Social media influence remains weak in travel

This article is about how users still prefer use traditional media like television or newspaper rather than using social media like Facebook or Twitter.
However social media remains the main tool of holiday recommendations.

The research shows that television, newspaper and travel websites should remain the main in the company campaign without forgetting socail media. Social media should come in a second position after the genral tool. The article also shows that age is not the main factor that company should take in consideration in order to build their campaign. The research also found that familiarity and skills in using computer can be one of the main factor for customers to use internet to check travel websites.

This research is very important as it shows how the different tools can be used and for what types of customers. It will definitely help travel marketers.

I think that this research really matches with the reality. Most of the customers definitely prefer to look for their trips through media like travel websites and not social media. However social media can be very useful to post comments and give your opinions about your trips or about travel websites. It can help other customers to make their decisinons and decide to book through the same travel websites.
But in general customers are hardly looking for advices, or even to book their trip on social media.
About the age, it is also true. Age is not the main factor. My grandmother that is 80 has good skills now in computer and she is still surfing on forum to seek opinion about any trips that she wants to make.
Social media really need to develop their websites in order to let the customers to use only and one media.

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Comments about Agnes's article

I totally agree with you Agnes. Social media is growing and growin especially within the company.


Now, a company need to be aware of the new trends and be very visible on Internet in order to keep tracking new niches and attract more customers. Being interesting and keeping updated their fans and followers are primordial.
 
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Open publication - Free publishing - More social media

Four ways Groupon might work for travel businesses

This article is about Groupon and how it could work for travel businesses. Four reasons are detailed by the article below:

1. Costs remain the same for any companies such as restaurants, hotels, museums...so the article is saying that whatever the number of guests, costs are the same so why not filling the empty seats when the business is very low. It makes a lot of sense now for businesses can fix their high costs. So Groupon can be the solution.

2. The second reason shows that if the merchant can afford to have zero margin by selling his rooms with 40 or 50% of  so he can definitely look for a little bit of revenue by the addtionnal products that he can sell during the guest experience.

3. According to the article, it can allow the companies to be in the  middle of a big buzz if the experience for the guests is amazing then they can definitely buzz about it. It can allow the companies especiallly the small ones to have a very broad exposure on the web and maybe create a buzz.

4. The last reason is about the impact of using Groupon - saying that it's much better to spend money with Groupon and spread  a buzz rather than spending money on a huge advertising campaign. It will also provide a large impact.

Groupon will also be more aand more everywhere by being visible on travel sites as ancillary services and suggest other offers with good deals available on Groupon site.

The article is also talking about the daily deal model: this model is dealing with guests that are waiting for coupons everyday to go out at a restaurant or to go at a museum. I do not think that guests can use the daily deal model forever because you are not interested by all the deals that they can offer you and sometimes guests need to plan in advance rather than being sponteneous everyday by choosing a deal on Groupon. It is like you are buying more a discount price than an experience that you really wish to do !

As we said in class, Groupon can not be used for all the hotels or with conditions. Honestly I do not think that Luxury hotels can use this kind of tool to promote their hotels or their new offers during their low seasons. But promoting some packages for business travellers on Groupon can be a good idea especially for people who are travelling a lot and companies who are looking for discounted trips in order to save money on the travel budget. It can also allow the business travellers to create a kind of buzz in their community, to come back with their family and allow the hotels or restaurants...to have a huge visibility.


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Measuring Social Influence : Klout

• How the tool can be used to increase brand awareness

- Klout allows the brand to find influencers based on topic or hashtag
- Help your brand to understand your influencers’ network value
- Be focus on people recommendation and not advertisements

• How the hotel can be used to create service differentiation - for influencers

- A free week-end for 2 pax for the most important influencer
- Discounts
- Loyalties
- Special amenities
- A package to use all services of the hotel (spa, room service, fitness center, etc…)

• How the tool can be used to impact revenue

- Target important influencers and their community
- Communicate we them to get more influencers
- Use service differentiation for influencers


• Why this tool is better than others, mentioned in the article

- Focus and specified on Tweeter and Facebook
- Use 35 variables of those social medias measuring True Reach, Amplification Probability, and Network Score
- Real analysis of what is said about your brand, not only a grade

Comment about Léa's article

I totally agree with Léa. This survey is very interesting especially for hotels who can improve their services by reading this kind of survey.

More and more hotels need to be different from each other and really make the difference in order to be the top of the market. Attracting guests is also an important points in order to make more profits. Business travelers are more and more important, especially after the economic crisis, so hotels need to also focus on their comfort to make sure to create a kind of engagement with their guests.

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