Analyzing Social Media Strategies in the Modern Hospitality Business

This report delves into the significant impact of social media on the hospitality industry. It explores the increasing use of social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube for marketing, customer engagement, and brand building. The analysis covers opportunity and threat assessments, highlighting how social media expands brand awareness and facilitates customer feedback while also presenting challenges from competitors. The report examines the use of different social media platforms in various departments and functions, emphasizing their importance for both current and potential customers. Strategic management of social media within hospitality businesses, including budget allocation and performance evaluation, is also discussed. The report concludes with recommendations for effective social media strategies and emphasizes the importance of strategic planning for success in the market. This report provides a comprehensive overview of how the hospitality industry can leverage social media for growth and customer satisfaction. Visit Desklib for more assignments.

Running Head: Tourism & Hospitality System
Tourism & Hospitality System

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Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Opportunity and threat analysis.......................................................................................................3
Use of different social media platforms in different departments/functions...................................3
Importance of social media platforms for current and potential customers....................................4
Use of different social media platforms to engage with current and potential customers...............4
Strategic management of social media in hospitality businesses....................................................5
Recommendations............................................................................................................................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................7
References........................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction
Social Media is a computed-mediated technology which enables the sharing of ideas,
information, career interests, etc. the demand of the social media is increasing day by day in
hospitality Industry across the world (Fuchs, 2017). There are many businesses that have started
using social media for enhancing the customer usage rates. The social media channels are
utilized for marketing and making bookings by the customers. There is an increase in the time
spent by digital customers on social platforms that are the reasons behind the implementation of
the social media technology by companies. The report includes the impact of social media on the
hospitality industry.

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Opportunity and threat analysis
With the development of stages such as Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Twitter companies
found open doors for outstanding access to the visitor. Since web-based social networking is so
accessible to anybody with a web association. It helps Hospitality industry to expand their image
mindfulness and inspire coordinated criticism from their customers. Social media also provide
brands an advantage to compete with the competitors (Lim, 2010).
Hotels and tourism companies are facing issues related to the customer engagement this is one of
the major challenges which have become a threat to the hospitality industry. With the
enhancement in the use of the social media, rivals of the organization became a leading threat for
the organization (Quach, 2017).
Use of different social media platforms in different
departments/functions
Social media consist of different platforms such as Facebook; this social networking site helps in
connecting friends and relatives. This facilitates them to share photographs and links with each
other. With the help of this, there can be easy sharing of photos of hotels along with the reviews
(Davenport, Bergman, Bergman, & Fearrington, 2014). LinkedIn; this social platforms connect
one person to the trusted contacts and make them share the knowledge and experience. A
customer gets to know more about the hotels and places where they can go for a tour. You tube;
this is the platform where an individual can upload, share, view video. Through this platform, the
customers can share their experience which enhances the attraction towards the particular brand.

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This helps in increasing the brand value, enhances the opportunity, generates demand for the
services, etc.
Importance of social media platforms for current and potential
customers
Social media platforms play an important role for potential and current customers. Internet
access is increasing in the world; this allows people to get connected with each other. It is very
convenient for the customers of the hospitality industry to get the details from social platforms.
Though there are some of the companies that provide free access to the social media, the
customers don't have to pay any amount or don’t have to subscribe. Potential customers can fetch
details from wherever they want even they can access different platforms.
This platform can provide the facility to current and potential customers to get connected with
the updates related to the business brands which help the customers in making a right choice
(Agarwal, 2015). The social media platforms provide the customers a way to check out the
reviews of the hotels and tour companies so that they can easily make their choices according to
their demands. One negative review for the company can create a bad image of the company. To
maintain brand image, companies provide delight services to the customers so that customer can
share their memorable experiences with their friends and relatives.
Use of different social media platforms to engage with current and
potential customers
Different social media platforms help in engaging current and potential customers. Businesses
try to find out the opportunity with the help of which they can increase the engagement of the

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customers. Customers don’t want to know about the internal operations of the company, but they
do want to know about the services hospitality industry is providing (The Guardian, 2017).
You tube- this platform tries to engage most the customer. On you tube, videos shared by the
people can be checked by the potential customer. Before the particular video, an advertisement
comes which includes the advertisement of the hospitality industry which can occupy the
customer’s attention.
Facebook- This is most common social media platform which engages a large number of
potential customers. Whenever customers use Facebook he/she finds check in of different friends
and relatives. Apart from this, on Facebook, we can see the suggested app which seems to be
attractive.
Strategic management of social media in hospitality businesses
In the hospitality industry, proper strategic management of social media should take place.
Strategic management includes formulation and implementation of goals and objectives formed
by the top management of the company (Hill, Jones, & Schilling, 2014).

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(Source: Social Media Optimization, 2017)
The above image clearly gives an idea of social media platform and what all functions they
perform. The strategies formed by the company are based on the social media platforms.
Businesses make the budget estimation of the amount company need to be spent on the social
media. The top management decides on which platform they would like to give advertisement
based on the measuring social media buzz (Beohar, 2017). Top management also evaluates the
website lead and revenue generated before forming any strategic goals and objectives of the
company. Though, ROI is difficult to be evaluated from the social media platform. For this
businesses check the number of lead they got from the social media platforms. Top management
also makes a decision related to the time, which includes the time period for which company
wants to keep the advertisement on the portal.

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Recommendations
In the hospitality industry, businesses should make proper strategic plans and policies which help
the company in getting success in the market. Companies can make a separate page on Facebook
which enhances the awareness among the potential customers. This can be a competitive
advantage for the businesses. Rest the hospitality industry is going correctly in taking the
advantage of the social media platforms.
Conclusion
The report includes the details description about the impact of the social media on the hospitality
industry. The usage of the social media platforms by the hospitality industry is increasing day by
day. Not only social media plays an important role for the business but it also helps the
customers; in enhancing the knowledge about the hospitality businesses. It also consists of the
recommendation considering the hospitality industry.

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References
Agarwal, H., (2015). Why You Should Use Social Media for Your Business. Viewed on 20th
August 2017. https://www.shoutmeloud.com/benefits-of-using-social-media-for-
business.html
Beohar, A., (2017). Social Media Strategies for your Hotel. Viewed on 20th August 2017.
https://www.hospitalitynet.org/opinion/4076859.html
Davenport, S. W., Bergman, S. M., Bergman, J. Z., & Fearrington, M. E. (2014). Twitter versus
Facebook: Exploring the role of narcissism in the motives and usage of different social
media platforms. Computers in Human Behavior, 32, 212-220.
Fuchs, C. (2017). Social media: A critical introduction. Sage.
Hill, C. W., Jones, G. R., & Schilling, M. A. (2014). Strategic management: theory: an
integrated approach. Cengage Learning.
Lim, W., (2010). "The Effects of social media networks in the hospitality industry". UNLV
Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones. 693. Viewed on 20th August
2017. http://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/thesesdissertations/693
Quach, J., (2017). Social Media Marketing in the Hotel Industry: Trends and Opportunities in
2017. Viewed on 20th August 2017. https://www.hospitalitynet.org/opinion/4083877.html
The Guardian. (2017). How to use social media to understand and engage your customers.
Viewed on 20th August 2017. https://www.theguardian.com/media-network/media-
network-blog/2013/mar/13/social-media-customer-engagement

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