Hotels and social media - how do they fit together?

These days, no one, no company and no industry can ignore social media. From Facebook to Instagram and Snapchat, apps are not only winning the hearts of users with cute cat videos, but the hotel industry is also benefiting from the numerous advantages of integrating their products. Authenticity and customer loyalty are the decisive keywords here - they also strengthen brand awareness. Five tips from Online Birds, an international digital marketing company that specializes in advising individual hotels, hotel groups and chains.

1. a representative Facebook community is the be-all and end-all

The Facebook account must have an authentic and consistent structure right from the start. This is the only way for users to develop a lasting emotional connection to the hotel. A uniform communication style and the merging of duplicate pages are essential in this regard. This avoids confusion and the user feels that the hotel and its managers have picked them up. In addition, the text style and structure, the integration of hashtags and certain emojis as well as images have a high recognition value and bind customers to the product.

2. gain a foothold with Facebook Ads campaigns and Promoted Postings

A successful new Facebook page starts with "likes". However, if no one consciously searches for the page or doesn't know that it even exists, there will be no fans. This is where campaigns and promoted posts help to increase visibility. Content is targeted to the target groups defined by the hotel. Payment is made per like or traffic that is directed to the website. In this way, you are also remembered by users who follow similar products or have already searched for the hotel or brand on Google.

3. prevent disasters with reputation and community management

Shitstorms are famous - and above all infamous - in the digital world. As soon as a scandal arises, it often gets out of control with hateful comments or posts. A hotel should therefore regularly check its portals and ensure good support. In this way, negative comments are answered quickly and potential crises are prevented. Honest responses to bad reviews are well received by the community and ensure authenticity. Users and guests feel well received and cared for - an important point for long-term customer loyalty.

4. a posting strategy helps against acute stress

Especially when setting up a profile - whether Facebook or Instagram - it is important to be remembered by users. Regular posts should be the order of the day. It helps to prepare and automatically schedule posts with hotel information or events. This way, only daily updated posts need to be created. Fixed hashtags also help people to find the hotel and encourage customers to connect with the hotel themselves. Different posts - such as a normal post, highlights or stories - provide variety.

5. good content is still "key"

Social media thrives on images, videos, emojis and hashtags. They are not only the core element of any posting strategy, but also the main reason why users follow an account in the first place. In addition to general images of the hotel itself, so-called "instant content" and "user-generated content" are therefore particularly promising. People tend to interact with authentic snapshots on Facebook and Instagram and get a glimpse behind the scenes. This is why emotional posts, videos and content dealing with the team are clicked on the most. Daily posts - a beautiful sunrise or events - also attract views. The use of Instagram Stories is also particularly suitable for a look behind the scenes. Reposting user-generated content also attracts the attention of friends: potential new customers make initial contact. A dedicated hashtag also promotes customer loyalty and makes it easier to identify with the product.

"Like every hotel, each hotel's social media strategy is individual and should be adapted to the product itself. Only those who present themselves authentically and pick up their customers emotionally will run a successful campaign in the long term. In this context, the enormous potential of Instagram should not be underestimated," explains André Meier, Managing Partner of Online Birds. "However, from our experience, the above-mentioned facts are important to be well prepared from the outset and must be established and implemented by each hotel itself. Social media is here to stay - and is therefore an important tool for every hotel that should not be underestimated."