The document discusses why hotels should use Facebook as a social media platform. It provides examples of what hotels should include on their Facebook page, such as their profile picture, address, hotel pictures, upcoming events. It also recommends that hotels check their Facebook wall frequently to respond to questions, cooperate with fans, and include an online booking button to attract more customers.

2. facebook as a social media Why would Hotels use it as one of their social medias? Important Facts about facebook: Social networks are websites, where people can get in touch with others. It doesn‘t matter if they already know them in reality or if they just get in touch with them online. Social networking is one of the most popular online application worldwide. By conceiving of social networks, the founders concentrated on finding a way of giving two persons or one person and a company the opportunity to communicate or getting in touch. But let‘s concentrate on facebook as one of those social networks. facebook got founded by Mark Zuckerberg in october 2003. He as an intelligent harvard student who hacked into the data bank of his universitiy. His aim has been to create a homepage on which every student of harvard has been able to rate girls faces with their passport pictures, by comparing two at a time. He named that homepage <facemash>. This hasn‘t been enough fun for Zuckerberg as he then sarted to create „the facebook“, a social network for his university friends. From 2006 on every person with a correct email address has been allowed to register. facebooks mission is : “Giving people the power to share and make the world more open and connected.“ It is seen as a monopoly, just because of its popularity and addiction to the people. More than 500 million people use facebook already. Statistics show that most peole in the age of 15-45 years use it daily. Sometime between april 2008 and february 2009 facebook overtook the so far social network king MySpace. facebook became the most popular social network worldwide! There are over 900 million objects that people interact with (pages, groups, events and community pages) and more than 70 translations available. In April 2010 facebook allowed social plugins, consequently more and more websites want to integrate with the social network and become a part. When companies, businesses or other social plugins create their page on facebook, it is a bit different than a persons homepage. The owners just design those pages and be their creator/admin. Human beings can just become a fan of those pages by clicking the “like” button or writing them, but the companies keep the rights about having those as a fan or deleting the people from their page. facebook is already used by more than 1.5 million local businesses with active pages. facebook is so popular because of it‘s exclusivity, it gives you the ability to choose who to be friends with, what groups & links to associate with and to add as much or as little as you would like your friends to see (contact information, career, family status, ….) While being on facebook having a look on friends pages, pictures or chatting with their friends; people can directly have a look at their next holiday hotel as well. facebook includes advantages and risks as every other marketing tool as well. So let‘s get into it!

3. In our research we haven`t just looked at 4 or 5 star hotels; we also focussed our search on 3 star hotels! Every hotel is able to open up their own facebook account; it neither takes long nor needs professional internet page designers. Using web 2.0 tools as a hotel helps it to stay up to date and become more and more popular. Facebook is internationally seen the most popular social network, so why not cooperate and use that web 2.0 tool? 1.) the profile picture = should show the hotel itself or entrance area and the hotel name, as you can see we have got five different profile pictures, but each of them shows the important facts. facebook Why would Hotels use it as one of their social medias?

4. 2.) address = every hotel should show their correct address in the info topic as one of their general information or with a google maps/Bing picture added. The address is more than necessary to find the hotel by car with a gps or street map. facebook Why would Hotels use it as one of their social medias?

5. 3.) hotel pictures = uploading hotel pictures to show how nice and comfortable everything looks like is a must-do, as well as refacing some rooms/areas after construction works or uploading pictures from new areas! This feature is one of the most common functions on social networks, publishing pictures or to link other people in pictures can have advantages and on the other hand can take a few risks as well. Every person is able to comment on pictures, what is very helpful for big companies like hotels when they show their new areas! facebook Why would Hotels use it as one of their social medias?

6. 4.) upcoming events= Your facebook homepage should be as helpful with all the information as your own created homepage. It is attractive and helpful for your guests if they can directy have an overview about upcoming parties or events from bars/restaurants in your hotel or close by. They can directly plan their night and be in time to book a table! Social networks are concipated to allow their creators to built up many different applications, like events to which they can invite all of their fans e.g. facebook Why would Hotels use it as one of their social medias?

7. 4.) using easter/valentines day or mothers day to create packages or organize a brunch for the guests at your hotel is more than ideal and comfortable for the guests. They can kill two birds with one stone, so why don‘t you show those offers on your facebook page as well? It doesn‘t cost you anything but will bring you a few reservations. facebook Why would Hotels use it as one of their social medias? Why don‘t you allow your fans on facebook special entry offers for your next party?! With that offer your fans might tell their friends and friends to come as well. With a little stone you will get the rock rolling …

8. 4.) facebook has got so many applications or pictures you can add e.g a calendar with all the monthly offers or a RSVP click page for the event, to calcuate and manage the party easier. When guests or inhabitants from the city check your facebook page, they can directly book or get interested in the new menus coming up and add a note in their calendar. facebook Why would Hotels use it as one of their social medias?

9. What Hotels are supposed to do when they have a facebook account! Writing on big companies walls is easy and doesn‘t make a big effort. It is possible to write on their wall in public so that everybody is able to see it or write them a message, comparable to an email; which can just be seen by the creators/admins of the page. With both ways the admins have to check their inbox or wall as often as possible. It doesn‘t show you in a good light with non-answered questions on your wall from half a year ago! Consequently every facebook user is able to give the hotel his or her feedback. Some hotels already use a „discussion board“; as one of their polls to click on the left hand side underneath their profile picture. A discussion borad is the feedback wall or will allow you as a guest to discuss about aspects of the hotel. A guest is able to write his or her feedback or discussion point on here and a hotel member will get in touch with you as soon as possible. No more emails no you can directly do everything on facebook … facebook Why would Hotels use it as one of their social medias?

10. Here is the bad example for a hotel wall. You should always care for your facebook page, yes a 3star hotel can care as much as a 5star hotel. It doesn‘t take a lot of time to check your page and answer to questions.

11. To cooperate with your fans/ guests on facebook, shows how open-minded and modest you are as a high-class hotel! Although you have got perfect head chefs who choose bout the best menu, you want your guests to choose what they feel like eating! A poll is simply added to your facebook homepage without any big effort but a lof of fun for your guests. On your left is a discussion point of the discission board, which helps you with the given feedback as well. facebook Why would Hotels use it as one of their social medias?

12. A good hotel with a good internet and facebook presence should have as well an online booking button which will bring you to their own homepage or another poll. Hotels should allow their social media savvy to book rooms directly on facebook! As you can see it is very easy, just add a „Reservations“ button on the left hand side and your rooms will be two clicks away! You can do the same with a table reservation poll for your bars or restaurants. facebook Why would Hotels use it as one of their social medias?

13. facebook Why would Hotels use it as one of their social medias?