Voices of the future: Gege Wang, Les Roches - The use of new social media channels to promote hospitality businesses

The use of new social media channels to promote hospitality businesses

My name is Gege Wang. I was deeply attracted by the charm of the hospitality industry, which is full of challenges but with lots of human touches and a caring ethos at the same time. As a student on the Master’s in Hospitality Strategy and Digital Transformation program at Les Roches today, I believe our industry is having a digital revolution and benefits from digital transformation. I aim to help traditional businesses fit and shift successfully in the digital era, and become one of the future leaders, which is the common goal for each Les Roches student and alums.

Will online comments change your decision on booking hotels or restaurants? If you see good online reviews and users sharing posts on social media like TripAdvisor or Instagram, will it increase your motivation to buy the product?

The answer is yes. According to recent research, the engagement level between social media platforms and users will directly affect the intention of buying or booking. As more and more new social media are being used daily in our lives, traditional word-of-mouth and hotel marketing has changed, which means there are more ways to promote hospitality products than ever before.

The advantages of social media can rise to influence the industry have been widely discussed and recognised by many people. For example, many hotels provide 3D virtual visiting on YouTube channels; Marriott International used VR devices to let guest experience their honeymoon on the street in 2024. As another example, Expedia Group Media Solutions offers personalised social media solutions, which can effectively reach and engage travellers across their brands.

How does social media impact on the customer experience? Social media’s influence on decision-making and purchasing preferences has continued to grow, particularly in the travel industry.

With stunning landscapes, enticing food, and adventurous experiences shared online, brands can connect with a larger audience and amplify their messages. Social media is a significant source of inspiration for travellers, ranking closely behind family, friends and travel providers. Younger generations, such as Gen Z, rely heavily on social media for travel inspiration, making a strong social presence essential for engaging with them.

Crafting successful social media campaigns that are fresh, innovative and authentic is therefore crucial for standing out and resonating with travellers. With the rise of social media’s popularity, and the emergence of new platforms, having a robust social strategy is critical to achieving success in the travel industry.

So, what social media should hospitality business use? The 2023 Social Media Industry Benchmark report published by Rival IQ offers valuable insights into the performance benchmarks of social media platforms across different industries.

It examines key metrics on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok for 14 industries, including the travel and hospitality sectors. In the hospitality industry, travel brands tend to have a lower posting frequency compared to other industries. However, they achieve better engagement rates, particularly on Facebook and TikTok.

The report emphasises the importance of utilising different content formats on specific platforms. For hotels, photos generate the highest organic engagement rates on Facebook, while reels show exceptional performance on Instagram, despite being underutilised by brands. Brands are more inclined to post photos on Instagram, but it is reels that garner the highest organic engagement rates, followed by carousels. Notably, TikTok stands out as the platform with the highest engagement rates across all industries, including travel and hospitality.

Overall, the report underlines the significance of tailoring content formats to each platform and highlights the potential for travel brands to optimise engagement by leveraging photos on Facebook, reels on Instagram, and videos on TikTok.

In summary – social media not only plays a significant role in showcasing the brand story and image, but also bring unlimited possibilities to pre-selling hospitality products, which help the hotel reach its target customers and provide personalised services.

Today the question for hospitality businesses is not whether they should use social media channels to promote their product anymore, but which are the most effective approaches to use among all kinds of new social media.

Will online comments change your decision on booking hotels or restaurants? If you see good online reviews and users sharing posts on social media like TripAdvisor or Instagram, will it increase your motivation to buy the product?

The answer is yes. According to recent research, the engagement level between social media platforms and users will directly affect the intention of buying or booking. As more and more new social media are being used daily in our lives, traditional word-of-mouth and hotel marketing has changed, which means there are more ways to promote hospitality products than ever before.

The advantages of social media can rise to influence the industry have been widely discussed and recognised by many people. For example, many hotels provide 3D virtual visiting on YouTube channels; Marriott International used VR devices to let guest experience their honeymoon on the street in 2024. As another example, Expedia Group Media Solutions offers personalised social media solutions, which can effectively reach and engage travellers across their brands.

How does social media impact on the customer experience? Social media’s influence on decision-making and purchasing preferences has continued to grow, particularly in the travel industry.

With stunning landscapes, enticing food, and adventurous experiences shared online, brands can connect with a larger audience and amplify their messages. Social media is a significant source of inspiration for travellers, ranking closely behind family, friends and travel providers. Younger generations, such as Gen Z, rely heavily on social media for travel inspiration, making a strong social presence essential for engaging with them.

Crafting successful social media campaigns that are fresh, innovative and authentic is therefore crucial for standing out and resonating with travellers. With the rise of social media’s popularity, and the emergence of new platforms, having a robust social strategy is critical to achieving success in the travel industry.

So, what social media should hospitality business use? The 2023 Social Media Industry Benchmark report published by Rival IQ offers valuable insights into the performance benchmarks of social media platforms across different industries.

It examines key metrics on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok for 14 industries, including the travel and hospitality sectors. In the hospitality industry, travel brands tend to have a lower posting frequency compared to other industries. However, they achieve better engagement rates, particularly on Facebook and TikTok.

The report emphasises the importance of utilising different content formats on specific platforms. For hotels, photos generate the highest organic engagement rates on Facebook, while reels show exceptional performance on Instagram, despite being underutilised by brands. Brands are more inclined to post photos on Instagram, but it is reels that garner the highest organic engagement rates, followed by carousels. Notably, TikTok stands out as the platform with the highest engagement rates across all industries, including travel and hospitality.

Overall, the report underlines the significance of tailoring content formats to each platform and highlights the potential for travel brands to optimise engagement by leveraging photos on Facebook, reels on Instagram, and videos on TikTok.

In summary – social media not only plays a significant role in showcasing the brand story and image, but also bring unlimited possibilities to pre-selling hospitality products, which help the hotel reach its target customers and provide personalised services.

Today the question for hospitality businesses is not whether they should use social media channels to promote their product anymore, but which are the most effective approaches to use among all kinds of new social media.

My name is Gege Wang. I was deeply attracted by the charm of the hospitality industry, which is full of challenges but with lots of human touches and a caring ethos at the same time. As a student on the Master’s in Hospitality Strategy and Digital Transformation program at Les Roches today, I believe our industry is having a digital revolution and benefits from digital transformation. I aim to help traditional businesses fit and shift successfully in the digital era, and become one of the future leaders, which is the common goal for each Les Roches student and alums.