Critical Analysis: Social Media Effect on UK Hospitality Promotion

This report provides a critical analysis of the effect of social media on online promotion within the UK hospitality industry, using the Hilton Hotel as a case study. The executive summary highlights the importance of social media marketing and its impact on brand image, emphasizing both positive and negative aspects. The report includes a literature review defining social media marketing, its benefits like increased brand awareness and loyalty, and its impact on online promotion across various platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. The case study examines Hilton's social media presence and the challenges of negative publicity. The discussion and analysis section explores the benefits of social media for Hilton, the impact of customer reviews, and the need for proactive management of online reputation. The report concludes with recommendations for mitigating negative effects and enhancing online promotion strategies within the hospitality sector.

SOCIAL MEDIA EFFECT
(A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF HOW SOCIAL MEDIA EFFECTS ON ONLINE
PROMOTION IN THE UK HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY (A CASE STUDY ON
HILTON HOTEL)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Social media marketing is the practice of using the online means such as Facebook,
Twitter and Google plus etc. with an aim to give information about the goods and services
among the large number of buyers. In today's competitive scenario the given mean has gathered
the importance as it enable firm with regard to attract large number of buyers in an effective
manner. In this study, the case study of Hotel Hilton is analyzed. In this regard, it is identified
that firm is going through with the issue of negative publicity about the firm in social media
platform. In accordance with the given context, it has also being identified that the negative
reviews of buyers not only affect the profits of company but it will also cause the significant
impact upon the brand image of the firm. Thus, it can be said that there are both positive and
negative benefits are associated with the given platform. However, negative effect of social
media platform can be mitigate by the firm by forming the specialized team who will look after
all the negative reviews of customers and will take an appropriate action with regard to the same
in an effective way.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................5
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................5
CASE STUDY.................................................................................................................................2
DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS...................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
RECOMMENDATION...................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

ILLUSTRATION INDEX
Illustration 1: Review from Hilton customer...................................................................................4

INTRODUCTION
Social media is being regarded as one of the most popular mean of marketing as it enable
firm with regard to spread the information about its product among large number of buyers
(Social Media, 2015). In this context, it can also be said that it is the new way of performing the
advertisement. In today's scenario it has gained importance because tech savvy behavior of
buyers. However, it possesses both negative and positive implication upon the sales and profits
of the company. Thus, for the organization it is very necessary that it must think twice before
making the decision about the selection of given mean of advertisement.
This report will critically evaluate the effect of social media marketing on the online
promotion in UK hospitality industry. In this regard, case study of hotel Hilton will be analyzed.
It is the famous luxury hotel which provides high class luxury services to its buyers. The firm
works upon the main objective that is to provide high and best class services to its customers. In
addition to this, with an aim to showcase the effective of social media marketing on online
promotion the view and opinions which is being given by different type of authors will be
analyzed.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Social media marketing meaning
Social media marketing is kind of internet marketing that utilizes social networking
media websites as marketing tool. According to Bacile, (2013), The objective of social media
marketing is to produce a content that users will promote and share in their social network to
help the organization to grow the business and increase the brand exposure. One of the key
element of social media marketing is the social media optimization. According to Bernhardt,
Mays and Hall, (2012), the social media sites become similar to search engines which is a
strategy to developing new and unique visitors to the websites. Social media marketing is
basically focused on efforts to create a marketing content that attracts the attention of a customer
and encourages the reader to share the post in their groups. In today's technological developed
environment social media marketing is very popular among the businesses (Blank, 2013). The
social media networking is electronic medium of promotion in which brand gets exposure
through various sites of internet such as, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. When the promotion
message spreads in multiple users it creates positive impact on people's mind because it appears
as it came from a trusted source, brand or a company.

Benefits of using social media marketing
There are several benefits of social media marketing. One of main advantage of social
media marketing is it increase the brand awareness. According to the viewpoint of authors,
Bodnar and Cohen, (2011), social media marketing is easiest to recognize the business. It
provides the opportunity to develop a content in attractive way that can be uploaded on the social
media network on whenever, any user will go through the content, they will share in there social
group and similarly, each member of group will share the content in their social networking
group. This strategy will communicate the message of the company between huge number of
people as a result brand will get the good exposure. Further, social media improves the brand
loyalty as well. According to Brown, (2010), brand who is constantly engaged on social media
networking utilizes the maximum benefits of customer loyalty. Moreover, it provides the
opportunity to connect with new customers as well. A strategic and open social media platform
could prove influential in fluctuating consumers to be brand loyal. This brand awareness also
helps the turning opportunities into convert business deal. According to Bruhn, Schoenmueller
and Schäfer, (2012), every post regarding marketing or promotion make social media platform
an opportunity to convert customers. Thus, social media networking helps in increasing sales and
revenue of an organization by attracting more number of consumers. There are several retailers
and service providers that sell products directly through the social media websites. For instance,
the business owner on Facebook can set up a Facebook store by the apps such as Beetailer. The
significant benefit of social media marketing is it brings improvement in customer services,
because it provides the opportunity to help the customers through social media site. Moreover,
social media marketing is very cost effective method of marketing promotion (Colliander and
Dahlen, 2011). Thus, in today's technological advanced generation it is very important for the
firms to use social media as a marketing tool.

Social media effect on online promotion
Companies within different business sectors such as hospitality, tourism, travel, banking,
financial services, retail etc, are exploring the social media in order to tap the opportunities in the
market. In this way activities such as brand building, customer services, collaboration with
stakeholders, recruitment etc have been widened (Brown, 2010). Online promotion activities
within the business environment have also been improved a lot due to emergence of social
media. Earlier the products were marketed through emails, websites, search engine optimization
etc. But now many new trends have been emerged making the marketing process more effective
for the companies. Different types of social media platforms are helping the firms to promote
their respective products and services (Chott, 2011). For instance platforms such as Facebook,
Twitter, YouTube, Linkedin etc are offering the opportunities to achieve expansion and to take
the business beyond the boundaries of the nations. The impact of social media on these platforms
can be described as follows:
Facebook
This tool is at its peak in the field of online marketing. All the companies consider it as
the most profitable and effective weapon for brining productivity within the business. Firms can
find very high rate of potential customers at Facebook (Evans, 2012). It creates promotion, page
creation, buzz creation, content creation and many other things for the products.
Twitter
It is a free micro-blogging service which facilitates the users to broadcast short posts
called tweets. At this platform, the promotional messages are twitted with an intention to market
the products and services (Evans, McKee and Bratton, 2005). At present millions of people are
holding twitter accounts and these also includes many business companies. Hence this platform
has also become the most widely used tool for the promotion of the products.
Google +
It has become a very widely recognized platform in a quick span of time. It is also doing
very good in the field of online marking. The promotion is performed through making a
particular post which contains information about the product which is to be marketed. These are
suggested by the Google + to the users under their categorized head (Gingerich, 2013). At the
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end the users reflects their interest in the products. Further the profiles of the brand are added in
the circle in order to receive daily updates.
YouTube
Youtube is the most viewed video channel by the people across the globe. These days’
companies are using this tool to display their advertisements or commercials for the public. Any
new product advertisement is firstly launched on the YouTube for viewing of the general public
(Gretzel, Christuo and Sigala, 2012). It has the potential to generate very high amount of
awareness in very quick span of time.
LinkedIn
It is another social networking site designed specifically for the business community. The
purpose of the site is to facilitate the registered members to establish a network of people they
know and trust professionally. It allows the business to grow as company can make various
valuable contacts. It can help them in giving business for a long period of time (Bailey, 2011).
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CASE STUDY
Hotel Hilton uses different online promotion means with an aim to spread the information
about its products and services among its respective customers. In this regard, it has been
identified that hotel Hilton has its presence in one of the most popular social media website such
as Facebook (Social Media Presence of Hilton Hotel Colombo, 2015). However, firm is making
the significant efforts with regard to open its account in other famous social media platform such
as twitter, you tube and Google plus etc.
Although the firm has its presence in social media platform, but it is facing several issues
which are associated with the given website. Among all negative publicity from the sides of hotel
customers is being regarded as one of the most prominent issues which is impeding the brand
image of firm (Charlesworth 2011). This issue is relevant as it is causing significant impact upon
the activities of the company as well as the behavior of the buyers. The given is also causing
significant impact upon the sales and profitability related condition of company if it is seen from
the economic aspect. Hilton is not the only which is facing the issues associated with social
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Illustration 1: Review from Hilton customer
(Source: Review from the Hilton customer, 2015)

media marketing. Thus, there are other hospitality firms also which is going through with the
same type of problem.
However, with the use of this platform hotel Hilton is able to direct its efforts in terms of
spreading the information about its services among the global buyers .
DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
The social media is being regarded as one of the most popular media of marketing. This
is because, it helps firm like Hotel Hilton with regard to give information abut its services among
large number of buyers. However, this media is causing both negative and positive effect upon
the operation of cited company. In this regard, it can be said that Hotel Hilton has its presence in
Facebook which is the most famous social networking site (Lara and Lucas 2010). Here, by
placing information about the hotel services in this platform one of the most significant benefit
which firm will get is to establish contract with the global buyer. In this context, it has been
analyzed that before evaluation of social media platform, firm will have to take help from
different other means in order to spread the information about the services among global buyers.
The means consists of newspaper, television and magazines etc (Fillis, 2010). Hotel Hilton has
to spend sufficient amount of money if it is using the given means of promotions. However,
popularity of this mean has reduced when the concept such as social media marketing has come
into existence.
In addition to this, it has also being analyzed that social media platform also helps in
conversing the decision of the customers. For example, one of the Hotel Hilton customer have
post about positive experience which it has got while using the hotel services. This comment will
be seen and liked by many customers (Vinh and Craig, 2007). Thus, through this way hotel
Hilton can reach or spread information about its services upon different type of customers such
as new and old. In addition to this, a single positive comment about the Hotel Hilton services
will lead to convert the opinion of that customers who had the negative experience. The given
thing will force the respective buyer with regard to again use the products and services of the
firm. Due to this, firm will get the benefit in the form of increased profits and sales (Bernhardt,
Mays and Hall, 2012).
However, it has also being analyzed that one of the most crucial disadvantage which is
associated with the social media platform is immediate spread of negative information about the
company. In this context, it can be said that Hotel Hilton do not have any control over the views
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and opinions of the public. Thus, the bad news of the company can go viral very easily than the
good one. The given thing will lead to hamper the brand image of the company. In addition to
this, it will also influence the buyer with regard to again use the goods and services of the firm in
an effective way (Bruhn, Schoenmueller and Schäfer, 2012). Thus, due to this the sales and
profits of Hotel Hilton will also be impacted in a negative way.
Besides this, it has also been identified that using the given mean of promotion can be
proved as the beneficial aspect for the rivalries of Hotel Hilton. This is because, it has been
assessed that many firms uses this platform with an aim to perform the negative publicity of their
competitors (Bodnar and Cohen, 2011). In this regard, such firm employs many individual who
post varied negative comment about the hotel services in which they will cover different area
such as housekeeping facility, food, behavior of employees and amenities provided by hotel etc.
The main aim behind this action is to develop the negative image about the Hotel Hilton in the
mind of its buyers.
In this respect, it can also be said that this proved as very successful approach because it
causes direct impact upon the perception of buyers. As a result of it the customers who seems to
be loyal towards the firm will be affected. In addition to this, the given thing will also affect the
repeat purchasing behavior of buyers. In addition to this, the services of Hotel Hilton is not only
judged through comments but it is also analyzed on the basis of “like” and “Unlike” option
which will be find out in the Facebook and other social media platform page (Brown, 2010). In
this regard, it can be stated that the firm which receives the highest likes will seem to be consider
as best company than those who will not receive much like. There are various scams are also
associated with the given feature of social media platform. In this regard, it has been identified
that there are some soft wares revels in market which are used with an aim to increase the like
percentage of the company.
In addition to this, another most significant disadvantage associated with this platform is
related to not having the control over the comment which is being given by the buyers about the
Hotel Hilton services. In these platform, customers have full authority with regard to post both
negative and positive information about the company (Lara and Lucas 2010). This leads to
hamper the brand image of Hotel Hilton in the eyes of its respective buyers. Furthermore, it has
also being analyzed that effectiveness of the given mean of marketing will be occur when all the
buyers of hotel Hilton has the internet connection or have the presence in such platform. In this
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context, it is analyzed that being the luxury five star hotel Hotel Hilton targets premium class
customers. These customers involve all high end buyers who do not have time with regard to
visit or access to the given type of sites (Gretzel, Christuo and Sigala, 2012). Thus, having the
difficulty to target the target market customers of the company is being regarded as another most
critical disadvantage which is being faced by Hotel Hilton while using the given platform.
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded from the whole report that social media platform has its importance
in the today's competitive scenario. This is because, it provides opportunity to the firm such as
Hotel Hilton with regard to cover the large number of audience in an effective way. Due to this,
effect will be gain by hospitality firm like hotel Hilton in the form of increased profits and sales
in an effectual way. However, there are some disadvantage associated with the given mean
which has its effect on the brand image of corporation. Thus, the given thing puts the question
mark upon the firm that whether it must use the given mean of marketing or not. Overall it can
be said that social media platform causes significant impact upon the online promotion practices
of corporation. The social media networking is electronic medium of promotion in which brand
gets exposure through various sites of internet such as, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc.
RECOMMENDATION
Several recommendations are suggested to the manager of Hotel Hilton which is if
applied then firm can improve its effectiveness with regard to use the social media platform for
online promotion. The detailed explanation about the same is depicted in below:
 It is recommended to the firm that it must appoint specialized team for this platform who
have responsibility with regard to give answer to each wrong negative review which is
being given by the customers of company. Such team must regularly look the activity
which is occurring in the social media platform. In addition to this, this must make
contract with the respective individual who have given the negative review about the
company. On the basis of this firm must perform significant changes in its company.
 It is also suggested to the firm that it must use mobile marketing with an aim to lure the
large number of buyers towards the firm. Through this way also firm can spread
information about its product among global customers.
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