Hotels are Getting Smarter: Our Conversation with Debbie Miller, Founder and President of Social Hospitality

Today travelers have more places to stay than ever before. With the rise of AirBnb and other startups, hotels need to be more clever than previous era’s to bring guests into their rooms. No longer is it feasible for many hotels to rely on traditional advertising methods to keep occupancy rates high. We spoke with Debbie Miller, founder and President of Social Hospitality, to find out how the industry uses data, AI, and social avenues to edge out competition.

MS: How did you get your start in the field, and how did you get here?

Miller: I entered the hospitality industry in 2007 when I joined a destination marketing organization. I then began Social Hospitality as a blog in 2011, and it evolved into a side business while I worked at a hospitality-focused marketing firm for six years. Last year, I left that company to focus on Social Hospitality full-time.

MS: Can you describe what Social Hospitality is all about?

Miller: Our organization offers digital marketing services tailored to clients, with the goals of helping passionate people and businesses develop their brand identities, create engaging content, and build their social media presence.

MS: What emerging trends have you witnessed recently?

Miller: I am fascinated by the evolution of technology and Artificial Intelligence, and I enjoy watching how hotels integrate AI and how consumers respond to progressive hotels and technologies. Another trend I recognize is that consumers continue to become more involved in their consumption and sharing of user-generated content, especially in the travel space.

MS: What is your organization doing to keep pace with these trends?

Miller: In response to these evolving needs, Social Hospitality continually recreates our social strategies toward alignment with consumer expectations.

MS: What do you see on the horizon for your industry?

Miller: We keep in mind that there is an increased reliance on both new technologies like AI as well as increased relationships between brands and consumers. Travelers are now much more intimately experiencing brands when they travel, so the industry, ourselves included, must remain vigilant about evolving and accommodating consumer expectations.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

Commerce media
A Look at the Rise of Commerce Media Networks: How Nift Helps Brands Own How Their Message Shows Up
July 2, 2025

As traditional digital advertising struggles to retain consumer trust, brands are exploring new, more authentic ways to connect with shoppers. Platforms like commerce media networks, which weave together commerce, content, and data, are emerging as powerful tools in this shift. Research from MG2 Advisory reveals that only about 37% of consumers feel brands genuinely…

Read More
Hospitality leadership
Heart-First Hospitality Leadership: How Saying ‘Yes’ Transforms Guest Experiences, Boosts Staff Morale, and Drives Business Results
July 2, 2025

As the hospitality industry emerges from years of pandemic-driven upheaval, hospitality leadership is evolving to meet new challenges. Leaders are looking for new ways to retain staff, elevate guest satisfaction, and drive revenue without burning out their teams. One trend gaining traction is the power of “Yes”: empowering employees to say yes more often,…

Read More
civic leadership
Mayor Gerard Hudspeth’s Civic Leadership Journey: What Politics Teaches About People
July 2, 2025

What does a mayor learn about human nature? In this episode of Professional Quotient: Conversations that Build Equity, host Jason Winningham sits down with Gerard Hudspeth, longtime mayor of Denton, Texas, and a respected figure in civic leadership. Drawing from his years in public service, Hudspeth explores how leading a city reveals the core…

Read More
sepsis
Debunking Sepsis Myths – Episode 1
July 1, 2025

In the first episode of The Michael Rothman podcast, we address misconceptions about sepsis in healthcare. Although it’s often claimed that sepsis accounts for nearly a third of hospital deaths, many of these deaths are linked to chronic conditions with sepsis as a secondary factor. The frequently cited statistic that delays in treating sepsis increase…

Read More