Closing the gap between Hospitality and Social Media
Hotels today recognize the need to increase their Social Media Budgets for 2015.
But still, struggle with beliefs that provide the Hotel Industry with some challenges.
There exist beliefs that there are very few good solutions available that can help Hotels to measure the impact of Social Media.
No doubt Hotel decision-makers should focus on the Impact Social Media have on their bottom line.
Today’s modern Hotels Digital Marketing strategies should be able to leverage Internet Marketing Channels to maximize Hotel online revenues through:
- Lead generation
- Increased customer engagement and loyalty
- Promotion of online brand awareness
- Positive product exposure
Marketing today includes advertising, snail mail, email, direct mail, SMS, PR, database management, word (world) of mouth, business to consumer, business to business, people to people, new media, and Social Media.
With all forms of marketing approaches, there also have to be a sound strategy. Choosing the right tools while targeting the right audience has always been related to science and research. Social Media has not changed this fact.
Today Hotel Marketers has to learn some new skill sets; how to inspire trust and loyalty, and how to engage customer instead of simply positioning their product.
Value Proposition
The concept of Social Media Value Proposition is to bundle the Hotel Experience into a targeted combination of values – price, quality, performance, selection, and convenience. This builds on traditional Hotel Values such as:
- Operational Excellence – which represents consistent quality at the best price, standardized business system that minimizes cost and difficulty the customers experience acquiring the Hotels product
- Performance Superiority – is attained by continuous, fast-paced innovations that create a steady flow of leading-edge products that constantly push the state of the art technology or enhance customer use
- Customer Responsiveness – represent the Hotel focus groups; individuals or micro-segments where Hotels nurture long-term relationship
One important aspect of Value Proposition is to understand relevant factors for Hotel Selection:
However, one of the more intriguing aspects of Social Media is their potential to move markets by driving customers purchasing patterns and influencing lodging performance.
How Social Media impacts Hospitality
Several reports from Cornell illustrates how Social Media impacts Hospitality:
- The Impact of Social Media on Lodging Performance
- Social Media and the Hospitality Industry: Holding the Tiger by the Tail
- How Travelers Use Online and Social Media Channels to Make Hotel-choice Decisions
These reports show that the effect of Social Media and user-generated content on Hotel performance has been strengthening.
A report from eMarketer 2013 shows that approximately one-fifth of leisure traveler’s worldwide turn to Social Media platforms for inspiration within different categories of their travel planning including:
- Hotels (23%)
- Vacation activities (22%)
- Attractions (21%)
- Restaurants (17%)
Setting up your Social Media Control Room
To help Hotels measure the impact of Social Media you need to a strategy in place for setting up your Social Media Control Room.
There are several steps in this process that leads to sustainable ROI for your Hotel. Also, you need to set up a process that allows you to track your Hotel Social Media ROI.
One of the main ideas for me to use a Social Media Control Room is to have all of my primary Social Media Data available from one primary channel.
I focus on a primary platform (Sprout Social) that allows me to find opportunities through engagement, publish a relevant message to important Social Media channels, and measure performance and analyze my Social efforts.
Here is one example on how to track ROI:
a. Set up your Social Media Goals
b. Determine the Right Social Media Platform
c. Track details of campaign
d. Create reports with your Key Performance Indicators
e. Adjust Goals
ROI is measured in three stages;
1. Launch
2. Manage
3. Optimization
Hotels Flourish with Social Media
Today customers are moving the leveler closer to the center, and they are now in the driver seat. Hotels can no longer afford to take a wait and see approach.
Customers will move their business elsewhere if Hotels don’t act. Airbnb and other similar channels will continue to rise.
Start tell customers what your Hotel can do, and what you can offer. And start to move the leveler outside your Hotels traditional comfort zone. This is where your Hotel will start to flourish again.
One of the essential keys to closing the gap between Hospitality and Social Media is to start asking your customers and Social Media Community about their Social Media patterns. Customers today will identify valuable information about Hotels in Facebook Groups, LinkedIn Group, Google+ Communities, and Twitter Chats.
If customers make a direct booking decision at your Hotels website due to information they collect through their Social Media channels there are no tools available today that will identify this important connection. In several of these Social Communities, you will find several authorities that influence the decisions people make.
Make sure your Hotel take time and listen to customers. If customers are indicating they intend to move to your competition due to your stingy policy you better listen. Not only will they move to the competition they will tell all their friends, and they will tell them why.
Social Media will reward humility and that you are humble to admit mistakes, but it will be brutal when you don’t listen.
It is important to understand that Social Media is a new eco-system where people will follow the leads of authorities or influencers within their communities.
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Our Social Media Management team has refined these processes to help Hotels. Contact us today to learn more.
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Try something new it will magnetize your Hotel!
Be flexible and identify new ways to make guests happy.
As guest behavior and pattern continues to evolve, expectations will continue to rise. Navigating these changes can be challenging. Learn more about how we can help your Hotel.
About the author
Are Morch is the founder and owner of Are Morch – Hotel Marketing Coach. Get more from Are on Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Pinterest | Instagram| Podcast
