Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
April 2, 2018
THE ROYAL FORMULA: WINDSOR CASTLE’S SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES 1
Introduction
Windsor Castle utilizes a unique multi-component social media strategy that incorporates
several historical and scenic elements into its core marketing plan. This case study provides
information obtained through social media analysis and structural assessment of tourist sites and
historic locations. Additionally, the analysis provides an observational study regarding the
overall social media habits of Windsor Castle through evaluation of The Royal Collection Trust
and the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead’s social media. Analysis of these strategies
is based upon three main platforms: Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The tactics utilized by
Windsor include direct interaction, updates on notable events, unique/ scenic posts, and historical
information.
Background
Windsor Castle is one of many castles conceptualized by William the Conqueror in the
eleventh century. However, it was Edward III who converted the intense military fortification of
Windsor into a proper palace. To this day, the castle is adorned with gothic architecture, massive
galleries of art, and extensive collections of artifacts. In the past, Windsor Castle has been
renovated several times. At one point, the heights of the towers were raised significantly in order
to give the grounds a more intimidating appearance. Today, Windsor is the oldest remaining
inhabited castle in the world. Queen Elizabeth II currently calls the castle her official residence
and weekend home. When she is on the premises, the Royal Standard is flown above the round
tower. It is then retired in favor of the Union (British) Flag when she leaves. Windsor Castle
recently returned to the spotlight as the location of Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle’s
wedding ceremony. The service will take place in the historic St. George’s Chapel. Due to the
THE ROYAL FORMULA: WINDSOR CASTLE’S SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES 2
recent influx of media coverage surrounding this event, the royal wedding is currently being
Looking at Windsor Castle as a business, run by The Royal Collection Trust, their social
media strategy is predominately focused on staying true to The Royal Collection’s mission; “the
aims of The Royal Collection Trust are the care and conservation of the Royal Collection, and
the promotion of access and enjoyment through exhibitions, publications, loans and educational
activities” (n.d.). All of the social media pages of the “registered charity” are either recognized
as official or verified. The social media strategy used by The Royal Collection Trust is to
promote the State Rooms in Buckingham Palace, the Royal Mews in Buckingham Palace, the
Queen's Gallery in Buckingham Palace, Clarence House, Windsor Castle, Frogmore House,
Palace of Holyroodhouse and the Queen's Gallery in the Palace of Holyroodhouse. In addition to
these locations, The Royal Collection Trust also posts to social media about upcoming events at
these royal venues and aims to entice followers into visiting the exhibits within each historic
landmark.
Windsor and Maidenhead,) the social media strategy takes a different turn. Posts are instead
made to promote the land, people, and history of these boroughs. As such, Windsor Castle is not
the only topic promoted online, but rather one of many appealing tourist sites localized in the
boroughs. The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead utilizes direct interaction by
thanking police, reposting content from other accounts, and tagging other historic locations or
the royal family/ other notable figures. Their team focuses on interacting with the community
around them. Therefore, the group frequently shares posts from various community members.
THE ROYAL FORMULA: WINDSOR CASTLE’S SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES 3
There are also constant updates on the royal wedding, the leisure center, the queen’s affairs,
weather, and anything else relevant to these neighborhoods. The team is not afraid to make
unique/ scenic posts promoting the land itself, rather than basic events.
Each social media team utilizes Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Although both utilize
the platforms very differently, they have the same target market: tourists and history enthusiasts.
Twitter is a great place for these teams to interact with their audience. Both The Royal Collection
Trust and the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead fall as creators on the social
technographics ladder. The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead promote other creators,
while The Royal Collection Trust fails to entice viewers to leave the safety of their critic or
collector roles. For example, The Royal Collection Trust explains historical events (Appendix J)
and tells their audience to “Join Us” (Appendix O) while the Royal Borough of Windsor and
Maidenhead creates posts about the royal wedding (Appendix M) and promotes other creators by
retweeting posts that fall in line their current campaign (Appendix L). Facebook is used as a
calendar for The Royal Collection Trust, marking historic days, as well as upcoming events
(Appendix I).
However, the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead team instead uses Facebook as
a tool to thank citizens within these areas (Appendix K), and to show tourists how welcoming the
boroughs are (Appendix N). Instagram is utilized similarly to Facebook for the Royal Borough
of Windsor and Maidenhead by encouraging other creators and by promoting the Windsor and
Maidenhead area as more than a tourist attraction (Appendix G). However, The Royal Collection
Trust takes the opportunity to share unique pieces of art, history and culture with their audience
(Appendix H). Therefore, The Royal Collection Trust encourages increased interaction on their
Instagram page.
THE ROYAL FORMULA: WINDSOR CASTLE’S SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES 4
Analysis
Marketing” on Hospitality Technology’s website, over the past few years social media and the
internet in general have seriously altered the tourism marketing. Every aspect of how tourists
gain information has changed substantially. One of the largest ways that social media has
impacted tourist sites is that today’s travelers look to social media for the answer to everything,
from what country to visit, what attractions they plan to see, and what hotel will meet their needs
while abroad (2016). The article then goes on to explain that we live in a time where people now
rely more heavily on what other travelers have to say instead of the brand itself. This concept is
just one example of how consumers have made a complete “one-eighty” in the way they absorb
and obtain information (2016). The turn has forced brands like Windsor Castle to rethink their
Now that social media has a much larger influence on potential clients, tourist sites have
had to adjust their strategy accordingly. For example, contests and Q&A’s hosted on social
media pages is a tactic that more brands are currently adopting. Strategies like these present the
brand as more approachable to the potential client. By making their social media accounts more
conversational, it is much more likely that tourists will feel comfortable enough to trust that the
brand is providing truthful and authentic information. Trust is one of the most important factors
when it comes to tourist sites and the use of their social media accounts. This is largely due to the
fact that a lot of the people engaging with these accounts are planning to visit a location that is
most likely foreign to them. When a tourist has a reliable source from start to finish, it makes
Windsor Castle and Social Media: Breakdown of The Royal Collection Trust
The Royal Collection Trust serves as the official marketing team behind Windsor Castle.
However, their focus is not limited to the castle alone, but rather several royal locations
including Buckingham Palace. For the purposes of this case study, the social media strategies of
The Royal Collection Trust have been isolated to posts regarding Windsor Castle alone. These
posts display a particular affinity for showcasing the art, culture, and history of the castle across
three predominant platforms: Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. In order to do so, The Royal
Collection Trust showcases pieces of artwork featured within the castle on its various social
media sites. While visiting Windsor, we discovered that tourists are unable to take photographs
within the castle. Therefore, it is interesting that Windsor’s marketing team would choose to
highlight such items online. However, by displaying the artwork and architecture within the
castle on social media, potential visitors are given a taste of the beauty inside the structure
without spoiling the first-hand experience. This leaves consumers seeking more from Windsor,
Fortunately, Windsor Castle is adorned with many impressive and well-preserved pieces
of art. As such, it is no surprise that The Royal Collection Trust has many options for creating
unique posts on each social media platform. For example, the Semi-State Rooms at Windsor
were recently featured in a Twitter post (Appendix A). The post included a picture that
previewed the brilliant design and artwork within the room, a link to The Royal Collection
Trust’s website (specifically a highlights page for the rooms,) and additional information on how
long the exhibit would be open to visitors. Not only that, but the post also features the hashtag,
#WindsorCastle. This hashtag is not only used on Twitter, however. Windsor has established a
directory of sorts on Instagram as well. Thus, providing potential visitors with a reference to
THE ROYAL FORMULA: WINDSOR CASTLE’S SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES 6
thousands of images captured by both other tourists and the marketing team itself. Hashtags have
become a cornerstone of online marketing. As discussed within Hashtags as Milestones, “in the
case of #royaltour, the hashtag is explained by the correlated 2011 Royal Tour of Canada article,
and the timestamps coincide with the visit” (Whiting and Alonso, 2018). To simplify, hashtag
usage contributed to article traffic in this instance. Similarly, this concept is applicable to The
Royal Collection Trust and Windsor Castle. Not only will popular hashtags generate noteworthy
traffic to the informational website, but they can also create higher interest in the location itself.
However, this process does not end with the location’s social media accounts. First-hand
research of Windsor proved that The Royal Collection Trust’s marketing strategy operates in a
cycle. In fact, most of the print media one encounters or receives while touring Windsor Castle
proves to relate back to social media. For instance, when entering the facility, visitors are given a
guide/ brochure regarding “visitor information.” This brochure outlines pricing, facts about the
castle, and a map of the grounds. Additionally, social media information is provided within the
contact section of the brochure (Appendix B). Therefore, in turn, Windsor Castle generates
traffic toward The Royal Collection Trust’s social media pages and website. The document even
provides a feedback card that visitors can submit when leaving the castle. This card is dually
useful, as it also gives interested visitors the chance to sign up for an e-newsletter. After signing
up for an account, one will learn that even the e-newsletter displays links to the associated social
media pages.
Another key aspect of The Royal Collection Trust’s social media work for Windsor is
providing updates on the royal family. At this time, these efforts are particularly focused on the
upcoming royal wedding. On Twitter and Instagram, the wedding is discussed using another
hashtag (#RoyalWedding.) This hashtag was previously used for Prince William’s marriage, and
THE ROYAL FORMULA: WINDSOR CASTLE’S SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES 7
it became a trending hashtag during that time. As such, it is both known to the public, and newly
relevant to the upcoming marriage of Prince Harry. This makes Windsor Castle’s involvement
with the hashtag even more important. After all, The Royal Collection Trust will generate
increasing impressions through use of this hashtag as the wedding approaches. Their
involvement in this trend is especially brilliant considering that Windsor Castle will be hosting
the royal wedding. Alternatively, The Royal Collection Trust uses Facebook to provide more in-
Interestingly enough, Facebook is used for more commercial purposes as well. Windsor
boasts a large gift shop. This shop sells several products related to items within the castle. With
the wedding approaching, The Royal Collection Trust has taken to social media in order to
advertise products related to the enchanting event. Appendix C provides an example of this
strategy featuring replica wedding china that fans can purchase online or in-store. The post
specifies that the wedding will occur in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. Thus, once again
drawing attention to the location of the event and Windsor’s respective accounts.
Similarly, posts to Instagram regarding this monumental event often reiterate the location
of the wedding (Appendix F). The reasoning behind the redundant subject-matter of these posts
is because of its relevance to current events and areas of interest. Based on the interactions these
posts are receiving on all platforms, one can see just how popular they are. According to an
article by Stephanie Hays, Stephen John Page, & Dimitrios Buhalis, there are “three key areas in
which the destination marketing organizations’ social media efforts are being evaluated:
audience size, the degree of consumer engagement, and consumer sentiment” (2012, p. 211-239).
Simply put, research shows that travel destinations like Windsor Castle focus on those three
subjects to measure success. Given those guidelines, the Instagram post boasting one thousand
THE ROYAL FORMULA: WINDSOR CASTLE’S SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES 8
five hundred and six likes was a success. Instagram is also a key platform for another strategy
In fact, perhaps the best strategy Windsor Castle uses to engage potential visitors and
returning fans are scenic posts. Distinct views of the castle, colorful sunsets, and unique weather
conditions are all used to showcase the photogenic appeal of the castle. As demonstrated in
Appendix E, an unusual snow storm overtook the castle. Despite having to close the grounds in
response to the weather, Windsor managed to generate substantial attention through social media
posts regarding the snowfall at the castle. Furthermore, these intricate posts encourage novice
and professional photographers alike to seek out the location. A recent study showed that, “when
our instagrammers talked about the subject they chose for an Instagram, they often
These characteristics, in the case of Windsor, are restricted to the outside of the structure (due to
the previously mentioned photography rules.) As such, many people are drawn toward the
“round tower” of Windsor. This element is also what is featured in most of the official posts
from The Royal Collection Trust (Appendix D). All in all, the physical beauty of Windsor
Castle, combined with the historic art collections stored within, and the mass appeal of the royal
family, all work together to make up the highly effective social media strategy implemented by
Windsor Castle and Social Media: Breakdown of the Royal Borough of Windsor and
Maidenhead
Alternatively, the purpose of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead’s website
directly contributes to their social media marketing plans. For instance, one of their main goals is
to drive visitor traffic to their respective social media accounts directly from the website. Their
THE ROYAL FORMULA: WINDSOR CASTLE’S SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES 9
website is aesthetically pleasing and easy to navigate, but upon closer observation, one might
find that the website is not where the Borough intends to direct visitor traffic. Instead, the
website is more of a portal for borough members. On the website, individuals can learn about the
council services, research some of the local tourist attractions, and login/ manage a personal
account. The site appears to be arranged specifically to make information readily available to
members of the community (or anyone who is interested in joining the community.) Although
useful, the social media accounts are where onlookers and community members appear to keep
The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead’s website directs visitors to their main
social media accounts. These pages are abbreviated as “RBWM.” They have an active RBWM
Facebook and Twitter page in which both have a decent following, but the Borough has also
created unique Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram pages specifically for Windsor itself. In fact,
the Windsor twitter account, “@visitwindsor,” has ten thousand five hundred tweets and almost
six thousand followers (2018). However, the organization has a more predominant following on
their Facebook page, “Visit Windsor.” The decision to use Facebook is strongly based on
demographics. This could be attributed to the fact that people who are looking to purchase
property in the borough are likely in their older/ adult years. After all, Facebook is a site that is
used more widely by that age group. According to the Windsor Facebook page, they have about
Despite this difference in likes/ followers, the strategies used for the boroughs’ Facebook
and Twitter accounts are distinctly similar. Relatively frequent postings occur, and these posts
include upcoming events, news, “beauty shots” of the area, reminders, and updates during crisis
situations. A difference in usage between the two platforms is that the organization’s Facebook
THE ROYAL FORMULA: WINDSOR CASTLE’S SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES 10
features a more video-focused strategy. Meanwhile, this strategy is rarely utilized on Twitter.
The content applied to both platforms is fairly similar. Despite this, however, post lengths and
On Twitter, Windsor uses a lot of hashtags when discussing specific events or places.
effective tactic because anyone who is interested in finding out more information about the event
or location featured within the hashtag is quickly directed to several conversations regarding the
event/ location. In the end, hashtags are an essential part of the complex social media strategies
Conclusion
All in all, Windsor Castle utilizes unique social media methods to showcase historic and
new information about the location. The Royal Collection Trust, Windsor’s official marketing
team, offers a wide variety of behind-the-scenes looks at the grounds, historic/ artistic features,
the royal family, and more. However, the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead uses
social media to promote the entire area surrounding Windsor Castle. Therefore, the methods
incorporated into the boroughs’ social media strategy rely upon hashtags, retweets, and cross-
platform usage. Regardless of the differences between these entities’ social media work, both
organizations are dependent upon each other in order to draw attention to the Windsor Castle
location. The social media promotion of Windsor Castle is distinctly advanced. It provides a
shining example of how historic locations and tourist attractions operate online.
THE ROYAL FORMULA: WINDSOR CASTLE’S SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES 11
References
Ditchfield, P.H. & Page, W. (1923). Windsor castle: history. A History of the County of
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (n.d.) Timeline [Facebook page]. Retrieved 2018,
Visit Windsor (n.d.) Timeline [Facebook page]. Retrieved 2018, April 1, from
https://www.facebook.com/VisitWindsorUK/
Hays, S., Page, S. J., & Buhalis, D. (2012). Social media as a destination marketing tool: its use
by national tourism organizations. Current Issues in Tourism, 16(3), pp. 211-239. DOI:
10.1080/13683500.2012.662215
Hospitality Technology. (2018). 5 Ways Social Media Has Transformed Tourism Marketing.
The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead [RBWM]. (n.d.) Tweets [Twitter page].
The Royal Collection Trust. (n.d.) Timeline [Facebook page]. Retrieved 2018, March 28, from
https://www.facebook.com/royalcollectiontrust/
The Royal Collection Trust [royal_collection_trust]. (n.d.) Posts [Instagram page]. Retrieved
The Royal Collection Trust [RCT]. (n.d.) Tweets [Twitter page]. Retrieved 2018, March 28,
from https://twitter.com/rct?lang=en
THE ROYAL FORMULA: WINDSOR CASTLE’S SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES 12
Visit Windsor [visitwindsor]. (n.d.) Tweets [Twitter page]. Retrieved 2018, April 1, from
https://twitter.com/visitwindsor
Weilenmann, Hillman, & Jungselius. (2013). Instagram at the museum: communicating the
http://www.stewh.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/HashtagsAsMilestonesInTime.pdf
Appendices
Appendix A:
THE ROYAL FORMULA: WINDSOR CASTLE’S SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES 13
Appendix B:
THE ROYAL FORMULA: WINDSOR CASTLE’S SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES 14
Appendix C:
THE ROYAL FORMULA: WINDSOR CASTLE’S SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES 15
Appendix D:
THE ROYAL FORMULA: WINDSOR CASTLE’S SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES 16
Appendix E:
Appendix F:
THE ROYAL FORMULA: WINDSOR CASTLE’S SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES 17
THE ROYAL FORMULA: WINDSOR CASTLE’S SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES 18
Appendix G:
THE ROYAL FORMULA: WINDSOR CASTLE’S SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES 19
Appendix H:
Appendix I:
THE ROYAL FORMULA: WINDSOR CASTLE’S SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES 20
Appendix J:
THE ROYAL FORMULA: WINDSOR CASTLE’S SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES 21
Appendix K:
Appendix L:
THE ROYAL FORMULA: WINDSOR CASTLE’S SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES 22
Appendix M:
THE ROYAL FORMULA: WINDSOR CASTLE’S SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES 23
Appendix N:
Appendix O:
THE ROYAL FORMULA: WINDSOR CASTLE’S SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES 24