Visual storytelling is an incredibly effective, efficient and memorable way of delivering your message to your audience – especially on social media. This checklist has been designed to help hotel marketers make sure they’re covering the basics of visual storytelling on five of the most popular social networking channels – Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram.

1. Checklist: Stepping Up Your Hotel’s
Visual Storytelling on Social Media
Visual storytelling is simply a method of forming a
narrative using a sequence of images. Whether it is
illustrations, photographs or video, visual storytelling is
an incredibly effective, efficient and memorable way of
delivering your message to your audience.
Visual Storytelling on Social Media Checklist
This checklist has been designed to help you learn the basics of visual storytelling, and how to use those
concepts to help tell your hotel’s story on five of the most popular social networking channels – Facebook,
YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram.
Profiles
Your social profiles need to be visually compelling Ensure your profile images represent your hotel make it easy
and help convey your hotel’s story and brand. to identify
Update the visual appearance of your social profiles often
Consider McDonald’s ‘Golden Arches’, Nike’s
‘Swoosh’ or Tide bottles and the vibrant orange we Describe your hotel and it’s story in the ‘about’ section on
connect to their brand. Each of these are examples each social site
of easy to recognize images associated with a
Include multi-media apps on Facebook to drive interaction
brand’s profile.
Post
The more interesting and relevant your posts are Post interesting images that appeal to your fans and followers
the better.
Create and post videos that visually showcase the unique
aspects of your hotel
One way to get interesting visual content is
to photos at events at your hotel and post to Posting regularly on each social platform
Instagram, tweet them out, post on Facebook Share content posted by others that may be of interest to your
and create an events board on Pinterest. This audience
shows real people and real events at your hotel,
which helps tell your story. Post content that encourages fans and followers to engage
with you

2. Engagement
Add a personal touch to your social presence Constantly monitor for consumer engagement and respond
by sharing pictures and videos of travelers while promptly
staying at your hotel. Host photo contests that
Host special campaigns such as contests that focus on
encourage travelers to share a picture of their
creating social interaction
favorite meals, or places in and around your hotel.
Involve guests in your posts and photos
Monitor your interactions and use the learnings to improve
General Practices
Promoting special offers on smartphones and Include social media widgets where ever possible and
tablets not only grabs consumer interest and appropriate, like email campaigns, landing pages and so on
attention, but it will also encourage them to book
Ensure your content is always visual, interesting and relevant
through your mobile website.
to your current and target guests
Encourage consumers to connect and interact with you
Maintain a consistent image and appearance across all
platforms
Do you have a presence on the top social media channels?
Facebook is the largest and most well-known of the social networks. Take advantage of their recent
visual enhanced updates such as the cover photo, timeline layout with optional apps and larger display
photo albums.
YouTube videos hold a great deal of opportunity for hotels marketers to display hotel amenities and
unique experiences of employees or travelers. Ensure your hotel has a presence on the largest video
sharing platform.
Twitter’s quick bursts of information are ideally suited for our on-the-go and increasingly mobile society.
They’ve also recently embraced more visual storytelling features that have led to additional marketing
opportunities for hotels.
Pinterest surprised everyone with its shockingly quick growth. With travel ranked as one of the top ten
categories1, it is crucial for hotels to hop on board with Pinterest.
Instagram is a great tool – and widely used – for photo sharing while on-the-go. Its mobile based
presence makes sharing visuals now easier than ever.
Get Started
Social media gives you the chance to tell your hotel’s story in a visually compelling manner – not just your rooms
and amenities, but your staff and your guests – with impactful visuals, quickly and easily. By connecting with
guests and allowing them to help you tell your story, you’re allowing future guests the chance to see, first hand, the
true experience of staying at your property.
VFM Leonardo helps hotels like yours develop and amplify their visual stories reaching prospects with engaging
content. With powerful visual storytelling features and an easy-to-use web interface, VFM Leonardo’s VBrochure™
is an ideal solution for hotels looking to deliver consistent, visually rich stories to travel shoppers across social
media channels and beyond. Request a consultation.
1
Mashable, What People Are Pinning on Pinterest (http://mashable.com/2012/03/12/pinterest-most-popular-categories-boards/)
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