4 reasons to put your hospitality business on social media
It may have just seemed like a craze on the horizon, but social media is now well and truly here.
Sensis’ 2015 Social Media Report stated that 45%, or nine in every 20 small hospitality businesses were active on social media last year in Australia. While the majority haven’t fully embraced social media, there is enough indication that social media as a norm is now upon us.
It’s never too late to get started.
Social Media has worked absolute wonders in the hospitality business, and from the big businesses like Nando’s to the little laneway bar, social media’s track record in the industry speaks for itself.
Pryzm have compiled four big reasons to get your hospitality business on social media; here they are:
1. Attract new faces; put yourself in front of new customers.
Using advertising, several social media channels can target the exact sort of consumer you want based on their internet browsing history. You can target people based on their location, age, gender, occupation, even their relationship status and what type of phone device they use. This ensures you’re being seen by the customers you want in the business. On top of it, if you get featured by an ‘Instagram Personality’ (like a @perthisok or @perthbreakfast for example), this can drive swarms of customers directly to your business almost overnight.
2. Maintain your existing clientele; make your customers feel special.
When people go out to places they enjoy, they share it on social media. This is usually in the form of a Facebook check-in or an Instagram post, and usually the tone is positive. To put it in traditional terms, this is the new word-of-mouth advertising and it’s completely trackable and communicable. Having a social media page is the perfect chance to thank them for their business and positive words, encourage them to come back more often and even reward them with discounts, special offers and more to incentivise healthy, free word-of-mouth advertising.
3. Direct the conversation; influence the way people think.
The biggest fear of businesses making the jump to social media is that they’re opening a new channel for criticism to be seen by the public. It’s true; no hospitality business is immune from negative reviews because let’s face it, customers love to nit-pick and complain. However this is an opportunity for your business; it gives you the chance to respond on mass and influence the thought of your customer base. A well-timed and well thought out message can dispel any bad word-of-mouth for good.
4. Feed on feedback; find out ways to improve your business.
Social media offers the chance for business to track their own performance. With Facebook and Twitter’s insights, you can see the exact composition of your pages’ audience on the basis of age and gender particularly. It also aggregates their online behaviour, when they’re online and the best times to push marketing messages. Finally, you can read your comments, direct message and reviews functions to gain thoughtful feedback on what’s working at your business and what can be improved.
Social Media Marketing (SMM) takes a lot of time, effort and tender loving care, but in the hospitality industry, it’s an option well worth exploring. If your business doesn’t have the time to do it itself, Pryzm offers flexible plans on social media management for hospitality businesses. Visit our website at www.pryzm.com.au for more.