Tag Archives: Social Media

by | March 4, 2016 · 5:53 pm

What Should Your Hotel Brand Know About Generation Z?

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Time waits for no man, and just as soon as we think we’re getting a handle on what millennials want, a new buzzword starts to crop up in conversation: “Generation Z.”

Trying to define an entire generation’s attitude and purchasing habits can seem tedious (and a hard target to hit), but it makes smart business sense to have a plan in place for the next wave of travelers. While the inclination may be to think of Generation Z as merely an extension of millennials, odds are they will be their own distinct group. And how you prepare your destination, and brand, to receive this group could have a profound impact on your company’s future.

So, who is Generation Z?

Always Connected

Exact ranges for generations have been hard to define since the baby boomers, but Generation Z is roughly considered to be defined as those born in the mid- to late-1990s through the 2010s. In other words, babies being born today (and potentially up to around 2025), up to early 20-somethings.

This group makes up about 25 percent of the population, according to Forbes, making it more populous than boomers or millennials.

For some perspective, the oldest members of Generation Z were 7 or 8 years old when the Sept. 11 attacks took place. Many have pointed out significant aspects of this generation are its widespread use of the Internet (even from a very young age), a high comfort level with technology, reliance on social media for a large portion of their socializing, and possibly feelings of unsettlement and insecurity from growing up in the Great Recession.

And in less than five years, they will make up almost 10 percent of the workforce.

Not Millennials

The dividing line is a bit murky, but members of Generation Z are (and will likely continue to be) different than their millennial predecessors. According to a survey of young people conducted by Adecco, more members of Generation Z aspire to lofty career goals, while millennials crave financial stability.

Generation Z is more entrepreneurial, and more prefer in-person communication than millennials.

Already Influential

It may be several years before enough members of Generation Z are booking hotel rooms to be noticeable, but they already influence their parents—when polled, 93 percent of parents believe their children have influence over their family spending and purchases; 55 percent say their opinion is “extremely or very influential.”

Planning Ahead

So if Generation Z’s tastes are already becoming an influence, what should your hotel do to get ready for the day when it’s their names on the credit card? Making sure your brand and marketing adjust accordingly will be of paramount importance.

In its report examining the trends of Generation Z, global firm Ernst & Young suggests three strategies to gaining the generation’s interest and loyalty in your brand: Intuitively deliver on their constantly evolving needs; make them part of the solution; and demonstrate respect and loyalty before asking for it.

Evolving Needs

For starters, members of Generation Z are in a constant search for information and new platforms of delivery—one in four try out at least seven new apps a month, and the list of social media platforms they favor could be longer than this article.

With that in mind, they have no patience for a brand that doesn’t already get it, or even worse, complicate their lives. Your messaging needs to find them wherever they may be searching—and that might be different than last week.

Part of the Solution

Generation Z also has more do-it-yourselfers than the previous generation (when you grow up with a how-to for anything on YouTube, it makes it easier). Ideally they want their brand to be a tool that empowers them—they may even want to create your offering for you, particularly where, when, and how they buy from you.

Respect and Loyalty

Once it’s earned, Generation Z’s brand loyalty is impressively strong. But getting it could be the challenge, and the best way to show that you respect them is to speak to them individually.

Whether this means personal interactions between customers and your brand on social media, or visibly accommodating what they’ve asked out of your brand, the last thing Generation Z wants is a form letter. Your brand will need to foster a reputation of responsiveness and collaboration to earn their respect.

“Gen Z is used to feasting on content regularly and this is the age group that has given rise to (multi-channel networks),” Matt Smith of the TV platform Anvanto told Digiday. “Brands like Marriott that are creating specialized content already are the ones that will resonate with them.”

Through a combination of tech savviness and a greater need for self-reliance, Generation Z could shape up to be one of the most productive and influential generations our country has ever seen. Whether they choose to bring their business to your hotel will depend on how hard you work to get to know them. And you’d best not wait—there’ll be another generation on the horizon before we know it.

For more: http://bit.ly/1oVoqLF

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by | January 18, 2016 · 5:17 pm

Social Media Marketing Trends to Try in 2016

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In today’s fast-moving digital age, unless you’re constantly reviewing journals and forums, online and social media trends can be hard to keep up with. It’s important that hospitality brands stay at the forefront of digital innovation to target audiences on the online platforms where they spend their time. Oster and Associates, a full-service marketing and branding firm, offers this overview of some of the top online marketing tactics that hospitality brands can take advantage of during 2016.

Capture your customers during micro-moments

Micro-moments are the times throughout the day when a consumer consults their smartphone to do something instantaneously, such as research a fact a friend just mentioned, shop for an item of clothing they just saw a stranger wearing, look up a nearby restaurant for lunch or check prices for upcoming weekend flights to Chicago. Because customers function in micro-moment tidbits of time, so should your brand. This means considering how your website is navigated. It should be mobile-friendly and intuitive to a customer’s needs, featuring a personalized experience through geo-targeting, demographic information and established behaviors. Consider how you can serve your customers the information they need before they even ask for it.

Videos should be a large portion of your social media content

Customers want to experience your brand as much as possible before choosing to spend their money at your establishment. Videos offer a chance to give them a bite-sized glimpse of your company. In addition to video-based social media platforms such as Periscope, most existing platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, have incorporated video capabilities. And, 360-degree video technology is changing the game. Hospitality and tourism brands can utilize videos to showcase their product with potential customers around the world.

Tailor email campaigns to your various audience groups

Email campaigns are effective channels to share your brand with consumers and create long-term relationships with existing customers. Compared to other industries, the hospitality industry experiences one of the highest open-rates for emails. Capitalize on your already-engaged audience and provide content specific for each group. For example, we know that families tend to plan their vacations months in advance, so if you are a family-oriented brand, create and schedule email campaigns that engage your target audience during their vacation-planning phase. Additionally, with the expected increase of business travelers, consider how to engage with the bleisure traveler – the one who tacks additional days on to a business trip in order to enjoy leisure time while in a different city. Try targeting this group using email campaigns that promote weeklong stays with leisure options, such as restaurants or tours, over the weekend.

“While the platforms and technology may change, one thing remains constant: customers want to feel valued,” said Karin Salas, Oster and Associates vice president. “Even in a technology-driven world, consumers want a personalized experience. Brands can use new online and social media tools to connect with potential customers, creating customized moments that engage them with your brand.”

For more: http://bit.ly/1QiDZb9

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by | January 4, 2016 · 6:24 pm

9 Social Media Tips For 2016

Social Media

Hotel marketers have never seen such rapid and overwhelming change like the one happening in social media. However, there are ways to approach the social media universe that will help maintain perspective in the face of all that change.

Several sources provided nine social media tips for 2016 to help marketers maintain perspective.

1. Keep up with what’s new

Social media innovations catch on with incredible speed. For instance, Periscope and Meerkat, both video streaming apps launched in 2015, are already players in travel marketing. The apps allow users to send video to friends or followers instantly.

“There are constantly new platforms emerging and it’s important to us to stay on top of it,” said Dan Moriarty, director of digital strategy and activation for Hyatt Hotels Corporation.

2. Stay up to date on existing platforms

The big guys are not resting on their laurels. For example, Moriarty said, “Twitter removing direct messaging character limitations really opens up the depth of conversation hotels can have with guests on that platform and enables better connections.

“Also, Instagram has made it easier to tag a location when a picture was taken there, and now allows users to search by location rather than just hashtag. This is huge for travel.”

“Facebook is leading the pack everywhere,” said Benji Greenberg, CEO of BCV, which manages social media for hotels. “They are introducing something new every two weeks. They recently launched Facebook Messenger for business, which is important because companies will be able to embed Messenger in their websites instead of using live chat. Now a customer can walk away from the computer without the usual live chat waiting and maintain the communication on another device.”

3. Practice targeting

All the social platforms have upped their capabilities around targeting, said Lucy Kemmitz, lead of social media for the Hilton Hotels & Resorts and Curio brands from Hilton Worldwide Holdings.

“Instagram now offers the same extensive and highly accurate targeting parameters as Facebook,” Kemmitz said, “and allows for campaigns that run on both platforms for coordinated campaigns using both platforms at a more affordable price point than previously. As evidence of the effectiveness of the targeting available on Instagram, we see click-through rates of nearly 2.5% on ads for Curio.”

Kemmitz said Twitter launched event-based targeting, which allows marketers to target people interested in area events. She said beta advertisers saw up to a 110% increase in engagement when using this type of targeting on the platform.

Jeremy Jauncey, founder of Beautiful Destinations, which advises brands on Instagram, said paid advertising on Instagram is “the most important change to the platform in its history.”

“Now not only can a hotel tell its story through imagery, targeted ad technology enables brands to drive: clicks to websites, views of videos, mobile app downloads and massive amounts of impressions,” Jauncey said. “Hotels like the Bellagio and Starwood properties such as W and Aloft have already spent money on these types of ads.

For more: http://bit.ly/1Z2BsYe

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by | June 4, 2015 · 9:45 am

Hospitality Industry Technology Update: “How Hotels Can Engage Guests Through Social Media”

As hotel guests continue to turn to social media as their primary source for information gathering and remote communication,SocialMedia hoteliers will be presented with numerous opportunities to create engagement among their guests via social media. If they succeed at connecting with guests on a social level, they can remain at the forefront of those customers’ minds when they book their next trip.

It’s no secret that social media plays a major role in the way the hospitality industry connects with customers. There are, however, more ways for hotels to use social media than to just attract guests before they book. With creativity and ingenuity, hotels can use this medium as a powerful marketing channel to build brand affinity and loyalty by engaging guests in conversations during their stays.

Below are simple but innovative ways a few major hotels are already using social media to create memorable guest experiences:

Installing Social Walls
The desire to connect with and meet new people is one that is shared by nearly all of mankind, but compelling any person to actively make connections with other guests during a hotel stay can be tricky. The Four Seasons Dallas, however, came up with a brilliant tactic to overcome this obstacle. During the Fourth of July holiday in 2013, the hotel unveiled “social walls” in its lobby. The walls consisted of screens that showed social posts of people staying at the hotel.

For more: http://bit.ly/1KcyOG4

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by | May 26, 2015 · 9:51 am

Hospitality Industry Management Update: “5 Ways to Improve Responses on TripAdvisor”

Leisman cited data form a Phocuswright poll of the TripAdvisor community of travelers that found 84% of U.S. users agreed that an appropriate managementonline engagement response to a bad review “improves my impression of the hotel.” Six of 10 users (62%) said seeing hotel management responses to reviews generally “makes me more likely to book it (versus a comparable hotel that didn’t respond to travelers).”

It’s funny observing the disparate number of policies hoteliers employ regarding reviews on TripAdvisor. Company A insists on responding to every comment, while Company B tells its managers to reply only to the bad. Company C takes a different tact entirely: It doesn’t respond to any.

Those are the broad buckets. Nuances and further variation exist at each stage along the spectrum. And each company that employs them insists theirs is the only and obvious approach.

Some variety might be warranted. One hotel is often not like the other, so I understand a degree of unique plans that appeal to unique bases of demand, product offerings and location types.

But clearly there are some hoteliers who, despite their best intentions, are engaging with guests on TripAdvisor in a manner that could prove potentially harmful to further review rankings and thus future bookings.

In cases such as these, I find it’s best to go straight to the source for the prescribed best practices. In this case, that would be TripAdvisor—or more specifically, Heather Leisman, business VP of industry marketing.

This topic was top of mind for her. TripAdvisor recently released a report which examined why travelers write reviews. The top reason? “To share useful information with others” and because “they find reviews helpful, so they want to give back.” (Who knew the TripAdvisor online community was so altruistic?)

For more: http://bit.ly/1cgseQT

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by | May 11, 2015 · 8:17 am

Hospitality Industry Management Update: “5 Social Trends Hoteliers Can Leverage”

“Everything is being rated and talked about, he said. And much of that is being done on mobile. For example,20150504_AmericInn_Levine he said a lot of hoteliers will say they aren’t interested in Twitter—but that’s where their customers are talking about them. Thus, hoteliers need to monitor it and join in on the conversation.”

A picture of a pet cat with a slice of bread on its head. A person standing in front of a waterfall and capturing a photo that makes it seem as if he or she is vomiting said waterfall.

The above two examples “broke the Internet,” according to Daniel Levine, director of The Avant-Guide Institute, a global trends consultancy for travel and consumer marketing, based in New York City. But they were short-lived fads and certainly not things to build a business plan around.

But building a plan around social trends? That might be the golden ticket.

“Trends are not specific to any one industry. Trends are what people are thinking and feeling, and they’re looking for these same trends to be answered in every part of their lives,” Levine said while speaking during the recent opening general session of the AmericInn 2015 Convention & Tradeshow held at Bally’s Las Vegas.

In other words: Hoteliers can adjust their operations to sell the answers to these trends, he said.

“The beauty of trends is that they resonate with people for reasons they may not even be aware of. They’ll go and beat a path at your door if you’re answering these trends in creative ways,” Levine said.

Here are five social trends hoteliers can capitalize on.

For more: http://bit.ly/1F91w8D

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by | April 20, 2015 · 8:46 am

Hospitality Industry Management Update: “Getting Serious About Risk Management”

“To be successful, an organization must do a good job of communicating the importance of risk management, which should raise awareness and provide how-to information to employees.Employers must understand that educationrisk-management needs to occur in order to drive continual improvement and adoption of a risk management mindset. This communication should bleed through all levels of the organization in a consistently open and honest manner.”

Success in today’s complex business environment is greatly dependent upon workforce productivity. Creating a proper work environment—one that is safe and secure for employees, customers and data—is vitally important. It means minimizing downside risk and creating a risk management culture.

There has been an invigorated focus on enterprise risk management, the analysis of a broad spectrum of loss exposures that businesses often face. Executives need to be concerned about reputational damage, falling stock prices, shifts in customer appetites for products or services, and even currency fluctuations. In addition, businesses may be impacted by traditional insurance exposures. Some dramatic examples in recent years include:

  • Hurricane damage from Superstorm Sandy and other severe weather events.
  • The Ebola crisis that left a Dallas hospital reeling.
  • Recent cyberattacks on SONY Pictures, Home Depot, Anthem Inc., Target Corp. and the federal government.

For more: http://bit.ly/1DDRJ8w

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by | April 15, 2015 · 8:59 am

Hospitality Industry Management Update: “Attract Millennials With Millennials”

“I see folks around me in the hotel industry, and they’re bouncing between jobs.… When we are bringing on this staff, it’s important to show them there is this upward mobilityInforgraphic Attract millennials and there is a reason you should be here for more than two years,” he said. “I think that’s important and maybe this whole jumping around between jobs is getting a bad rap about loyalty.”

Front-desk associate or freestyle rapper? The two need not be mutually exclusive—particularly as operators seek “rock stars” to provide a more authentic level of service to guests who increasingly want that real experience.

Who better to know about what millennial guests, in particular, want than hoteliers who belong to that generation?

“I always harp on with my corporate staff, I want people at the front desk who have a rock-star personality,” said Ravi Patel, the 29-year-old president of Hawkeye Hotels.

He has just that in Del, a front-desk associate at one of Hawkeye’s hotels who dabbles in freestyle rap on his off days. Working alongside Del is another double-duty performer who spends part of his time as a bartender.

“These guys know exactly what it is to be really engaged with your audience,” Patel said. “So now whenever I see the surveys come in from that hotel, it literally names off, ‘Oh yeah, I talked to Del, and he told me what he does in Des Moines.’ It’s really capturing a different kind of associate as well and getting them to work for you.”

For more: http://bit.ly/1b3hlSV

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by | April 13, 2015 · 9:13 am

Hospitality Industry Management Update: “Survey Finds Social Media Boosts Hotel Occupancy by 2x”

“The hospitality industry has experienced the impact social media can have on their business, both positive and negative,online engagement but these findings allow properties to quantify the impact of taking action on reviews—and make it easier to justify additional investments in social media engagement,” said Aurelia Setton, Medallia’s general manager for hospitality.

Hotel properties that actively engage with social media reviews grow occupancy at double the rate of properties that don’t, according to a study released by Medallia. The study examines customer and business data from more than 4,400 hotel properties worldwide to understand and quantify the impact of social media engagement on a company’s revenue growth, customer satisfaction, and social reputation.

Results Overview
The study found a direct relationship between responsiveness to social media reviews and occupancy rate. Properties that responded to more than 50 percent of social reviews grew occupancy rates by 6.4 percentage points, more than twice the rate of properties that largely ignored social media reviews. These socially engaged properties also outperformed the hospitality industry as a whole, which achieved a 4.3 percent occupancy growth rate during the same period.

For more: http://bit.ly/1cphmkq

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by | March 30, 2015 · 10:47 am

Hospitality Industry Management Update: “The Good, The Bad, and Especially – The Ugly. Why Responding to EVERY Review is Essential to Your Reputation”

“Address the comment, validate their frustration, apologize for their poor experience, and find a way to make it better.feedback This will, of course, depend on what the grievance is exactly, but it’s probably an easy fix, and your response to the issue will be there forever for all future guests to see.”

Feedback, constructive criticism, or maybe just plain old criticism. Are you shuddering at the thought? If you are, stop, because though it may be hard to take sometimes, it’s essential to the success and well-being of your hotel. That’s right, criticism whether good, bad, or even ugly, is a necessary tool for you and your management team to have and to use. Without feedback, you’ll never know what you’re doing well, and what you could do better. Listening to all comments and responding appropriately and in a timely manner is one of the best tactics for hotel reputation management.

Regardless of whether your hotel has received a positive or negative review, you must give equal attention to both. Don’t be arrogant. Mistakes are made everywhere in life, misunderstanding and miscommunication happens no matter what. Therefore, never turn up your nose at a grievance, large or small. Many potential guests will judge a hotel’s customer service based on how the hotel responded to previous guests comments and reviews. Therein lies the true value of responding to all comments – to show future guests you have responsive management, that you care about your guests and any issues that may arise.

From our very own experience, here’s a quick list of best practices when it comes to responding to reviews

For more: http://bit.ly/19qiItu

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