Social media is a fantastic marketing tool for the hospitality industry, as it allows hotels to connect with their target audiences in a space they are already enjoying and interacting with other brands.ÊSocial media is affordable, easy-to-use once you’re familiar with the ins and outs of each channel, can be accessed 24/7 and delivers messages to potential customers globally, in real-time. It is changing the way consumers search for and book trips, making it an operational imperative for B2C companies to have a presence on the top B2C-focused social media sites.
Even B2B companies can use social media to identify, connect with and build relationships with potential customers. Here are some important statistics about the 6 most popular social media channels, including what makes each so effective and which type of hospitality company they would be best suited for:
Even with new social media channels popping up all the time, Facebook is still king. ÒThere are 1.94 billion active monthly users, with 1.28 billion users logging in daily.ÊFive new profiles are created every second.Ó
ÒEighty five per centÊof these daily active users are outside of North America.Ó
Facebook is also popular with mobile users, with Ò1.15 billion people using Facebook on their smartphones dailyÓ.
Take-away: Facebook’s user base is steadily growing across all demographics, so there’s tremendous potential value for your business on Facebook. Users’ shares, likes and comments are akin to a personal endorsement; Ò86 per centÊof Millennial travelers were inspired to book a trip based on content they viewed online,Ó making it important for all B2C hospitality companies (like hotels!) to be active on Facebook.
ÒThirty two per centÊof Internet users use Instagram.Ó
ÒEighty per cent of all Instagram users come from countries outside of the United States.Ó
ÒThere are 4.2 billion likes daily on Instagram.Ó
ÒPosts with at least one hashtag average 12.6 per centÊmore engagement.Ó
Take-away: Instagram is a great way to create brand awareness for hotels using visual content, which is more effective at creating an emotional reaction in potential customers, making them more likely to book with your property. Users can also tag your property in their images and videos if you have an account, increasing your views Ð without you even lifting a finger! Stories are increasingly popular and a great way to share timely information about your promotions with your friends. You can also share videos that you’d like to stay on your page directly to your feed. Check out my step-by-step guide on how to post a video on Instagram.Ê
“Forty per centÊof Twitter users don’t tweet themselves but do read other people’s tweets.“
Take-away: There are great opportunities for consumers to learn about your business through Twitter; however, because so many tweets are sent per second, it is easy for yours to get lost. This means your tweets must be very good and very shareable to be effective. To find out more about how to make your tweets more shareable, check out this article.
YouTubeÊÊÊ
There are 42 localized versions of YouTube for different countries. ÒYouTube is broadcast in 76 languages, covering 95 per centÊof the Internet population.Ó
ÊÒYouTube is the world’s second largest search engine.”
ÒOn mobile alone,ÊYouTube reaches more 18-49 year-oldsÊthan any broadcast or CABLE TV network.Ó
ÒIn 2014, fourÊof the top 10Êvideos were adverts.Ó
Take-away: Don’t these stats make you want to create a YouTube advertisement? One thing is clear: the days of television ads are behind us. Using YouTube, it is easy for content to gain attention and garner views and it’s also popular globally, allowing your business to reach over 95 per centÊof all people online.
Pro Tip: You can share the same videos you create on Instagram via your YouTube channel.ÊTo be most successful, you should make your brand video between 31-60 seconds long.
There are Òmore than 450 million members of LinkedIn.Ó
“Forty per cent of LinkedIn users visit the site daily.Ó
ÒForty one per centÊof millionaires use LinkedIn.Ó
ÒLinkedIn is used inÊ200 countries and territories, with 70 per centÊof LinkedIn users being based outside of the US.ÓÊ
ÒEighty per cent of LinkedIn usersÊsay they want to connect with companies.Ó
ÒÉusers are almostÊ50 per cent more likely to buyÊfrom a company they engage with on LinkedIn.Ó
Take-away: LinkedIn is a great lead generation tool for B2B companies. Publishing educational content to LinkedIn is a great way to get your company seen as an expert in your field and boost awareness about your company and your product or service.
Pro Tip: ÒLinkedIn’s own researchersÊfound that updates containing links get up to 45Êper centÊhigher follower engagement. Meanwhile, images get a whoppingÊ98 per centÊmore comments,Ó so create your content accordingly to earn the highest conversion rate from your posts. In addition, posts that asked questions Ògot double the comments of updates without questions,Ó so whenever possible, use questions to boost engagement with your followers.Ê
SnapChat
The app has Òaverage of 10 billion daily video viewsÓ and Ò166 million daily active users worldwide.Ó
ÒUsers spend an average ofÊ30 minutes a dayÊinside the app.Ó
Appeals to a younger audience than many of the other social media platforms. In fact, Ò60 per cent of users are under 25, and nearly a quarter (23 per cent) have not yet graduated from high school. By far the largest Snapchat age demographic is 18 to 24-year-olds. This age group makes up 37 percent of Snapchat usersÉ 25 to 34-year olds make up about 26 percent of Snapchatters, and about 12 per cent of users are aged 35 to 54É Only two per cent of users are over 55.Ó
Take-away: Snapchat is an amazing way for B2C brands to use images or short videos to engage Millennials, who are a highly valuable audience for hotels. In your images and videos, share your property’s amenities and the on-site experiences offered, including food, drinks, events andÊdcor, as well as destination-specific videos and information. This will help your property become a resource about the destination for potential guests, increasing your brand awareness and making it more likely that they will choose to book with your property.
By Jennifer Nagy, President of JLNPR Inc.
About JLNPR Inc.
JLNPR Inc. is a full-service public relations and marketing agency that lives and breathes all facets of the travel technology industry. From online travel agencies to revenue management systems, tablet-based aviation automation solutions to IFE technology, hotels to airlines and everything in between, JLNPR uses our knowledge and experience to get your B2B travel technology company noticed by media, influencers and potential customers Ð and whenever possible, without the overused, often abused press release. In addition to traditional media relations outreach, we also ghost-write exciting, informational copy that will be published (in our client’s name) by top hotel industry media outlets Ð in order to increase your company’s visibility with potential customers, boost brand awareness and increase sales. To learn how to do your own PR for your company, download JLNPR’s free guide: How to Use Public Relations to Boost Your Sales – Without Blowing Your Budget. To find out more about JLNPR (including our services and out-of-the-box philosophy on press releases), please visit www.jlnpr.com.
