Social media is an excellent means by which to provide service and build and consolidate relationships with guests and other hotel users. You ignore social media users at your peril.
Here are some things you might do and your competitor hotels are already doing on social media
- offer discounts to clients who come to them via social media, liking their Facebook, following/retweeting their tweets etc
- provide insider info on local events and promotions to friends of their Facebook page or Twitter followers
- give up a transparent, nothing-to-hide open space where guest can post their reviews. (Ignoring online commentary is not an option. It will happen with or without you. You should be there to enjoy the positive reviews, to promote, to defend against the bad and, where necessary, show penance and a commitment to improve)
- show willingness to retweet and share guests’ social media to a wider audience
- give a very personalised services based on information gleaned from guests’ social media
- Interact with the social media of local events before they happen. There will be people wanting beds.
- run market research polls on what services guests may like or prefer
- promote themselves as social media conference or ‘tweetup’ venues: sell conference space
- recruit new staff
- post YouTube videos on hotel life/events
Hotels and social media really are, as the following article states, a very good match
Social Media and the Hotel Industry, Why They are a Perfect Match
For some real life examples of hotels using social media effectively take a look at the following articles
Social Media Small Business Case Study – Anthony Lloyd & Fallowfields Hotel
Hotels That Rock at Social Media
Top hotel brands share social media tactics
and here’s an interesting insight into what make guests tick social media-wise:
Poll: What do you expect from hotel social media accounts?
Do you have any ideas of your own. We’d love to hear them in comments.
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