Do you have a Social Media Marketing Strategy in place for your hospitality business?
Things are opening up. And people who have been confined to their homes and immediate locales are now anxious to get out there. And getting “out there” means much more than going out to eat or to a movie. It means to travel; it means that the hospitality industry is being resurrected. It also means that the competition for all of this return travel will be quite stiff. Hotels, resorts, and other hospitality properties are anxious to get their hands on as many tourist dollars as possible. So they are developing marketing strategies that will capture attention and engage their targets.
One of the marketing platforms that will see a big rise is social media. Marketers know that there are over 3 billion social media users on a global scale, and those numbers will only continue to increase. As a marketer for any business in the hospitality industry, you have to set social media marketing as a top priority. Your competition is there, to be certain, and they are all going after the same markets you are in.
So, how can you develop a social media strategy that will connect you to a large audience, provide for interaction, and get you your fair share of the now ever-growing market? Here are seven tips that should do just that.
1. Set Your Goals
These should be flexible, but you should have an idea of how much customer growth you want. You may want to set some short-term goals for each platform you choose because you will want to run the analytics and see what is working and what is not.
2. Research Your Audience
You know your properties. If you operate a hotel/resort that has a “party” atmosphere with lots of clubs and other nightspots nearby, you cater to millennials and younger generations. If, on the other hand, you operate a more subdued resort in a picturesque town or village with lots of shops and “quieter” attractions, your audience is older. While all of these generations will be on Facebook, other platforms cater to different age groups. Do the research and find out where your demographic hangs out online and chose two of the most popular to start. You can always expand to others once you are firmly planted on those first two.
3. Plan Your Content
This will be the key to the effectiveness of your social media strategy. There are a couple of things to think about here:
Study Your Competition: Go onto their accounts and take a look at what they are posting and which posts are getting the most likes and shares. Read the comments their customers write. This will give you an idea of what is resonating with your audience.
Use Visuals and Media: Travelers want to “see,” not read. With the great technology today, you can provide guided tours of your property as well as the surrounding amenities. Using augmented and virtual reality will let your prospects place themselves in your property and “experience” all that you offer.
Check Any Text Before Posting It: Don’t turn people off with poor grammar. If appropriate, order proofreading services from a trustworthy source before you post any text.
Use Customer Testimonials: Happy customers are brand ambassadors. If you have highly satisfied travelers who have experienced your properties, then solicit a couple of things from them. First, ask them to place their experiences (along with visuals) on your platforms. Second, ask them to share their great experiences with all of their communities. You should provide incentives for them to do this – one free night on their next visit, for example, or a package deal on all of your additional amenities.
4. Schedule Your Postings
You cannot develop a presence on any social media platform unless you post regularly. Many resorts, for example, post twice a day. You post more often, in the beginning at least. As your following grows, you can reduce the number of posts. But never reduce the quality. If you need to outsource some of this work, it will be well worth the money. There are many freelancers and writing services with lots of successful experience managing social media platforms.
5. Run the Analytics
You have to know what is working. All the major social media platforms have free tools for analytics of all types. You can get information relating to how many views you get, how many likes and shares, and the most popular times of day and days of the week your audience is on these platforms and accessing your account. As you review these reports (and you can choose among many), you will be able to judge the effectiveness of your posts and your overall campaigns. This data should drive how you proceed – keeping what works and renovating what is not resonating with your audience.
6. Always Respond to Comments on Your Platforms
Your customers will have reviews to give you on your platforms; some who are not yet customers may have questions. Never let a comment, review, or question go unanswered. You cannot stay on your platforms all day, waiting for these. But, if you get a social monitoring service, you will receive alerts whenever your name is mentioned, not just on your social platforms but anywhere else on the web. Once you receive these alerts, it is time to get busy and respond immediately. When people feel that they are ignored, they will leave and not come back.
7. Do Not Be Faceless
People like to know who they are doing business with, and the hospitality industry is no different. Some of your posts should feature you and your amazing staff – feature these every so often on your posts, tell stories, and let your followers get to know you as real humans. Social media is supposed to be “social.” It is a place where people get to know one another. Let your followers get to know you.
These Seven….
These tips should get you well on the way to a solid and engaging social media presence. As you become more adept and as you work to expand your presence, following these tips will be key to your business growth. And keep apprised of newer technologies that you will be able to use in your content. Focus on your customer needs and wants as you develop your content, and your following will grow. If you are interested to know more, visit this website.
Author’s bio
Jessica Fender is a copywriter and blogger with a background in marketing and sales. She enjoys sharing her experience with like-minded professionals who aim to provide customers with high-quality services.
Service option: Social Media Management for Hotels
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About Are Morch
Are Morch is a digital transformation coach helping hotels open their digital front door, reimagine their processes and culture, and transform experiences in a fast-paced world!
