2014 by NaTHaN GrEENHaLGH , aSSOciaTE EdiTOr
HOTELS prESEnTS iTS annuaL LiST Of THE bEST SOciaL mEdia iniTiaTivES amOng brandS and prOpErTiES .
Investing in social media is paying back more and more for the hotel industry , and hotel companies globally are responding with innovative ideas to boost both engagement and bookings .
This year HOTELS received more than 250 entries for seven categories for the Social Hotel Awards , and the contest is becoming truly global , with entries from every continent . The winning entries were chosen by a panel of social media experts and the staff editors of HOTELS . The categories ranged from Best Reputation Management : Social Media to Best Use of Visual / Photographic Social Networks , with winners chosen for both hotel brands and individual properties .
Congratulations to all of the winners , and thank you to everyone that submitted entries .
||||| BEST FACEBOOK PAGE
BY BrAnD
AnAntArA Hotels , resorts & spAs
Description : Bangkok-based Minor Hotel Group ’ s Anantara brand boosted its Facebook fan page following with its Friends With Benefits campaign , which ran in September 2013 . With a limited budget of approximately US $ 10,000 the brand worked with an agency to implement the booking engine and Travel Concierge applications , both launched in December 2013 . Anantara also launched an online concierge that guests and potential guests could utilize , which proved helpful given Thailand ’ s political turmoil . results : The Friends With Benefits campaign increased the brand ’ s Facebook fan base 37 % in one
JuDges ’ month . From January 2013 to December comments : 2013 a total of 34,750 fans that visited “ The booking Facebook or its apps then went directly engine ’ s to anantara . com . Of those fans visiting effectiveness the page , almost 80 % were new visitors . is impressive .” The new booking engine on the Facebook page has already amounted to US $ 20,000 in direct bookings , and the fan page is consistently one the top five referral traffic sources for Anantara ’ s brand website .
runner-up : The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co ., Chevy Chase , Maryland a nEw facEbOOk pagE bOOking EnginE yiELdEd uS $ 20,000 in dirEcT bOOkingS fOr ananTara HOTELS , rESOrTS & SpaS .
BY propertY
Hotel Bloom !, Brussels
Description : Hotel Bloom ! employs a brand manager supported by a marketing-focused trainee to manage its Facebook fan page , which has a booking tab to offer fans discounts and free upgrades . The hotel engages with venues and events that are aiming for its target audience of creative types ages 25 to 34 . The hotel utilizes private messaging to engage potential guests and cross-promotes its Twitter account and Instagram content on the Facebook page .
Since January the hotel has been working with an online marketing consultant to improve its organic reach on Facebook in light of the Edgerank algorithm . The hotel spends approximately € 300 ( US $ 397 ) a month using Facebook ’ s boosted posts . Guests browsers surfing the hotel ’ s free Wi- Fi network automatically open to the Facebook page . results : The Facebook page is one of the hotel website ’ s top five traffic-referral sources , boosting bookings . runner-up : The Willard Washington D . C ., An InterContinental
JuDges ’ comments : “ Great hotel
Historic Hotel marketing puts the spotlight on guests and the surrounding community , and Hotel Bloom ! curates local attractions well .”
20 HOTELS October2014 www . hotelsmag . com