For years, a good photograph has been the foundation of hospitality social media. Photograph the Sunday roast, share the cocktail menu, upload a picture of the garden in the sunshine. Give people something appealing to look at and a reason to visit.
That approach still has value. But looking at where the platforms are putting their attention, I believe we are approaching a significant change.
Over the next few years, short video will become the dominant way hospitality businesses attract attention on social media. The photograph will remain useful, but a marketing plan built almost entirely around still images will become increasingly difficult to sustain.
For pubs, restaurants, hotels and coffee shops, now is the time to start learning.
The direction is becoming clear
This month, Meta announced the expansion of Facebook Reels to more than 150 countries, describing Reels as its fastest-growing content format. That is a clear indication of where it intends to invest. Meta’s February 2022 announcement
Alongside TikTok and Instagram Reels, this gives businesses another reason to take short video seriously.
My prediction is that video will move from being an occasional addition to a venue’s marketing into its main tool for discovery. Photographs will help people explore the offer once they are interested. Moving images will increasingly create that interest in the first place.
That does not mean every video will outperform every photograph. It means we should prepare for a world in which filming is as routine as taking a picture.
Hospitality has an advantage: something is always happening
A photograph can show a beautifully presented meal. A video can show the moment the knife cuts through it, the sauce being poured or the plate arriving at the table.
A photograph can show a pub interior. A video can introduce the person behind the bar, capture the anticipation before an event or give someone a sense of the room on a busy evening.
These details help a potential customer imagine being there.
Hospitality businesses already have the raw material: preparation, people, food, drinks, celebrations and atmosphere. We do not need to invent something entertaining from nothing. We need to become better at noticing what is worth showing.
The polished poster will have a different job
A well-designed event graphic can communicate a date, price and booking details clearly. Keep using it where it helps.
But consider what makes someone interested enough to read those details.
A poster for a tasting evening explains the offer. A short film of the host introducing a bottle, pouring a glass and explaining what guests will discover can make the experience feel more tangible.
The same applies to a supper club, a live music evening or a new menu.
I expect successful hospitality marketing to combine the two: video earns attention and builds interest; clear supporting information helps someone decide and book.
The mistake will be expecting a diary full of static promotional graphics to do every part of that job.
People will matter as much as the product
It is tempting to point the camera only at the finished food or drink. But the people behind a venue give customers another reason to care.
A chef explaining a dish, a barista describing a favourite coffee or an owner talking about an upcoming event can make the business feel familiar before someone visits.
That does not require every team member to become a presenter. Some people will be comfortable speaking; others will be happier demonstrating what they do.
Start with the people who want to participate. Give them a simple subject and let their knowledge come through.
My expectation is that venues willing to show their character will have an advantage over those whose social accounts feel like an endless series of advertisements.
Start building the habit now
The biggest obstacle is likely to be consistency.
One expensive film will not teach a team how to capture useful moments every week. A manageable routine will.
For a venue starting now, I would suggest:
- Choose three recurring subjects: a product, a person and an experience.
- Film short, steady clips vertically for mobile viewing.
- Show the most interesting moment at the beginning.
- Add readable captions so the message works without sound.
- Make the venue’s name and location easy to identify.
- Give viewers one clear next step.
Work around service. Agree who can film, when it is appropriate and how customers’ privacy will be respected.
The aim is to make useful content part of normal operations, rather than creating another task that disappears when the venue gets busy.
Attention still needs to become business
Video will bring its own temptation: chasing views without asking whether they help the venue.
A widely watched clip is encouraging, but a local business needs relevant attention. Are viewers nearby? Are they asking about the menu? Visiting the booking page? Enquiring about an event?
A small audience with a strong reason to visit can be more valuable than a large audience with no practical connection to the business.
Connect each video to something specific. Show the food, explain when it is available and make the booking route easy to find. If the content creates interest, the rest of the customer journey needs to support it.
Prepare before the change becomes unavoidable
My prediction for the coming years is straightforward: short video will become central to hospitality social media, and businesses that develop the habit early will be better prepared.
Images will still have a place. But movement, personality and a sense of experience will increasingly shape how people discover somewhere new.
You do not need to abandon everything that already works. Start filming, test a few approaches and learn what your customers respond to.
At Marketing for Hospitality, we help venues turn what makes them worth visiting into a practical marketing plan. If your social media is full of pictures but missing the experience behind them, talk to us about bringing your business to life on screen.