In the 21st century, if you are promoting a hotel, it is impossible to do so effectively without using social media. The world has changed, and in today’s society, people communicate with each other and learn about products and services through social media more than ever before. Therefore, if you want your hotel to stand out among the millions of others, a social media presence contributes to your best chance.
#1. Focus Your Efforts on Two or More Of The Most Popular Sites for Your Audience
With social media marketing, the key is to focus on what gives you the most attention from your audience. However, the first step to accomplishing that is to know your audience.
Who are the people who stay at your hotel? What are their ages? What are their lifestyles? What is their average income?
After you have answered these questions, from there, you can choose your social media sites. For example, even though Instagram is a social media site that is populated by a broad range of people, it is often beloved by the 20-something or less crowd. Facebook and Twitter, however, are often used by 30 to 50 something individuals. Therefore, if your hotel is populated mainly by people 30 and over, Facebook and Twitter may be the sites where you should focus.
#2. Engage With Your Customers and Potential Customers
Setting up a presence on Facebook and Twitter and then posting updates that only promote rather than engage is a mistake by anyone who wants to draw attention to their business. Users of Facebook and Twitter are bombarded with “buy me” product and service updates on a daily basis. As a result, many of these updates simply get ignored in the sea of similar updates.
Social media experts know that engaging a client or potential client is the way to draw them in. Therefore, as well as posting updates that promote your hotel, posts fun or informative updates that entertain and that would be of interest to your customer base. Make your social media presence desirable enough for people to pay attention to you.
#3. Include Lots of Photos
It has been proven that photo updates draw in more people than text updates do. Therefore, this is the time to show off your hotel. Give your customer base something to look at rather than just to read.
Upload pictures of the rooms, the pool, the restaurants, and the grounds. Also, if you have adequate permission, upload photos of real and happy people enjoying your hotel. Show that people are enjoying what you have to offer.
#4. Include Hashtags With All Posts
As you are uploading your status updates, be sure to include hashtags with all of your posts, whether they be photo updates or text updates. A hashtag is a number sign that is placed before a keyword for real-time tracking. For example, if you are uploading an update regarding swimming in your hotel pool, you may include hashtags such as #swimming or #watersports, for example.
When a person clicks a hashtag, he or she can access all status updates that have included the hashtag. Hashtags are very popular on Twitter, but they are also used on Facebook. When adding hashtags with your posts, include no more than two or three. Too many hashtags is an overload for a post.
#5. Make Sure To Include A Link To Your Hotel’s Website In Each Promotional Post
When you are uploading posts that promote your website, be sure to include a link to your hotel’s website. Make sure you are linking to the page on your site that will bring your customer to the most relevant information. Never make a customer click more links than they need to.
When a person gets on social media, his or her time is short. Social media is designed for quick information, and you can lose a potential customer if you send him or her through too many hoops. Always make your updates user-friendly.
#6. Be Prepared For Negativity
One of the unfortunate aspects of social media is the negativity. One negative post and hashtag can go viral if that post and hashtag are popular. If you are running your hotel in the most honest and efficient way possible, it is unlikely that there will be a negative campaign against you.
However, a negative campaign can come from something entirely not connected to your hotel. For example, if you jump on the bandwagon of a negative hashtag in order to be popular, you may have to backpedal if that hashtag turns out to be something the public is rejecting.
A good rule of thumb is always to stay positive on social media. Never dive into negativity to gain attention, and always remember that your customers come first. Address their needs in the most positive way possible.
Final Thoughts
Social media marketing is one of the best and least expensive ways to promote your hotel. Your goal is to acquire a large number of engaged customers who feel so great about your hotel that they, too, are posting status updates about it. When others are tooting your horn, that is the best promotion available.
Once your numbers become significant, which should be the goal, hiring a social media team to manage your social media accounts is a wise thing to do. No one person can adequately handle the social media responsibilities needed for a thriving hotel that serves a large number of customers.
