HotelExecutive: Social Media: a New Way of Marketing & Selling Hospitality09.02.2023 source: hotelexecutive.com Social Media: a New Way of Marketing & Selling HospitalityBy Cessie Cerrato Founder, Cessie C. Communications | February 2023Social media marketing has undoubtedly shaken up the hospitality industry over the last decade or so. From online reviews and brand advocacy to user-generated content, the evolution of social media has ushered in a new way for hotels to reach audiences globally. Once a driver behind generating awareness and buzz around a hospitality business and persuading guests to book, traditional advertising has now taken a backseat to a much more organic and authentic way of marketing hotels. Overly-produced ads and scripted commercials may still have their place in the grand scheme of things but are no longer the norm. Today, it's safe to say that no marketing strategy is complete without social media. The shift is evident as we have seen hotels and resorts worldwide pull back on traditional marketing in order to make room for integrating social media into their strategies - marking a pivotal moment when hospitality professionals can collectively agree that social media networks have become one of, if not the most impactful way of influencing purchasing decisions. Successfully reaching and connecting with audiences through social media begins with utilizing each platform for its strengths. In the hospitality world, the opportunities are endless when it comes to leveraging social platforms to connect with guests throughout the customer journey from the planning stage to post-stay. A Sense of Desirability & Discoverability For Hotels From inspiring a sense of wanderlust to sparking curiosity, social media has made it easier and more affordable for hotels to be discoverable. Instagram, in particular, changed the game as it gave customers access to destinations and hotels they did not know existed. The largely visual nature of the platform invited guests and hotels alike to share spontaneous moments, behind-the-scenes snippets, and out-of-this-world photography all in one space. This not only allowed guests and hoteliers to showcase one-of-a-kind experiences and "Instagrammable" moments, but it created a sense of FOMO (the fear of missing out) among social media users that heightened their demand and sense of urgency to stay at those locations. In addition to attracting everyday consumers, Instagram paved the way for a new type of influencer that quickly became a resource for hotels worldwide. Meanwhile, tactfully-designed features like the Explore page, reels, geotag locations and the ability to share other accounts' posts to your personal stories contributed to the virality of many hotel brands and their host destinations. The Museum Hotel, an award-winning cave hotel with a unique living museum concept in the made-for-Instagram region of Cappadocia, Turkey, is a prime example of what it looks like to lure guests in by inspiring FOMO and capitalizing on the Instagrammable moments they offer. Once a relatively off-the-beaten-path destination, Cappadocia became more popular over the years thanks to social media and has hosted 66% more tourists this year than it did in 2019. While dreamy hot air balloon Instagram posts flooded travelers' feeds, The Museum Hotel has positioned itself as a luxury go-to in this destination by giving users a glimpse of some of the unique experiences it boasts such as its carefully restored pool suites, historical features, and unmatched views. Additionally, it has thoughtfully integrated collaborations with Instagram influencers to help tell its story and reach a wider audience online. Hospitality companies, such as Leviticus Lifestyle & Travel, use trending sounds and reels, to showcase the variety of options available for booking private villas like this but also use Instagram to show what offsite excursions can be booked while on the island, a 360 approach to their service offerings, like here. Hotels have seen advocacy play an increasingly important role in the last few years. Not only has it led to their discoverability, but it has lent additional third-party credibility to hotel brands. Customers are more likely to be swayed by the first-hand experiences of other travelers, especially from influencers they follow and trust. As a result, social media platforms like Instagram have come to mirror this generation's TripAdvisor and have become another means for researching a hotel prior to booking a stay. With that in mind, hotels can repurpose user-generated content and Influencer posts on their own channels to help tell their brand story from another perspective, whether wellness-focused, family-oriented, or culinary-driven. Humanizing Hotel Brands Through Social Media As important as it is for hotels to invest in social media, it's equally important not to lose sight of the beauty of it all - social media is meant to be social. It can be a slippery slope for brands as they craft tactful strategies that are results-oriented. Much of the focus is put on quantitative metrics like following, growth, reach, and conversions, or on having a perfectly curated social media feed. However, cultivating a community and humanizing your hotel brand is a must. This is why UGC (user-generated content) plays such a vital role in the content creation strategy. Travelers like to see content in real-time and enjoy authentic images and videos from other guests, versus a professionally staged photoshoot. Assigning a brand ambassador (or several ones) to a hotel's social media pages is one way of injecting personality into a brand's accounts. Whether it's adding a face to the Instagram account, spotlighting team members that work hard to make memorable vacations for their guests, or giving followers a behind-the-scenes look at your operation through Stories, hotel brands have gotten creative when it comes to forming a genuine connection with their guests through social media. From educating audiences on a hotel's offerings or amenities to narrating the brand story, brand ambassadors are an effective way for hotels to resonate with their audience. It's worth mentioning that brand ambassadors don't always have to live within the confines of a hotel's public social media pages. Closed Facebook Groups are an incredibly resourceful tool for creating a sense of community. These Facebook Groups include a wide range of members from brand loyalists, frequent visitors and return guests, vacation club members, or even travel advisors - all of which can serve as great brand ambassadors who share insider tips, exclusive offers, or simply answer frequently asked questions. For example, Palace Resorts has a private group for fans and friends with nearly over 18K members - where travelers share pictures of their latest visit, share hotel intel, and connect with other guests while on property.
The Lodge at Spruce Peak Using Social Media To Optimize The Guest Experience On the other hand, hotels can adopt social media as a tool for enhancing their guest experience, whether it's to add a personal touch, customize a stay or connect with their guests on a deeper level. This can be as simple as using social media to gain insight on a guest prior to arrival, like a special occasion they are celebrating, and using that as an opportunity to surprise and delight with a welcome amenity upon arrival. The hotel staff at Palace Resorts, for instance, goes above and beyond to personalize a guest's stay and doesn't shy away from using social media to do so. For my own honeymoon, the team pulled photographs of my husband and me off my Instagram page and created a slide show of our photos, which played on the wall at the spa, during our spa treatments. While it may be difficult to do that for each and every guest, especially when running a 1,000-room operation, it's a great way for hotels to cultivate a lasting relationship with their guests. Similarly, hotels like The Lodge at Spruce Peak have utilized technology and social media platforms like SMS text to connect with guests prior to an upcoming stay. This property in particular reaches out to customers a couple of weeks prior to their reservation as a courtesy check-in, sharing with them information about their stays like ongoing activities, restaurant information, and experiences they can book. Additionally, they continue to communicate with their guests throughout their stay to help optimize their experience by coordinating dinner reservations, valet pick-up, and more. For many guests, this is a welcoming gesture as it not only makes their stay much smoother, but it adds a personalized touch and unmatched level of service. Customer support is another way that hotels can use social media to enhance the guest experience. Twitter in particular has claimed its stake in the social media world as the go-to platform for customer service and support. Consumers have taken to the platform to air their grievances, file complaints, or simply reach out to businesses with questions. Hotels that have embraced Twitter as a customer support tool have been able to quickly respond to guests in real time and resolve any issues regarding their stay before guests leave a negative review. Other social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram have taken a page out of Twitter's book and provided advanced tools to businesses such as automated responses that assure consumers their message will not go unanswered. Ultimately, social media has provided more tools for hotels to improve overall customer satisfaction. Embracing The New And Unfamiliar Successfully integrating social media into their strategies requires hotels to openly embrace new, emerging trends and platforms. TikTok, for example, is one platform that hotels are just now beginning to warm up to. When the platform first rose to popularity, many hospitality businesses were hesitant to enter this space for a number of reasons. With the nature of the platform is very driven by spontaneity and real-time moments, which made it more challenging for businesses to plan content in advance. Not to mention, the predominantly young user demographic may not seem aligned with hotels' target audiences. However, it is important to note TikTok is the number-one app for driving consumer spending and the app has also surpassed Google, as a search engine among Gen-Z. The younger users will soon grow up and fall into many brands' target age groups, so forming that connection sooner than later is to a hotel's benefit. Additionally, although young, Gen Z-ers hold more purchasing power than we may think they do. While new and unchartered territory can seem intimidating, social media will continue to evolve at a rapid pace. As social media trends and platforms come and go, the way hotels integrate social media into their businesses must evolve too. Successfully using social media to boost brand awareness and generate revenue for hotels calls for an end-to-end integration of social throughout the guest journey. From creating FOMO and educating audiences on their hotel, to addressing guest concerns and finding surprise and delight moments through social media, the hospitality industry has found an entirely new way of forming true connections with their guests. |
