Hotel Marketers: 3 Ways to Implement User Generated Content for Ultimate Success
In today’s social media driven world, Hotel Marketers are keenly aware that utilizing the right content can make or break their marketing efforts. Simply posting company generated ads is not enough for hotels to get by. Created or curated content needs to be authentic, enticing and have the ability to enhance the guest experience. Here is where user generated content (UGC) enters. As a Digital Marketing Consultant with an interest in Hotel & Tourism Marketing, I have found two articles that speak to the importance of utlizing user generated content within the industry.
The first article, titled “Social Media & Hotels | Part 1: Creating a Social Media Highway” by Quinn Cox, focuses on one of the biggest trends in the digital sphere relating to the hotel industry. Cox emphasises that in the past hotels would steer potential customers to their social media assets in order to get likes and followers, however, this tactic didn’t present well for impacting reservations and as a result new strategies involving hosting UGC were born. The article also explains the impact and importance of user generated content (UGC) citing that current research firms estimate that 77% of hotel guests read reviews before booking while social media content from friends or family members are shown to impact 59% of global purchasing decisions.
(The Ritz-Carlton, lobby screen displaying UGC) | Source: http://bit.ly/1XYGxyl
The second article, written by Kris Littlewood and titled, “Harnessing the Power of User Generated Content (UGC) in the Hotel Sector” echoes a similar sentiment to the importance of using photos, video, and reviews generated by guests. Littlewood cites the importance of UGC in increasing website conversions by explaining how a small UK Brand Hotel was able to “establish a link between UGC and website engagement” through their own research which discovered that this type of content increased customer retention and conversion rates by 17.8%. These discoveries backed up previous commercial research findings within the industry.
Based on these two articles and my experience as a Digital Marketing Consultant, I have listed three action items I would recommend to Hotels who want to make the most of user generated content (UGC).
- Utilize User Generated Content in Offline Locations – As an example, the Ritz-Carlton has used this tactic by displaying user generated photos featuring spas and food and beverage amenities via their lobby screens. This strategy can also be implemented in other common areas as a way to enhance the guest experience and promote on site spending.
- Add User Generated Content to Online Locations – Add user generated content (UGC) to the Hotel website with links to the reservation page to help promote conversions and bookings.
- Build Brand Awareness & Customer Affinity – This can be done by creating unique hashtags for guests and customers to use in addition to reposting the user generated content (UGC) to the hotels social media assets.
Whether or not hotels utilize user generated content (UGC), it is a given in this digital world, that customers will be talking online about your products or services anyway. Instead of ignoring these conversations, hotel marketers can use them to build deeper connections with their audience.
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