Social Media
New social media trends to keep your finger on the pulse
Have you been using the same social media strategy for years? If so, it’s time for a change. The world of social media is constantly evolving, with everything from the platforms themselves to the features they offer coming on leaps and bounds not just in the last few years but in many cases, even in the last few months.
If you’re still using a social hotel marketing strategy from even six or seven months ago, then it’s likely that you’re not making the most of social media to drive your hotel’s success. And that’s putting it nicely. Fortunately, we’ve identified the key areas to focus on that will enable you to keep your finger on the pulse and your social media game up to speed.
Mobile
Virtually everyone now has a smartphone with internet connectivity now. Even older people have embraced the brave new world of mobile technology, meaning it’s vital that you do to. The majority of people access their social media through their mobile device so, likewise, you need to consider your social hotel marketing strategy to accommodate for mobile users.
One way to do this is through the recently-introduced Facebook Lead ads. This new diamond of the hotel digital marketing world means that as soon as a Facebook user clicks your ad, their information from Facebook is automatically filled into the form. In a world where convenience is everything, this designed-for-mobiles ad is an almost guaranteed success.
New channels
Social media is no longer just about Facebook and Twitter. SnapChat, Reddit, Instagram, WhatsApp, Tinder and more are now used by millions across the world, and it’s vital that you make the most of each of them to ensure you hotel’s success. Find out which platforms your most popular guest demographic is using and consider a relevant platform presence of social media advertising approach for each one.
Your potential guests might be looking for love on Tinder, but that doesn’t mean you can’t incorporate this hugely popular app into your social hotel marketing if your demographic aligns. Your ad might cause them to find their next holiday destination because of its prime location on the screen (as opposed to Facebook ads, which don’t take up a whole screen) grabbing their attention.
AI
Another trend to take advantage of is the rise of AI. Facebook’s AI is generally considered to be the best across the board, so why not take advantage of Facebook Lookalike audiences? This allows you to upload your target prospects or most valuable customer’s details to Facebook, at which point Facebook will match your ads to them. It’s both incredibly complex but incredibly useful because of its ultra-specific nature, and it’d be foolhardy to ignore marketing tools as powerful as this.
Video
With 45% of Facebook users watching over an hour of video content per week and 82% of Twitter users watching video content on Twitter, including video as part of your social hotel marketing strategy is now more integral to your social media success than ever.
Produce video montages showcasing your hotel’s USP or live stream the opening of your new luxury suite; video content is more interesting and easy to consume than other forms of media, and much more likely to gain interaction than pictures or text.