What is one of the biggest sources of direct revenue for hotels? The answer may surprise hotel managers… word of mouth! In today’s digital age, the real measure of ROI boils down to how often guests are sharing information about your hotel with their «friends» and «followers» on prevalent social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Savvy hoteliers, big and small, are utilizing social media to engage often with guests across multiple platforms. These stats that help demonstrate the power of social media as a marketing tool within the hospitality industry:
Majority rules. The majority of hoteliers have jumped onto the digital bandwagon to engage with customers. A recent HT customer engagement and technology study shows that 90% of hotels actively use Facebook and 78% use Twitter to engage guests. Pinterest is also gaining momentum, as the platform seeing the most growth since 2012. Something else for hotel marketers to consider? Sixty-three percent of Facebook users, 57% of Instagram users, and 46% of Twitter users are daily visitors of each site.
Social on-the-go. Last year alone, more than four billion people accessed social media channels through mobile devices. This mobile mindset translates into 44% of travelers using their smartphone to research travel while they’re traveling. All the more reason for hoteliers to ensure that their content is downloadable and digestible across multiple platforms. Today’s travelers also like to share their guest experiences in real time, with more than 70% of travelers posting updates, images and comments to their page while on vacation.
Business travelers. Hotels who engage with business travelers over targeted social channels like LinkedIn and Twitter – or who provide perks for those who book online – have been shown to increase the number of first time business customers by 13% the first year, and 27% the second year of social media usage. These hotels also saw high rates of return business customers across both years. All the more reason for hoteliers to target business travelers and other key guest segments with effective social media outreach.
Psst…pass it on. Word of mouth is the most powerful tool for reigning in new customers or turning potential customers away. Approximately 92% of customers trust their friends and family’s recommendations and word of mouth more than other forms of advertising. Consider this… more than half of hotel travelers change their plans, whether it be switching to a different hotel or choosing a different destination altogether, after using social media channels to research their travel plans.
Social media is clearly a huge influencer when it comes to engaging with guests and, in turn, winning their business and loyalty. The above stats paint a clear picture for hotel managers: good word of mouth via effective social media can mean bigger ROI.
