Importance of Social Media Marketing for Hotels

Social media is the application of choice for most individuals today whether for personal connections and memories, travelers using to research or find lodging, using the social media platforms to enhance interactions with customers to build brands, drive website traffic and increase sales.

Social media marketing is important to hotels as it helps increase visibility, boost direct bookings, and improves brand awareness. The application of social media marketing in a hotel means that more and more guests frequently interact with social media where they get motivated for their next trip.

The successful social media marketing plan for hotels requires them to regularly post on the media channels, enabling the potential and regular clients to interact with the brand.

Why Should hotels use social media marketing?

Social media marketing has become vital for all businesses, hotels, and players in the hospitality industry are in no way exempt. A recent study in Europe, for instance, revealed that 79% of the population use Facebook, 47% Twitter, and 41% Instagram as the major means of reaching their audiences.

By using social media platforms, hotels get the chance to build upon their guest relationships, strengthen their online reputations, and create Search Engine Optimization content. Social media marketing is thus considered as an indispensable marketing tool for hotels.

Key Social Media Tip: Become Hyper Visual

Visual content is essential in the hotel and travel industry as guests demand the taste of what they can experience. Guests must be able to view and envision themselves within a successful piece of media. Enlivening the senses is the goal! They desire an experience with the property and brand, and that experience starts pre-stay. Consequently, a visual-based feed is important when showcasing the experiences.

The need for hotels to embrace social media marketing is especially dire the media consumption habits of clients are factored. Now these days, before a guest decides on which hotel to visit, they first search videos and photos on social media prior to booking a trip. Social media presence and the visual identity of a hotel is thus critical factor in the decision-making of hotel clients. According to a travel report, Travolution, forty percent of millennial travelers (aged 20-33) noted that their choice of hotel is based on how “Instagrammable’’ it feels.

References

7 ways hotels can benefit from social networks. (2021, June 23). Web Courses -. https://webcoursesbangkok.com/social-media-for-hotels/

Leung, X. Y., Bai, B., & Erdem, M. (2017). Hotel social media marketing: a study on message strategy and its effectiveness. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology.

Tatar, Ş. B., & Eren-Erdoğmuş, İ. (2016). The effect of social media marketing on brand trust and brand loyalty for hotels. Information Technology & Tourism, 16(3), 249-263.

The importance of social media for hotels. (2021, August 26). Davies Tanner. https://daviestanner.com/the-importance-of-social-media-for-hotels/