The Royal Formula: Windsor Castle’s Social Media Strategies

A Case Study by Lauren Ault, Taylor Carson, Miranda Morgan

COMM 307: Social Media - Dr. Strahler

April 2, 2018
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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 Overview

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
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recent influx of media coverage surrounding this event, the royal wedding is currently being

featured as a primary discussion point on Windsor’s social media accounts.

Social Media Structure

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.

When considering Windsor Castle as a community, (run by the Royal Borough of

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.
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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.
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Analysis

Tourist Sites and Social Media

According to an article titled “5 Ways Social Media Has Transformed Tourism

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

marketing/ social media strategy of tourist sites.

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

planning and visiting that location much more enjoyable.

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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,

thus driving traffic to the location.

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
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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
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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-

depth discussion regarding the royal wedding.

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
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five hundred and six likes was a success. Instagram is also a key platform for another strategy

implemented on Windsor’s social media pages.

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

described it as having exceptional characteristics” (Weilenmann, Hillman, & Jungselius, 2013).

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

The Royal Collection Trust.

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
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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

up to date with the borough.

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

thirteen thousand five hundred likes (2018).

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
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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

frames are catered specifically to each unique platform.

On Twitter, Windsor uses a lot of hashtags when discussing specific events or places.

These include: #Maidenhead, #RoyalWedding, and #WindsorCastle. This proves to be an

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

utilized by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.

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.
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References

Ditchfield, P.H. & Page, W. (1923). Windsor castle: history. A History of the County of

Berkshire: Volume 3, pp. 5-29.

Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (n.d.) Timeline [Facebook page]. Retrieved 2018,

April 1, from https://www.facebook.com/RBWM-118508024841691/

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.

[online] Available at: https://hospitalitytech.com/5-ways-social-media-has-transformed-

tourism-marketing [Accessed 3 Apr. 2018].

The royal borough of windsor and maidenhead. 2018. https://www3.rbwm.gov.uk

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead [RBWM]. (n.d.) Tweets [Twitter page].

Retrieved 2018, April 1, from https://twitter.com/rbwm

The royal collection trust. n.d. https://www.royalcollection.org.uk/visit/windsorcastle

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

2018, March 28, from https://www.instagram.com/royal_collection_trust/?hl=en

The Royal Collection Trust [RCT]. (n.d.) Tweets [Twitter page]. Retrieved 2018, March 28,

from https://twitter.com/rct?lang=en
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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

museum experience through social photo sharing. Conference on Human Factors in

Computing Systems - Proceedings. DOI: 10.1145/2470654.2466243

Whiting, S. & Alonso, O. (2018). Hashtags as Milestones in Time. Retrieved from

http://www.stewh.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/HashtagsAsMilestonesInTime.pdf

Appendices

Appendix A:
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Appendix B:
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Appendix C:
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Appendix D:
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Appendix E:

Appendix F:
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Appendix G:
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Appendix H:

Appendix I:
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Appendix J:
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Appendix K:

Appendix L:
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Appendix M:
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Appendix N:

Appendix O:
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