Today with all the disruptions that we experience as a result of technology, media, new media, and Social Media Hotels must understand both Social Media Listening and Reputation Management.
The flow of information good or bad can be overwhelming. We have now come to the point where information controls our behavior and patterns.
And Hotels today need to put themselves in a position where they can monitor and take the necessary action steps in a very short time window.
Social Media Listening
Social Media listening is actively searching, discovering, and assessing what is being said about a brand, company, or even individual on the internet.
To discover what is being said about them online, a Hotel can perform a manual search on Google, or rely on paid software for ‘listening.’ It’s as simple as searching for a name on search engines and Social Media sites and reading through customer service inquiries.
Within a strategic Framework Hotels will use Social Media listening techniques for the following purposes;
- Gain the trust of your customers
- Stay transparent in your communication
- Don’t avoid criticism, always address it
- Understand how to react politely and quickly
- Know when to fight back against attackers and trolls
We have experienced several prominent brands lately come under fire. My purpose is not to criticize these brands but look at what we can learn from this.
One of the biggest challenges for us all is to be proactive. This is why the first and most important step in the Social Media Framework is Awareness.
Awareness and self-awareness will show us that we have the freedom to choose. Also, we have a conscience that guides our behavior.
Social Media listening is a guiding principle within each module in the Framework. The most important part of this process is that is a dynamic not static process.
We have to learn from those that not only repeat the process but continuously is seeking new ways to improve their performance.
Peak performers go through this process daily.
Social Monitoring will provide them with an overall overview of the ongoing discussion every week.
They have put in place Social Media listening tools that can collect and curate online conversations based on specific search terms. And then they focus on putting the conversation in a context that is relevant for their brand.
And they will use Social Media Analytics to identify key performance indicators from various Social Networks.
From this point, they step into a process called Social Media Intelligence. This is to help understand how Social data is segmented and routed based on some specific criteria.
After looked at the total volume of data and organized into more manageable sets of data it allows getting more insight on a specific question, product, service, brand, and topic.
Social Media Management monitors owned, paid, and earned media. The primary purpose here is to put all the data that is gathered through the previous methods in a context where the brand engages with customers, build an online presence, and reputation management.
Reputation Management
Hotel reputation management is the practice of monitoring and influencing how your property is perceived throughout the web.
This principle emerged within public relations but shifted its focus towards newly emerging review sites, Social Media platforms, and search engines.
Hardly any other industry is as vulnerable or affected by the impact of reputation management on the hospitality industry.
It takes a good amount of time and an unprecedented amount of effort to establish your Hotel and making it grow through Social Media.
You might be a pro at providing excellent services and able to satisfy the expectations of your existing guests but there is one thing that you need to look after to protect and fuel the growth of your Hotel.
Today maintaining your Hotels’ online reputation is essentially important.
Social Media has today provided anyone and everyone with a megaphone to voice their opinion about your Hotel either you like it or not.
With the magnitude of information available customers, today have access to every little detail about your Hotel.
And today we know that your Hotels online reputation will directly impact the booking volume.
Today for most Hotels reputation management has become a central component of their online marketing strategies.
Putting Social Media Listening and Reputation Management into Context
One of the outcomes of Social Media and the real-time experience is that most of us now is driven by our emotions.
We take actions based on what makes us happy, satisfied, dissatisfied in the micro-moment.
Customer sentiments represent the emotions behind customer engagements. Whether a customer completes a booking, leaves a review, or mentions your Hotel socially, there is always an emotional state connected to their action.
The customer today uses past experiences and other people’s experiences in developing an understanding of the world and what they ought to do to make a decision.
This is why Hotels need to know how to put Social Media Listening and Reputation Management into context.
At the beginning of a year, we all tend to make some form of New Year resolution. Very often we make this based on emotions, and we take actions based on these emotions. In most cases, we fail because our emotions are not aligned with a rationale.
Our rationale helps us define our journey. Emotions will help us connect our actions up against our rationale. We must know that it is our emotions that drive us to take action.
Social Media Listening and Reputation management help to outline the journey. If this is a journey this aligned with the customer’s values, then their emotions are in your favor.
Conclusion
Social Media listening and Reputation management are complex, but Hotels must implement these strategies today.
The secret lays in building a team and community that emphasizes the value of the journey. Your job is to provide them with an amazing and compelling destination together with your team and community.
And today it is also critical that Hotels have a plan in place for responding to any given “online crisis”.
I worked for Hotels where we used to have fire drills. Hotels need to implement similar drills for a potential Social Media crisis.
We are in this together!
I need to let you all know that we are in on this together. If you need to vent, talk, cry, or just have some to talk with then I am here listening. Since I am working part-time at the local Kroger, I will to the best of my ability to work it out around my schedule.
But you can reach me here:
Email: hotelblogger@aremorch.com
Also, join us at our Facebook Group – Hotel Social Media Community
We will get through this unprecedented event together! #hotelstrong #hospitalitystrong
For any specific information on COVID-19, I recommend go to CDC, WHO, AHLA, AAHOA, and HSMAI. Also, follow information from your local authorities.
NOTE
We are starting to reopen some hotels again (Yay!!!). Make sure you follow their guidelines and say THANK YOU to those that now show a unique spirit to serve, and helps us all get through this!! #hotelstrong #hospitalitystrong
About Are Morch
Hi, I am Are Morch. Your Hotel Marketing Coach and Customer Experience Expert that specializes in creating effective digital customer experience offer for hotels while growing and scale customer acquisition and revenue.
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