Social media is now the standard for many businesses. If you have a travel related business then you NEED to be marketing in this space. Social media for hotels is crucial. If you are not here yet or using social media well, then you are missing crucial interaction with customers. So how do you use social media if you are a hotel or a destination?

 

Social media is two things first and foremost – it is social – it is conversing with your brand advocates and your clients and building a conversation. Social media is also personal. YOU need to be building a face to your brand, not just a bricks and mortar location, or an ad campaign. You need a personality. These are crucial points when bridling social media for hotels and travel destinations.

You need to be on line socializing and social media provides the perfect opportunity for anyone in the hotel industry to connect with their followers in a friendly way. This type of communication will expand your business.

So how to start? Start by choosing the right networks.

 

Choose a Social Media Network

There are new social channels cropping up daily. Nobody can be on all of them so, let’s highlight the spaces you should be in. Let’s discuss some of the channels you need now.

Social Media for Hotels:

FIRST PRIORITY:

• Twitter– If you want to share content fast then Twitter is for you. It’s an excellent choice for large hotel chains that have establishments all over the globe because you can reach a wide audience in a very short period.
• Instagram– If you’re a small hotel trying to connect with the locals on a more personal level, this is a great network to use. You can post photos of your staff and guests (with their permission of course) having a great time at your hotel. Take photos and videos of special events and upload them to Instagram to help draw attention to your hotel.
• Facebook– Facebook remains one of the most popular networks used today still making it an excellent choice for hoteliers. It’s easy to set up and has the potential to reach a wide audience. This channel is massive and also provides you with a variety of advertising options that will help you reach your targeted audience more efficiently. It is important in planning out social media for hotels campaigns.
• YouTube– Making videos is not for everyone but it does have its advantages. You don’t need a lot of fancy equipment to make good videos but you do need good content. You’ll need to capture the attention of your audience during the first few seconds and keep it until the end, so be prepared to get creative.

 

Second Priority:

• Pinterest– Images speak louder than words. Take beautiful photos of your hotel inside and out and post them on your board. You can have a board that features your on-site restaurants and their specialty dishes, attractions in the area and events at your hotel. This is a relatively simple way to generate some great longterm social media for hotels.
• LinkedIn– When targeting other businesses or professionals traveling in your area, this network can help you get the attention you seek. It’s especially beneficial for business-orientated hotels. (This is not front line social media right now for hotels at all.) It is an option, but if you have limited resources I’d let this one go.)
• Google+– This one has a bad rap in my opinion. HOWEVER, I still share all my blog posts and client content to G PLUS. WHY? Because it is GOOGLE for Pete’s sake. It is simple to use and provides you a little more juice in the SEO department. Easy to add a link there and create another simple way for people and search engines to find you. However yet again, if you have limited resources this one is not the place to start or waste time.

First of all always know your audience and that will determine which networks you need to build FAST and maintain over time. Right now for me if I were setting up a new campaign with social media for hotels I would begin again with TWITTER, Instagram and Facebook. If there are limited resources then I would maintain just those three. With additional budget and a dedicated social media person on site I’d leverage Youtube fast. Video is the hottest property going. This makes sense with respect to social media for hotels.

Social media for hotels and travel destinations is a given in this current day and age. YOU can’t ignore it. If you need help with strategy or a campaign managing your handles and setting them up contact me inkscrblr@rogers.com – I Bring the Buzz.