There is a popular misconception that a guest’s experience begins on arrival at a venue. However, it actually starts well before this point, usually online. With a world of information available at everyone’s fingertips, guests become aware of your brand and enter the booking journey at different stages, each one of which will leave them with an impression of your business.
You can influence the guest experience using social media. However, if you want guests to rave about your hotel, you need to understand their digital journey. The easiest way to do this? Put yourself in the guests’ shoes and discover which online platforms they are using.
Understanding your guests’ social footprints
The social platforms preferred by your guests will vary according to your target audience. Here is where hotels need to be clear about their unique selling points and the persona that they want to project. Inevitably this will vary from business to business.
Selecting the relevant social platforms used by your guests is crucial to avoid pumping content onto sites which your guests do not tend to use. It is likely that you will need to focus on a range of platforms with appropriate content on each.
Targeted Marketing
Social media platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn are a popular place for guests to come across your brand.
You will also need to consider how well your brand is presented on all the relevant social platforms? Is it consistent? Are you displaying the all-important customer reviews on these platforms and including links to your website?
One way to beat your competitors is to top their social presence, deploy topical content, and new offers.
Chances are, if your hotel’s unique selling point is luxury, you’re attracting the audience that can afford such extravagance. Platforms such as Tik Tok are ideal for hotels to attract guests by advertising videos that promote the hotels beauty and décor.
Independent 1-star hotels or hostels that offer basic accommodation will attract travellers who are looking for a cheap, convenient stay. With most of the population on Facebook, this will the best bet for hotels looking to win over those last-minute hassle-free pre-flight bookings with punchy adverts.
Conference and convention centre hotels that specialize in events and or meetings might prefer to use professional social networks like LinkedIn where they can reach their target audience better.
Different social media channels can be used to highlight different areas of your business.
Which channels work for you?
