Why Social Media is Important to Hotels

Hotels recognize the pivotal role of social media due to the aspirational nature of travel. Individuals eagerly share their journeys online, while others actively seek inspiration for their next adventures through social platforms. This trend is particularly pronounced among the younger demographic, with 40% of Gen Z favoring non-Google platforms for research, and 90% acknowledging social media's influence on their purchasing decisions.

In the realm of social media for hotels, the emphasis often lies on visually oriented platforms like Instagram and TikTok, providing a captivating showcase of the guest experience to attract potential customers.

Understanding the immense and consistent user activity on social media is crucial. Instagram boasts over 1 billion monthly active users, Facebook nearly 3 billion, and Twitter with 340 million active users. This daily engagement creates a vast potential audience for hotels to connect with, influence, and convert into guests.

Influence plays a central role, as travelers frequently turn to social media for guidance on destinations, accommodations, and activities. An Expedia survey revealed that 30% of Americans are influenced or inspired by social media when planning a trip.

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During the journey itself, a staggering 97% of millennials share vacation posts on social media. These posts significantly impact the travel decisions of their peers, with 2 in 5 millennials admitting that travel images on social media influence their choices.

Given the significant time users spend on social media during the planning and decision-making stages of travel, it's prudent for hotels to establish a robust presence on the platforms their potential guests frequent. Notably, almost 50% of hoteliers already prioritize social media as one of their top two sales and marketing priorities.

Even without substantial investments in ads or promotions, hotels can cultivate a substantial following on their business pages and actively engage with the travel community. As online bookings continue to surge, initiating a strong social media presence is a timely and impactful strategy for hotels, regardless of their current advertising endeavors.

Which social media platforms do hotels prefer?

The recently released Global Hotel Business Index by SiteMinder provides a comprehensive analysis of key success factors for hoteliers worldwide. The report delves into hoteliers' preferences for various social media channels, shedding light on their perceived effectiveness.

Survey respondents were asked to categorize social media platforms as 'very successful,' 'somewhat successful,' 'not successful,' or 'I don't use this channel.' The results are as follows:

Very successful:

• Facebook – 30.62%

• Google+ – 15.11%

• Instagram – 11.53%

• Youtube – 4.17%

• Twitter – 3.58%

• LinkedIn – 2.78%

• Pinterest – 1.39%

• Snapchat – 0.80%

I don't use this channel:

• Snapchat – 84.69%

• Pinterest – 81.31%

• YouTube – 67.99%

• LinkedIn – 65.41%

• Twitter – 59.84%

• Instagram – 45.92%

• My Google Business – 34.19%

• Facebook – 9.54%

In addition to the statistical data, hoteliers provided insightful comments on their stance regarding social media marketing. A few key statements include:

• "I believe this is a specialist’s area, and we lack the in-depth knowledge and know-how to effectively manage this process in today’s fast-developing technology space."

• "While social media helps our profile, it’s difficult to measure its impact in terms of actual bookings."

• "We mainly use Facebook, but our usage is limited since our target market is not the younger generations."

Surprisingly, My Google Business surpassed Instagram, raising eyebrows considering the latter's perceived alignment with hotel and travel marketing. Instagram, with its capacity for powerful brand awareness, storytelling, and evoking emotional responses, is particularly useful for hotels in popular tourist destinations and exotic locations.

For many hoteliers, social media isn't viewed as a primary driver of bookings and revenue, leading to underutilization. The report suggests that hotels should explore creative approaches to video content marketing on platforms like YouTube, leveraging the impact of stunning imagery to engage potential guests and encourage sharing within their social circles.