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Chances are, most of your guests — past, present and future — are on social media. It’s likely that a percentage of them are scrolling, chatting or searching for inspiration as we speak. And because of this, social media is a vital channel for any hotel looking to stand out in a crowded marketplace.
But your social media marketing strategy won’t be effective without the right strategies in place. Are you picking the right platforms for your business? Are you sharing the right content? There’s a lot to consider when it comes to creating a strategy that works. So, let's dive in!
Globally, we spend an average of 2 hours and 28 minutes per day on social media, talking to friends and family, engaging with colleagues and watching TikTok reels for hours on end.
Seventy-seven percent of U.S. Americans have a social media profile. And according to a recent study by MGH, platforms like TikTok are having a growing impact on the travel and tourism industry. Sixty percent of travelers say they have become inspired to visit a new destination after seeing a TikTok video about it.
This makes it the perfect place for you to capture the attention of potential guests. As a hotel, you aim to show users why your property is the place to be and what you can provide that other hotels can’t —in other words, your unique selling points.
Social media marketing enables you to expand your brand awareness, maximize bookings and bring in revenue. This marketing strategy also has unique characteristics and challenges that distinguish it from marketing in other industries, such as:
Your social media marketing success hinges on your approach. How well do you understand the different platforms available to you and your audience? Let’s look at the marketing strategies you can use to create a buzz and attract more guests to your property:
The first question you’ll need to ask yourself is: who am I targeting? The answer to this question could mean the difference between success and failure.
And the differences in demographics can be significant: According to Hootsuite, men between 55-64 are least likely to use social media whereas women aged 16-24 are most likely.
Perhaps you’re a beautiful lakeside property, perfect for couples and weddings. Or, maybe you’re located conveniently close to a major airport and welcome a lot of business travelers.
Look at demographic information such as age, gender, country of origin, income level and travel purpose. This audience insight will help you choose the right platforms and develop the best content for your ideal guests.
When you understand who your audience is, you’ll have a good grasp of your unique selling points (USPs). Defining your brand and USPs for social media marketing is vital as it will increase the chances of appealing to your audience.
Let’s say you’re a golf resort targeting mainly golf fanatics looking for a weekend of walking up and down a course with their buddies. Your main USP, unsurprisingly, is your golf course.
But your audience will also want to know how they can relax after a long day out on the course. Think about curating content about your spa and gym facilities, or your on-site restaurants.
Understanding the demographics of these social media platforms and what kind of content is commonly shared will help you pick the right one for your business.
Facebook, for example, attracts a wide range of users. The largest age group on the site is between the ages of 25-34. And interestingly, users above the age of 65 are the fastest-growing age group on the site.
Now let’s compare this information to TikTok: Thirty-nine percent of the platform’s users are between the ages of 18-24. In comparison, 60% of LinkedIn’s users are between the ages of 25-34.
By understanding demographic information like this, you can see how well a platform matches up to your hotel’s demographics. A hostel that attracts younger travelers may see more success on TikTok, whereas an airport hotel that attracts business travelers may find LinkedIn a better fit.
The quality of your photo and video content is vital, especially on platforms like Instagram or TikTok, where visual content is king. According to Zippia, hotels see a 15% increase in conversion rates when they include high-quality photos on their websites.
Including images in your social media posts leads to a leap in engagement. According to a Statista survey, 66% of respondents said that videos were the most engaging type of content on social media, followed by images (61%).
The good news is that the options are endless when it comes to choosing what kind of photos and videos you’d like to share. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
When you know what matters most to your audience, thinking up useful, fun and unique content comes easier. What will your followers gain by following you? Perhaps they’ll learn new skills or discover tips and recommendations in your city.
Here are a few ideas based on different types of travelers:
User-generated content is where guests share images and videos of their stay at your hotel. They may tag you or include a hashtag specific to your business and include a review. This type of social media marketing helps you expand your brand recognition without having to do the heavy lifting.
People are 3.9 times more likely to book a hotel with high ratings. They’re also willing to pay more for it. And only 22% of hotel guests will leave a review of their own accord. But should a hotel request a review, that figure shoots up to 80%.
Find ways to entice guests into leaving reviews on social media. For example, leave strategically placed signs around your hotel, asking guests to tag you in posts and use your hashtag.
Want to increase your Google and TripAdvisor reviews by up to 350%? Canary automatically guides your guests to leave a review on third-party platforms through a brief, customizable survey at check-out. Demo Canary Contactless Checkout to learn more.
Posting at the right times will maximize your engagement and ensure your effort isn’t in vain. Optimal social media posting times differ by platform but here’s a basic guide from SproutSocial:
Weekdays
Now, let’s look at the best times for specific social media platforms:
Travel influencers explore the globe, check into hotels of all kinds and share their experiences for the world to see. And according to American Express, 75% of travelers say that they have been inspired to travel to a certain destination by social media. In addition, 67% of marketers plan to spend more on influencer marketing campaigns in 2023.
So, what if you could work with a travel influencer, get them to stay in your hotel and sing your praises? Finding travel influencers you’d like to work with might mean digging around on social media and finding out who your competitors are working with.
Once you have a list of candidates, your next step is to reach out! You can do this over email or social media. But make it clear that the arrangement will be mutually beneficial and decide how they’ll be compensated.
It may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised by how many brands post content but don’t engage with their audience on social media. Engagement matters. It helps you get discovered, enhances your guest experience and turns your online presence into a personality.
In fact, Facebook uses “meaningful engagement” as a way to determine which content to prioritize. In other words, their algorithm chooses to boost content that is engaged with most.
But what do we mean by engagement? Here are a few ways you can engage with your followers:
The best way to understand if social media is working is to analyze your performance. How did your posts do this month compared to last? What about this year compared to last year?
You’ll also need to define what success looks like for your hotel. Is it more bookings or more followers, for example? Here are a few metrics you can track:
You can track your performance manually, by looking at likes, favorites, shares etc., but consider using specialized tools like HubSpot or SproutSocial. Remember that social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook and TikTok provide analytics tools, so utilize those.
Storytelling helps you drive success on social media. This means telling the story of your brand, how you originated, anecdotes from the day-to-day and your values. Storytelling helps you make connections and entices your audience to follow your account.
Here are a few storytelling ideas for social media:
Social media is an extension of your physical brand. This means your hotel’s social media marketing strategies should reflect your values, aesthetics and personality. Getting these strategies right will lead to an enhanced online presence, and, best of all, more bookings.
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