Passion-Based Travel: What It Is and How Hotels Can Tap Into the Trend

hese days, a growing number of travelers are building vacations around their personal hobbies and interests, rather than the destination itself. It’s a trend called passion-based travel — and luxury hotels and resorts will want to take note.

Instead of picking a place first and then finding things to do there, these explorers start with what they love — music, literature, hiking, you name it — and go wherever that passion leads them. The focus is on self-expression, learning, and actively engaging with a like-minded community.

A traveler pursuing their passion might go to Italy to take pasta-making classes, head to the Deep South for a blues festival, or book a yoga retreat in Costa Rica. Passion travel also encompasses wellness getaways, “set-jetting” to film locations, and eco-tourism excursions to geothermal hot springs or volcanic landscapes.

Who Are the Most Passionate Travelers?

Millennials and Gen Z are driving the trend by ditching traditional “bucket list destination” travel in favor of intentional, immersive, and highly personalized trips. One survey found that 77% of these younger travelers book their vacations based on personal interests rather than destinations. They’re likely to buy tickets to activities or attractions before they even book their plane tickets or secure a hotel room.

Younger generations tend to value authentic, once-in-a-lifetime experiences and memories. They see travel as an avenue for personal discovery, a way to meet people who share their interests, and an opportunity to shape their identity through the things they care about. Understanding that can help you market your hotel or resort to appeal to these types of travelers.

How to Market Your Property for Passion-Based Travel

Here are three ways to reach these passionate travelers by finding fresh ways to highlight everything your destination has to offer.

Leverage Immersive Storytelling

To reach audiences seeking passion travel vacations, you’ll need to focus on the lifestyle and experience your property offers. One impactful way to do that? Sharing visceral stories that grab audiences, through both luxurious visuals and content that paints a picture of what it’s like to be there.

Post on your blog about a day in the life at your property, centered around a theme. Focus on what visitors will feel, see, or taste — maybe a “Farm-to-Table Culinary Adventure” that includes cooking classes, cocktails, and a multi-course dinner; or a “Well-Being from Head to Toe” hushpitality experience that features spa treatments, outdoor yoga, and nutritious meals.
Create a passion-based travel spread in your property’s in-room magazine focused on local special-interest events or attractions. Think: an annual book festival, a multi-day folk festival, or spelunking tours throughout your region.
Build and share educational, long-form content — long-form video, PDFs, and/or blog posts — tailored to specific passions that can be nurtured at your destination.

Partner with Niche Influencers and Local Experts

Gen Z and Millennials use social media to discover niche adventures that align with their passions — but remember, they’re seeking specific, authentic experiences. Instead of partnering with large, broad-appeal travel influencers, collaborate with micro-influencers who specialize in your target niches. For example:

Invite an established food blogger for a weekend to review your culinary offerings.
Have a hiking or nature guide capture short-form video content of your property’s surrounding trails.
Work with a wellness expert — an aesthetician or yoga instructor — to highlight your spa offerings.

Optimize Search and Social for Passion Travel

Passion-based travelers search by their interests. To capture their attention, you’ll need to ensure that your online presence reflects what makes you a great choice.

Optimize your website, social media, and pay-per-click ads with highly specific, long-tail keywords (e.g., “culinary weekend getaway in the Hudson Valley” rather than just “Upstate New York hotels”).
Post Reels on Instagram and short-form videos on TikTok that showcase the unique activities and amenities you offer.
To optimize for chatbots — which about 40% of travelers worldwide use to plan trips — provide detailed, easily digestible FAQs on your website that explain why your property is a great choice for passion-based travel.

Hawthorn Creative’s experts in search, content, and social media marketing can help you build and execute a strategy to attract passion-based travelers. Contact us today to schedule a conversation.

Short-Form vs. Long-Form Video: Which Is Best For Hotels & Resorts?

in Photography & Video, Social Media Marketing by Hawthorn Editorial

side from the obvious (one is short and one is, well, longer), there are key differences between short-form and long-form video that you’ll want to keep in mind when crafting your brand’s content calendar. Each video style serves a different marketing goal, and knowing where short-form and long-form videos fit best in the marketing funnel will set your hotel or resort’s content strategy apart from the competition.

What Are the Differences Between Longer and Shorter Videos?

Short-form video is inherently bite-sized and fast-paced, designed for immediate engagement. Elements include:

Length: Anywhere from a few seconds up to a minute.
Orientation: Shot vertically in a 9:16 aspect ratio to fit on smartphone screens.
Pacing: Strong hook in the first 1-3 seconds, to prevent users from scrolling to the next video.
Editing: Quick cuts, dynamic text overlays, background music, and built-in visual effects.
Platforms: TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.

Long-form video content is more focused on educating audiences and providing valuable information. Here’s how long-form videos are typically structured:

Length: Usually defined as anything longer than 10 minutes; sometimes classified as videos over 2-3 minutes, depending on the platform.
Orientation: Usually produced in a traditional horizontal (16:9) landscape format.
Pacing: Alternates between fast-paced delivery and slower moments.
Editing: Broken into distinct chapters or acts, with a steady rhythm that includes B-roll integration and strategic audio design.
Platforms: YouTube, LinkedIn, and brand websites.

When to Use Short-Form vs. Long-Form Video

Now, it’s time to look at the differences between longer and shorter videos and how to use each to connect with audiences at various stages of the customer journey.

Short-Form Video — Best for Reach and Awareness

Use short-form video at the top of your marketing funnel — the initial research stage — to drive brand awareness, discovery, and viral reach. It’s best for attracting new followers, boosting impressions, and quickly showcasing your brand personality.

Short-form video shot on your iPhone is great for teasers, quick tips, trendy “wanderlust”-focused reels, and highlights of your property and services. Because these videos are highly shareable and favor discovery algorithms, they cast the widest net for reaching new audiences.

Here are some ideas for short-form videos for hotels and resorts:

Your own twist on trending travel content, like showing your resort’s “camera roll” over the past year, or a video slideshow of atmospheric photos with text like “mentally I’m here.”
Time-lapse videos showing an empty ceremony space being transformed into a lavish reception.
A sped-up “day in the life” of a couple or family on vacation, from ordering morning coffee in the lobby and enjoying the pool to relaxing at the spa and sipping cocktails in the evening.
Reels honing in on just one element of your property, from a fan-favorite meal at your on-site restaurant to the thoughtfully decorated patio outside of one of your guest rooms.

Long-Form Video — Best for Authority and Conversions

Long-form video is ideal for the middle and bottom of the marketing funnel — the consideration and conversion stages — to establish trust, educate your audience, and drive bookings. When you’re deciding between short-form vs. long-form video, consider long-form video as your preferred channel for deeper storytelling, providing detailed context and building trust.

Viewers are more likely to retain information from longer, well-structured content, making it highly effective for travelers or engaged couples who are ready to book a tour, decide on a wedding venue, or plan a vacation. Create longer videos for deep dives, comprehensive tutorials, and thorough answers to complex questions — and plan ahead to capture content over hours, weeks, or months.

Here are some ways resorts and wedding venues can use long-form video:

Time-lapse property makeovers that capture architectural renovations, grounds and garden projects, or the construction of a new restaurant to build hype before a grand opening.
Informational videos using text overlays to answer common questions (ie, “5 things every couple forgets to pack for their wedding weekend”) and position your property as an expert resource.
A detailed look at your wedding venue over one calendar year, showing couples exactly how the gardens, foliage, and lighting appear in each season.
Recordings of your in-house experts — gardeners, chefs, mixologists, etc. — offering demos and tutorials.

Need support parsing the differences between longer and shorter videos — and putting each type to work for your property? The Hawthorn Creative team can help. Schedule a consultation today, and we’ll help you build and execute a video strategy for every stage of the marketing funnel.

Why Beautiful Wedding Venue Websites Can Still Fail to Book Couples

in Content Marketing, Search Marketing, Websites by Hawthorn Editorial

icture this: You’ve built a gorgeous venue website splashed with beautiful, high-resolution images. You’ve recorded detailed video tours all around your property and uploaded them to each of your key pages. And you’ve even made sure that your logo and other signature elements of your visual brand identity appear across the website. Despite all this, bookings are still low.

If this is the case for your wedding venue, you might need to look underneath the shiny surface of your site and fine-tune the nuts and bolts. Wedding venue websites often fail to convert visitors into booked couples due to common issues like unclear pricing, slow response times, and bumpy user experiences. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at the reasons why some wedding websites don’t book couples or tours — even when they look perfect.

The 5 Top Reasons Wedding Websites Don’t Book Couples

Here are some of the most common reasons wedding websites lose leads and fail to get couples to book.

1. Vague or Hidden Pricing

Engaged couples are, more often than not, planning weddings while juggling tight budgets and tight schedules. If they have to hunt for your pricing, wade through never-ending fine print, or schedule a video call just to find out if your services are feasible for them, they will likely navigate away to a competitor venue that’s more transparent about what’s included in each package.

2. Slow Response Times

Couples expect quick turnaround times during their initial research phase. According to industry statistics, nearly half of couples expect a response to their inquiry within 24 hours. Without an automated email responder or a quick personal reply, couples may assume your venue is understaffed, hard to work with, or disorganized. The way you initially respond to interested parties indicates how you’ll respond when they’re locked in to working with your team.

3. Lack of Authenticity

Consumers — especially younger ones — are very savvy about what’s real and what’s not in the online world. Stock photos might make it clear that visitors have landed on a wedding venue website, but if they don’t accurately showcase your property, it can feel like a bait and switch. Couples want to know exactly who they’re working with and what they’ll experience on their special day.

4. Clunky Navigation or Poor Mobile Experience

These days, couples tend to browse websites on multiple devices. If your site has broken links, requires endless scrolling to find contact information, or is not optimized for mobile, it projects an unprofessional image and leaves visitors irritated. You also need to consider how visuals and video translate to mobile — what looks great on a horizontal desktop might be sized wrong or require too much scrolling on a phone.

5. Weak Call-to-Actions (CTAs)

After watching a video tour or clicking through a photo gallery, visitors need a clear next step. If your site lacks prominent buttons with messaging that helps them move further down the marketing funnel, potential leads will get lost and leave your site without submitting an inquiry.

5 Ways to Optimize Your Wedding Website

Now that we’ve looked at the most common reasons wedding websites don’t book even when they look great, let’s explore how to ensure that your venue site is effortless to navigate, features easy-to-find pricing (whether it’s through a gated brochure or listed directly on a webpage) and simplifies the process. In short, you’ll need to go beyond visuals to build trust, create a seamless user experience, and optimize your site for search engines so couples can easily find you. Here’s how.

1. Highlight Key Information Upfront

Couples are juggling multiple tabs and priorities all at once — so don’t make them hunt for information about your property. Stand up to the competition by ensuring this foundational information is easy to find.

Clear Pricing: Make it easy for visitors to obtain pricing information, from starting costs to average package ranges.
Location and Availability: Clearly state your geographic area and your availability for the year ahead.
Important Pages: Support the customer journey with an easy-to-use navigation menu featuring distinct headings such as Testimonials, Services, About, and Contact.

2. Streamline the Inquiry Process

Once a couple forms a positive impression of your brand, reaching out should take them only a few seconds. Here’s how to support visitors to take the next step.

Prominent Call-to-Actions (CTAs): Place buttons inviting audiences to “Book a Consultation,” or use even lower-pressure language like “Say Hello” in your site’s header, footer, and throughout your portfolio and video tour pages.
Short Contact Forms: Ask only for necessary details (name, wedding date, venue, and a brief message). Long, demanding forms often scare off visitors — especially couples who are browsing on mobile — and are a major reason wedding websites lose leads.

3. Create Story-Driven Portfolios

Beautiful images are no longer enough to win over leads; couples investing in premium services want to know the story behind the events.

Your Venue’s Role on the Day: For each wedding portfolio or gallery, explain your creative decisions, the challenges you solved, and what made the event meaningful.
The Partnerships That Make You Unique: Link to the other vendors involved in each wedding event. This builds community and can lead to cross-promotions, while displaying the richness and depth of your offerings.

4. Optimize for Search Engines and Chatbots

The prettiest and easiest-to-use wedding websites won’t book couples if said couples can’t find them in the first place.

Localized, Specific Keywords for SEO: Optimize search by using hyper-specific, long-tail keywords on your site, like “rustic Maine lakefront wedding venue” or “sophisticated city wedding venue in San Francisco.”
Answers to Questions Couples Are Asking: Providing clear, detailed answers to FAQs will increase the likelihood that your site appears in a featured snippet when couples search on Google or other search engines. And with 36 percent of couples using AI to research wedding venues, this piece of the puzzle makes a big difference.

5. Add Social Proof and User-Generated Content

One all-too-common reason wedding websites lose leads? Visitors don’t see any reviews or testimonials from real people. Showcasing past client experiences builds immediate confidence and trust.

User-Generated Content: Feature authentic, glowing reviews from past couples or wedding-planning case studies near your inquiry forms and service details.
Blog Posts About Real-Life Couples: Document real-life weddings that take place on your property, and follow up with couples later to build detailed stories that will give others like them a sense of the authentic experience.

The Hawthorn Creative team specializes in creating wedding venue websites that aren’t just pretty — they really work. Contact us to set up an initial consultation.

Why Print Marketing for Hotels and Wedding Venues Still Delivers in 2026

in Print Marketing by Hawthorn Editorial

ven in the digital age — or, perhaps especially in the digital age — print marketing provides tangible, emotionally resonant pieces that banner ads and social media posts just can’t duplicate. As “digital fatigue” grows, brands are increasingly returning to tangible print materials like brochures and booklets as long-lasting, physical keepsakes to share with friends and refer back to.

Print marketing works especially well for high-stakes purchasing decisions. Take, for example, weddings: a splashy, highly visual brochure or beautifully produced magazine can give engaged couples the reassurance they need to take the leap and book the one venue that stood out from all the rest. As a team of seasoned print marketers, we’re sharing five reasons why hotels, resorts, and wedding venues should weave print materials into their marketing strategies — plus, our advice for ensuring print efforts are worth the investment.

1. Evoke Luxury and Prestige

In the hospitality and event industries, customers associate brands that go the extra mile with high-end design and aesthetics. Think: premium paper stock, embossed details, and gorgeous, glossy photography. A well-designed wedding brochure, or even a custom brand magazine, offers prospective guests or engaged couples an immersive sense of your venue’s brand identity before they even set foot on-site (meaning your venue tour can feel a bit less pressure-filled, as your print materials have already done half the work!).

2. Drive Emotional Storytelling

Whether it’s an annual multi-generational family getaway to the coast or a dream wedding celebration after a long engagement, wedding and vacation planning both start from a sentimental place — so, it’s your brand’s job to show you’re up to the task of providing a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Print marketing provides a dedicated, focused space for visual storytelling that even the best digital ad can’t compete with. Flipping through a physical lookbook allows couples or travelers to visualize their special day (or long-awaited vacation) in detail, cut out photos for vision boards, begin planning their ideal itinerary, and gush over the beauty of your location while showing your property off to friends and family.

3. Build Trust and Visibility

Unlike a banner ad that people scroll past in milliseconds, print materials have a much longer shelf life. A well-placed advertisement in a regional bridal guide or high-end travel magazine helps you not only get your brand in front of the right audiences but also reach them when they’re actively planning their big day and open to receiving more related information. Plus, print media provides built-in credibility, as consumers often view physical pieces as more reliable than digital searches (especially when your ad is featured in a magazine they already know and trust).

4. Create In-Room Experiences

For hotels, physical materials remain a cornerstone of the guest experience. Tangible collateral, like in-room magazines, activity-focused brochures, and spa menus, is quite convenient for guests looking to make the most of their trip. What’s more, these materials show off your commitment to standout hospitality and leave a positive impression of your brand. Print pieces for hotels and resorts are incredibly valuable resources for travelers looking for support in building their itineraries and discovering the experiences that await them during their stay — and, just as importantly, during their next stay.

5. Seamlessly Bridge Physical to Digital

Modern print marketing doesn’t operate in a vacuum; it acts as a gateway to your digital platforms. The strongest hospitality brands are the ones that find ways to connect their print and digital content. By incorporating QR codes and vanity URLs on brochures, lookbooks, and in-house magazines, you can instantly direct guests to your online booking systems, photo galleries, or loyalty programs.

Ultimately, the best marketing strategy for hotels, resorts, and wedding venues is not print alone, but print that is targeted, personalized, and connected to digital channels. That means smaller, more intentional print runs, eco-friendly materials whenever possible, and clear calls-to-action to guide audiences to their next step in the booking journey.

A good rule of thumb: Use print where you want to build trust, signal luxury, and have a longer shelf life; use digital when you want speed and scale. For support in crafting your print and digital content marketing strategy, contact the Hawthorn Creative team to set up a conversation.

Work and Play: How Hotels and Resorts Can Cater to “Bleisure” Travelers

in Hotels & Resorts by Hawthorn Editorial

ith the steady rise of remote work, an increasing number of travelers are choosing to blend their on-the-clock, billable hours with dedicated time for relaxation. They’re known as “bleisure” travelers — that’s business plus leisure. Hotels and resorts can cater to these dual-purpose guests by simultaneously marketing efficient workspaces and leisure-focused experiences.

To attract business travelers who stay longer (and spend more) than the average guest, you’ll need to tailor your marketing approach to show how well your property hosts both types of trips. Here, we’re breaking down how to market your property to hybrid travelers who are combining work and play.

The 3 Types of Bleisure Guests

Research by Deloitte shows high rates of so-called “laptop luggers,” or digital nomads seeking a hotel stay to serve as their home (away from home) base. Almost half of travelers (44%) during the December 2025 holiday season planned to work while on vacation, and one quarter of workers traveling with kids last year said they planned to work during their longest trip of the summer.

But not every business traveler has the same work-to-leisure ratio. Here are the three main types of bleisure guests:

Business-first travelers: Colleagues and executives visiting primarily for meetings, conferences, or site visits who value reliable Wi-Fi, quiet workspaces, and fast check-in.
Leisure-first travelers with work needs: Guests who plan a short business trip around a personal getaway, often seeking convenience, flexibility, and wellness experiences.
“Work from anywhere” guests: Remote workers and digital nomads who tend to book longer stays and need comfortable desks, strong connectivity, and work amenities.

What Bleisure Travelers Are Looking For

Your first step for marketing to laptop luggers? Create dedicated landing pages on your website for each type of bleisure guest. You’ll want to use language and imagery that reflect each segment’s priorities. Your webpages should highlight the following elements:

The core amenities remote workers need: high-speed (and reliable) Wi-Fi, ample power outlets, ergonomic desks, quiet zones, and a business center with flexible spaces for videoconferencing.
Seamless operations, like easy check-in and check-out, flexible cancellation, and on-site support for tech issues.
Lots of leisure experiences they can tap into before, after, and in between work hours, including reenergizing spa services, top-of-the-line fitness facilities, serene outdoor leisure areas, and excellent dining.
Access to local attractions in the area, via curated itineraries and easy transportation to minimize their effort and time spent planning.

10 Marketing Approaches for Attracting Bleisure Travelers

Once your landing pages are in place on your website, you can direct audiences to them from a variety of campaigns and platforms. Here are 10 of our tips for multi-channel marketing to bleisure travelers:

1. Email marketing:

Segment your lists by travel purpose (business, leisure, or hybrid) and send seasonal packages, corporate rates, and long-stay offers.
Include bleisure-focused subject lines (such as “Your next productive business trip — with a side of relaxation”).

2. Paid media and SEO:

Run campaigns around keywords like “business hotel with meeting rooms,” “work-friendly hotel near [business district],” and “luxury hotel for business and leisure.”
Optimize pages for local search with schemas for events, amenities, and business facilities.

3. Loyalty and partnerships:

Establish corporate rate programs for companies with frequent travelers.
Consider partnerships with airlines, coworking spaces, and local attractions to offer bundled experiences.

4. Visual storytelling:

Use photography showing business amenities in use (desks, meeting rooms, fast Wi-Fi) alongside leisure moments (spa, pool, sunset views).
Create a blog post, Instagram reel, or spread in your in-house magazine depicting a typical day in a bleisure guest’s vacation — from Zoom meetings in your comfy conference room to happy hour by the pool.

5. Thought leadership and reassurance:

Share short-form social media videos of your in-house concierge or activities planner describing how they design itineraries specifically for bleisure travelers.
Publish guides on topics such as “How to plan a productive business trip,” “Best after-work activities near [your hotel],” and “What remote workers look for in a hotel.”

6. User-generated content:

Feature guest testimonials from business travelers and hybrid guests across your website and social media channels.
On your blog, highlight case studies of successful corporate events hosted at your property.

7. Flexible stay packages:

Craft and market “Business & Wellness” packages that include a day pass to the spa, healthy dining credits, and late check-out.
Promote “Meetings & Getaways” bundles that pair meeting room use with discounted room rates.

8. On-property events:

Host industry meetups and after-work socials for bleisure travelers.
Curate a speaker series with local experts to attract business guests, while giving leisure guests a local flavor.

9. Family-friendly and pet-friendly add-ons:

If applicable, offer amenities like children’s activities or pet goodie bags to broaden appeal to families combining work and vacation.
Roll out family-friendly hybrid packages focused on multigenerational activities for everyone during the winter holidays and summer vacation.

10. Post-stay engagement:

Provide post-stay surveys that include opportunities to share testimonials and offer feedback on amenities.
Send follow-up emails with special offers for future business trips or weekend getaways. Bonus: offer loyalty points for dual-purpose stays.

Finally, track your success using metrics such as direct bookings from hybrid guest campaigns, occupancy by segment, spa and dining engagement among bleisure guests, guest satisfaction scores, and website pageviews and conversion rates.

Need support marketing your hotel or resort to business-leisure travelers? Our experts can help you segment your bleisure guest audience and execute tailored campaigns. Get in touch today.

12 Content Marketing Ideas for Wedding Venues

in Event Venues by Hawthorn Editorial

op-of-funnel marketing for wedding venues has one main goal: inspiring recently engaged couples to book a venue tour. Wondering how to encourage couples to take that all-important first step? It all comes down to creating content that highlights your team’s expertise, makes the most of testimonials, and answers couples’ questions before they even have a chance to ask.

This content is worth investing in for more reasons than one — in addition to increasing your website traffic and social media engagement, it’ll also increase the likelihood that your venue appears in AI snippets and searches. Below, we’re sharing 12 ideas for content marketing for wedding venues, from video walkthroughs to informational blog series and targeted email campaigns.

Help Couples Visualize Their Big Day

1. Film 360-degree walkthroughs of your venue to help couples explore the space remotely before committing to a visit. Cover everything from the entrance to the ceremony area and dance floor so couples can picture how their special day would unfold at your venue, and share this virtual tour right on your website’s homepage for easy access.

2. To show your venue in full celebration mode, capture and share video teasers featuring the space during an actual wedding — honing in on tablescapes, the dance floor, photo backdrops, and more dreamy details.

3. Create before-and-after time-lapse videos showing various spaces in your venue as they’re transformed into stunning ceremony or reception spots. (These would work especially well on TikTok and Instagram.)

4. Create website photo galleries or short-form social media videos that highlight how your venue looks across seasons — from golden-hour ceremonies in peak summer to candlelit winter receptions.

Build Trust Through Expert Insights

5. Highlight your vendor team on social media with videos (or carousel posts) of florists creating arrangements, catering teams setting up dinner tables, and day-of coordinators making sure everything runs smoothly.

6. Introduce your venue coordinator and other key team members via short “Meet Our Experts” social media or blog posts. Consider making this an ongoing series where your team answers FAQs about topics like rain plans, day-of flow, and venue pricing.

7. Write SEO-driven, informational blog posts for couples in the midst of wedding planning. Target high-intent searches and provide real value for prospective couples by covering major topics like “10 Questions to Ask When Touring a Wedding Venue.” (For inspiration, check out this blog post Hawthorn Creative produced for SkyView Golf Club!)

8. Create a free, downloadable venue comparison guide that helps couples cover all relevant topics when touring wedding venues — such as total cost, guest capacity, availability, location, accessibility, in-house amenities, and weather contingency plans. (This can also help you grow your email list with qualified leads!)

Share Social Proof and Authentic Content

9. Create a real wedding blog series spotlighting love stories from your venue. Tip: Be sure to include challenges you solved (ie, moving the ceremony indoors at the last minute) and specific wedding-day visions you brought to life (think: large-scale garden parties and cozy, intimate winter celebrations).

10. Share guest stories on your website featuring couples who tied the knot at your venue, accompanied by photos from their wedding and related events, such as the welcome reception or day-after brunch.

11. Curate an Instagram Story highlight and website gallery dedicated to content shared by past couples and guests — helping balance out polished venue photography with authentic, user-generated content.

12. Skip the generic nurture emails and send a focused email nurture campaign that highlights one real wedding every week or two. Include design inspiration and planning takeaways that’ll help couples envision hosting their special day with you.

Need support crafting a strategy for content marketing for your wedding venue? Get in touch to schedule a consultation with our team.

The Hushpitality Trend: How to Market Your Property for Mindful Travel

in General Marketing Insights, Hotels & Resorts by Hawthorn Editorial

n an age of nonstop noise, news, and notifications, travelers are seeking restorative getaways as an antidote to the always-plugged-in hustle culture. As a result, a new vacation trend dubbed “hushpitality” is making waves — focusing on destinations and experiences full of quiet, calm moments over jam-packed itineraries and bustling city stays.

The good news for hotels and resorts looking to tap into the mindful travel trend: Rather than adding tons of new amenities and offerings, hosting a digital detox stay or wellness retreat is mostly about subtracting. These travelers don’t want to schedule in a ton of sightseeing excursions and demanding activities; instead, they crave long stretches of unscheduled time for deep relaxation and lots of “me time.”

Here, we’re exploring this emerging trend and how hotel and resort marketing teams can position their properties as a prime destination for unplugged vacations.

How Popular is Hushpitality With Travelers?

Hilton’s 2026 Trends Report looked at survey participants’ top reasons for leisure travel, and found that the most common motivation (cited by 56% of participants) was “to rest and recharge.” And a whopping 57% of US travelers surveyed by Morning Consult reported that they would be interested in attending a quiet or silent retreat.

What’s driving this new trend? Mainly, high levels of stress among travelers. April 2026 results from the CivicScience Well-Being Index found that Americans’ well-being has dropped to its lowest point in the year, with sadness, stress, and worry all increasing.

Hushpitality offers a respite from daily stressors and global worries. Analog experiences and time spent in nature (or getting pampered at a spa) are shown to boost mood and lower cortisol, the stress hormone.

Key Elements of Hushpitality — and How to Market Them

When marketing your destination for digital detox retreats and quiet vacations, you want to hone in on all the ways guests can disconnect from their busy routines at your property. From spa treatments to surrounding green spaces and plush bedding, here are the biggest elements of hushpitality in 2026.

1. Peaceful Atmosphere

Travelers should feel the hush as soon as they step inside your property. Consider the hues and textures in your lobby, as well as the color palettes in guest rooms and public spaces. Nurturing earth tones, soft upholstery, and warm shades of rose and blue create a sense of relaxation and peace.

How to market it:

Add a panoramic video of your spaces on your website homepage.
Develop a brand refresh that reflects the color palette across ads, social media, and your website.
Include a feature story in your in-house magazine on the psychology behind your brand color.

2. Spa and Wellness Treatments

Personalized massages, body treatments, and spiritual consultations are all central to a wellness retreat. If you don’t have an in-house spa on your property, partner with a local day spa or recruit independent practitioners to offer in-room services.

How to market it:

Create a drip email campaign featuring different treatments available for guests.
Post an Instagram reel highlighting the botanical products used in your spa.
Use keywords related to wellness, spa offerings, and digital detox in your paid media.

3. Nature Immersion

Mindful travel is often associated with remote natural locations (think: hot spring retreats in the Japanese countryside or Norwegian lodges deep in the snowy hillsides). But almost any outdoor landscape can be optimized for peace and quiet, whether it’s a single bench inside a tiny walled flower garden or a section of beachfront designated as a quiet, device-free area.

How to market it:

Post a 30-second social media video taken on your property, with wind and birds as the only soundtrack. (Check out this UGC Reel we shared for The Sagamore Resort, showcasing the everyday sounds of Lake George, for inspiration!)
Integrate detailed descriptions of your natural surroundings throughout your website — think of it as another amenity to attract potential guests.

4. Room Service

Cater to guests’ desire for privacy and relaxation by expanding your in-room menu. Include lighter options as well as comfort food to nourish guests seeking both mind-body detox and an opportunity to linger a little longer in a cozy bed.

How to market it:

Offer a special quiet vacation package that includes the enhanced room service menu, spa credit, and a goody bag with items like aromatherapy eye masks. Bonus: give it a catchy name like “The Silent Treatment.”
Add your room service menu to the menu listings on your website and on sites like OpenTable.
Post one of your room-service-only dishes on social media, or include it in an email, to entice your soon-to-be visitors.

5. Yoga Classes

Offering small-group yoga classes or private yoga sessions for solo travelers (and couples) is an easy way to enrich a quiet retreat. Focus on incorporating slower, restful yoga practices into your activity schedule, such as yin and restorative yoga, rather than fast-paced, fitness-adjacent classes.

How to market it:

Post a mini yoga sequence or a guided meditation from your property on Instagram.
Include a private yoga class in your “Silent Treatment” package.
Create a “Mindful Week” social media series with one mindfulness tip a day — each focused on ways to soothe the mind and body at your hotel or resort.

6. In-Room Fitness

Travelers seeking quiet are more likely to avoid public areas, so make sure they have everything they need right in their room. EVEN Hotel in Brooklyn, for example, offers in-room “fitness zones” with mats, blocks, and bands, in case you want to work out privately rather than using their state-of-the-art athletic facilities.

How to market it:

Include imagery of fitness equipment on your website pages featuring your room layouts.
Post a 5-minute workout break on TikTok, with a caption that shares how guests can exercise in their rooms or in your gym.

7. Themed Retreats

A digital detox doesn’t have to mean a week of silent meditation and emptying your mind. Another option is hosting events that bring people together for creative, quiet experiences in community, like drawing workshops or reading retreats (physical books only!). In fact, Future Market Insights predicts that literary tourism, also known as bibliotourism, will be a $3.3 billion industry by 2034.

How to market it:

Partner with local authors to host a book talk or literary event, and publish collaborative Instagram posts in advance of the event.
Offer a special package that includes a copy of the featured book (sent directly to guests’ homes) for those who register early.

8. Rest as Luxury

The key to recharging is rest, and plenty of it. Take your guests’ sleep experience to the next level with high-thread-count sheets, fluffy pillows, and cozy comforters instead of standard bedspreads. Consider adding a guided meditation app, such as Calm or Headspace, to your in-room offerings so guests can access sleep-inducing meditations.

How to market it:

Allocate spend to paid search and paid media advertising that focuses on keywords associated with rest and relaxation, digital detox, and restorative sleep.
Write a post for your blog that focuses on the research around sleep and well-being.
Feature images of your luxurious bedding on your website (both on accommodations pages and more general pages) and social media.

9. Wellness Travel Itineraries

Unplugged travelers may not want packed schedules, but you can build them minimalist itineraries that include visits to local spiritual and wellness attractions — like a few hours at a botanical garden or an evening at a meditative musical performance. Get in touch before they arrive to learn about their interests and preferences so you can craft personalized activities.

How to market it:

Share video of nearby hidden gems (gardens, green spaces, and the like) on social media.
Email a choice of vacation itineraries to your list, and add UTM codes to your URLs so you can see how many people chose the unplugged version vs. busier schedules.
Post a playful Instagram carousel with a super-simple schedule — for example, one slide each for “breakfast in bed,” “beach day all day,” and “back to bed.”

Need support to market your unplugged retreats and hushpitality offerings? Hawthorn Creative’s search marketing, social media, and website design experts can help. Contact us today for a consultation.

Advertising on ChatGPT: Everything Marketers Need to Know (So Far)

in Search Marketing by Hawthorn Editorial

aid advertising on ChatGPT and other AI platforms may still be in its infancy, but considering how quickly AI has grown in scope, users, and cultural impact in just the past year, it makes sense for marketers to start thinking about the potential now. Getting up to speed on AI ads will be particularly important for hotel and resort marketing teams looking to reach today’s tech-savvy travelers. With trip planning traditionally requiring dozens of online searches, it’s no surprise that travelers are increasingly turning to AI to simplify everything from destination discovery to itinerary building and selecting an accommodation.

Below, we’ve curated what hospitality marketers should know now about the mysterious world of AI advertising — and how to prepare your strategy for the paid media of tomorrow.

Can You Advertise Yet on ChatGPT?

OpenAI recently began testing ads in the US on February 9, 2026. The company announced that it was taking “a deliberate, phased approach” and would expand gradually as it learned from real-world use and feedback. Major companies like Target, Ford, Audible, and Adobe jumped on the bandwagon for the pilot testing.

What Do ChatGPT Ads Look Like?

Users who were eligible for the test were served ads below the end of a response. Labeled as “sponsored,” the ads are positioned at the bottom of the main AI-generated response to a query. These ads generally offer a suggested next step or related product, rather than appearing as a traditional display ad.

Is ChatGPT the Only AI Platform Using Ads?

So far, yes. Google executives say the company has no immediate plans to put ads in its AI tool, Gemini. But Google’s senior vice president of knowledge and information, Nick Fox, says the tech giant is “not ruling them out,” according to a recent WIRED article.

How Should I Get Ready for ChatGPT Ads?

While ad opportunities on ChatGPT aren’t yet available for smaller companies, it’s never too early to start thinking about how to position your hospitality brand’s advertising on AI platforms. Below, we’ve outlined a few best practices for ChatGPT ads for hotels and resorts:

Focus on Intent: Travelers use ChatGPT to build itineraries and search for specific types of hotels or wedding venues in certain geographic areas (e.g., “What’s the best hotel in the Poconos?” or “Where should I get married on Amelia Island?”). Tailor your ad copy to provide direct answers for people seeking properties in your area.
Conversational Copywriting: Unlike standard banner ads, ChatGPT ads should feel like a natural, helpful recommendation — not a sales pitch. Steer away from clever slogans and toward information and ideas for next steps.
Landing Page Optimization: Ensure that the landing pages you direct your ads to clearly address the questions the user just asked the AI, so that once they get to your website, they feel seen and heard.

How Else Can I Use AI to Market My Property?

While ads on ChatGPT aren’t widely available to buy yet, there are other ways you can tap into the power and prevalence of AI. To reach the growing number of travelers who are using chatbots to plan their trips and find hotels, you’ll want to boost your AEO (answer engine optimization), so your content shows up in featured snippets and “near me” searches. To get started, check out our guide to adapting your SEO strategy for AI.

How Do I Build an AI Strategy for My Hotel or Resort?

Set up a consultation with us! Hawthorn Creative’s search marketing experts can help you create a strategy that accounts for SEO, AEO, and AI advertising potential. (Learn more about our search marketing solutions and success stories.)

Eco-Conscious Hospitality: 5 Tips for Marketing Your Sustainability Practices

in General Marketing Insights, Hotels & Resorts by Hawthorn Editorial

he definition of “luxury travel” is constantly changing, but one thing’s for sure: today’s travelers are drawn in by hotels and resorts with meaningful sustainability practices. The properties that win the most bookings and build the strongest brand reputations are those that not only have planet-friendly practices in place, but also share those initiatives strategically.

Green travel is especially important for younger generations, too. According to 2026 research from Deloitte, 38% percent of Millennials and 42% of Gen Z say they keep environmentalism top of mind in travel planning, including filtering hotel searches for sustainability certifications.

Here are five ways hotels and resorts can do good for the Earth (and for their bottom line) by adopting eco-conscious hospitality practices — plus, creative tips for marketing those initiatives to potential guests.

1. Operational Efficiency

When setting out to improve your property’s sustainability, operational efficiency is a great place to start. From bolstering systems and appliances to implementing behind-the-scenes conservation upgrades, there are several ways to level up your operations.

How to do it:

Easy Energy Savers: Implement LED lighting, which can improve energy efficiency by approximately 80%. Use smart thermostats and occupancy sensors to automatically adjust heating and cooling in unoccupied rooms.
Water Conservation: Install low-flow showerheads, faucets, and toilets to reduce water use by at least 20%. Advanced systems like greywater recycling can repurpose water from sinks and showers for irrigation or toilet flushing.
Waste Reduction: Replace single-use plastic toiletry bottles with refillable bulk dispensers. Introduce comprehensive recycling and composting programs for food scraps and other organic waste.

How to share it:

User-Generated Content: In your follow-up surveys to guests, include questions like: “When booking a stay, how much does sustainability matter to you on a scale of 1 to 5?” Then, share those stats on social media: “100% of our guests say our sustainability efforts are extremely important to them.” Use this as an entry point to educate travelers about your initiatives. (You could also take this same approach with an Instagram Story poll.)
Email Education: Craft an email campaign focused on your green strategies, with subject lines like “What You Might Not Notice When You Stay with Us” or “5 Invisible Ways Our Guests Help Us Save the Planet.” Direct email CTAs to a landing page on your website that collects all your sustainability efforts in one place.
Social Media Highlights: Catch audiences’ attention with playful posts that zoom in (literally) on room features, like an Instagram reel or TikTok with frames of a showerhead, recycling bin, soap squirting from a refillable dispenser, etc. In your captions, detail each eco-friendly feature and explain how it contributes to your larger sustainability philosophy.

2. Sustainable Hotel Design and Infrastructure

Whether you’re preparing to break ground on a new property site or planning some long-awaited renovations to a hotel or resort, here are some ways to minimize your environmental impact from the ground up.

How to do it:

Renewable Energy: Install on-site solar panels, wind turbines, or geothermal systems to decrease reliance on fossil fuels. At Sandpearl Resort, an Opal Collection property, the zero-entry pool is geothermally heated and uses an ozone-assisted filtration system. As a result, they save around 1.5 million kilowatts of energy each year and cut chlorine use by 10%.
Eco-Friendly Construction and Vegetation: Use reclaimed wood, bamboo, and recycled metal in building or renovations, and improve insulation with green roofs and walls. On the grounds, landscape with native plants, which are more sustainable because they’re adapted to the climate and thus require significantly less water, while supporting local wildlife and pollinators.
Electric Vehicle Support: Provide on-site EV charging stations to your guests. (In 2026, this has moved beyond a perk or a “nice-to-have” — it’s now a standard, expected amenity from any luxury hotel or resort.)

How to share it:

Imagery and Videos: Splash beautiful photography and videography of your eco-conscious features across your brand website and social media platforms. As the seasons change, share imagery of the blossoming and growth across your property — or post before-and-after pics of a recent renovation. The goal? Showing audiences that sustainability can be synonymous with beauty and luxury.
Long-Form Content: Tell the story of a new installation or reimagined outdoor space, and publish it in your in-house magazine and on your blog. You can interview the architect or landscape designer and explain the science and intentionality behind each upgrade. For more inspiration, check out this long-form magazine feature we produced for Ojai Valley Inn about their comprehensive sustainability plan.
Expert Snippets: While you’re interviewing that architect or designer, record the conversation and share video snippets on your social media channels with relevant hashtags (#greenhotel #sustainableliving #sustainability, and so on!).

3. The Guest Experience

You’re in the business of providing standout stays to guests — and that mindset needs to apply to sustainability, too. Simple, manageable changes to the guest experience can help the planet while also building loyalty amongst your guests.

How to do it:

Reduced Cleaning Programs: Encourage guests to reuse towels and bed linens, which significantly reduces water, energy, and detergent use. Remind them that they can use the “Do Not Disturb” door hanger if they don’t need their room cleaned that day.
Paperless Operations: Transition to using digital check-ins, mobile room keys, and QR codes for menus and guest directories.
Greener Products: Switch to non-toxic, biodegradable cleaning and guest products that are safer for both the environment and your staff.

How to share it:

Playful Promotions: Messaging around sustainability for travelers doesn’t have to be dry or scientific. Case in point: Skamania Lodge in Washington State, a Benchmark Resorts & Hotels property, has a policy of forgoing daily guest room cleanings, which has substantially reduced water consumption, electricity usage, and chemical use. On a webpage focused on their sustainability efforts, they translate those savings into fun facts, like this one: Skipping a daily cleaning saves 45 gallons of water, enough to keep a 15-pound dog fully hydrated for a year.
Collaborative Consciousness: Create email and social media campaigns that highlight how guests contribute to your eco efforts. Focus on the big impact that each of us can make through small choices — like using the same towel twice. That way, rather than feeling deprived, potential bookers will remember that we’re all in this together.

4. Green Hospitality Certification

Achieving a third-party certification validates your sustainability efforts, builds credibility for your brand, and proves that all the effort you’ve put into supporting the environment hasn’t gone unnoticed.

Top certifications for green hotels:

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design): The most popular certification for hotel design, LEED certification focuses on construction and infrastructure by assessing energy, water, and waste.
Green Key Global: This eco-rating program for hotels and tourism facilities is highly recognized in North America and endorsed by major travel agencies.
Green Globe: A leader in sustainable tourism certifications, Green Globe evaluates environmental, social, and economic sustainability.
EarthCheck: This certification program focuses heavily on reducing carbon footprints and waste.

How to share it once you get it:

Press Releases: Mark your property’s certification with a press release that you send to local newspapers and industry publications. Also, include it on a press or “Newsroom” page on your website for further reach.
Certification Page: Feature eco-certifications on your About page and link from there to a detailed page on your site that explains what each certification means and how you achieved it.
Social Media Posts: Promote your certification by educating followers with informative posts — like a carousel of stats about the benefits of LEED-certified buildings: Did you know LEED buildings consume 25% less energy, reduce CO2 emissions by 34%, and use 11% less water?

5. Community Engagement

Tapping into the resources in your own backyard is not only good for the local environment, but it also individualizes your property and highlights what makes your destination unique.

How to do it:

Support Regional Artisans: Bolster your surrounding community’s economy by selling locally crafted goods in your boutiques and furnishing rooms with regionally made products.
Source Local Food: Buy organic, seasonal ingredients from nearby farmers to reduce transportation-related emissions. Oceanfront properties can establish relationships with local fishmongers to secure the freshest catch.
Donate to Eco Organizations: Establish a giving program that benefits your region, including environmental organizations. Ideally, craft the donation around a community event — like the Chatham Bars Inn on Cape Cod, which hosted a Fall Frolic at its property-owned farm and donated all ticket profits to Sustainable CAPE (Center for Agricultural Preservation & Education).

How to share it:

Highlight Your Partnerships: Share videos on social media and your website featuring local farmers “outstanding in their field” and artisans in their studios.
Focus on Food: Videos are also a great way to pique followers’ interest in your dining options. Use an iPhone to capture video of your chef using local ingredients to whip up an entrée — perhaps a vegan or vegetarian dish, which typically has a smaller carbon footprint.
Collaborate on Special Events: Work with area nonprofits, farms, wineries, and galleries to co-vision seasonal happenings that will entice sustainability-minded travelers. Imagine a culinary journey featuring locally sourced, organic pairings; a weekend of high-end crafting workshops, like iron forging and candle making; or an eco-tour of sustainability-focused experiences and dining at locations throughout your community. Promote events well ahead of time on your site, via email, and across your social platforms.

Last but not least: Get the word out about all your eco-conscious hospitality efforts by building a thoughtful strategy for SEO and AEO (answer engine optimization for chatbots). Need expert support to get your green features noticed by environmentally minded travelers? Set up a consultation with our team of hospitality marketers.

A Paid Advertising Playbook for Direct Hotel Bookings

in General Marketing Insights, Hotels & Resorts by Hawthorn Editorial

nline hotel and resort advertising has become increasingly nuanced and complex. In 2026, a well-rounded strategy targets potential guests during the various stages of their travel planning, from initial research to the coveted final step: booking. That means hospitality teams need to cover all the bases — from Google Hotel Ads to paid social media campaigns.

Here, we’re taking a look at five of the most effective paid strategies for hotel and resort advertising, and what you need to know to implement them for your hospitality brand.

1. Metasearch Advertising

What It Is

Metasearch ads are a form of paid advertising in which a hotel’s real-time room rates, availability, and direct booking links show up on comparison platforms, such as Google Hotel Ads, TripAdvisor, and Kayak — often alongside listings from online travel agencies (OTAs).

In essence, metasearch aggregates information from multiple sources into a single view and takes potential bookers straight to a hotel or resort’s website. Google Hotel Ads, for example, allow hotels to display their pricing, availability, and reviews within Google’s ecosystem, including Google Search, Google Maps, and Google Travel.

How It Works

The metasearch ads pull live information, such as rates and room availability, from a hotel’s feed. When a traveler clicks an ad, they are sent directly to the property’s website to complete their reservation. For example, if someone searches “luxury hotels in Chicago” on Google, they’ll see a map, hotel prices, listings, and booking options appear as a Google Hotel Ad, complete with live prices and a “Book Now” button.

The cost of Google Hotel Ads, one of the top metasearch options for hotel and resort advertising, depends on the bidding model you choose. With a per-stay commission, hotels only pay when someone completes a stay. Cost-per-click (CPC) means you pay when someone clicks your ad, while percentage-based CPC requires brands to bid a percentage of their room rate for clicks.

The Benefits

Metasearch ads reach travelers when they’re actively planning a trip and comparing accommodations, which increases the likelihood of conversion.
Hotels and resorts can reach travelers directly and save on the high commission fees charged by OTAs.
Smaller, independent hotels can compete for visibility alongside major international chains.
Hotels and resorts can show up-to-date pricing and availability, ensuring that potential guests have accurate information.

2. Lookalike Audiences

What It Is

You know a lot about your return guests — their interests, traits, behaviors, and especially the fact that they love your property. So clearly, what you need is more people like these VIP frequent bookers. Lookalike targeting increases your customer base by targeting people with similar profiles.

How It Works

You provide a sample of your repeat visitors to ad platforms like Meta, TikTok, and Google, which then use their algorithmic wizardry to identify similar users and serve them your ads. Each platform has different targeting capabilities. For example, on Meta, advertisers can choose a percentage range indicating how closely the new audience should match the original list.

The Benefits

Lookalike audiences typically have a higher average click-through rate than other audiences, sometimes by 90% or more, according to CustomerLabs.
You don’t have to work hard to get the data you need to run lookalike campaigns — it’s all right there in your hotel CRM.
By expanding your reach to a relevant audience, you’re growing brand awareness among people who are likely to love your destination, but might not have otherwise found it.

3. Retargeting Ads

What It Is

Retargeting involves reaching out to audiences who have interacted with your online presence in some way. They might have visited your website or clicked on an ad, but they haven’t progressed far enough down your marketing funnel to give you an email or phone number.

How It Works

To activate retargeting ads for your hotel, you’ll need to add tags to your website that use cookies and pixels to track visitors and their behavior. (You might want to use a third-party service to manage the technical aspects of this process.)

Your retargeting list might consist of anyone who’s visited your website in the last three months, if you want to cast a broader net. Or you can fine-tune it by showing personalized ads to visitors who landed on specific pages of your site, like your special offers page, but didn’t take the final step to book. Once you’ve got your list at the ready, you’re well prepared to run a campaign targeting the audience through display and social media ads.

The Benefits

Retargeting generally helps users find what they were already looking for — that’s why the average click-through rate for retargeted ads is approximately 10 times higher than for standard display ads.
Retargeting keeps your property top of mind for your audience, so they won’t forget it when they’re ready to book.
With retargeting, you can personalize your ads based on visitors’ behavior on your site — for example, serving visitors to your restaurant page an ad featuring images of your best-loved dishes.

4. Paid Search

What It Is

Paid search on platforms like Google and Bing is central to hotel and resort advertising. It helps your property show up for travelers who know what they want and are serious about booking. For hospitality brands, paid search is a huge win because it’s the moment when consumers are closest to conversion.

How It Works

Paid search for hotels is a PPC advertising model in which properties bid on search keywords to appear at the top of search engine results, driving direct bookings instead of relying on OTAs. Properties can bid on long-tail keywords like “boutique wellness hotel in Colorado” or “rustic Adirondack lodge hotel” to reach couples seeking those specific experiences. These intent-driven searches often translate into immediate bookings.

The Benefits

Paid search has high conversion potential because you’re speaking to motivated users who are poised to take action.
The ROI for paid search is measurable via bookings, revenue, and cost per acquisition, providing ongoing insight into how to adjust your advertising budget.
You can scale paid search spend as needed based on seasonality, occupancy, or promotions.

5. Paid Social Ads

What It Is

Paid social ads allow hospitality brands to tell visual, emotional stories that spark desire in daydreaming travelers. Whether it’s a seasonal Facebook ad showcasing nearby snowy slopes or an Instagram story linking to your limited-time flash sale, paid social ads target travelers based on their demographics, interests, and behaviors, guiding them from inspiration to booking.

How It Works

Paid social ads for hotels leverage platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to reach potential bookers. These ads help your hotel or resort make an impression (both metaphorically and in social media-speak!) that can eventually turn into a conversion.

The Benefits

Paid social captures the essence of your property’s unique brand and the experiences guests will have.
A strong social media presence builds brand awareness, trust, and long-term recognition.
Advanced targeting with tools like geofencing and lookalikes helps your property reach new demographics and types of travelers.

Need support crafting an effective advertising strategy for your hotel or resort? Book a consultation with Hawthorn Creative to explore how we can help you craft ads that align with every stage of the guest journey and increase direct bookings. Find out more and schedule a consultation.

Why You Need an Event Venue Brand Strategy Before Running Paid Ads

in Brand Strategy, Event Venues by Hawthorn Editorial

t’s a story we see again and again: Wedding venues throw money at paid ads and hope they find their way to newly engaged couples who are ready to book. But, so often, these brands skip the most crucial, foundational step in wedding venue marketing: defining their unique value proposition (and ultimately, using that statement to guide an overall brand strategy). After all, pretty photos, a clever caption, and some ad budget aren’t going to translate into bookings if your team isn’t crystal clear on what exactly sets your wedding venue apart from all the rest — because, trust us, the market is competitive.

Your online presence, marketing collateral, and any paid ads should be distinguishable from your competitors’ at a glance. How do you achieve that? Messaging that truly captures what makes your venue different, also known as your “unique value proposition.” Once you define your UVP, you’ve got a much better chance of attracting the right couples — the ones who are seeking the distinctive services and experiences you’re offering.

What Is a Unique Value Proposition?

A unique value proposition (UVP) is a clear, concise statement that showcases the benefits of a product or service, explains how it solves customer needs, and shows why it’s superior to competitors. For wedding and event venues, a UVP should take the form of a compelling phrase that illustrates the specific, memorable experience guests will have.

Your wedding and event venue UVP should speak to these five elements:

Who: What audiences the experience is for — for example, couples looking for a true luxury experience (and willing to pay for it), eco-conscious wedding parties prioritizing sustainability, or modern couples envisioning a small, non-traditional celebration.
What: The tangible benefits: the ceremony and reception spaces, on-site catering or relationships with local vendors, and the amenities and services you offer.
Where: Your wedding venue’s destination, from historic city gems to sprawling waterfront resorts.
How: How the experience makes couples (and their guests) feel, whether it’s relaxed and pampered or inspired and energized.
Why: Why a couple or group should pick your property over a competitor — what makes it unique, exciting, and special.

A UVP distills a venue’s brand identity into an elevator pitch that stands out from the crowd and influences all of your marketing efforts (including paid ads).

5 Steps for Building a Brand Strategy for Wedding Venues

Defining a brand identity and UVP is the first step in building a cohesive brand strategy for wedding venues. It’s a strategic process that involves defining the venue’s core purpose, personality, and values, and then communicating those identifiers to consumers in consistent, memorable ways. A successful brand identity differentiates your business from competitors, builds emotional connections, and fosters customer loyalty.

Here is a step-by-step guide to developing a winning event venue brand strategy — from the initial research to weaving in your UVP across all touchpoints:

1. Zero In On Who You Are

Get to the heart of it all: Define your venue’s mission (what you do), your vision (what you aspire to be), and your core values (what matters to you). It might be bringing couples’ out-of-the-box visions to life, delivering a luxurious yet approachable wedding, or crafting intimate and unique micro-celebrations.
Know your audience: Clarify which couples and guest types are the best fit for your venue. Then, analyze their pain points, preferences, and motivations. Consider creating detailed customer personas to help you better understand each type of potential booker.
Examine the competition: Perform a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) of competitors to identify gaps in the market and opportunities to differentiate your venue.
Bring it all together: Use your research to define your UVP, which you’ll express in your marketing materials and pull through every part of the experience you offer.

2. Define Your Messaging

Choose your descriptors: Select a handful of adjectives and phrases that describe your brand, like “rustic charm,” “timeless sophistication,” or “fairytale wedding.”
Find your voice: Establish a brand voice with a tone that matches your overall brand identity — whether it’s flowery and lyrical, personable and witty, or elevated and sophisticated.
Craft your brand story: Tell the story of your event venue, including the history, philosophy, and people. Your brand story should live on your About page and serve as a touchstone for all of your marketing and messaging.

3. Infuse Your Brand Into Your Visuals

Design (or redesign) your logo: About two-thirds of consumers say their first impression of a brand is based on its logo, so it needs to express the core of your identity in a simple, distinctive visual form. You’ll also want it to be flexible enough to work on everything from mugs and business cards to canopies and lobby areas.
Choose your color palette and fonts: Select hues that tap into color psychology to evoke the specific emotions and vibes that represent your brand. Choose typography that communicates your brand personality, whether it’s modern, minimalist lines or serif fonts that conjure up old-fashioned elegance.
Consider how your images reflect your brand: Your image and videos should also reflect your brand philosophy — from vibrant scenes of large-scale ballroom receptions to serene panoramic vistas of nature-filled ceremony spaces.

4. Bring Your Brand Identity to Life

Apply it everywhere and keep it consistent: Weave your identity and UVP messaging into your website, social media, email marketing, and physical space. To ensure you stay on track, develop a comprehensive brand guide document that outlines all elements of your visual and brand voice.
Use UVP to drive your paid ad strategy: Once you’ve intentionally explored and defined your brand identity, shaping ads for your wedding and event venue will come much easier. Your brand voice and descriptors will drive your slogans and ad copy, your color palette and image library will inform your paid social ads, and your UVP will help you define keywords for paid search.

5. Check In and Stay Flexible

Monitor and modify: Regularly evaluate your brand’s performance by tracking customer feedback and industry trends. Adapt as needed, while preserving your core brand identity.
Be consistent, but not rigid: While consistency is important, staying vital and relevant may mean allowing your identity and UVP to subtly shift and evolve over time. What matters most is that your brand identity continues to accurately reflect your property, services, and philosophy.

Need support honing your unique value proposition and shaping your event venue brand strategy? Our expert team of strategists and designers can help you define your brand and weave design, storytelling, and visuals together to produce standout collateral. Find out more and schedule a consultation.

From Daydream to Decision: Paid Search vs. Paid Social for Hospitality Brands

in Hotels & Resorts, Search Marketing, Social Media Marketing by Hawthorn Editorial

ocial media as a search engine. Google Zero. AI everywhere you turn. The digital landscape is in extreme flux right now, leaving hospitality marketing teams wondering where to invest their dollars. One of the biggest questions is whether it’s best to focus on paid search vs. paid social. Should hotels and resorts try to catch travelers who are ready to book right away, or work toward inspiring future visitors to start dreaming about their next trip?

Understanding where to allocate budget starts with knowing the essential difference between the two. In a nutshell, paid search captures intent (“I need this kind of venue now”), while paid social creates demand (“I didn’t know I wanted to stay here, but now I do”). Both play vital but distinct roles in the guest journey — and the most effective hotel and resort advertising blends them strategically.

Paid Search: Capturing Travelers Who Know What They Want

Paid search on platforms like Google and Bing reaches people who already know what they want, whether that’s one of the “best oceanfront hotels in Cape Cod,” a “last-minute ski weekend deal,” or a “wedding venue in Key West.” Their intention is crystal clear, and they’re actively looking to book.

For hospitality brands, connecting with this group is a huge win. Paid search helps your property show up in search results when consumers are closest to conversion — reserving a room, a table at your hotel’s restaurant, or a tour of your wedding venue. While traditional ads (and paid social, to an extent) strive to tell people what they want, search ads answer the questions that people are already asking.

Key advantages of paid search:

High conversion potential: You’re speaking to motivated users who are poised to take action.
Measurable ROI: Every click can be tracked to bookings, revenue, and cost per acquisition.
Flexibility: You can scale paid search spend as needed based on seasonality, occupancy, or promotions.

For example, a boutique hotel in upstate New York bidding on long-tail keywords like “romantic weekend getaway in the Hudson Valley” or “rustic wedding venue outside NYC” can reach couples who are looking for just that. These intent-driven searches often translate into immediate bookings, making paid search central to wedding advertising and hotel and resort advertising.

Paid Social: Creating Desire and Brand Awareness

The goal of paid social, on the other hand, is to generate desire. Instagram reels or carousels, gorgeous images on Facebook, and user testimonials shared on TikTok allow hospitality brands to tell visual, emotional stories that spark wanderlust before a more concrete intention takes shape.

Rather than targeting people actively searching for a particular venue, paid social appears to users based on their activity (you can also target audiences based on demographics, past behavior, and interests). These ads can trigger a sense of longing by depicting quintessential vacation or wedding moments — perhaps a margarita by the beach at dusk, an intimate summer ceremony in a rose garden, or a five-course meal by candlelight.

Benefits of paid social for hospitality brands:

Inspiration through storytelling: Video, imagery, and descriptive narrative capture the essence of your property’s unique brand and the experiences guests will have there.
Brand awareness and trust: The emotion and sense of connection kindled by strong social media posts build long-term recognition and loyalty.
Audience growth: Advanced targeting with tools like geofencing and lookalikes helps your property reach new demographics and types of travelers.

Paid social is the way to go when launching new properties, entering new markets, or repositioning a brand. It helps your hotel or resort stick in potential visitors’ minds and imaginations, planting a seed that may blossom into a booking down the road.

How Paid Search and Paid Social Work Together: Remarketing and Insights

The strongest hospitality marketing strategies find a balance between inspiration and conversion. Paid social builds brand awareness and interest, showing travelers and engaged couples what’s possible for their vacation or special day. Then, paid search takes over, ensuring that your resort or venue pops up when those same followers (and other potential guests) start typing keywords into their search engine or AI assistant.

Remarketing is one of the most effective ways in which social engagement can fuel search conversions. Also known as retargeting, remarketing allows you to bid on paid search for people who have already engaged with your social media ads. Their interactions with your paid social posts are recorded via tracking pixels and cookies, and when those same followers search relevant keywords in Google, your paid search ads “follow” them.

You can also gain insights from comparing data from both approaches and how they fit together:

Tracking interests and trends: When you’re building your ad budget, data from paid social campaigns can inform your paid search keyword strategy by helping you zero in on terms that potential guests are most interested in.
Following the journey: Analytics tools can also show you how often a customer interacted with your social ads and paid search ads before converting, helping you refine your targeting, budgeting, and creative decisions.

Moving Users from Daydreaming to Decision

For hospitality brands, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to the paid search vs. paid social question. Each serves a distinct purpose: Paid search captures travelers who are ready to act, while paid social kindles the desire that carries them closer to booking. The best wedding, hotel, and resort advertising blends the two — tapping into both inspiration and intent.

Looking to create a balanced marketing budget that blends both approaches? Our experts will work with you to create solutions for your search engine marketing and your paid social strategy. Get in touch today to schedule a consultation.

Is Your Hotel or Resort Content Strategy Working? Here’s How to Measure Its Impact

in Content Marketing, Hotels & Resorts by Hawthorn Editorial

nvesting in quality content is a non-negotiable for hotels and resorts looking to connect with potential guests, drive brand awareness, and build trust through authentic storytelling. But once you’ve developed and executed your content strategy — the destination blog posts are published, your social media presence is polished, and your landing pages have been optimized for search engines — what’s next?

For a hotel and resort content strategy to truly succeed, it can’t just look pretty; these pieces of marketing collateral need to translate into bookings and revenue. Here, we’re sharing a guide to tracking “soft” metrics (like engagement and time spent on site) and connecting them to the “hard metrics” that show real ROI (room and event bookings).

What Are Soft and Hard Metrics?

Soft metrics are all about how audiences respond to content, intellectually and emotionally. While harder to measure and connect to revenue than hard metrics, you won’t want to overlook these more qualitative pieces of data. Soft metrics like shares on a recent social media post may not directly relate to your brand’s ROI, but understanding how your audience is engaging with your content can give you heaps of useful information for future social media marketing campaigns. Similarly, knowing a page’s bounce rate will clue you in to whether potential guests are finding what they need on your site. These are all soft metrics that indicate whether your storytelling is resonating with visitors and followers.

Hard marketing metrics, on the other hand, directly tie to conversions: bookings for rooms, special events, or on-site restaurant reservations made via your brand website. These easily measurable data points reflect how well your content’s intangible emotional quality is benefiting your bottom line.

Tools for Tracking Soft Metrics

To ensure your hotel and resort content strategy isn’t overlooking soft metrics, consider using a combination of these tools and platforms:

Google Analytics 4 (GA4): Tracks time on site (average session duration), pages per session, and bounce rates.
Instagram Insights: Looks at reach (visibility), engagement (interactions), audience demographics, follower growth, and profile visits.
LinkedIn Analytics: Captures impressions and click-through rates.
Hootsuite or Sprout Social: Aggregates data and compares it to industry averages.
Typeform: Creates quizzes and surveys that can track customer engagement and feedback.
Brandwatch and other consumer intelligence tools: Collects and analyzes social media metrics to calculate engagement rates.

Bridging Both Types of Marketing Metrics

To determine whether your content marketing is driving revenue and meeting your brand’s goals, you need to connect them with advanced analytics. The key is to identify the soft indicators that are involved in hard conversions and position them for greater impact. Here are some ways to do just that using UTMs, Google Analytics, and other tools.

1. Track the Content Involved in Your Customer Journey

Determine which content pieces users engaged with before they converted — even if they didn’t click a CTA (call to action) immediately.
Identify which soft actions, like downloading a vacation itinerary or watching a testimonial video, precede conversions.
Assign point values to soft interactions with content (think: one point for opening an email, one point for requesting information) to create a lead score, then analyze which score ranges correlate with higher conversion rates.

2. Look for Correlation Between Soft Metrics and Hard Results

Check whether spikes in website traffic, brand mentions, or other content engagement coincide with increases in bookings.
Identify which blog posts or other pages on your site have high page views or high time spent on page. Then, determine if those pages are in conversion paths.
If a hard metric dips, do some digging to figure out whether soft data (such as negative comments on social media or reduced time on key webpages) can help explain the drop.

3. Hone What’s Working — and Let it Shine

Optimize your site’s high-performing webpages that precede conversions to make them easier for both humans and chatbots to find.
Surface these pages in emails, on social media, and in your website navigation to encourage visitors to enter the conversion path.
Strengthen CTAs by using clear, concise, action-oriented language like “Book Now” or “Download Our Vacation Itinerary.”

When measuring the impact of your hotel and resort content strategy, remember that it can take a while for a clear picture to form. Keep tracking and comparing this data regularly, watching for trends and takeaways that emerge over time. (Better yet, partner with a marketing team that has expertise in hospitality marketing, data collection, and content analysis — contact our team today to learn how we can help.)

Adapting Your Hotel SEO Strategy for AI and Voice Search

in Hotels & Resorts, Search Marketing by Hawthorn Editorial

ou may not have heard of Google Zero yet, but you’ve very likely seen it in action. An industry term for Google’s shift toward functioning as an answer engine, Google Zero refers to searches that lead to zero clicks. Instead of sending users to a website, Google is serving up featured snippets and AI overviews that answer users’ questions — without them needing to click through to multiple websites.

So, what does this mean for content marketers? In short, it’s essential to factor this new paradigm into your hotel and resort SEO/SEM strategy. Boosting your SEO, AEO (answer engine optimization), and GEO (generative engine optimization) in the age of Google Zero means enhancing your content so it shows up in featured snippets and “near me” searches, adding local schema markup to your strategy, and ensuring that your mobile pages are fast-loading and easy to use.

Here, we break down how to accomplish each of those objectives and enhance your hotel or resort’s SEO.

How to Show Up in Featured Snippets and Voice Searches

A featured snippet is the condensed answer that sometimes appears at the top of a Google page when you search a word or phrase — a concise response that distills information from multiple web pages. If Google determines a quick answer is relevant, a featured snippet is the first thing searchers see when they type a phrase into Google (or use another search engine). The most relevant sites referenced in the snippet are listed at the top right of the page, which is where you want your brand to appear.

Featured snippets also power voice searches, which are increasingly important for on-the-go hotel queries, like a driver activating a voice assistant to find a “hotel near me.” It’s not just travelers already on the go using this feature, either. More and more people are using voice assistance for all their needs, particularly younger generations: 77% of consumers aged 18-34 use voice search for online shopping.

To optimize your hotel and resort SEO/SEM for snippets and voice search, you’ll need to make your content as digestible as possible for both humans and chatbots. The clearer and more structured your content is, the easier it is for search engines and LLMs (large language models like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude) to grab it for featured snippets. That means presenting information through short paragraphs, sections with clear headlines and subheadings, bulleted lists, and tables.

Use Schema to Capture “Near Me” Searches

“Near me” searches are just what they sound like: location-based queries that include specifics, like “hotel near me with pool.” Location information should be prominently displayed across your website and combined with details about your property, including phone number, geocoordinates, number of rooms, check-in times, pet policy, and more. You can be creative with location keywords, too. Think: producing a blog post titled “Rustic Barn Wedding at a Vermont Venue” or creating a page called “Top Weekend Activities Near Our Great Lakes Resort.”

There’s also a way to insert invisible location-focused information into your website that LLMs and search engines can read. It’s called schema markup, and it’s essentially bits of code that can be embedded into the HTML on your site. Schema can help search engines interpret your content correctly and connect your property to its physical location and amenities. Some schema types allow search engines to interpret and display details like ratings, amenities, or location directly in search results.

FAQ schema, for example, is a type of schema that indicates a page contains a list of questions and answers rather than just general text. That’s great for chatbots and search engines, because it puts common questions and answers about your property — like “Does (your property name) have a restaurant?” or “Does (your resort) have beachfront access?” — into an easily machine-readable format.

Optimize Content Around Amenities and Long-Tail Queries

Travelers don’t just search “hotel” plus a location; they also add in search words focused on specific amenities that are important to them. To stand out from the crowd, zero in on the phrases that best encapsulate what your venue offers, both the basics and the things that make your property unique.

For hotel and resort SEO/SEM, this means building long-tail keywords (phrases with three or more words) that combine descriptors highlighting location, vibe, offerings, and amenities. Use keywords that show why you’re a good fit for guests’ specific needs — like “pet‑friendly hotel in the Berkshires” or “resort with spa in Virginia Beach.”

Prioritize Fast, Mobile-First Experiences

Because most “near me” searches occur on mobile devices, site speed and mobile usability are vital. Fast-loading pages reduce bounce rate for human users and signal quality to search engines. Prioritize responsive UX/UI design and compressed images that won’t take ages to load on critical pages like the homepage, location pages, and amenity-focused pages.

Make sure the most important information about your property — address, phone number, room highlights, key amenities — shows up “above the fold” on mobile, meaning visitors don’t have to scroll to see them. This makes it easier for users to take action and book when they land on your site from a snippet reference or “near me” result, while reinforcing to search engines that your page delivers what the query is looking for.

Ultimately, each of these approaches works in tandem. By weaving together a robust local schema, amenity-focused content, structured answers, and fast mobile pages, your property can earn greater visibility in featured snippets — while also attracting local searchers ready to book.

Need some support implementing these hotel and resort SEO/SEM strategies? Learn more about our search engine marketing solutions for hospitality brands.

Beyond Black and Gold: The Psychology of Color in Modern Luxury Branding

in Brand Strategy, Hotels & Resorts by Hawthorn Editorial

or decades, luxury brands telegraphed their upscale brand identity with colors like ebony, gold, and royal purple. But in 2026, these traditional signals of opulence feel outdated rather than exclusive. In keeping with the latest “quiet luxury” trends, hotels are leaving bling behind and leaning into earth tones, jewel hues, and soft shades of smoke and rose for their luxury brand strategy.

That’s because today’s consumers, especially younger generations, view excessive flashiness as fake. They’re drawn to authentic experiences where the vibe and values align. Color choices can send that message — or subvert it — in the blink of an eye.

For example, a property that trumpets its sustainability policies but uses synthetic-looking colors like neon pink and electric green creates an immediate sense of disconnection and dissonance. On the other hand, a wellness or nature-focused property can communicate a feeling of serenity and contentment by leaning into soft earth tones throughout its branding.

The Psychology of Color in Brand Identity Design

Color is the first psychological cue to your brand identity. Different hues and shades influence our emotions, perceptions, and even our behaviors. Some of our reactions to color are hardwired — like our response to a stoplight or a red flag; others are learned through culture and conditioning, like the symbolism of a white wedding dress.

A luxury brand strategy should tap into both visceral and cognitive reactions to color. Your brand color palette should include primary, secondary, and accent colors that communicate your property’s personality and unique selling points. Whether they’re on your homepage or holding a brochure, potential guests will feel the color story working on them right away — whether they’re aware of it or not.

The Colors That Signal Luxury in 2026

The chart below offers a glimpse at five color families — from calming neutrals to bold jewel tones — that signal modern luxury, the emotions they evoke, and which hospitality brands they best support.

Maintaining Brand Integrity in Marketing Materials

Once you decide on your brand palette, it’s essential to implement it in all areas of your property and across your marketing materials. Here are some tips for using color to strengthen website UX and brand integrity.

Create a style guide (and live by it): Your brand style guide serves as a foundational rulebook to ensure consistency across all marketing collateral. All the colors included in your palette should be listed with their specific codes (HEX for web, RGB for digital, and CMYK/Pantone for print).
Prioritize accessibility: Using high-contrast colors shows your dedication to visual accessibility in your website design. Your color palette should include shades that both complement and contrast with one another.
Use color as a navigation tool: The color of a “Book Now” button or other call-to-action message can encourage or deflect a potential consumer’s decision. There’s no single “magic” color — the best button color is one that contrasts with the background, so it pops without being too “in your face.”
Consider how colors change across mediums: A brand color might look rich on a matte-finish brochure but harsh on an iPhone screen. Your palette should be versatile enough to carry your luxury brand strategy across all touchpoints.
Build on what’s already working: Check out how Hawthorn Creative designers created a visual brand identity for the Tide House in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, by capturing its existing character in a refined coastal palette.

Does your color palette reflect the luxury experience you deliver, or is it stuck in the past? The Hawthorn Creative team can help you zero in on your luxury brand identity and translate it through a whole new world of hues. Set up a brand strategy consultation with our marketing experts to align your visuals with your values.

SEO for Wedding Venues: How to Rank Higher in Search Results

in Event Venues, Search Marketing by Hawthorn Editorial

rom garden-inspired receptions to grand affairs at historic estates, couples usually have a very specific vision for their wedding day. That personalized concept informs each step they take along the way to the altar — including the words they type into a search engine when they’re researching venues. That’s why, as a wedding venue, your strategy for event venue SEO and SEM (search engine optimization and search engine marketing) is so important.

Whether they’re using Google or asking for recommendations from an AI chatbot, newly engaged couples (who are likely to be Millennial or Gen Z digital natives) tend to narrow down their searches by overall aesthetic and location. In other words, they’re not looking just for “wedding venues in Vermont.” Instead, they’re searching for phrases like “winery wedding venue Napa” or “industrial wedding venue Chicago.”

5 Steps to Improve SEO for Wedding Venues

The key to effective SEO for wedding venues is shifting from generic terms to thoughtful, localized phrases that align with how couples actually search online. Your goal is to distill your one-of-a-kind brand identity and communicate it succinctly across your site, social media, and profiles, for both humans and bots to find. Here are five concrete steps marketers can take to boost wedding venue rankings:

1. Identify Your Target Keywords

To differentiate your wedding venue from all the others, zero in on the phrases that best encapsulate what your venue offers and what truly makes it special. Build a list of long-tail keywords (phrases with three or more words) by combining descriptors from various categories:

Start with basic location keywords: Combine your city, neighborhood, or region with “wedding venue” — for example, “Hudson Valley wedding venue,” “beach wedding venue in South Florida,” or “wedding venues in the Poconos.”
Add on style keywords: Include the physical features that make your venue unique, like “rustic barn,” “historic mansion,” or “lakeside ceremony space.”
Include niche keywords: Use specific qualifiers that highlight your offerings and specialties, such as “intimate wedding venues for 50 guests,” “wedding weekend packages,” or “wedding venues with catering included.”

You’ll want to combine these phrases across various website pages. Let’s look at where they should show up …

2. Place Your Keyword Phrases Strategically

Once you have your keywords, integrate them into these high-impact areas of your website:

Page titles and metadata: Optimize your gallery pages and blog posts for niche keywords by using your primary location-based keyword phrase as the title (H1) — like “Gorgeous Garden Wedding Venue in Savannah, GA” or “5 Themes for a Summer Wedding on Cape Cod.” Be sure to include that keyword phrase in your meta title and meta description.
Captions and alt text for images and virtual tours: Describe your photos using your keywords (like “beachside ceremony at our Rhode Island wedding venue” or “image gallery from rural Berkshires wedding venue”) to help your site rank in image searches and chatbot crawls.
Instagram content: Instagram posts, captions, Reels, and carousels can now appear in search results. Use location and style keywords in your bio, username, and hashtags for improved visibility.

3. Optimize Your Local SEO Rankings

When it comes to event venue SEM, local map rankings are often more valuable than organic rankings. Here are a few ways to get your venue in front of locally based couples:

Claim your Google Business profile: Ensure your venue’s name, address, and phone number are correct on your profile, and add relevant keywords in your description.
Create landing pages tailored to surrounding areas: Target nearby regions with landing pages that use related keywords in the H1s and URLs, like /hudson-valley-weddings or /ny-metro-area-venues.
List your venue in local directories: Get listed on industry-specific sites like Zola, The Knot, and WeddingWire, which offer filtering by city and state. Go hyperlocal with these efforts, too: Create an entry on your town or city’s tourism website and Chamber of Commerce directory.

4. Write for Both Humans and Bots

Yes, it’s possible to do both at once. To rank on the first page of search engine results and also show up in AI summaries, aim for clean copy that’s easily digestible, includes your keyword phrases, and also has personality (the kind that AI-generated copy can never quite achieve). Here are some approaches:

Make it digestible: Both SEO and AI engines look for information that’s easy to crawl and integrate into snippets and summaries. Break down your content and visuals into short, snappy sections with subheadings that highlight your keyword phrases — for example, “Elements of Our Rustic Barn Décor” or “Images of a Winter Wedding in the Twin Cities” for a gallery.
Create FAQ pages: Build FAQ pages on your website that skillfully integrate your keywords into both the questions and the answers. Use a variety of phrases that focus on different aspects of your venue.
Respond to reviews: Ask newlyweds for reviews and showcase them on your site via a testimonials webpage. While you can’t control user-generated content, you can work your keywords into your responses, as naturally as possible — for example, “We’re so glad our beachfront wedding venue was exactly what you imagined, and wow, the weather was perfect!”

5. Track How Your Keyword Strategy Is Working

These free tools will help you track how well your keyword strategy is working to drive traffic to your site:

Google Search Console provides data on clicks, impressions, and average position.
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) tracks user behavior and engagement after they land on your site.
Bing Webmaster Tools monitors performance on Bing, the second-largest search engine after Google.
Semrush’s SEO Checker is a free SEO audit tool that scans your website and finds SEO issues that could limit your search performance.
Google Trends provides insights into search volume trends and seasonality to inform your keyword and content strategy.

If you’re looking for expert support with SEO for wedding venues, the Hawthorn Creative team can help. We’ll optimize your website to communicate effectively with Google and other search engines, improve the user experience, and help you climb up the rankings. Set up a consultation today.

Hotel and Resort Content Strategy: How to Sell a Feeling (Not Just a Room)

in Hotels & Resorts by Sara Frazier

hen deciding whether to book your property, potential guests want to know so much more than just the square footage of your rooms. Is your hotel or resort a quiet place to unplug or an adventure-packed getaway? Can they try pickleball, energy healing, horseback riding, or other unique activities at your property? What local attractions can they add to their vacation itinerary? And, above all else: How are they going to feel once they check in?

Answering these types of experience-based questions is your best bet for encouraging guests to book through your website rather than a third-party service. Here, we’re sharing a few steps to enhance hotels and resorts’ content strategy and ensure you’re using brand storytelling to sell a feeling, not just a place to sleep.

Think of Storytelling as a Direct Booking Strategy

Tired of losing bookings and guest relationship-building opportunities to the online travel agencies (OTAs)? Storytelling is the number one marketing tool at your property’s disposal. OTAs like Expedia and Booking.com aren’t known for their captivating storytelling; you’re much more likely to find a straightforward list of amenities and simple descriptions that don’t illustrate your true guest experience.

Where third-party sites compete on price, your website can stand out by creating an emotional connection with soon-to-be guests. Draw audiences in with engaging storytelling that shows why your destination and property stand out from the rest. Narrative marketing, focused on your property’s storied history, passionate team, and thoughtful amenities, brings your brand identity to life and helps convert unsure browsers to confident bookers.

Define Your Hotel or Resort’s Story

To ensure your website outperforms the OTAs, you have to tell an immersive story — and before you can communicate your brand story to potential guests, you’ll need a crystal-clear picture of your property’s unique selling points and one-of-a-kind experience.

For example, is your property an urban escape in the heart of an exciting city? A sprawling resort set on hundreds of waterfront acres? A historic gem popular for wedding weekends? Answering these questions will also help you identify your target demographic (a key element of your property’s story). To get started crafting your hotel or resort’s brand strategy, consult our guide to developing powerful brand stories.

With a strong sense of what you want your hotel or resort to be known for, which experiences you offer that most properties don’t, and who your key demographic is, you’re in a great place to start communicating and selling that story on your website.

Elevate Your Brand’s Website Copy

Your website is usually the very first impression potential guests have of your brand, and it’s your best opportunity to be more engaging than OTAs. When crafting your website copy, think in terms of the feeling you provide to guests rather than solely sharing logistics. Case in point: “Wake up to soothing ocean breezes, with plenty of space for the whole family to spread out” is much more captivating than “Two-bedroom suites with water views.” You don’t have long to make a positive impression on website visitors, so stop the scroll with homepage copy that gets to the heart of your guest experience.

If you need a little inspiration: The Home Ranch’s website, designed and written by our digital team, greets visitors with descriptive copy that paints a transportive picture of the property: “Stretching across 3000 acres in the Upper Elk River, surrounded by rugged nature as far as the eye can see, you’ll find The Home Ranch’s historic homestead. Here, gracefully undulating grassy hills are dotted with cattle and horses, creating an idyllic scene of Western ranch life — one that the Stranahan family sought to preserve from the very start.”

Plus, you’ll want to consider creating a dedicated webpage that breaks down on-property offerings, including any spa treatments, fitness programming, culinary workshops, or special events. If you provide discounts for group stays, coordinate wedding weekends, or offer anything else that differentiates your property, make sure those details are easily accessible on your site as well. OTAs aren’t likely to sell the full, well-rounded experience of your getaway, so it’s crucial that your website tells the story so much better.

Strengthen Your SEO Efforts for Discoverability

Now you know what you want your hotel and resort to be found for, and you’re well on your way to communicating the unique selling points on your website. But how will potential guests find your website in the first place (and choose to click into your brand site over a site like Expedia)? This is where SEO takes center stage.

There’s a whole world of search engine optimization strategies out there, but hospitality brands should start with the fundamentals: ensuring the website meets Google’s expectations (think: quick loading times, easy navigation, and overall relevance to searchers). Essentially, providing an optimal user experience is key to all your SEO efforts. Using location-specific keywords like “downtown Portsmouth hotel” in your page titles and meta descriptions will also help search engines understand that your website is relevant to travelers in your target demographic.

Apply Your Hotel or Resort’s Brand Strategy Across Channels

To truly communicate the experience of your hotel or resort, think outside the (website) box and create content for other digital channels, such as social media or email newsletters. Consider focusing on user-generated content from real stays to show a glimpse into the authentic guest experience and humanize your brand. This type of unfiltered content is especially popular on social media, with 93 percent of customers saying UGC helps them make purchase decisions. Plus, with Instagram captions now appearing in search engine results, prioritizing social media marketing also means prioritizing SEO.

Through email, hotels and resorts can use drip campaigns to share social proof (glowing testimonials from past guests), provide value with vacation itineraries (perhaps sourced from your destination blog), and showcase standout amenities (think: on-site restaurants and spa treatments) to potential guests who have previously clicked into your website. As users move through the conversion funnel, this content can make all the difference and convince them to ultimately click “book now.” This digital content may not live on your website, but it all directs back to your site, supports overall brand awareness, and increases the likelihood that guests will book directly with you rather than through an OTA.

The bottom line? While OTAs present your property with simple rates and room types, your brand website and digital content can sell the full guest experience, from check-in to check-out (with all the memorable activities in between). This feeling is ultimately your competitive advantage — and your most reliable path to direct bookings.

Want to outsource your hotel or resort’s content strategy? When you partner with Hawthorn Creative, we’ll ensure your site is optimized for search engines, your copy hooks potential guests straight away, and every element of your digital marketing positions your property for success. Reach out today to discuss your marketing needs.

From GEO to UGC: 7 Marketing Trends to Know for 2026

in General Marketing Insights by Hawthorn Editorial

n 2026, marketing trends will be largely driven by new technologies (think: AI and VR), coupled with the continued consumer demand for authenticity and personalization. Even as sophisticated technology tools gain traction, audiences still crave genuine human connection — and they prefer to buy from value-driven brands. Successful 2026 campaigns and marketing strategies will balance AI-related gains in impact and efficiency with a commitment to building trust and brand loyalty.

As we head into the new year, here are seven major trends for marketers to keep in mind.

1. AI-Powered Personalization

Almost 90% of marketers use AI daily for a variety of tasks, but personalization is perhaps the biggest AI-related marketing trend for the year ahead. Consumers want to feel seen and heard, and AI can do that by interpreting subtle behavioral signals and dynamically tailoring content, ad copy, product recommendations, and even websites in real time. For example, a first-time visitor to a site might see a welcome offer and a clear depiction of the brand story, while a returning customer will see recommendations based on their past activity.

2. Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)

SEO is so 2024. The new goal for marketers? To create content that can be cited as a credible source by AI chatbots or LLMs (large language models). GEO refers to optimizing content so it can be easily crawled and summarized, making it a reliable source that helps generative AI formulate meaningful, long-form responses. This is a huge area of growth for the travel industry: A 2025 survey found that about 70% of Millennials and 66% of Gen Z already use AI to create their vacation itineraries, and that number is predicted to increase in 2026.

3. Storytelling Through Video and VR

Short-form, easily digestible video content on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels will continue to engage viewers in high numbers, with these channels increasingly functioning as search tools for consumers. Immersive storytelling and experiences will take a leap forward, as Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) move into mainstream marketing. There’s exciting potential for these technologies in the travel and wedding industries — for example, customers can virtually “try on” wedding dresses, walk through resorts, or explore a city they’re planning to visit.

4. User-Generated Content (UGC) and Authenticity

With AI becoming commonplace in digital ads and other promotional materials, consumers are seeking genuine human connection. That means even more importance is placed on all forms of UGC. UGC, or user-generated content, refers to reviews, images, videos, or testimonials created by consumers rather than by the brand. Instead of slick, overly polished imagery and messaging, marketers will want to give greater visibility to real people and raw, unfiltered content.

5. Community Building

Social media used to be a place where you could easily find your niche or community. Now that social platforms have become oversaturated and less differentiated, more users are seeking out private communities on specialized forums like Facebook Groups, Discord, and Slack. Case in point: About two-thirds of internet users belong to online communities. Brands can build loyalty and gain valuable audience insights by participating authentically in these spaces.

6. Strategy and Ethics

Data breaches, deepfakes, text scams, AI hallucinations — these days, there are minefields everywhere in the online world. Marketers will need to balance technological innovation with building trust and making audiences feel safe. Growing user privacy concerns have led to the phase-out of third-party cookies, making it crucial for marketers to collect and leverage first-party data (information willingly shared by customers). Consumers are more likely to share that personal information with brands that respect their privacy and clearly communicate their data practices.

7. Meaningful and Inclusive Marketing

Consumers, particularly younger audiences, want brands to care about what they’re selling and the impact it makes. Marketing that prioritizes ethical practices, inclusive design, and cultural sensitivity appeals to audiences who want to buy from companies with values that mirror their own. That means going beyond the basics to encompass functionality as well as content — for example, a digital asset could feature people of diverse races, and also include either video captions or alt text for imagery to ensure it’s accessible to people with vision disabilities.

Looking to craft a strategy that takes into account the biggest 2026 marketing trends? Hawthorn Creative can help you head into the new year with a strong marketing plan. Get in touch today to schedule a consultation.

How to Sequence Email Nurture Campaigns for Wedding Venues

in Event Venues by Hawthorn Editorial

ave you ever heard of the Rule of 7? It’s a marketing principle about consumer behavior that suggests a prospect needs to encounter a brand at least seven — yes, seven — times before taking action. Whether that specific number applies to your brand or not, the concept is certainly true: With so many options to choose from, brands need to stay in front of potential customers as they’re considering their choices. A great way to ensure your brand is top of mind? An email nurture campaign.

How does that translate to wedding venues? Engaged couples typically browse 10-15 options online before scheduling an in-person tour at three to five locations, and they make a final decision within two to three months. The research phase of the customer journey is pivotal, which is why it’s so important to keep reaching out to potential customers who have shown interest in your venue.

Email nurture campaigns for wedding venues help ensure your messaging and imagery don’t get lost in the torrent of information available to couples. By providing multiple touchpoints, a nurture campaign can guide soon-to-weds to conversion — whether that’s booking a tour or signing a contract.

The Sequence and Flow of an Email Nurture Campaign

To make an impact with new audiences, a nurture campaign needs to guide them through the marketing funnel, from initial awareness and interest to conversion. In a way, email nurture campaigns for wedding venues aren’t all that different from a real-life relationship journey, moving from an introductory first date to more detailed information sharing and finally popping the question — otherwise known as the call to action.

Since engaged couples tend to research for only a few months before securing a venue, a campaign shouldn’t last much longer than five weeks, with one email sent every four to seven days. Here’s a general idea of how an automated nurture campaign should flow before a tour is booked:

Email 1: Recognize their prior interactions with your venue (likely through a website visit) and provide your digital event brochure, paired with a distilled version of your unique brand story. This will give prospective couples a better sense of what sets your venue apart — whether that’s your venue’s unique history or your stellar in-house catering team.
Emails 2-3: Familiarize email recipients with your services and location through testimonials, real wedding stories, menu information, staff profiles, and more. You can also provide educational content in the form of how-to guides, blog posts, and industry news to build trust and establish authority.
Email 4: Entice them to dig deeper and truly picture their big day at your venue by watching a video tour, scheduling an informational call, or downloading a step-by-step wedding-planning guide.
Email 5: Use a direct call to action (CTA) inviting them to book an on-site tour.

What to Include in a Follow-Up Nurture Campaign After a Tour

After the tour, consider a shorter email nurture to stay top-of-mind while couples are making their decision:

Email 1: Send a “Thank you for attending!” email that feels personalized, with details and photos from the tour.
Email 2: Provide social proof in the form of website testimonials, any awards your venue’s earned over the years, or social media posts featuring real weddings at your venue.
Email 3: Include a brief wrap-up of your services, packages, team, and overall experience — with a final CTA encouraging them to save their date at your venue.

Also, a crucial tip: Be sure to remove emails from the campaign once a customer signs a contract.

5 Tips for Crafting Nurture Campaigns

1. Be warm and friendly: Your goal is for the reader to feel that you know them (and vice versa), so your tone should be conversational and relaxed. Tell them engaging stories about your brand, team, and the overall experience at your wedding venue. Remember, it’s all about building a relationship.
2. Address leads by name: Your marketing email platform should allow you to address potential customers by their first name, as in “Dear XX.” If your contact data isn’t complete or isn’t entered properly, this can backfire, so only use this feature if you’re sure it’ll be accurate.
3. Harness technology: To target the right groups, use a customer relationship management (CRM) platform to segment your audience by interests or funnel stage. Then, set up triggers that deploy automated sequences when a lead takes a specific action, such as submitting an inquiry form, downloading a brochure, or visiting a specific page on your website.
4. Focus on the visuals: Incorporate high-quality photos and videos in every single email, including signature images of the property that remind readers who you are, as well as wedding-related visuals — menu items, outdoor venues, etc.
5. Optimize for mobile: Over 50% of emails are opened on mobile devices, so ensure all emails and linked content are mobile-friendly.
6. Track the campaign’s effectiveness: Look at open rates, click-through rates, and conversion metrics for a sense of how your campaign is performing. You can also A/B test different subject lines and content, using the insights to continuously refine and adapt. Since a nurture campaign can be used repeatedly over time with different audiences, taking these steps will ensure a polished, persuasive final product.

Need support developing and deploying email nurture campaigns for your wedding venue? Hawthorn Creative can help you build strategic campaigns that keep your venue in front of audiences at each phase of their consideration journey. Take a peek at our email marketing solutions and reach out to get started.

The Future of Tourism: 2026 Travel Trends to Know

in General Marketing Insights by Hawthorn Editorial

n 2026, travelers are seeking highly personalized experiences that align with their specific passions, interests, and wellness needs. For hotels and DMOs looking to keep up with these emerging trends — from restorative, digital detoxing getaways to emotionally driven “whycations” — it’s all about digging deep into what makes your destination shine.

Ahead, we’re outlining 10 of the biggest 2026 travel trends to know, plus tips for how hotels and DMOs can tap into them through creative marketing strategies.

1. Hushpitality and Calm-cations

“Hushpitality” is a travel trend focused on creating calm, quiet, and restorative experiences — otherwise known as “calm-cations” to relax, recharge, and reset. These travelers are seeking to slow down and disconnect from the everyday chaos and the always-on digital world, with generous doses of nature immersion and digital detoxing.

With 50% of US adults reporting stress, it makes sense that travelers are prioritizing mental and emotional well-being. To achieve that sense of calm, travelers are seeking destinations that prioritize stillness — through design, service, and the surrounding environment itself.

How hotels and DMOs can tap into the trend: By highlighting your destination’s natural features, spiritual experiences, and wellness amenities across all marketing channels — from spa-focused social media content to blog posts outlining your property’s various wellness experiences.

2. Overland Travel

Travelers are on the road — and on the rails — again. Train journeys, car-sharing, and even biking trips are growing in popularity as greener alternatives to air travel. Case in point: Explore Worldwide’s Travel Market Report shows a 25% year-over-year increase in rail journey bookings in 2025. This return to train-based travel may be a reaction to the hectic nature of air travel lately (in the form of increased cancellations and delays).

The classic American road trip is also seeing a resurgence, partly due to the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026. The US Department of Transportation’s Great American Road Trip initiative is enticing would-be road trippers with interactive maps and curated itineraries for exploring the nation’s highways, historic landmarks, and scenic destinations.

How hotels and DMOs can tap into the trend: By collaborating with nearby attractions to create detailed itinerary content (think: blogs showcasing the must-visit stops on a road or rail trip) and using geotargeting to market to audiences who live within a comfortable driving distance.

3. Off-Season and Off the Beaten Path

Drawn by lower prices, fewer crowds, and richer local experiences, travelers are increasingly booking trips during off-peak seasons. That might mean heading to Iceland in winter or visiting the Greek Islands in spring before the summer crowds arrive. They’re also seeking out lesser-known locations, like Mongolia, Nicaragua, Kyrgyzstan, and Bhutan — countries with rich cultural experiences and natural beauty that aren’t yet known as top tourist destinations.

How hotels and DMOs can tap into the trend: By focusing your content marketing efforts on experiences that aren’t available during the high season — like winter culinary adventures in a beach town or that giant ropes course that takes over the ski resort in summer.

4. AI-Powered Travel Planning

One of the biggest 2026 travel trends, according to experts, will be the growth of artificial intelligence as a tool for planning and booking trips. Travelers are already leaning on AI to create personalized itineraries, optimize bookings, and act as a virtual travel assistant. Users can also utilize AI tools to source itineraries based on specific criteria, such as budget, interests, mood, or preferred seating on a plane.

How hotels and DMOs can tap into the trend: By enhancing your GEO (generative engine optimization) strategy, which helps AI assistants and chatbots recognize the authority of your content and draw from it when making suggestions.

5. Accommodation as the Destination

Lately, hotels themselves are becoming destinations, with travelers choosing accommodations that offer a wide range of activities right on-site. More than just a place to sleep, the hotel or resort is an integral part of the overall experience. Brands are developing hotels with distinct personalities and creative design — including amenities, comfort, service, and the specific atmosphere and vibe.

How hotels and DMOs can tap into the trend: By posting social media content that highlights truly unique stays — from plush, cozy cabins to maximalist hotel rooms adorned with locally inspired art and decor.

6. “Whycations” and “Little Treat” Trips

Another big trend for 2026? Travel driven by emotional motivations, hobbies, and milestones. Hilton’s 2026 Trends Report found that 72% of travelers want to take time off to explore a personal passion. Instead of booking vacations during the holidays or for anniversaries, for example, travelers are planning trips based on purpose and meaning — whether it’s a spontaneous getaway to celebrate a new job offer or a carefully designed national park trip to check items off an adventure-focused bucket list.

How hotels and DMOs can tap into the trend: By crafting blog posts and email campaigns centered around why guests should choose your property. Is it your proximity to historic landmarks, your wellness offerings, or perhaps your thriving culinary scene?

7. Astrotourism

Travelers are looking to the skies in 2026, as celestial events are predicted to drive travel next year. With a total solar eclipse sweeping across Europe in August and 2026 expected to be a prime year for viewing the Northern Lights, demand for trips combining stargazing and natural phenomena is likely to soar. Tourists are seeking locations with dark skies and minimal light pollution, allowing better viewing of stars and other celestial objects.

How hotels and DMOs can tap into the trend: By partnering with local educational organizations to offer (and promote) after-dark activities. Think: guided night hikes, moonlit kayaking, or stargazing tours.

8. Micro-Retirements

The rise of the micro-retirement — essentially a mid-career sabbatical while on leave or between jobs — is expected to grow in 2026, with an increasing number of travelers leaving the 9-to-5 behind to embark on longer trips that blend adventure with personal interests. Rather than waiting until retirement age to check items off their bucket list, people of all ages are seizing the day.

According to Explore, 80% of Americans said they are interested in (and ready to take) an extended career break in the next two years, and 41% said they would travel during that time for 1-3 months.

How hotels and DMOs can tap into the trend: By offering flexible, long-term stay options, accompanied by curated experiences that dive deep into local activities and attractions; and/or crafting multi-week itineraries that attract “micro-retirees” on longer getaways.

9. Multigenerational Journeys

Studies show an increasing demand for extended-family trips, with parents, grandparents, and the kids all together. In fact, 57% of parents are planning travel with grandparents and children, according to the Family Travel Association’s annual survey in late 2025. Families want to spend quality time together, strengthen family dynamics, and, in some cases, share the cost of travel.

How hotels and DMOs can tap into the trend: By tailoring your marketing efforts to what each generation responds to and varying your content across platforms and channels.

10. Set-Jetting

Also known as film tourism or screen tourism, set-jetting is the practice of traveling to real-life locations featured in popular movies and TV shows. The Lord of the Rings movies helped jump-start the trend, drawing fans to the dramatic locations in New Zealand where the films were set. This year, the third season of The White Lotus drew a new wave of visitors to the luxury resorts and stunning scenery of Koh Samui in Thailand.

Set-jetters also love to retrace the steps of Sex and the City characters in Manhattan and Emily in Paris locations like Emily’s apartment in the 5th arrondissement. Next year, the live-action adaptation of Disney’s Moana is expected to boost tourism in Samoa, while the Wuthering Heights adaptation, releasing in February, could attract travelers to Yorkshire, England.

How hotels and DMOs can tap into the trend: By producing content about both well-known and hidden gem filming locations in your area and building events and promotions around them. (Check out this blog post from our client, Opal Collection, about their Adirondack lodge’s feature in Succession for inspiration.)

With 2026 travel trends in mind, it’s a great time to consider a rebrand or launch an exciting new marketing campaign. Set up a call with our expert team — we’ll work together to create a brand strategy that resonates with your target audience and expands your reach.

Your 2026 Advertising Budget: Dos and Don’ts

in General Marketing Insights by Hawthorn Editorial

e’re midway through Q4, and it’s time for marketing professionals to decide how to allocate their 2026 advertising budget. While many marketing departments might already be locked into recurring annual contracts, it’s always worth taking a fresh look at where your ad spend is going, how it’s working for your brand, and whether it’s helping you reach your intended audience.

At the same time, you’ll want to keep an eye on emerging platforms and new investment opportunities in the quickly changing marketing landscape. Here, we look at the advertising-related questions you should revisit every year, what to evaluate going forward, and common budgeting mistakes to avoid.

Steps for Planning an Annual Advertising Budget

Below are a few essential steps to take whenever you’re planning your annual advertising budget — no matter how many times you’ve done it before.

Examine What’s Working: Before you plan your 2026 ad spend, look closely at your 2025 advertising metrics and analyze which channels and campaigns generated the most leads and bookings this year. Then, increase your spending on top performers and cut (or eliminate) spending on underperforming areas.
Assess Your Audience: Consumer behavior is constantly evolving, and each generation interacts with ads and social media differently. Track how your advertising channels performed across different audience segments, and reference this information against the demographics of your frequent customers.
Dive Deeper into the Data: Move beyond impressions and clicks to focus on more nuanced KPIs (key performance indicators) that link directly to revenue. For example, hotels and resorts can track metrics such as occupancy rate, average length of stay, cost per occupied room, and loyalty mix (the percentage of business that comes from repeat visitors enrolled in a loyalty program).
Set Clear Goals: Define what you want to achieve with your 2026 advertising and attach a number to the goal so you can measure your progress at the end of next year. Do you want to grow direct online purchases by 15%? Achieve 20% revenue growth from new customers? Increase your repeat business by 10%? Ensure every dollar of your ad spend is connected to a measurable outcome.

Key Investment Areas for 2026

Once you’ve assessed your 2025 advertising efforts, consider what you want to put money toward in the new year — a good rule of thumb is to allocate about one-quarter of your overall budget for testing new ideas — and take into account the following investment areas:

Social Media and Google Ads: For Google Ads, base your budget on the average cost per click (CPC) for your target keywords, accounting for travel industry trends and competitor analysis. To determine your social media advertising budget, you can simply do the math: Multiply the number of website visitors you need to achieve your 2026 goal by what you’ve been paying for each visitor.
AI Tools: You can optimize your ad spend by using an AI tool that continuously monitors your campaign performance across multiple channels (e.g., Google Ads, Meta, TikTok). Tools like this can automatically reallocate budgets from underperforming ads or platforms to those delivering better results. If you want to go super high-tech, try an AI tool that can generate and test thousands of ad variations (with different images, headlines, and calls to action) to determine which resonates best with specific audience segments.
GEO Ads: GEO — generative engine optimization — will play a prominent role in online advertising in 2026. You’ll want to optimize your ads to offer clear, comprehensive information. For sponsored long-form content, focus on creating high-quality, easily digestible posts to improve AI search visibility, and include FAQs that position your business as an authoritative source.

Common Budgeting Mistakes to Avoid

Now that we’ve covered the dos of planning your 2026 ad spend, here’s an overview of what not to do:

Don’t Throw Spaghetti at the Wall: Avoid spreading your ad budget too thin across multiple channels — sometimes known as “spray and pray.”
Don’t Ignore Lead Quality: Ensure your campaigns aren’t just generating leads on paper; they are producing quality leads that actually convert.
Don’t Underestimate “Hidden” Costs: Remember to budget for production of ads, landing pages, and videos created for paid media, not just the ad spend itself.
Don’t Think of Your Budget as Set in Stone: Once your 2026 advertising budget is in place, don’t be afraid to be flexible. The most successful budgets are dynamic and nimble, allowing for quick adaptation to market shifts and new opportunities.

Looking for expert support while planning your 2026 ad spend? Our team can help. Reach out today to schedule a consultation.

Who Are the Most Passionate Travelers?

How to Market Your Property for Passion-Based Travel

Leverage Immersive Storytelling

Partner with Niche Influencers and Local Experts

Optimize Search and Social for Passion Travel

RELATED READING

What Are the Differences Between Longer and Shorter Videos?

When to Use Short-Form vs. Long-Form Video

Short-Form Video — Best for Reach and Awareness

Long-Form Video — Best for Authority and Conversions

RELATED READING

The 5 Top Reasons Wedding Websites Don’t Book Couples

1. Vague or Hidden Pricing

2. Slow Response Times

3. Lack of Authenticity

4. Clunky Navigation or Poor Mobile Experience

5. Weak Call-to-Actions (CTAs)

5 Ways to Optimize Your Wedding Website

1. Highlight Key Information Upfront

2. Streamline the Inquiry Process

3. Create Story-Driven Portfolios

4. Optimize for Search Engines and Chatbots

5. Add Social Proof and User-Generated Content

RELATED READING

1. Evoke Luxury and Prestige

2. Drive Emotional Storytelling

3. Build Trust and Visibility

4. Create In-Room Experiences

5. Seamlessly Bridge Physical to Digital

RELATED READING

The 3 Types of Bleisure Guests

What Bleisure Travelers Are Looking For

10 Marketing Approaches for Attracting Bleisure Travelers

RELATED READING

Help Couples Visualize Their Big Day

Build Trust Through Expert Insights

Share Social Proof and Authentic Content

RELATED READING

How Popular is Hushpitality With Travelers?

Key Elements of Hushpitality — and How to Market Them

1. Peaceful Atmosphere

2. Spa and Wellness Treatments

3. Nature Immersion

4. Room Service

5. Yoga Classes

6. In-Room Fitness

7. Themed Retreats

8. Rest as Luxury

9. Wellness Travel Itineraries

RELATED READING

Can You Advertise Yet on ChatGPT?

What Do ChatGPT Ads Look Like?

Is ChatGPT the Only AI Platform Using Ads?

How Should I Get Ready for ChatGPT Ads?

How Else Can I Use AI to Market My Property?

How Do I Build an AI Strategy for My Hotel or Resort?

RELATED READING

1. Operational Efficiency

2. Sustainable Hotel Design and Infrastructure

3. The Guest Experience

4. Green Hospitality Certification

5. Community Engagement

RELATED READING

1. Metasearch Advertising

2. Lookalike Audiences

3. Retargeting Ads

4. Paid Search

5. Paid Social Ads

RELATED READING

What Is a Unique Value Proposition?

5 Steps for Building a Brand Strategy for Wedding Venues

1. Zero In On Who You Are

2. Define Your Messaging

3. Infuse Your Brand Into Your Visuals

4. Bring Your Brand Identity to Life

5. Check In and Stay Flexible

RELATED READING

Paid Search: Capturing Travelers Who Know What They Want

Key advantages of paid search:

Paid Social: Creating Desire and Brand Awareness