Social media allows for sharing of knowledge and interaction online to help businesses with marketing and brand presence. It includes platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn where people can have public conversations. Social media is unique because it allows for fast, low-cost, and simple communication that reaches a wide audience. Hotels like Starwood actively engage on social media through accounts on Twitter to communicate with customers and respond to feedback, which helps shape public perception of brands. Planning is important for effective social media marketing in the hospitality industry.

1. Social Media Marketing Four Points by Sheraton Navi Mumbai

2. What is Social Media It is an Digital Application or a Media Platform which allows Interaction, sharing knowledge and get the right market presence for the product. “A Radical Change has occurred in the World of Advertising and Marketing” Social Media is an Umbrella team that defines the various activites that Integrates technology, Social Interaction and the Construction of Words, Pictures, Videos and Audio Simply Put: “Social Media is People Having Conversation Online”

3. Different Portals /Forms of Social Media Facebook TripAdvisor Flickr YouTube Twitter LinkedIn Blog Snapdeals

4. Blogs-Type of Website which is maintained by Individual with regular entries of Commentary and inteded for Public View Microblogs-Multmedia blogging , send brief text or photos, viewd by everyone. Eg.Twitter Social Networks- Community of People who share Interests /acitivities.Eg.Facebook Review Sites-website on which reviews ,questions and user generation content can be posted on Products and Service.Eg.Tripadvisor PhotoSharing- Communities which allow photos to be shared and tagging with keywords

5. Why Social Media is So Unique? Speed of Communication- Speed of Response is important .Site like Twitter, Live monitoring is essential Growth/Popularity-Anyone can join in and participate. There has been tremendous growth globally across all segments and markets. Public Visibility -Unlike a letter written to the General Manager, each exchange is public from start to finish. Disinterested third parties will watch the exchange and pass judgment based on what they see and read Low Cost- On most platforms, there is no cost to participate other than time Simplicity of Application – There is no need to hire an expensive programmer to be active in this space

7. 45% have started their own blog,eg.AmitabhBacchan, Aamir Khan

8. 39% on RSS Feed

9. 57% Have joined Social Network

10. 55% Have uploaded Photos

11. 83% have watched videos in youtubeOnly 18% of TV Ad Campaigns generate positive ROI 90% of people who can skip TV ads, do

12. The average person is exposed to 3000 advertising messages/today Only 14% of People Trust Advertisements 78% of people trust the Recommendations of Other Consumers 14% v/s 78% hmmm……

13. Starwood Presence On Social Media Starwood maintain Two active Twitter Accounts @Starwoodbuzz & @SpgInsider StarwoodBuzz-Updates on new brand program, Property submitted updates,Responses,retweets, direct messages to corporate Followers:24000 SPGInsider-SPG press releases and relevant news Followers: 10000

14. Planning for Social Media Guide

15. Effects of Social Media Social Media is changing the hospitality landscape, and of public brand perception in particular. Public perception can be altered through interacting with the public online, but each comment creates a digital footprint that can last for years. Eg. When people research a Starwood property, they don’t just find a link to the property, they are exposed to public reviews along with it - Both positive or negative.

16. “Its about Conversations, and the best communicators start as the best Listeners” “It’s a Dialouge and Not a Monolouge” I absolutely adore the food at that restaurant Me, too! And Isnt the Bartender Just Dreamy? Any Blog that spins truth will be found out . In a World of Social Media “HONESTY IS THE ONLY BEST POLICY”