Step-by-Step Guide to Running a Successful Influencer Marketing Campaign for Hotels & Restaurants

Influencer marketing has become one of the most effective ways for hotels and restaurants to boost brand awareness, attract new customers, and showcase experiences in an authentic way. Unlike traditional advertising, influencer marketing leverages trust and social proof, which are crucial in the hospitality industry, where reputation, ambiance, and customer experience drive bookings.

However, a successful campaign requires more than just inviting an influencer for a free meal or hotel stay. You need a structured strategy to ensure a strong return on investment (ROI) and a long-term impact on your business.

This guide walks you through the step-by-step process of running a high-impact influencer marketing campaign that elevates your brand, increases bookings, and builds lasting customer relationships.

Step 1: Identify the Right Influencers for Your Brand

Not all influencers are the right fit for your hotel or restaurant. Choosing the wrong influencer—someone whose content and audience don’t align with your brand—can result in wasted resources and missed opportunities.

How to Find the Perfect Influencer:

• Look for Niche Alignment:

  • A luxury resort should partner with high-end travel influencers, not budget backpackers.

  • A farm-to-table restaurant should collaborate with health-conscious food bloggers, not fast-food reviewers.

• Check Engagement Over Follower Count:

  • A micro-influencer (10K–50K followers) with strong engagement can drive better results than a celebrity with millions of inactive followers.

  • Analyze comments and likes—are followers genuinely engaging, or are they bots and spam accounts?

• Evaluate Past Collaborations:

  • Have they worked with similar hospitality brands?

  • Were past campaigns successful? Look for case studies, insights, or testimonials.

Pro Tip: Don’t rely solely on influencer platforms. Search manually on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and blogs to find authentic voices in your niche.

Step 2: Choose the Right Platform for Your Campaign

Each social platform offers different strengths for influencer marketing. Your choice should align with your goals and target audience.

Best Platforms for Hospitality Influencer Marketing:

• Instagram & TikTok

  • Ideal for highly visual content—think food plating, ambiance, luxury experiences.

  • Instagram Reels and TikTok videos are perfect for short-form, viral storytelling.

• YouTube

  • Best for long-form video reviews and in-depth travel vlogs.

  • If you want an influencer to document an entire hotel stay or dining experience, YouTube is the go-to platform.

• Blogs & SEO Content

  • Written reviews increase Google visibility and organic search rankings.

  • Food and travel bloggers create evergreen content that continues to drive bookings over time.

Pro Tip: Diversify your campaign by mixing multiple content types—such as a YouTube review, Instagram Reels, and a blog feature—for maximum exposure.

Step 3: Define Your Campaign Goals & Success Metrics

Without a clear goal, you won’t know whether your influencer campaign is successful.

What Do You Want to Achieve?

• Increase Brand Awareness

  • Focus on reach, impressions, engagement.

  • Ideal for new restaurant launches, hotel openings, or rebranding efforts.

• Drive Bookings & Reservations

  • Use trackable links, promo codes, and exclusive offers.

  • Measure website traffic, direct bookings, and foot traffic.

• Generate User-Generated Content (UGC)

  • Collect high-quality influencer photos/videos for use in ads, website content, and social media.

  • Prioritize long-term brand collaborations over one-off posts.

Pro Tip: Align influencer deliverables with your goals. If you want bookings, ensure influencers include clear calls to action (CTAs), like "Book now with the exclusive promo code."

Step 4: Craft a Content Strategy & Influencer Brief

Influencers are content creators, and giving them the right tools ensures they showcase your hotel or restaurant in the best possible way.

What to Include in Your Influencer Brief:

• Campaign Goals & Expectations

  • Define what success looks like (e.g., "We want to increase midweek bookings by 15%").

• Brand Messaging & Unique Selling Points (USPs)

  • Highlight what makes your hotel/restaurant stand out.

  • Example: "Our boutique hotel offers the only ocean-view infinity pool in the city."

• Content Guidelines (Without Restricting Creativity)

  • Type of content: Instagram Stories, TikTok videos, blog reviews, etc.

  • Key talking points: Food sourcing, amenities, chef interviews, ambiance, etc.

  • Required hashtags & tags: Ensure proper brand attribution.

Pro Tip: Give influencers creative freedom—they know what resonates with their audience. Don’t force scripted, unnatural promotions.

Step 5: Budgeting & Negotiating with Influencers

Influencer pricing varies widely depending on follower count, engagement, platform, and deliverables.

General Influencer Pricing Guidelines:

• Nano-Influencers (1K–10K followers)

  • Often accept free experiences (hotel stays, meals) in exchange for content.

• Micro-Influencers (10K–50K followers)

  • Expect $100–$1,000 per post, depending on engagement.

• Mid-Tier Influencers (50K–200K followers)

  • Rates range from $1,000–$5,000, especially for video content.

• Top-Tier Influencers (200K+ followers)

  • Pricing starts at $5,000+ per campaign.

How to Negotiate Fairly:

• Offer non-monetary perks like VIP experiences, long-term collaborations, and exclusive previews.

• Prioritize smaller influencers with high engagement—they often overdeliver and create better-quality content.

• Consider a barter system (contra deals)—offer free stays, dining experiences, or event invites instead of direct payment.

Step 6: Track & Measure Campaign Performance

To assess whether your influencer campaign delivers a strong ROI, track key performance metrics.

Key Metrics to Measure Success:

• Engagement Rate

  • Likes, comments, shares, story views (indicates audience interest).

• Website Traffic & Conversions

  • Use Google Analytics, UTM links, and promo codes to track referrals.

• Direct Bookings & Reservations

  • Track how many customers use influencer-driven discount codes or links.

• User-Generated Content Value

  • Assess the quality of influencer content for future use in your marketing.

Pro Tip: Don’t expect instant results. Influencer marketing builds trust over time—allow at least 3–6 months for a campaign to show long-term ROI.

Make Influencer Marketing Work for Your Hotel or Restaurant

When done right, influencer marketing can be one of the most powerful tools for growing your hospitality business, increasing bookings, and strengthening brand credibility.

Key Takeaways:

• Choose influencers carefully—prioritize alignment over follower count.

• Use multiple platforms—Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and blogs all serve different goals.

• Set clear goals & track success—don’t just chase vanity metrics.

• Give influencers creative freedom—authenticity drives engagement.

• Optimize for long-term partnerships—repeat collaborations build stronger brand trust.

By following this step-by-step guide, your hotel or restaurant can successfully execute an influencer campaign that delivers measurable results and drives real business growth.