social media
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ocial media is, for the most part, user-generated content published on sites like Facebook, Twitter or Flickr. It’s not advertisement, and should not be measured or perceived in the same manner. A successful social media campaign is not sold out of a box, and it is not delivered using a clever sales tactic. It requires meaningful participation, authenticity, and real engagement. The goal of investment and participation in social media should be to open new channels of communication and foster lasting relationships with potential customers. Research shows that there is a growing proclivity among web users to tune out «corporate speak» that has come to define the landscape of business websites. More than likely, your message is being diluted by the tidal wave of meaningless prattle and vapid website copy on competing hotel sites. However these ‘controlled’ messages are now being replaced by what customers say on third party travel and hotel sites like Expedia and Trip Advisor. Therefore past visitors to your hotel are now influencing the decision making process of your future guests. With the advent of social media, the need to differentiate yourself has never been greater, and the way in which you adapt to this new climate will have a profound impact on your bottom line. Therefore it’s a good time to shift focus and increase participation in social media related initiatives. There are many ways that a hotel or hospitality-related business or service provider can leverage social media to further their business objectives. Here are some of the best ways to do so: Hotel and Traveller Reviews: As web users become savvier, they become better at filtering information. Therefore the user’s perception about authenticity and reliability become important factors in determining the credibility of the
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message. For this reason, sites that feature user reviews like Expedia, Yahoo Travel Planner, and Trip Advisor are being relied on in increasing frequency to provide an honest depiction of hotels and travel destinations. First, keep an eye on your brand and the discussions surrounding your product and/or services. Check in regularly with the top review sites to monitor what people are saying about your hotel. This would mean sites like Trip Advisor (a review site that also provides
bookings), Expedia (a booking site that incorporates user reviews) and Yelp (a user review site). Comprehensive monitoring tools like Google Alerts and Technorati Watchlist allows you to keep tabs on what other websites and blogs are saying about you on the web. Designate a staff member at your hotel to do the monitoring, and make sure it’s being done in regular intervals - daily, if possible. Second, when you do encounter an