Social media is a great tool to connect with guests and get your brand name out there. It is essentially a free advertising tool, and if you are clever, it can certainly help to build the brand of your hotel. Generally, hotels aim to get noticed by infusing appealing posts and pictures to gain potential customers but unintentionally end up making petty mistakes. While social media can be a boon to the hotel industry, it can also prove to be a burden if it isn’t used properly. Fortunately, you can learn from the mistakes of others and learn which to avoid.
Here are some of the most common social media blunders that are made by hotels that you should look out for:
Sharing incomplete profiles – Sharing an incomplete profile sends out a poor message to your visitors as guests coming to your website will undoubtedly check your social media page and if they find any incomplete profiles or fields, it will leave a less than stellar impression of your hotel. So make sure you fill in relevant details in all the fields of your profile and double check for any omissions.
Not finishing a thought & under- or over-posting – Whether it is obvious or unintentional, not finishing a sentence, word or even a complete thought can look careless and turn followers away. Incomplete posts show a level of carelessness that guests will assume translates into your service and amenities. When you do post, be sure to utilize multiple platforms to achieve the biggest reach. Under or over-posting may also cause hindrance. Posting too seldom (weekly once) will not create enough traction and posting every hour will can annoy your followers. Socialmediatoday.com recommends that you post 4 times a week on Facebook, 2-3 times a week on Linkedin and throughout the day on Twitter.
Broken links and images – Spend some time to double check your posts and pictures before they go live. Nothing is more frustrating to a follower than trying to follow a link that is hyped up only to find it doesn’t work. The same goes for images. If you are going to post it, be certain it will show up. When posting images, make sure to put a short caption or explain the story behind the image.
Not replying to guest comments – The whole point of social media is to be social. The platforms are made for guest interaction with the brand, so don’t dismiss the interactions. Ignoring comments will make your hotel look disconnected and impersonal. Do your best to respond to every inquiry whether it is made publicly or through a personal message.
Turn the negative comments that you receive from guests into positive comments by acknowledging their issues and providing solutions. Replying to negative feedback is upsetting but it makes your guest feel heard. Automated replies to negative comments can annoy guests so ensure your hotel is taking time to send individualized comments.
Once in a while, engage in two-way dialogues with your followers and prompt them with questions like: Which is their favorite vacation destination? What was their most memorable vacation? These will bring in a lot of positive interactions to your page.
Not promoting the platforms – Regularly promote your social media pages on different platforms as whether it is in-house or on your website, it is important that guests can quickly see where they can follow your brand.
Not staying active – Social media is a place for real-time updates and constant change. It is important that social media managers go into the account at least once each day. Hotels may not be posting earth-shattering content on a daily basis, but it is important to be present and continue interacting with guests and possibly even other brands.
No link or app to book – Guests usually look for a booking link or app after going through your page to book the hotel room right away. If you don’t provide a link or app then you are losing out on potential guests. Give your guests a clear and direct access to the online tools to take action.
#Too #Many #Hashtags – Don’t indulge in too many hashtags in your post as they tend to create a clutter, making it hard for the viewers to read. Hashtags are used to help consumers quickly find specific topics of conversation and referencing that keyword or phrase.
Using your page only as a promotional tool – Don’t use your page only to highlight promotions and deals. Make sure that once in a while you share some interesting and fun facts about your hotel and its surroundings. Include amusing photos and experiences to attract followers.
Being impatient – You need to have patience in order to form a good fan base. If you lose your patience on social media platforms, it can turn against your brand. Be patient while replying to guests and foster quality relations with your existing fans by having relevant and engaging conversations. If you communicate in an interesting and likeable manner, your followers will grow over time.
Avoid making petty mistakes on social media as this is one platform that can either take you to heights or bring you down. Foster a quality relationship with your fans by making use of this platform to the maximum as social media is a completely free marketing tool. You can also invest in a Facebook booking engine that is offered by Hotelogix. It will let your customers’ book directly from your hotel’s Facebook page. You can request a demo to understand it better.
Also Read: Social Media Knocking: Still Unsure About Facebook-ing Your Hotel?
If you feel we have missed out on any points, make sure you address them in the comments section below.