The Revinate Blog

Social Media 101 Recap: Finding Your Social Media Value

We hope you enjoyed our first Social Media 101 webinar of the year. In case you missed any of the content we shared, we've posted the full presentation slide deck and a recording of the webinar to review at your leisure. For those on the call, we would love to hear what you thought of the session, so send us a tweet with your feedback. If you found this session helpful, we encourage you to sign up for our next webinar on how to Become a Hotel Digital Genius this Thursday, January 31 at 1 EST / 10 AM PST.

During today's Social Media 101 webinar, we promised a follow-up that offered a few useful exercises that will help you craft unique social media messages for your brand or hotel property. This process begins by determining your hotel brand's extrinsic values – anything that is of interest to your customer outside of your core product. In order to do this, you must first determine your social media values by asking yourself these questions: 

• What do customers want to know about our hotel?
• What delights our customers?
• What questions do our best customers ask when we interface with them?
• What makes our hotel unique?

By considering these questions, you can begin to consider what your social media strategy will look like. The following three exercises will specifically guide you through this process, from understanding your brand's social media worth to growing your social audience.

Exercise 1: 

Exercise 2: 

Exercise 3: 

Credit: These exercises are largely repurposed from Dave Kerpen's book, Likeable Social Media.

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What you need to know about Google+ Local

Last month, Google announced the launch of Google+ Local, a new way to search for and share your favorite restaurants, local hot spots and pretty much every other business you can think of. The launch is the first step in integrating with review site Zagat since the acquisition of the company by Google in September 2011. Although this integration is still in its early stages, we wanted to outline the major effects it will have on hotels and restaurants.

Google Places listings now featuring Zagat ratings
Similar to the Places listings you’ve seen in the past, new local listings feature contact information, images and reviews with ratings with one key difference — the traditional star ratings has been replaced with Zagat’s 30 point rating system. Summarized local listings are displayed in organic Google searches and on Google Maps. Users seeking more detailed information and reviews must sign into Google+ to view the full local listing, complete with a professional Zagat summary and user-generated reviews from both Zagat and Google.

How to manage your Google Places account and respond to reviews
For the time being, business owners can continue to manage their local listing information and respond to reviews via Google Places for Business. As Google continues to enhance local listings, we speculate that there will be closer integration with Google+, requiring all businesses to manage listings and content through a linked Google+ account. If you haven’t already done so, we recommend creating a Google+ Page for your property, as it is likely that Google will undergo a ‘merging’ phase similar to Facebook with the evolution of Places.

What’s to come?
Although it’s not entirely clear where Google is headed with local listings, we noticed a few areas where we could see significant changes in the future.

1. 1. 1. All business will be required to manage content through Google+ — This seems like a logical step for Google, as they continue to look for ways to build the popularity of Google+. In our opinion, having a centralized place to manage content that appears in several different areas on the web is a great way to keep your property’s image and messaging consistent.
   2. 2. Zagat reviews will now accept management responses — In the past, Zagat did not allow managers to respond to reviews posted on the site. We see this changing as Google currently allows for management responses.
   3. 3. Zagat will no longer have a standalone website — In an effort to clear any confusion between the two sites and strengthen Google+, we imagine that at some point, Google will do away with Zagat’s standalone website. This step would again support the push for Google+ to be a central location to mange and find content.

For more information on the evolution of Google+ Local, visit Google and Your Business Blog.

Facebook Introduces 'Offers' for Brands

A few months ago, we partnered with our friends at BCV to bring hotels and restaurants up to speed on the Facebook Timeline rollout to brands. In the webinar we discussed all the key ingredients to creating a hearty Timeline for your brand.

As a true social media enthusiast, I am a huge fan of Timeline and it’s ability to aid in telling your brand’s story – how you came to be and all the interesting milestones along the way. In addition to the Timeline rollout, Facebook also recently launched “Offers,” a free service that allows your brand to post offers to Facebook users (e.g. “enjoy a complimentary dessert with the purchase of two entrees”). Fans that click to receive the offer are sent an email to present to your venue (by printing out or displaying on their mobile device) with the offer and any special restrictions clearly displayed in the email. Special restrictions may include such language as “one redemption per customer per day” to keep someone from printing out 100 copies or other abuse. You can also set limits on these offers, similar to a Groupon or LivingSocial Deal where the offer is “sold out” after a set number of people click to receive the deal, helping to limit your exposure.

Offers are a great way to experiment with your Timeline. Not only can they provide engaging content for your fans that require direct action but they also allow you to tie an ROI back to your Facebook efforts. When setting up an offer, be sure to create proper tracking codes in your PMS/POS that allow your staff to indicate when an offer has been redeemed. As with any marketing campaign, it’s always important to brief your staff on the offer details and define a process for tracking and managing redemptions. In addition, I recommend creating a simple spreadsheet that lists each redemption and the total that was spent by the customer during that visit, allowing you to report on how much additional revenue your offers brought in.

So what do you need to get started? If your business has a local address listed in its profile, admins will see the option to create an Offer in the status bar. Here are the specs for Offers:

• A 90-character (maximum) headline
• A 900-character (maximum — much less recommended!) terms and conditions
• A 90 x 90-pixel square image to accompany the post

I’m always an advocate for building customer loyalty and believe that Offers are a great way to increase your fan base and thank them for their loyalty. So before you jump on the flash-sale bandwagon, why not reward the people that care about your business most? With a simple plan in place, there’s not much to lose with testing out this free service!

Facebook Timeline: Are You Ready?

Two weeks ago, we conducted a webinar on the new Facebook Timeline to get hotels and restaurants prepared for the mandated user-interface upgrade happening March 30th. For those of you that missed it, the recorded version of this webinar can be downloaded it here.

With the March 30th deadline just a few short days away, we wanted to provide our readers with a recap of our presentation. Here’s a basic, quick list of what you can do to get your timeline ready without sacrificing all your spare time!

1. Chose a unique cover photo
Specs: 851 x 315
One of the first things you’ll notice at the top of the Timeline is a large photo called the ‘cover photo.’ With this new visual landscape, Facebook has eliminated the ability to designate landing pages for visitors to your page, making the cover photo even more important. Be sure to get creative and choose a high quality photo that visually expresses the identity of your hotel or restaurant. Is there a feature that you’re well known for, like the views from your rooms or your property’s location? These types of images help to tell the story of your brand and make for excellent cover photos. Please note that you are not allowed to use images with calls-to-action such as, ‘like this page’ with arrows pointing to the like button, and pricing or purchasing information.
Examples we like: Ritz Carlton, Mardarin Oriental

2. Use a profile photo that’s easy to identify
Specs: 180 x 180 (shrinks to 32 x 32)
Although the traditional ‘profile photo’ or default photo has been reduced in size, it is still important to choose a profile photo that is easy to identify. Your profile photo is displayed throughout Facebook as your avatar and needs to be something that users can quickly look at to visually identify who you are. We recommend using your logo as opposed to an image of the property to make your content more recognizable when appearing on a crowded newsfeed.
Example we like: Starwood Preferred Guest® (SPG) 

3. Add custom application images
Specs: 111 x 74
Facebook ‘tabs’ that were previously displayed on the left-hand side of the screen and buried below the profile photo have been reinvented, moved to the top of the Timeline below the cover photo, and renamed ‘apps.’ To coincide with the new visual representation of your hotel or restaurant, you now have the ability to add custom images and copy for each app. This is a great way to display contests or promotion. For more information about editing apps, see the Q&A section below.
Example we like: Captain Morgan

4. Add 3-5 brand milestones
Brand milestones are one of our favorite new features introduced in Timeline. From the moment you broke ground on your first location to all the major achievements you’ve celebrated since, milestones allow you to further tell the story of your hotel and restaurant. We recommend adding three to five milestones with a story and high quality image to support each to begin, but be sure to add more along the way! Remember, a seasonal menu change or promotion is not a milestone. For tips on how to add milestones and backdated content, see the Q&A section below.

5. Review and highlight fan posts
Facebook timeline makes the content on your page more dynamic than ever, allowing old content to be resurfaced depending on the user visiting your page. Be sure to take a close look at the content on your page and highlight interactions or fan reviews that you’re proud of. Although you may be tempted to ‘hide’ unfavorable reviews, remember that the beauty of social media is the transparent and authentic interaction it fosters between you and your fans. People appreciate reading negative reviews that were handled appropriately and responded to by management teams so don’t be afraid to leave those posts on your Timeline.

Q&A From the Webinar
After the webinar, we received a few interesting questions that we felt would be helpful to share as you build-out your own timeline.

Q: How do you change the ‘about’ area to display a brand/hotel description versus the default contact info?
A: If you click on the 'about' section you will be able to edit and fill in all the about/mission/description content. Once this content is populated, it will appear by default over the contact information.

Q: How do I create a new app?
A: To highlight an app on your timeline, click on the drop down located next to four displayed default apps. Next click on the '+' sign located at the top right of the blank apps. You will then be able to select from a list of tabs or default apps including events, videos, etc. to highlight. To manage the settings of each individual app, click on the 'manage' drop down in the admin pane and select 'edit page'. Here you will be taken to the backend of you page where you can delete apps and manage individual settings.

Q: How can I add a milestone for say 1960? It only gives me the option for as far back as 2009 when we created our FB.
A: You are able to add milestones up to the date when the company was founded. To do this, you need to first update your 'founded' date. Click on 'founded' on the right side of the timeline body area and you'll drop down to the 'founded' milestone. Next, click the edit pencil and select 'edit'. Here you will be able to change the date of when the company was founded. After, click 'save'. Once you've completed this, you'll be able to fill in your timeline for any date in between the founded date and the present.

Revenue Management Webinar Materials

Thanks to everyone that joined us today for the Webinar about the evolving role of the hotel revenue manager. A special thanks to our guest speaker, Cary Broussard, for her insight. If you missed the event or would like to share the webinar materials with your colleagues, please access a PDF of the slides here, and view a recording below. As always, we would love any feedback you have about the event.

Hoteliers Guide to Location-Based Services

By partnering closely with many leading-edge hospitality companies, Revinate is in the unique position to learn first-hand about the social media strategies that work, and don’t work, for the hospitality industry. The Hoteliers Guides are our way of sharing what we have learned with the larger community.

This guide is an introduction for hoteliers who are new to location-based services. The guide will help you understand the opportunity that LBS presents, how to get started using foursquare and other services, and best practices to employ to drive success.

Download the entire Hoteliers Guide to Location-Based Services.

Hoteliers Guide to Facebook

By partnering closely with many leading-edge hospitality companies, Revinate is in the unique position to learn first-hand about the social media strategies that work, and don’t work, for the hospitality industry. The Hoteliers Guides are our way of sharing what we have learned with the larger community.

This guide is an introduction for hoteliers who are new to Facebook. The guide will help you understand the opportunity that Facebook presents, how to get started using Facebook, and best practices to employ to drive success.

Download the entire Hoteliers Guide to Facebook now.

 

Social Media Action Plan for Hoteliers

At Revinate, we have the opportunity to work with hotels at all levels of the social media spectrum. Some have embraced Twitter, Facebook and Foursquare with gusto while others are just getting started by monitoring reviews on TripAdvisor. We see, first hand, what works and what doesn't work.

Because getting started in social media can be overwhelming and stressful for hotel staff, we wanted to help by creating a Social Media Action Plan for Hoteliers. The Revinate Framework includes four categories of social media action:

1) Public Guest Satisfaction and Online Reputation Management

2) Competitive Intelligence from Public Guest Satisfaction

3) Social Media Engagement

4) Portfolio Management (for brands and corporate groups)

After you understand the framework, we make it very easy to create a plan that works for your property, taking into account the resources you already have in place.

Download our Social Media Action Plan for Hoteliers (PDF) and let us know your thoughts.

Hoteliers Guide to Twitter

By partnering closely with many leading-edge hospitality companies, Revinate is in the unique position to learn first-hand about the social media strategies that work, and don’t work, for the hospitality industry. The Hoteliers Guides are our way of sharing what we have learned with the larger community. This guide is an introduction for hoteliers who are new to Twitter. We’ll explain why you should consider using Twitter, how it can become an invaluable tool, and how to get started. We’ll also provide some helpful tips and best practices along the way.

Download the entire Hoteliers Guide now.

 

Hoteliers Guide to Review Sites and Forums

The most influential source of information for people booking leisure travel is now online review sites. If you aren’t actively monitoring what customers are saying about your hotel online, you need to make it a priority. Hotel business is being won and lost every day because of user generated travel reviews and social media mentions.

In fact, a recent global study of the hotel industry found that while “location” is an important reason why guests select a particular hotel, it is the guest experience that has the most influence on hotel selection. In this connected age, it has never been easier for guests to share their hotel experiences with friends, social networks and every other traveler who researches hotels online.

Because there are many review sites, and because each site has different guidelines for hoteliers, we created this document as a primer on each key source of reviews. Additionally, because we’re often asked for guidance on responding to reviews and increasing review volume, we partnered with Daniel Edward Craig, a leading voice on the best social media practices for hoteliers, to outline proven best practices.

Download the entire Hoteliers Guide now.