The media revolution is here, and far too many hospitality operators haven’t realized we're smack in the middle of it.

While a handful of hotels are reshaping the hospitality landscape by putting media at the core of their strategy…

Most hotels continue treating social media as:

- A showcase for professionally staged property photos

- An occasional "booking deal" announcement channel

- A place to post random, sporadic content without strategy

It’s just another branding exercise with minimal investment.

This revolution isn't merely another marketing trend—it represents a fundamental shift in how guests discover and choose properties.

Those who adapt will thrive; those who don't risk becoming irrelevant, regardless of their location or amenities.

Here's how to capitalize on this revolution while it's still unfolding...

How We Got Here: The Evolution of Digital Hospitality

Remember the early days of the internet? Hotel owners would proudly declare, "We don't need a website. Our travel agent relationships and Yellow Pages ad work just fine."

Those hotels either adapted or disappeared.

Then came mobile. Properties that dismissed smartphone bookings as a passing fad watched helplessly as mobile-first competitors captured an entire generation of travelers.

Today, we're witnessing the third great digital revolution—and it's all about media.

In the not-so-distant past, hotels built guest relationships through sparse, transactional touchpoints:

- A quarterly mailer: "Remember us next time you're in town!"

- An occasional email blast (that nobody opened)

- Maybe a billboard or magazine ad

These tactics created fleeting, superficial connections at best.

Then, the internet changed how travelers access information.

Hotels scrambled to build websites and list on the emerging OTAs. It was a massive shift, but fundamentally about making information and booking more accessible.

The mobile revolution further accelerated this trend, putting booking power directly in travelers' pockets.

But today's media revolution is different.

This isn't about information or convenience—it's about connection. And that changes everything for hospitality.

The most powerful people and brands in the world understand this. From Elon Musk to Prime, they've made media the centerpiece of their strategy—and hospitality is no different.

Social media has created the most highly leveraged guest acquisition and retention model our industry has ever seen.

It allows your property to form deep, lasting bonds with guests before they ever book a stay.

Through compelling video content, behind-the-scenes moments, and consistent presence in their feeds, you become part of their daily lives.

Not just a hotel they might consider for their next trip.

The Power of Media-First Hospitality

When a potential guest forms this kind of bond with your property, they're not price shopping anymore. They're not comparing amenity lists on an OTA.

They've already emotionally invested in the experience you've shown them.

Your guests crave connection because humans crave connection. They don't want stale transactions. They want:

- Staff stories and personalities

- Behind-the-scenes glimpses

- The founder's journey and vision

- A window into experiences they could have

They want your stories in their pocket, on their phone, on their pillow.

And here's what most properties miss: Media isn't just about beautiful drone shots of your pool at sunset.

It's about being present in your guests' lives every single day.

It's about saying, "I'm here with you" through trending topics, seasonal moments, and cultural phenomena.

Every day. Every week. Every month. All year.

That consistent presence builds bonds that are nearly impossible to break—even for competitors with lower rates or flashier amenities.

Think about it: If your potential guest has been following another property for months—sharing their videos, opening their emails, liking their content—how do you suddenly capture their attention?

You can drop your rates for a weekend and maybe lure them in for a one-time stay. But their heart (and future bookings) still belongs to the property they've built a bond with.

This is why the most forward-thinking hospitality brands aren't just incorporating media into their strategy—they're becoming media companies that happen to offer accommodations.

It's not "build a hotel and maybe start an Instagram account."

It's "build an Instagram following and then leverage that audience to fill your hotel."

The time to embrace this revolution is now.

Not next quarter. Not when you hire that elusive "social media person" who can somehow single-handedly handle ideation, scripting, shooting, editing, designing, and posting.

The properties winning today understand that media requires real investment, real strategy, and real dedication—just like revenue management, housekeeping, and every other critical operation.

Many hoteliers still say things like:

"We'll get to social media eventually."

"Our guests are older—they're not on social media."

These are the exact echoes of those who dismissed websites in the 90s and mobile booking in the 2010s.

The media revolution is sweeping through every industry—hospitality's time to adapt is now.