Most Effective Strategies for Social Media Marketing on Twitter & Facebook

Effective Strategies for Social Media Marketing on Twitter & Facebook

Social Media Marketing is increasingly important as more and more consumers are sharing their lives with the online community. More often than ever, people are turning to their online networks to make purchasing decisions. So, how do you know which social media marketing strategies will be worth your time?

This article will focus on two of the most popular Social Networking sites: Twitter and Facebook. The stats from eMarketer below show which marketing techniques are most effective on these channels, so you know where to focus your efforts.

Think About Your Twitter and Facebook Marketing Goals

The Social Media Marketing strategies you focus on will depend on your goals. These stats show that actually trying to drive sales is typically one of the least effective marketing tactics on Twitter & Facebook. This doesn’t mean you won’t be able to drive revenue, but consider the other positive results that can come from an effective social media presence. For example, in the hospitality industry, there are many examples of hotels that create a time-sensitive offer or promotion, and then launched it to their social media profiles. The buzz around the time sensitive offer generates a lot of referral traffic to their website and room nights booked.  [back to top]

Whether you’re trying to build your social network, drive reservations, or build relationships with customers, here are some strategies we’ve seen work:

Top 5 Strategies for Hotels on Twitter & Facebook:

1. Goal: Learn more about your fans and increase online buzz.
   Strategy: Create a Survey or Poll on Facebook. See below for example questions.
2. Goal: Increase your fans or followers.
   Strategy: Email guests after check-out with an invitation to become a fan on Facebook or follow you on Twitter. Email should include an incentive (i.e. a chance to enter a Facebook-only special).
3. Goal: Manage your online reputation.
   Strategy: Monitor Twitter for mentions of your hotel and respond to negative and positive comments
4. Goal: Drive sales.
   Strategy: Create a time-sensitive promotion & share it with Twitter & Facebook fans.
5. Goal: Increase attendance at an event or at restaurant / bar.
   Strategy: Organize an in-person event and promote via Twitter invites.

Running a survey or a poll on Facebook or Twitter is a great way interact with your social network. Don’t know what kinds of questions to ask your followers and fans? Take a look at the examples below:

Example Survey Questions:

• What would you do if you had only 24 hours to visit your destination ?
• What is your pet peeve when it comes to staying in a hotel?
• What feature is most important to you when staying in a hotel when travelling for business?
• What would you include in your ultimate hotel package when visiting your destination?

In conclusion, before spending time & effort on Social Media Marketing strategies, think about your goals. Knowing your goals & the most effective strategies will help you minimize your effort & maximize your success.  [back to top]

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Contributed by: Michelle Pate, Milestone Internet Marketing