More saved posts or shares
  • Email sign-ups from interested guests
  • Boosted visibility during peak booking seasons

Define your key performance indicators (KPIs) before running ads. Without this, you’re just throwing spaghetti at the wall.

2. Run micro-campaigns before scaling

Think of paid social like a tasting menu, not a buffet. Before you commit $2,000+ to a full-blown campaign, test a $100 version:

  • Try different creatives: video walkthroughs, behind-the-scenes content, or guest testimonials
  • Target different audience segments—locals, travelers, couples, families
  • Test different platforms: Facebook may work for one audience, TikTok for another

These small experiments help you learn what resonates—and what doesn’t—without draining your budget.

3. Let content and targeting work together

A beautiful post doesn’t mean much if it’s shown to the wrong people. And hyper-targeted ads won’t work if the creative falls flat.

For hospitality businesses, the sweet spot is content that shows the experience (not just sells it) combined with targeting that matches your ideal guest profile.

Think:

  • Local targeting for brunch specials
  • Retargeting site visitors for event bookings
  • Lookalike audiences based on past guests

4. Don’t just measure clicks—track real outcomes

Social media metrics are often vanity-driven. But likes and comments don’t pay the bills.

Use tools like:

  • UTM tracking to see what campaigns are driving traffic
  • Booking conversion tracking (if you use platforms like Resy, OpenTable, or your own CMS)
  • Google Analytics to monitor behavior after someone clicks an ad

These help you connect your ad spend to actual results—not just engagement.

Bottom line: You don’t need to spend more on social media marketing. You need to spend better.

Yes, social media can feel like a black hole. Yes, it can be hard to see a straight line from “boosted post” to “booked table.” But that doesn’t mean it isn’t working—or that it can’t.

For hospitality businesses, the goal of social media isn’t just sales—it’s visibility, trust, and top-of-mind awareness.

When you shift your mindset from “how much are we spending?” to “what are we learning and earning?”—you start seeing real returns.

Want help auditing your social media performance or ad spend?
We’re a boutique paid ads agency that works with service-based and hospitality brands to build smarter, leaner campaigns. [Let’s talk strategy—no strings attached.]