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HOTEL BUSINESS REVIEW

FEBRUARY FOCUS: Social Media

 

Social Media Matters: Data-Driven Strategies for Post-Pandemic Success

By Arielle Rubenstein Senior Visual Experience Manager, Screen Pilot | January 2022

Of course your brand is on Facebook. Instagram? Likely. Tik Tok? Might be your jam.

Yet a presence in the digital world is only the first step to realizing the full value of social media and, ultimately, converting browsers into bookers.

At no other juncture has social media held such capacity as a tool for driving new business. The potential reach of platforms such as TikTok, TripAdvisor, Pinterest, and the Meta platforms – Facebook and Instagram – is undeniable, offering the opportunity to connect with essentially every type of modern traveler.

Factor in the pent-up demand driven by the global health crisis, and the active planning taking place by those would-be travelers, and it's clear that now is a savvy time for travel brands to revisit their social methodology. The challenge is understanding where to focus resources, and how to maximize those efforts.

Here's the approach our team's social media experts are taking to prime hotels and travel brands for post-pandemic success.

Reestablish Measureable Goals

One misstep that marketers often make is posting on social media without clear goals. How many times have you heard ownership say that they want to see "more" followers, without any specific reasoning? Assuming that a passive follow equates to an engaged customer does the power of social media a disservice. Travel brands are best served when they look beyond vanity metrics (follower count and post likes, for example) as they don't help teams understand performance in a way that can inform future strategies.

To fully realize the potential of social media, you need to start with your end goal(s) in mind, and from there match the desired outcome with a platform that is most likely to support it. Creating specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-sensitive (SMART goals) will offer the best opportunity to hit the mark on larger business objectives.

Here are some measurable goals to consider, along with their relevant KPI's:

1. Increase Brand Awareness

For both new and established properties alike, a primary social media goal may be to simply let travelers know you exist. Social media is a powerful tool for getting your name out there, but you want to make sure you're not yelling into the void by posting content that gets no engagement. A modest-yet-engaged audience is more valuable than a huge following that scrolls past your posts. If your engagement rate is below industry benchmarks, focus on improving the quality of your content to determine what resonates with those who already follow you before prioritizing follower growth.

KPI:  Organic Engagement Rate: While it may be tempting to focus on follower count, a more informative statistic is a brand's content engagement rate. Keep an eye on this stat to see if posts are found interesting enough for a follower to like, comment on or share. Keeping track of your engagement rate is a best practice for understanding how well your content is performing on social media. To calculate your account's average engagement rate, take the total number of interactions your posts receive divided by your total number of followers, multiplied by 100%. Monitor your engagement rate for each platform as it compares to these benchmarks for hotels & resorts :

  • Facebook: 0.19%
  • Instagram: 1.01%
  • Twitter: 0.049%

2. Improve Guest Relations

The most successful social media programs make it easy for prospects and guests to communicate with their property. Social platforms can be a great way to facilitate guest interactions, especially as concierge and front desk teams may be diminished due to workplace shortages. It's crucial for hotels to respond to messages in a timely manner as it sets the expectation that a property is responsive to the needs of guests – and being fast to respond may convince a prospect to book with you over a competitor. This focus on guest relations extends to post-stay communications on review sites as well.

According to a study by TripAdvisor, 77% of travelers said they are more likely to book if the property leaves personalized responses to reviews, so it's worth taking the time to directly and publicly connect regarding what a guest loved (or didn't love) about your property. Overall, travelers reported that the main reason they check reviews is to feel confident that they are choosing the right hotel, so being responsive to messages and reviews is an opportunity to assure them that your property is the best choice.

KPI: Average Response Time: How long does it take your team to respond to a guest inquiry? According to Hubspot, the average response time for a business is five hours, but 39% of social media users expect a response within an hour. For Facebook, the expected response time is even tighter at 30 minutes, which only half of businesses achieve. You can measure your current response time based on a sum of all first response times divided by the number of resolved messages. Once you know how long it takes to respond to a guest, set a specific goal to improve upon it.

Pro tip: If your team does not have the capacity for around-the-clock inbox monitoring, consider setting up Instant Replies to let prospects know that you'll get back to them soon, here's how.

3. Drive Website Traffic

Your team's goal is to use your content to turn social media followers into guests. While presumably this is the underlying goal for all hospitality marketers, setting specific conversion goals for social media is an advanced strategy that is best suited for properties that already have an established social presence and an active, engaged following. One way to see how social media impacts website activity is to use Google Analytics to track social media referral traffic. Look at which social platforms users are coming from, how they're engaging with your website, and what booking engine activity is occurring.

KPI:  Sessions or New Users:  In Google Analytics, navigate to Acquisition -> All Traffic -> Channels-> Social column. From here, you can identify which social media platforms send the most visitors to your site and which ones need more attention. You can also compare the ratio of new visitors to return visitors. For example, if visitors from a given platform are not returning very often, you may want to alter your social media strategy to increase engagement and traffic from that platform.

KPI: Average Session Duration: Average session duration is a metric that reports the average amount of time users spend on your hotel's website. This stat can help figure out how engaged your social media visitors are by analyzing the time spent on your site, especially if you compare it to the average for visitors from other (non-social media) sources.  You can find your website's average session duration in Google Analytics by navigating to Audience > Overview. Utilize this data to determine if you're targeting the right audiences on social media and if the landing pages you're linking to are engaging.

KPI: Look to Books: How many users from social media are making it to the booking engine? Make sure that your data team has set up a conversion goal that counts any click into the booking engine as a "Look to Book." If your Look to Book stats from social audiences are low, this could signal issues with user experience (for example, users may not be able to find the "Book Now" button on mobile), or maybe the offer you're promoting on social media is not as competitive within your market. If your Look to Book rate is positive but the booking conversion rate is low, that is a sign that more digging is needed to determine if it's a goal tracking issue or something deeper.

Reevaluate Which Platforms To Focus On

After establishing the S.M.A.R.T goals for your hotel's social media presence, the next step is to choose which platforms to focus your efforts on. It's crucial to be specific and intentional with your social media content to reach your ideal target audience and avoid spreading your marketing resources too thin. While your gut instinct may be to continue posting on the "traditional" three platforms of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, a recent decrease in the perceived effectiveness of those channels may make you reconsider.

According to Hootsuite's Social Trends 2022 report, marketers found Facebook to be 25% less effective (and Instagram 40% less) at reaching business goals compared to the previous year. While Facebook and Instagram are still ranked as the most effective platforms overall, an increasing number of marketers are finding success on other platforms like TikTok and Pinterest. Is it time for your hotel to establish a presence on these platforms? Examine our key takeaways for each channel as they apply to hotel marketing and decide which fits with your larger social media strategy.

1. TikTok

The year 2021 might as well be called the year of TikTok. If you had managed to avoid seeing a viral, choreographed dance video in years past, chances are that a TikTok finally found its way into your feed in 2021. A report by App Annie found that TikTok saw 325% growth in 2020, and the monthly time spent per user also grew faster than any other app, with people scrolling through their "for you" page for an average of 46 minutes a day. While the platform has a reputation for delivering content to teenagers, the number of adults in the United States using TikTok increased 5.5 times from 2018 to 2020 alone, and 75% of users now fall in the age category of 20 to 50+. Even more relevant for travel brands, 40.2% of U.S. TikTok users reported a household income over $100,000, making this older, financially-stable audience attractive to hoteliers.

Before creating a profile for your hotel, however, consider what type of content you will post. People gravitate to the platform for entertainment and TikTok is a music app at its core, so engaging with other users by remixing their videos is part of the experience. If you have the capacity for a tech-savvy team member to create on-trend videos showcasing your resort's amenities, then you can try launching your TikTok account in-house. For inspiration, check out The Ritz Carlton Montreal's TikTok account.

If you need outside help, then consider partnering with a TikTok travel influencer to create the content for you. Studies show that micro-influencers (accounts with less than 15,000 followers) on TikTok have a whopping engagement rate of nearly 18%, a stat that is even more astounding when compared to Instagram's micro-influencer engagement rate of 3.86%. To tap into this trend, take a page from Avani Hotels and Resorts marketing playbook. Avani launched their TikTok channel with collaboration in mind from the onset, with the overall goal of influencer partnerships chosen  "… to curate and share the Avani Hotels journey and discover under-the-radar experiences around the world through the lens of TikTok content creators." Partnering with a travel influencer who compliments your brand identity may make the difference between success and failure on TikTok.

2. Pinterest

Launched in 2010, Pinterest is not new to the social media landscape. What is new, however, is the increased relevance for travel brands. Across verticals, the effectiveness of the platform to fulfill business goals increased 140% from 2020 to 2021, and when you couple that with the platform's 60% increase in YoY travel searches you have an environment ripe for more hospitality marketing.

For many travelers, Pinterest is the first stop on their vacation planning journey. As of this writing, "places to travel," "beautiful places" and "dream travel destinations" are all trending searches related to travel, and what marketer wouldn't want their hotel to appear for those terms? Pent-up demand from vacations canceled due to the pandemic has resulted in all-time high engagement for travel brands on Pinterest and a 40% increase in the travel audience size overall. If your hotel has never been active on Pinterest (or only focused on wedding content previously) then 2022 may be the year to unlock the power of the pin.

Reinforce Your Content With Data

Organic social content (the images and information a brand shares without the backing of paid promotion) plays an important role across the entire spectrum of the digital brand experience. From the early moments when a user is searching for inspiration, through to pre-purchase vetting and reviewing, the visuals that consumers see are the determining factor as to whether someone stops to engage with a post or scrolls right past it. 

With the plethora of photos, videos, and reviews about a hotel available online, your guest's first impression is made before they even set foot on the property. Therefore, the imagery and supporting copy that you post on social media (and the platforms you choose to post on) must be curated with intention and analyzed with an analytical mindset to fulfill your larger marketing goals.

1. Test Post Types

The best way to know what type of social media posts work best for your brand is to test it. Create a cohesive content calendar with a variety of post types (videos, static images, slideshows, etc.) and record the stats for each post. Take it a step further by testing the source of images as well to see whether user-generated content (UGC) outperforms professional shoots. When designing visual assets, keep in mind how users will consume the content to make sure the visuals match the platform.

For example, 82% of people use Pinterest on mobile devices so you may want to avoid text-heavy designs. If your main goal is to drive website traffic from social media, then you can test how you ask users to click through to the website. If it fits your brand's aesthetic, try adding a faux "learn more" or "book now" button to your static and video posts. On Instagram, you can test whether directing users to a multiple-link landing page like Linktr.ee results in more clicks than a single, direct link. The testing options on social media are limitless, so be sure to approach it with a clear plan and record the results.

2. Analyze The Data

Examine the post metrics at pre-determined intervals to see what trends emerge over time. Do videos get higher engagement rates than static images? Consider investing in more video content going forward. Are users tagging their friends on user-generated pictures more often than brand photography? Explore influencer partnerships to get more high-quality UGC. A successful social media strategy is never set in stone, it's flexible and shaped over time by data-backed insights.

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Any and all disputes or controversies of any kind, including but not limited to any performance, duty, obligation or liability arising under or related to this Agreement which are not first resolved informally, shall be determined by binding arbitration in San Francisco, California, in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association. The final award in any such arbitration proceeding shall be subject to entry as a judgment by any court or competent jurisdiction, provided that such judgment does not conflict with the terms and provisions hereof. The jurisdiction of the arbiter (or arbiters) with respect to legal matters shall be limited only by the statutory and common law of the State of California and the United States.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, any and all disputes, which the parties cannot informally resolve, regarding the scope of issues or matter with the jurisdiction of the arbitrator, shall be resolved by a separate dispute resolution process whereby HotelExecutive, in its sole discretion shall elect the dispute to be resolved by either (1) a court of competent jurisdiction in the State of California or (2) a panel of three new arbitrators.

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California notwithstanding any conflict of laws provisions. You and HotelExecutive agree that the venue for all legal disputes, controversies, actions of any kind arising under or related to this Agreement shall be San Francisco, California. You and HotelExecutive further agree that in case of any litigation regarding this Agreement, you irrevocably and unconditionally (i) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts in the County of San Francisco, California for any litigation or dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement, (ii) agree not to commence any litigation arising out of or relating to this Agreement except in the California Courts, (iii) agree not to plead or claim that such litigation brought therein has been brought in an inconvenient forum, and (iv) agree the California Courts represent the exclusive jurisdiction for all litigation relating to this Agreement.

11. MEMBERSHIP FEES

Hotel Business Review Subscriptions

If you choose to purchase a subscription, member subscription payments can be made in U.S. Dollars, as well as a variety of international currencies. Membership terms are Annual Recurring, and Monthly Recurring. The Annual Recurring subscription is an annual commitment and subscribers will be charged each consecutive billing cycle. Annual Recurring subscriptions can be cancelled after the first billing cycle and within 30-days of the billing date for a full refund. Monthly Recurring subscriptions are ongoing and subscribers will be charged each consecutive monthly billing cycle. Monthly Recurring subscriptions can be cancelled after the first month and within 7 days of the monthly billing cycle for a full refund.

12. PAYMENT AUTHORIZATION

Payment for the services provided to you in, at, through or in association with HotelExecutive may be made by automatic credit card, debit card, direct debit, bankwire or Paypal and other approved payment means offered in, at, through or in association with HotelExecutive, and you hereby authorize HotelExecutive and its agents to transact such payments on your behalf.

You hereby authorize HotelExecutive's Internet Payment Service Provider to charge your credit card to pay for your membership to HotelExecutive. You further authorize HotelExecutive's Internet Payment Service Provider to charge your credit card for any and all purchases of products, services in association with HotelExecutive. You agree to be personally liable for all charges incurred by you in association with your access or other use of any content provided by HotelExecutive or any third party in association with HotelExecutive. You acknowledge and agree that your liability for all such charges shall continue after termination of your access or any type of membership arrangement with HotelExecutive.

In the event that you have chosen to have your membership automatically rebilled, unless and until you notify HotelExecutive that you wish to cancel or terminate your membership to HotelExecutive, you hereby agree and authorize HotelExecutive's Internet Payment Service Provider to automatically renew your membership to HotelExecutive on a continuing basis and to charge your credit card (or other payment means you have selected) to pay for the ongoing cost of your membership. You hereby further authorize HotelExecutive's Internet Payment Service Provider to charge your credit card (or other approved payment means you have selected) for any and all purchases of products, services and entertainment provided to in, at, through or in association with HotelExecutive.

13. PRIVACY POLICY

The following is the Privacy Policy for HotelExecutive

We can be reached via telephone, email, or online at our contact page. When you visit our site we do not log any information regarding your domain or email address. Information Sharing: We do not share user information with any third parties other than via press release distribution as described below.

Hotel Newswire is a newswire service that distributes press releases on behalf of our users. If you decide to submit a press release for distribution through our system we will transmit your entire press release including any personal information therein contained to our media contacts and online distribution points including search engines. This is the only redistribution of your information that we engage in. Your submission of press releases through our system indicates consent with this policy. The information we collect during your registration process is used to notify users about updates to our service and inform users of any special events hosted by Hotel Newswire. This information is not shared with other organizations for commercial or non-commercial purposes.

Cookies: Our system requires the use of cookies to enable the user to log back into our website to access information from the newswire, without having to log in each time using the required username and password.

If you do not want to receive email from us in the future, please let us know by following instructions included in our communication with you. Users who supply us with telephone numbers online may receive telephone contact from us regarding their account, or informing them of new products and services available on the HotelExecutive website. If you do not wish to receive such telephone calls, please edit your account and remove your phone number from your account profile. This can be done from your user account menu.

Ad Servers: We do not partner with or have any relationship with any ad server companies. From time to time, we may use customer information for new uses not previously disclosed in our privacy notice. If our information practices change at any time, we will post the policy changes to our website to notify you of these changes and provide you with the ability to opt out of these new uses. If you are concerned about how your information is used, you should check back at our website periodically.

Upon request we provide site visitors with access to all information (including proprietary information) that we maintain about them. Users can access this information by logging in to their account.

Security: We always use industry-standard encryption technologies while transferring and receiving user data exchanged with our site. We have appropriate security measures in place in our physical facilities to protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of information that we have collected from you on our site. We do not store credit card information in our systems.

If you feel that this site is not following its stated information policy, you may contact us.

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