Getting the Most From Facebook

A Facebook Strategy for Hotels

I recently came across a great article with some excellent tips on how to use your Facebook page. Of course, the first thing to do is get the buuteeq Facebook app, but once you’ve done that there’s a couple more things you can do to drive up ‘Likes’ and increase reservations.

Step 1 – Personalize Your Property

The Boreas Inn uses the buuteq app to convert 'Likes' to reservations.

The great thing about Facebook is that it allows you to show that you’re not a faceless property. You are a real person with a warm and engaging personality, and you want to show that on your page. People like developing relationships with individuals they like and trust. This is particularly true in the hospitality industry, where much of what you offer to your guests is intimately wrapped up with who you are. Your inn, your B&B or your hotel is a labor of love, and you want people to know that.  If you can show potential guests that you are someone they are going to like, they’re much more likely to stay with you.

That’s why it’s important to let your personality come through in your Facebook page. Don’t use your Facebook like you would a brochure; treat it like a happy hour where you can mingle and talk about your property to a wide variety of people. Make your posts entertaining and give regular updates about what is happening at your property or in your life.  Say “We just finished planting the roses in the back yard. Here are some pictures,” or, “I can’t believe the

The Canyon Villa does a great job of making their posts interesting and engaging.

Mariners just won the pennant!” (though, and I hate to say it, you may not have the chance to use that last one for a couple of years).  Don’t repeat the same message more than once a week, and add variety to your posts. You can also tag other business in your area. This goodwill tends to be returned, bringing more visitors to your page.

Step 2: Interact with Guests

Make sure you’re also keeping your wall clean by removing spam and that you are responding to comments people leave on your wall. When someone says, “We had a great time over the weekend,” make sure you comment back with, “We loved having you. Come back any time.” Facebook posts are like conversations, and people like it when they know you are paying attention.

Step 3: Stay Active

Finally, post regularly but not constantly–you don’t want people to get annoyed and hide your posts.  This will keep them thinking about you and make it much more likely that you will be the first place they look to the next time they want to make a reservation.

Here's an example of how we interact with people by responding to comments.

Facebook is a tremendous tool that you have right in front of you. Because it’s a new way of marketing, it’s sometime hard to know what to do with it. But with just a little bit of time, no more than 5 or 10 minutes a couple days a week, you can turn your page from a good marketing tool to a great marketing tool.