If there’s one thing hotel marketers love, it’s jumping on the next “must-use” platform. Enter LinkedIn. Promoted as the magic wand for connecting with B2B professionals and corporate travelers, it’s also one of the most glorified—and underwhelming—tools hotels are told to embrace. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t live up to the hype.
Trust and Credibility? Sure, But Not for Hotel Pages
LinkedIn likes to bill itself as the ultimate space for “trust and credibility.” Here’s a twist: people trust people, not pages. Expecting a generic hotel company page to get any real engagement is wishful thinking at best. Without throwing massive budgets at constant content creation, most company pages are about as exciting as watching paint dry.
Can a hotel achieve results if someone takes charge as the “face” of the brand? Maybe. But don’t kid yourself into thinking profiles blasting promotions will suddenly make people care. It takes charisma, consistency, and a personal touch—rarely qualities found in routine “look at our amenities” posts.
Why Nobody Cares About Your Posts
Sharing educational posts or bland sales updates isn’t enough to gain traction. The psychology is simple: people connect with people, not faceless corporations. Slapping vague “insights” onto your feed won’t suddenly make your hotel stand out in the crowd of content. Potential clients remember genuine connections, not cookie-cutter pitches.
Without a relatable, real “face” representing the business, the nameless stream of stock photos and generic ads typically does one thing well: it gets ignored.
But Wait, There’s More: LinkedIn’s “Benefits”
Here’s the usual sales pitch for why hotels must use LinkedIn. Spoiler alert: let’s tear it apart point by point.
- Access to business professionals: Sure, LinkedIn is filled with decision-makers. But why would they scroll past endless irrelevant posts from your hotel when dozens of their actual partners are fighting for attention?
- Targeted ads: “Reach business travelers by job title and location!” That sounds great, except LinkedIn ads cost a fortune and deliver middling results.
- Content sharing to build thought leadership: Because nothing screams thought leader like a recycled “Top 5 Business Travel Tips.”
- Industry connections through groups: These groups are either ghost towns or meaningless self-promotion echo chambers. Take your pick.
What Hotels Need Instead
Hoteliers need strategies that build actual customer relationships without the pretense. Putting significant effort into a LinkedIn company page with high hopes of shortening sales cycles is wishful thinking unless executed flawlessly (and expensively).
While LinkedIn could work if handled masterfully, it’s often an overrated tool when applied to the hospitality world. Building true “trust and credibility” comes from authentic communication, not from masked efforts to manufacture influence. Use LinkedIn sparingly, focus on personal connections, or spend time elsewhere—because not all “opportunities” are worth it.
