Is Social Media still just a distraction or noise for your Hotel? Or does it appear overly hyped with conversations that are not relevant?
No doubt that when you jump into Social Media it will look like a megaphone that has no filter for noise. And then from a Hotel point of view, it is easy to conclude that you don’t have the time or resources to pay attention to this noise.
But if we take the time to look at data that done some research and filtered the noise we discovered some valuable patterns.
Phocuswright and Deloitte have done some deep research that indicates a dramatic shift in behaviours among travelers. Back in 2013 Phocuswright found that 22 percent of travelers used Social Networks to search for deals in relations to trips they were considering. And in 2013 Deloitte found that Digital Media had overtaken TV in a number of time people spent using it.
Many Hotels is told that Social Media is continuing to thrive and grow. And many travelers today expect the first Hotel responders to engage via Social Media channels.
There appears to be a large gap between the challenges Hotels experience versus the opportunities that Social Media provide.
Focus on to closing the gap
When it comes to Social Media it consists of two primary functions;
- Social – engagement
- Media – relationship
Many Hotels has got stuck on the Social side here. And this is not uncommon for most brands since the majority of consumers today are Social.
It is important to understand that Social Media is part of the Digital landscape. Digital marketing goals have remained relatively consistent for the past ten years, but the delivery methods, communication style, technology, analytics and most important the speed with which information goes to consumers has changed.
The unique ability of digital channels to engage, measure, and create two-way dialogue is reason enough to take them seriously as tools which can support marketing, operations, finance, or human resources activities for Hotels.
Likes, followers, connections, shares, and retweets typically represent the engagement perspective within the Social Network. But alone these metrics have little value unless your Hotel takes additional action steps to derive value from the relationships they represent.
Active Social Media listening is the process of tracking conversations around specific phrases, words or brands, and then leveraging them to discover opportunities or create content for those audiences.
This is a dynamic process that requires that your Hotel puts in place strategies that capture the conversations that impact your Hotel.
Use this process to discover key reference points before, during and after the Hotel experience.
Before: Use Social Media to identify important catalysts for travelers. What is it that triggers them when they select a given Hotel brand. How does word of mouth, research, reviews, pricing, and pricing influence their decision?
During: The actual Hotel experience is influenced by employee performance, product and service quality. Surprise and delight still go a long way.
After: How do your Hotel guests present their experience on Social Media channels when they have arrived back home?
As indicated earlier Social Media can be rather noisy, and you can easily get distracted if you just listen. The key to strategic Social Listening is to identify patterns. You can filter conversations through automation, keyword-relevant reports, key performance indicators, alerts, and immediate response.
Social Media Calendar and Listening
One very effective way to strategize your Hotels Social listening is to implement your hyper-targeted updates within a calendar.
Here you can easily vary the content you intend to listen to. This can be content related to;
- Campaigns
- Influence
- Hotel News
- Products
- Services
- Optimisation
- Online Visibility
- Community
- Season
- Occasion
- Concerns
- Tips
- Visual
- Education
- Events
- Visitors
- Experience
- New and Renewed customers
- Amenities
- Local
- Employees
- Moments
Combining listening and content that add value for the Hotel let you integrate engagement with the relationship. This way your Hotel can align digital channels with real business goals and strategies.
There needs to be a logical relationship between Hotel metrics and outlined digital activities. Likes, followers, connections, shares, and retweets are valuable Social performance indicators. But these don’t represent key performance indicators that impact occupancy and revenue unless you tie them up to relevant Hotel metrics.
To identify targeted relevant Hotel metrics your best option is to use tools that are cost-effective and know the data that will help you make educated decisions. My friends at SnapShot has designed their analytics, especially for the Hospitality Industry.
Also, listening is a key component of Reputation Management. Reputation Management will require that you are proactive, act quick and are nice.
Be proactive to learn about ongoing relevant discussions. Get involved and share your perspectives. When concerns or positive feedback is shared act quickly and responsively. Be nice and provide valuable and helpful responses.
Conclusion
As Hotels adapt to Social Media and acquire a more nuanced understanding of digital channels, the possibilities are endless. But they’ll remain only possibilities until those Hotels consider the ways their consumers behave online and offline, before, during, and after their travel experiences. Measure the business outcomes, not the social aspects. Use the targeting ability that makes digital so powerful. And be smart about where digital marketing lives within your Hotel.
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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
