Hashtags and tweets and “Likes,” oh my. Social media for hotels is its own beast. And it can be intimidating.
But once you’ve tamed it, you’ll have at your disposal a means to engage influential millennial travelers, bolster your hotel’s online reputation, build strong relationships with loyal guests, and create crucial SEO content.
And yes, social media can even be used to drive direct bookings.
In short, social media is a versatile, effective, and indispensable hotel marketing channel. Or “channels,” we should say. The most successful hotel social media strategies integrate several platforms (as evidenced by the slideshow below, which features posts by trivago Award winners promoting their trivago Awards on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram).
A good way to start winning at social media is to look at the hotels already winning at it – and copy what they’re doing.
Social Media for Hotels: 5 Must-Try Tips for All Hotel Businesses
We examined the social media profiles of last’s year’s trivago Award winners and were thoroughly impressed by some of the social-media-for-hotels best practices we were seeing. Compiled below are a just a few examples of what trivago Awards winners are doing on social media that’s definitely worth emulating.
Cultivating a rich source of rave reviews: Huis Koning B&B
Belgium | trivago Award for Best Value for Money
There’s something especially impressive about Huis Koning‘s Facebook Page: a glowing, perfect 5-star guest-satisfaction rating. And it’s a perfect score underpinned by dozens of gushing reviews from guests who are beyond satisfied with their stays at this family-run, trivago Award-winning B&B.
The comments from these past guests inspire trust in the B&B and its promise of a top-notch hotel experience. And by fostering a community of brand ambassadors and turning its Facebook Page into a rich source of rave reviews, Huis Koning has also made its page easier to find in a Facebook search.
Social media for hotels tip no. 1: Activate the “Reviews” feature on your Facebook Page. Here’s how.
Generating direct bookings through Facebook: Rosewood Mayakoba, Riviera Maya
Mexico | trivago Award for being the Top-Rated 5-Star Hotel
Rosewood Mayakoba‘s Facebook Page is more than just a marketing channel for this trivago Award-winning hotel. It’s a channel for driving direct bookings as well, thanks to the Book Now button.
Travelers who like what they see on the hotel’s Facebook Page and are ready to book don’t have to go searching for the official website or a third-party booking site. Instead, they can quickly access Rosewood Mayakoba’s booking engine from the Book Now button: conveniently ever-present on the upper lefthand side of the page.
Social media tip for hotels no. 2: Add a “Book Now” button to your Facebook Page.
Tweeting fresh local content: Cedar Manor Hotel
UK | trivago Award for being in the Top 10 3-Star Hotels
Cedar Manor Hotel has got Twitter down pat. This trivago Award winner’s Twitter feed is a veritable Twitter how-to for independent hotels, providing guidance on how often to tweet, what content to tweet (or re-tweet), what hashtags to use when tweeting, and so much more.
One especially effective way Cedar Manor Hotel is using Twitter is how it’s leveraging local campaigns, events, and happenings to increase its brand awareness and social media engagement, actively engaging the growing number of travelers who are looking for a unique local experience as part of their hotel stay.
Social media tip for hotels no. 3: Don’t just tweet about your hotel; show some area code pride and tweet about your locale as well.
Sharing gorgeous guest photos from Instagram: UNA Hotel Versilia
Italy | trivago Award for being the Top-Rated Chain Hotel
A hotel’s visual marketing content is increasingly important, for SEO as well as for appealing to potential guests. Which is why UNA Hotels & Resorts‘ strategy of sourcing stunning guest photos from Instagram is so incredibly clever.
UNA created a hashtag for its guests to use to share their Instagram-worthy experiences at its properties, including the trivago Award-winning UNA Hotel Versilia. All Instagrammed photos with the hashtag #unahotel appear in a live feed on the hotel’s Facebook Page. The result? An automated crowd-sourced library of gorgeous, free images that help sell the hotel to potential guests in a big way.
Social media tip for hotels no. 4: Come up with a hashtag unique to your hotel that encourages guest photo-sharing. This article has some excellent hashtag tips.
Introducing the staff: Country Inn & Suites By Radisson, Hanover
USA | trivago Award for being in the Top 10 3-Star Hotels
We have a great deal of admiration for Radisson Hotel Group’s “Radisson” Instagram account. Why? It’s dedicated entirely to the front-of-house and behind-the-scenes heroes who make staying at one of its hotels, like trivago Award-winner Country Inn & Suites By Radisson, Hannover, an exceptional experience.
By introducing its smiling staff, Radisson is proving that hotels can be as personal as a peer-to-peer accommodation. The brand is brilliantly promoting its hotels on social media by showcasing their staff’s diversity and shared dedication to delivering exceptional hospitality. What’s more, this hotel group is giving recognition to the hard-working people behind its award-winning guest experiences. We applaud this, and guests appreciate it.
Social media tip for hotels no. 5: Get personal on social media by sharing photos of and notes about your staff.
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