Communication and quality customer interactions are key to success in the tourism and hospitality industry. As your guests’ lives become increasingly digital, it’s important that your marketing strategy does too.

While most hotel marketing teams know the power of review pages and booking websites, many underestimate the necessity of social media. In this social media management guide for hotels, we’ll answer your most common questions and offer helpful tips for using social media for your hotel.

It doesn’t take a massive following or bottomless marketing budget to use social media to connect with past and current guests and draw future travelers to your destination. It just takes a strong hotel social media strategy to succeed.

What Is Social Media’s Role in The Hospitality Industry?

Put simply, the role of social media in the tourism and hospitality industry is to connect with travelers before, during, and after their visit. While in the past, hotels relied heavily on word-of-mouth advertising, they can now take advantage of review sites, user-generated social media content, and influencer marketing to generate buzz online.

Though a large social media following does offer increased exposure, it’s not required to have a positive effect on potential guests. A hotel’s website and social media simply need to communicate who they are and what type of stay their guests are going to have.

In the era of COVID-19, your hotel should also use social media to communicate its COVID-19 safety precautions and any restrictions to your amenities.

What Are The Best Social Media Platforms for Hotels?

Facebook

An informative Facebook page is a crucial part of your hotel marketing plan. Think of your hotel’s Facebook page as a hub where the content from your website content and other social media accounts all come together.

First and foremost, your page needs to have up-to-date contact information and details about your amenities. Repost content from your website and other social media platforms, as well as user-generated content to offer a holistic view of your hotel and the surrounding attractions.

Here are a few more ways you can increase the effectiveness of your hotel’s Facebook page:

• Respond to customer inquiries through Facebook Messenger
• Collect Facebook reviews from past guests
• Add a Book Now button to your page
• Highlight current promotions in the Offers tab
• Integrate TripAdvisor reviews

Instagram

Your hotel’s visual content should help potential travelers visualize their stay at your hotel and get a feel for the destination. Your Instagram feed should be reflective of your hotel’s aesthetic and amenities. Use cohesive branding and captions that reflect the vibe of your hotel.

Your posts should use imagery that excites potential travelers to visit your destination and establish your hotel as the most desirable destination in your local area. Be sure to use the location tag— both for your hotel and any nearby attractions you post about.

A branded hashtag unique to your hotel makes it easy to find user-generated content and track your hotel’s social media marketing campaigns. You should also use popular hashtags to reach new audiences.

How Do Hotels Use Social Media?

Use Social Media Management to Engage with Travelers

Your social media posts should inspire and inform your audiences, instead of overly selling a stay at your hotel. Use your platforms to share travel tips and useful information about your destination that establish you as a reputable source of information about your local area. Drive traffic to your hotel’s website by reposting interesting content from your blog.

Your social media should also offer an inside look at your hotel. Use social media to share hotel news and update your network about upcoming promotions and events. Consider adding videos and live streams to highlight your best amenities and offer a virtual tour.

Quickly Respond to Customer Inquiries

Social media has become a valuable customer service tool. In fact, 54% of customers prefer social media for customer service over the phone or email (source). Use your direct messages and comments section to engage with followers and answer customer questions.

It’s crucial to respond and to respond quickly. Answering a social media complaint can increase customer advocacy by up to 25% (source). Many users say they expect a response within a few hours and a day or two, at most.

Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is one the rise. In 2019, nine out of ten marketers use influencer marketing as part of their overall marketing plan (source). Using influencer marketing can establish your hotel as the must-stay spot in town.

Travel influencers are seen as an authoritative voice and reputable sources of advice on where to stay at a given destination. Plus, influencers produce valuable user-generated content that can easily be repurposed.

Should Hotels Prioritize Review Sites?

While review sites aren’t exactly social media networks, you should consider them part of the overall social media management strategy for your hotel. Treat sites like TripAdvisor, Google, and Yelp as you would any other social media profile.

These invaluable websites have a significant impact on potential guests’ perception of your hotel and the experience they might have there. Ensure the information about your hotel, its amenities, and its COVID-19 guidelines are always up to date.

Quickly responding to reviews—both positive and negative— shows customers you are engaged and paying attention to their needs.

As you learned in this social media management guide for hotels, creating a strong social media strategy is a complex, yet necessary task. If your hotel needs help managing its social media channels, consider using a Canadian digital marketing agency like Asset Digital Communications to lighten your load.