Social Media is exactly what its name stands for: a medium to reach the public. By no means, it substitutes Marketing Communication Strategy, and Overall Company Strategy. This presentation is discussing those topics in relation to Hotels, as it was presented at the annual XENIA Fair, Athens, Greece on 27th of Oct. 2011.

1. Online Strategy
To go or not to go Social?
Dr. Georgia Zouni
Phd University of Piraeus
Athens University of Economics and Business & University of Kent,
Invited Lecturer
OpenTourism Co-Founder
Tourism Summer School Head of Academic Committee

2. The question
for today?
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3. XENIA 27/11/2011

4. To go Social or not to go?
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5. Why bother?
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7. Based on the data from participating countries,
we make the following assumption.

8. >600 million
people use
social networks
at least daily

10. >50% follow
brands on
social media.

11. Following brands | Europe in perspective
Europe has the lowest share of
brand fans, 51%. Compare
India: 70% follows a brand.
Brand followers 51% 60%
Average no. of brands 9,3
12,2
followed
57% 62%
20,2 7,9
70%
15,6
55%
19,6 55%
8,3
N Europe = 5613 / F = If member of social network(s)

12. So...To go Social or not to go?
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16. http://holidays.syl.com/en/hotel/9476/Panorama+Palace+Hotel/
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19. 2009's Top 5 Dirtiest Hotels in the U.S:
1. Hotel Carter, New York
2. Continental Bayside Hotel, Miami
Beach, Florida
3. New York Inn, New York
4. Eden Roc Motel, New Jersey
5. Days Inn Cleveland Airport, Ohio
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20. Hotel Carter:
"I think it would have been cleaner to sleep
on the street.“
"It should be shut down by the board of
health."
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21. sell sell sell
#epicfail
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23. 1. Creating a Fan page and being inactive
2. Too many wall posts in one day – Insane posting
frequency is saying “come UNLIKE me”.
3. Not having conversations with fans- Having a
conversation helps long-term relationship with fans.
4. Deleting Negative comments- DO NOT delete negative
comments. Be responsive and human. Doing so positions
your brand as one who LISTENS and also helps.
5. No Strategy behind- Facebook is only a tool! If only you
knoy why and how to use it , it can be profitable
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24. So what do you say to us finally?

25. Do not if:
When there’s nothing you can say.
When you have reason to fear what
customers/ employees may say.
When you can’t do anything with the
input.
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33. Starbucks
Starbucks has one of the best social media
strategies out there. Now that it is giving away
free WiFi, it is even more of a magnet for roving
laptop warriors. And with 10 million Facebook
fans, Starbucks is now close to surpassing the
Facebook fan base of Lady Gaga.
In terms of Twitter, Starbucks has nearly one
million followers.
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35. 2 paths in Life:
Learn it
Hire IT
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36. The only way to reach the Customer
Marketing Social
Company
Research Strategy Customer
Media
ποιοι πρέπει πώς πρέπει δράσεις
να προσεγγιστούν να προσεγγιστούν
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37. The first step is Marketing Research
No Strategy plan, no communication strategy, and
no social media strategy can be developed before
identifying who is your target market
Other internet page you will have to develop for
Russian entrepreneurs and other for German
naturalists!
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39. Marketing Research will answer the following:
Travel planning and behaviour,
Tourist Information Search
Booking patterns
Preferences and desires
Evaluations
Use of Social Media
And much more!!!
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40. European Market 2011
Facebook Twitter MySpace LinkedIn
Gender
Male 47% 55% 51% 56%
Female 53% 45% 49% 44%
Age
Age
15-24 24% 30% 33% 15%
25-34 25% 25% 26% 24%
35-54 35% 30% 31% 43%
55-99 16% 14% 11% 18%
Smartphone
Smartphone
Smartphone user 43% 58% 46% 59%
Working situation
Working situation
Employed 58% 58% 54% 72%
Student 13% 17% 18% 8%
Not working 29% 26% 28% 21%
N Europe = 5613 / F = If member of social network(s)

41. Brand usage 46%
Following brands on Recommendation by friend 29%
social media is driven Invitation by network contact 28%
by the actual user Search engine 27%
experience Advertising on social media 26%
Online advertising 22%
Buying intention 22%
Invited by brand 18%
Traditional advertisements 18%

42. People expect various actions of companies on social networks. Top
Brand expectations
Q : On social network sites, brands should…
three consists of offering product information, promotions and
announcing events.
Europe Europe regions
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
...offer product information 58%
...offer promotions 58%
...announce events 57%
...share ideas and provide updates on future products, services, etc. 53%
...give feedback 52%
...give the ability to order / purchase products / services 49%
...surprise consumers 48%
...offer the ability to take part in game / competitions 47%
...start conversations with consumers 44%
...give exclusive content 44%
...invite consumers to co-create products / services 44%
...give objective background information of the company (facts and
43%
figures)
...offer the possibility to directly interact with people behind the brand 43%
...bring entertainment 38%
...launch (advertising) campaigns 37%
Europe
...create brand groups of which consumers can become a fan on social 33% West
network pages
North
...bring stories about the company culture 31% East
South
...create virtual characters or advertising icons 20%
N Europe = 5613 / F = If member of social network(s)

43. Source: ITB, 2011
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44. Source: ITB, 2011
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45. Online Hotel Strategy

46. 3 Steps:
Listen
Get feedback, monitoring, research.
Talk
Be part of the community, spread the brand’s
messages
Support
Travel-information online, dialogue with (potential)
guests, differentiation through quality & design of
online-services
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Listen

48. Talk
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Talk

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Support

50. OLYMPIA CASE STUDY
Visitor Behaviour Analysis & Strategy

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52. Become Olympian Campaign
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53. The challenge-
the experience
Previous Olympia content came from the Ministry of Culture and
was referring only to historical data and archaeological sites.
Olympia was treated like an archeological site, whose visitors
could simply visit the ancient stadium and the museum.
Therefore, Ancient Olympia’s Hotel Union offers free
accommodation every day, for families and friends,
highlighting how Greek philoxenia remains a core
Greek tradition!!
Ancient Olympia is:
the 1st destination in Greece launching a web
campaign and,
the 1st destination in the world offering free
accommodation for everybody!
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55. Become Olympian
Stay for free in the birthplace of Olympic Games
and meet history by entering the Olympian online Contest!
Olympia offers every day a free room to the next Olympian that could be you!
Experiment with the slider and experience the feeling of walking in the ancient stadium,
visiting the museum and having fun at the nearby beaches!
Why become an Olympian:
Olympians win a free accommodation (including breakfast) for their friends or families
in one of the city hotels, sponsored by the Ancient Olympia Hotel's Union.
Who can become an Olympian:
If you have completed your 18th year and also have internet access and valid email address.
How to become an Olympian:
It’s easy! Just 4 clicks keep you away from the birthplace of Olympic Games, everyday!
•Step 1: Enter the site www.becomeolympian.com
•Step 2: Go to the contest page and answer a simple question (see right part of this page)
•Step 3: Every Friday at 13.00 CET a draw will be held online at the www.becomeolympian.com and 7 winners
will be instantly notified by an online announcement and by registered mail approximately one week after their
selection. (see Terms and Conditions)
•Step 4: Come to Olympia and celebrate your historic victory by running in the ancient Stadium -like ancient
Olympians did after their victory 3000 years ago!
Now history is online and waiting for you!
www.becomeolympian.com
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56. The Greek National Tourism
Organization promotes the global
become Olympian
campaign
http://www.justgreece.info/
http://best-of-greece.blogspot.com/

57. The first months’ results
Visitors from 67 countries
Average stay in site, 2,5 minutes
1500 unique visitors
70 winners (until today)
over 4000 fans on Facebook page
www.Becomeolympian.com in
Greek Tourism Organization main
page, www.visitgreece.gr, with our
content about Olympia
Created a new web and destination
social profile!!!
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58. The Impact
MBA AUEB - 2011

59. Ancient Olympia before becomeolympian
Past content came from the Ministry of Culture and was referring
only to historical data and archaeological sites.
Olympia was treated like an archeological site, whose visitors could
simply visit the ancient stadium and the museum.
There was no interaction and complete lack of any tourism identity
for the destination.
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60. Ancient Olympia after becomeolympian
Olympia contest page offers information about
museums and sites, nature and sports, festivals and
culture activities. Totally 30 places to visit.
Visitors of www.visitgreece.gr will discover that
Olympia offers one of the best experiences Greece
can give.
Olympia has a unique internet strategy, supported
by the local Hotel Union, creating a new targeted
brand.
Olympia is being promoted by social media with
becomeolympian in facebook, twitter and flickr
ResultOlympia now is a destination.
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61. The Results so far
"Become Olympian" World Campaign Official Page -
http://becomeolympian.com/
Become Olympian at the Official portal of Greek EOT:
http://bit.ly/iHYoBL
Facebook -
http://www.facebook.com/becomeolympian (6000 friends
with cost=0 when Athens with a campaing costing millions
has 13.400)
Article at
Kathimerinihttp://news.kathimerini.gr/4dcgi/_w_articles_ell
_1_04/08/2010_410253
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62. The REAL Impact
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=161389313880807
MBA AUEB - 2011

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64. It’s all about experience!
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65. 1 MORE S MUST BE
ADDED TO OUR 3S
MODEL
(SEA SUN SAND)
MBA AUEB - 2011

66. STRATEGY
MBA AUEB - 2011

67. Be online what you are offline!
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68. Be online what you are offline!
ΠΑΝΕΠΙ΢ΣΗΜΙΟ ΠΕΙΡΑΙΩ΢
Γεωργία Ζούνη, Τπ. Διδάκτωρ
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70. Connect with me:
gzouni@gmail.com
http://gr.linkedin.com/in/georgiazouni
http://twitter.com/georgiazn
http://marketingeorgia.blogspot.com/
http://piraeus.academia.edu/GeorgiaZouni
http://www.slideshare.net/GeorgiaZouni
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71. Opentourism
as tourism should be.
www.opentourism.gr