HOTELS

Adam Kirby

Web 1.0 Was No Fad, And Neither Is Web 2.0
December 12, 2007

The role of social media in the hotel industry came up several times during a recent hotel brand convention in Las Vegas, with hotel owners eager to know if the whole Web 2.0 thing is for real. I was amazed at how many of my counterparts in the trade media dismissed social media as a fad. During a rant about social media, one editor even remarked, without a hint of irony, “I just don’t get it.” And therein lies the problem.

Social media is no more a fad than the Internet itself. Just as was the case with the Internet a decade ago, Web 2.0 seems to be a useless concept to the bulk of people who are not tech geeks or under the age of 35. But just as people who in 1995 didn’t think the Internet would last must feel awfully sheepish today, businesspeople who don’t put any stock into social media now will be behind the competitive curve before they even realize it.

Hoteliers, you simply must pay attention to social media, whether you get it or not. As more and more people discover TripAdvisor, IgoUgo, VibeAgent and the slew of other travel sites based around user-generated content, the influence and importance of traditional star and diamond ratings will dwindle. Travelers recognize that the vast majority of people who contribute hotel reviews to these sites do so without bias or ulterior motives, so even anonymous reviews have instant credibility.

Still not a believer? Imagine this scenario: While waiting at the bus stop, you get into a friendly conversation with a stranger, and the topic shifts to a vacation you are planning to a city you have never visited. You mention that you’re trying to decide between two hotels with the same star rating and comparable room rates; as it happens, the stranger has stayed at one of the hotels before, and he has nothing but bad things to say about it. Now, you have no idea whether this guy knows what he’s talking about—and yet, his rant about how the rooms were dirty and the staff was rude probably will be enough to sway you to choose the other hotel.

Social media is just like that conversation at the bus stop, only with exponentially more voices (not to mention a keyword search function). TripAdvisor, the largest of the social media travel sites, counts 25 million monthly visitors and 5 million registered users. This is no obscure niche, and it will only continue to grow.

OK, so now you buy into the reality that social media is here to stay and will impact your business going forward—but you have no idea to address it. Well, assuming you don’t have the budgetary flexibility to hire a dedicated social media coordinator, and that you aren’t looking to invest in any of the new Web-crawling property-management platforms that are making their way to the marketplace, there’s still plenty you can do. Here are some quick tips on getting your hotel Web 2.0-friendly on the cheap.

1. Check TripAdvisor at least once a week and other social travel sites about once a month. It doesn’t have to be time-consuming—search for your hotel on the sites on your first visit, then bookmark your hotel’s specific page. That way, one click and you can see what people are saying about you.

2. Set up a comprehensive Google Alert for your hotel or brand. There should be very little written about your hotel that you don’t see.

3. When you come across something negative about your property, you should respond—but under no circumstances should you get into a debate or argument. You just cannot win an online fight without losing your dignity. Instead, respond publicly to the complaint in a manner that is friendly but professional, and if possible, contact the author privately in an attempt to rectify whatever problem he or she may have had.

4. Absolutely never misrepresent yourself. Too many hoteliers have tried and failed to pass themselves off as happy guests, giving their properties glowing reviews under the guise of anonymity. Besides being dishonest, this is a bad idea because there is a good chance you will get caught, and the damage to your credibility and your hotel’s reputation will far outweigh any potential benefit. In fact, a fake review could even get you into legal trouble with the European Union. Resist the temptation, and make sure your staff does, too.

Related Link: Travel 2.0 (HOTELS)

Posted by Adam Kirby on December 12, 2007 | Comments (1)