Investigating the Impact of Social Media on Business in Hospitality

This report investigates the impact of social media on businesses, particularly within the hospitality sector, using Hilton Hotel as a case study. The introduction highlights social media's influence on brand cognition, customer engagement, and revenue, emphasizing its role as a promotional tool. The research aims to understand how social media spreads customer awareness. The literature review explores the role of social media in business organizations, its importance in improving brand image, and the different social media tools used by Hilton Hotel to increase its customer base. The methodology section discusses the research methods, including data collection techniques. The discussion section emphasizes the benefits of social media for businesses, such as increased brand image and customer engagement. The report concludes by summarizing the findings and acknowledging any limitations encountered during the research process. The report draws on secondary sources to provide a comprehensive overview of the topic.

Inquiry Based Learning

Contents
INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................................4
Research aim.....................................................................................................................................4
Research objectives...........................................................................................................................4
Research questions............................................................................................................................4
Significance of the research...............................................................................................................5
LITERATURE REVIEW...................................................................................................................5
Role of social media in business organization...................................................................................5
Importance of social media in improving brand image at market place.............................................6
Different social media tools used by Hilton hotel to increase its customers base..............................6
METHODOLOGY..............................................................................................................................6
DISCUSSION......................................................................................................................................8
LIMITATION......................................................................................................................................8
CONCLUSION....................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES....................................................................................................................................9

Title: Impact of social media on business in hospitality.
INTRODUCTION
In globalised world, social media is considered as a multiple positive impact over the
business in context of brand cognition, engagement of customers, revenue and customers
services as well. Mainly, it is related with the promotional tool by which firm can improve
their brand presence at global level. Along with this, it assists business organization in
communicating with huge people at a time (Song and Yoo, 2016). It may support in growing
positive awareness of brand and in-front of customers also. Furthermore, it is also considered
as a great tool that help company in evaluating the competitors and how they using social
media to increasing their growth. Through this, company can expand their presentation and
also capture customers attention towards the its services. Present study is focus on Hilton
hotel, is a famous global brand of full services hotel and resorts that provide hospitality
services to its customers with the aim of generating larger profitability. Basically, it is
American multinational company that operate their operation in the world with the aim of
established its competitive brand image. This study is going to discussed about social media
and its impact over the organization to increase its profitability level.
Research aim
“To investigate the impact of social media in spreading customers awareness towards
the company”. A study on Hilton hotel.
Research objectives
 To determine the role of social media in business organization.
 To ascertain the importance of social media in improving brand image at market
place.
 To define the different social media tools used by Hilton hotel to increase its customer
base.
Research questions
 What is the role of social media in business organization?
 What is the major importance of social media in improving brand image at market
place?
 What are the different social media tools used by Hilton hotel to increase its
customers base.?

Significance of the research
Social media is one of the important activities that can be used by almost firms to run
their functional activities. It is related with the promotional tool that increase awareness of
customers towards the specified company and its offerings as well. This is the reason that it
become more effective and beneficial that directly contributes in increasing positive brand
image (Kim, Li and Brymer, 2016). Furthermore, it also beneficial for company in sharing as
well as communicating with their customers in order to make them aware about what exactly
company offer in market place. It may contribute in creating strong brand image that helps in
capturing market share from its competitors at market place.
LITERATURE REVIEW
This part plays a crucial role in overall investigation as it provides theoretical framework to
investigator that help them in taking right and accurate data about specified investigation
theme. Basically, it is source of secondary part because it includes view point of different
authors towards particular research topic in order to draw a valid conclusion at the end of the
research. In addition of this, it is based on the research aims and objectives established by
investigator to effectively analyse the actual factors towards the overall study.
Role of social media in business organization
According to Kim, Lim and Brymer, (2015), social media is referring to the vital tool for
business organization as it is a marketing strategy that may assist in enhancing performance
of organization in competitive area. In this regard, it is also an effective platform that support
company in connecting with customers and at the same time also spread awareness towards
the specific brand and its offerings. Now a days, almost people are using social media for
their personal and day to day activities as it keeps them connected with the world and society
as well. In organizational context, it is considered as a marketing tool that help them in
inviting more and more consumers by making them enough aware. The main advantages of
using social media is to build awareness because it boosts visibility among potential
customers. In addition of this, it is effective in communicating with customers as they easily
take their own decision towards the business and its services as well. By this, customers get
relevant and vast information from company that support them in connecting with the same.
Apart from this, use of social media is also effective as it assists in encouraging engagement
of customers as company constantly releasing new features in market that may encourage
customers to consumer the same to satisfy their needs and wants.

Importance of social media in improving brand image at market place
According to Yazdanifard and Yee, L. T., (2014), In today’s digitalized world social
media is active platform wherein numerous people are connected with each other’s. It
provides various benefits to business by engaging customers with its services and offerings as
well. Mainly, social media is considering as a marketing tool that contributes in increasing
brand visibility in-front of customers by communicating the message to customers in across
the geographical boundaries. Through this tool, firm easily reach the large number of
audiences in over the world. Apart from this, it also used for developing positive brand image
by making its strong customers base. If company wants to promoting their products then they
use social media a promotional tool that focus on communicating and promoting the brand
image in market place. This will assist in attracting number of consumers over its offerings.
Therefore, it is crucial for business to effectively use social media within their business
activities so that they can develop their competitive presence over its competitors and also
generate larger profitability level.
Different social media tools used by Hilton hotel to increase its customers base
According to Duan and et. Al., (2016), In this changing scenario, digital technology is
playing a crucial role. Social media gift of technology has become one of the best available
platforms which can be used by both customers and company in order to obtain information.
Therefore, in context with Hilton Hotel with the change in course of time there are many
platforms which they can adopts such as Facebook, Google Plus, LinkedIn, Instagram etc., so
as to connect with large number of customers across the world. Using these as platforms
company can provide information, promote their services, brand name so that it can influence
the targeted customers. This will enable Hilton Hotel in showcasing services and facilities
they are providing. In hotel industries content and their visual presentation plays a crucial
role. Therefore, sharing information across social networks should be impressive and eye
catchy. As a result, it will help company in increasing its customer base. Moreover, with the
help of websites, designer blogs etc., company can ask for the opinions in regards with the
services organisation is providing whether they are happy or not. In terms of establishing
better customer base this will be a great initiative as it will enable Hilton Hotel in analysing
needs and wants of customers.

METHODOLOGY
This section plays a crucial role in entire research as it mentions to the process that
used by researcher for collecting relevant data and information towards the specified
investigation theme and are as well. It includes various methods and techniques that used by
research within the research activities:
Research methods: For carried out whole study activities, different type of methods is there
that used by researcher to make entire study more effective and efficient. In this context,
survey, questionnaire, interview and many are the major methods. By this researcher can
easily collect authentic data and content towards research theme. Through which researcher
can easily take a reliable judgement.
Type of research: Two type of research are there such as qualitative and quantitative research.
Both shows a crucial part in research because by which researcher can implement an effective
judgement within the research activities. As, qualitative research is based on observation that
assist in collecting non-numerical data that is measurable in nature. On the other side,
qualitative research is based on the theoretical prospective that includes natural things,
phenomena in context of the meaning people that bring to them. Mainly, it is related to
human experience.
Data collection: It is important for investigator to choose suitable technique for collecting
information about the study topic. it is divided on the basis of two types i.e. primary and
secondary method of data collection. These are effective for undertaking research activities in
an appropriate way. In this regards, primary method is referring to the sources wherein
research gather first hand data by preparing questionnaire that includes certain close-ended
questions asked from the selected participants. Through this investigator understand view
point of participants towards the selected investigation area. Mainly, primary method of data
collection considers certain sources such as survey, observations, questionnaire, interview
and many more. These are effective in collecting reliable data and information about the
research. In this one of the main advantages of using primary method is that it may aid in
providing original and authentic information that does not carry bias or opinions of any kind
of third parties. As it is also more expensive as compare to secondary research. Apart from
this, secondary method of data collection is also considered as an effective source in which
investigator collected information form sources which are already published in different
aspects. As it includes various sources such as books, journals, articles, magazines and many

more. By this research maker can gather theoretical framework that support in drawing a
valid conclusion at the end of the research. In this, secondary method is beneficial because it
is cost effective and provide detailed information about the specified research area.
Furthermore, in this collected data is not much reliable as it creates issues at the time of
taking any kind of decisions. For undertaking research, investigator use secondary method of
data collection that is based on published material and also provide detailed information.
DISCUSSION
In globalised world, social media is common and famous platform that used by almost
people for connecting with each other. As it is also beneficial in organizational context
because it used as a promotional tool that assist them in promoting their products and services
in market place for enhancing its profitability level at market place. In this regard,
organization get various benefits such as it may increase the brand image that invite more and
more consumers towards its offerings. Along with this, it also used by company as a
promotional tool that may assist in promoting its positive image and also established its
competitive image at competitive area. Furthermore, there are various tools or platform such
as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and many more. All these are positively impact over the
company and its overall performance level.
LIMITATION
Present study is focus on the impact of social media on business. While undertaking overall
study, there are various type of limitation faced by investigation that put negative impact over
the research and its end outcomes as well. Mainly, time related issue is one of the major
limitations that researcher face while collecting data and information about the particular
topic and area as well. Along with this, researcher couldn’t get enough participants that fail
in gathering accurate information about entire investigation. Thus, it is crucial for researcher
is responsible for analysis all the limitation that support them in improving the possibilities of
attaining positive results.
CONCLUSION
As per discussed study it is summarised that, social media is a wider platform wherein
large number of people can easily share and communicate with each other and also build
healthy relation. By using social media, firm can capture larger market share from its
competitors by keeping its strong customers base.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Duan, W. and et. Al., 2016. Exploring the impact of social media on hotel service
performance: A sentimental analysis approach. Cornell Hospitality Quarterly. 57(3). pp.282-
296.
Yazdanifard, R. and Yee, L. T., 2014. Impact of social networking sites on hospitality and
tourism industries. Global Journal of Human-Social Science: Economics. 14(8). pp.1-5.
Kim, W. G., Lim, H. and Brymer, R.A., 2015. The effectiveness of managing social media
on hotel performance. International Journal of Hospitality Management. 44. pp.165-171.
Kim, W. G., Li, J. J. and Brymer, R. A., 2016. The impact of social media reviews on
restaurant performance: The moderating role of excellence certificate. International Journal
of Hospitality Management. 55. pp.41-51.
Song, S. and Yoo, M., 2016. The role of social media during the pre-purchasing
stage. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology.
Inversini, A. and Masiero, L., 2014. Selling rooms online: the use of social media and online
travel agents. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.
Jones, N., Borgman, R. and Ulusoy, E., 2015. Impact of social media on small
businesses. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development.
Thach, L., Lease, T. and Barton, M., 2016. Exploring the impact of social media practices on
wine sales in US wineries. Journal of Direct, Data and Digital Marketing Practice. 17(4).
pp.272-283.