Social media is highly crucial in that it introduces interaction among users and therefore takes marketing to an entirely new dimension. This is because a new P has been added to the “four P’s” (Product, Price, Placement, Promotion) that are accepted as the core elements of marketing: People.
The first “four P’s” still bear importance for marketing, but the new element, “people”, has a persistent dynamism on the Internet, which affects hotel management as well as many other industries. Particularly for last decade, power of the customers – now equipped with social media – has reached considerably higher levels.
How does social media which is critical in theory affect our daily life? Here are the results of an interesting research on how social networks impact guest preferences as they are deciding on where to stay…
Guests are looking for opportunities on social media
When it comes to traveling, consumers primarily follow hotels and airlines on social networks. The main motivations that make customers like or follow a travel brand are discounts and special opportunities.
Prices and user reviews
Of course, price and location are the key factors influencing booking decisions. Even slight differences between prices shown on popular tourism websites such as TripAdvisor might be a reason for a customer to prefer another hotel. Additionally, comments and reviews of other users also have a big impact on their booking decisions.
Guests prefer social media and online travel agencies to read reviews on a property. The reviews shown on the website of a property do not have the same impact.
Guests look to websites and OTAs to learn details of the property
To learn more about the properties, guests prefer checking the information available on their website or online travel agencies. Therefore, you need to have a website for your property and it should contain up to date information.
Receiving online reviews is not easy
The importance of reviews for a property is beyond argument, but unfortunately, most of the guests who visit and are satisfied with a property do not bother to write their reviews on the Internet. It might be a great idea to encourage them to do that. You can check our article on online hotel reviews to gain further information about this issue.
HotelRunner offers all the features you need to introduce your property to the online world and benefit from the ever-growing impact of social media to boost your sales. If you would like to, create your HotelRunner account immediately and start to earn now.
