The benefits are huge, and this ever-expanding online world says that Twitter is affecting the bottom line. Twitter is the easiest of all of the social media choices; it's quick and easy, and that's exactly what your guests are looking for.
Add it to your to-do list; now's the time!
Whether you are new to Twitter or you're looking to expand the impact that your hotel Twitter feed has, read on for some great tips.
Consider what Twitter can do to increase sales:
- Help your hotel marketing to go viral
- Share a vibe and personality of your hotel to attract your best demographic
- Build ROI
- Build relationships
To be most effective, consider the following tips:
Get real:
Real names, real people, real personalities, and real faces. This matters so much. Once potential guests are interacting with a true-to-life person, they can connect to the brand's personality. Guests only want to spend their money at a place where they know they are going to feel comfortable.
So, first and foremost, yes…get real. This is the only way to forge authentic relationships.
Target your demographic:
Who are you targeting? Business travelers? Families? Couples? Anyone and everyone? Your tweets should anticipate what your demographic wants and needs.
"It's a very powerful customer service and communication vehicle where our brands and customers can come together to have an open and honest conversation," said David Godman, Vice President of Global Web Strategy for Starwood Hotels. "It's less about pushing our hotels and promotions and more about connecting our core brand with our guests' daily lives."
Interact:
The first goal is to generate feedback. You can't build a relationship unless you can get them to bite.
What did your guests see today? Share it!
Share:
Share stories about your guests and their experiences. Did one of your guests swim with a sea turtle today? Or did one just have a worthy quote to share about her spa experience? Share it!
Consider your present guests:
Provide updates for events, specials, and happenings that are taking place on site that day. For those who are not currently registered in the hotel, this may very well entice them, as well. But keep that feed going for your current guests, and as always, provide prompt responses when they share their own experiences.
Don't stop:
A lot of hoteliers minimize their impact by only tweeting announcements or promotions of special packages. See how that's not going to get a lot (if any) engagement with your readers?
Shoot for the moon. Build friendships by sharing updates, asking for ideas, and posing open-ended questions. You'll beat a lot of competition by doing so.
What's the vibe you're going for? Let your hotel's personality spread through the social media grapevine.
Tweet very regularly:
Most establishments have a person or team specifically charged with the responsibility of keeping the feed busy. You should, too. If the feed goes quiet for an extended amount of time, you'll lose momentum.
Combination is key:
Tweet, Facebook, email, content marketing blogs, and personal phone calls — use all of the technological tools you can. Avoid relying on any one concept too heavily; consumers out there have their own favorite(s), and you'll reach a wider audience when you cast a wider net.
This tool has become so popular and effective that companies like Reach.ly are popping up. This type of organization mines Twitter and uses semantic algorithms to search for tweets that announce travel plans to specific locales. Hotel can then take this information, study the tweets, and reach out directly to their potential guests. How great is that?
Use Twitter and these tips to get superb results for increased bookings. #itsagreattool!
About the author
Valerie Wilson is an avid traveler and loves to research various places in which to write, read, explore, snorkel, and study the architecture of European cities. She currently teaches at Syracuse University and has enjoyed the profession for 25 years.
