Dominate the principles and you will dominate the business! I had always underestimated this phrase because when I was a Hotelier and Restaurateur, I was too busy with operations and had no desire or energy to deal with anything else. Meanwhile, the world was becoming more and more digital and I pretended not to notice.
Instead, in the digital age, an online presence is crucial for any business, especially in the hospitality industry. Hotels are not exempt from this need, and one of the most powerful tools at their disposal to reach their target audience remains Facebook, which has over 2.5 billion active users. With the introduction of Facebook Suite, the opportunities to interact with customers and promote your property are greater than ever.
I’m Giancarlo De Leonardo, a former Hotelier and Restaurateur and founder of Caro Collega, a community of entrepreneurs, managers and hospitality professionals who aim to empower themselves digitally.
In this article, we will explore what Facebook Suite can do for hotels as well, because if you understand its potential you can use it either directly or through your associates or your web agency of choice to maximize your online presence and increase bookings.
In this article
- What is Facebook Suite?
- Optimize your Facebook and Instagram channels
- Benefits of Facebook Suite
- Conclusions
What is Facebook Suite?
Before diving into the details, it is essential to understand what exactly Facebook Suite is. Basically, it is a single management panel that can be reached from both mobile and computer, allowing Hotels and Restaurants to access the tools they need to manage and grow on Facebook and Instagram. Hence, it is a tool designed to offer even the least experienced people, the ability to use Facebook and Instagram more effectively and efficiently.
Because the business model of Facebook and Instagram is based on advertising: the more a Hotel gets results from online advertising, the happier it will be to continue to invest or even increase advertising investments.
Having a control panel like the one offered by Facebook Business Suite provides valuable data that is very useful to make the right decisions and maximize advertising investment. Facebook Business Suites include key tools such as:
- Business Manager: this platform allows you to manage all activities related to your hotel on Facebook and Instagram, including managing pages, ads and reports.
- Facebook Insights: with this feature, you can monitor your page performance and engagement statistics for your posts, helping you better understand your customers’ behavior and preferences.
- Automated messages: respond quickly to customer questions and requests with customized automated messages.
- Booking features: allow customers to book directly on your Facebook page or from your Instagram account, simplifying the booking process.
- Facebook Ads Manager: this tool allows you to create and manage targeted and engaging ads to promote your hotel property.
Optimize your Facebook and Instagram channels
Before you start using Facebook Business Suite, make sure your hotel’s Facebook page and Instagram account are optimized. Surely these are activities within your reach; I was like you and learned how to do them. The advice I can give you as a former Colleague is to learn that 20% determines 80% of the results (Pareto Principle), so you will always be able to control the in-house or freelance employees to whom you delegate this activity.
Remember that Facebook and Instagram are the main entry points for your online customers and should best reflect your hotel’s image. Below are some tips for optimizing your Facebook page and Instagram account:
- Comprehensive Information: be sure to provide detailed information about your hotel, including address, contact information, accurate descriptions of rooms and facilities, high-quality photos, and check-in and check-out times.
- Engaging Content: post engaging content, such as photos and videos of your rooms, services, and activities. Share success stories and positive customer reviews.
- Respond Actively: respond promptly to all customer comments and messages. Always show a courteous and professional response, even to negative feedback.
- Use CTAs: use well-placed call-to-actions (CTAs) to encourage visitors to book, call or visit your website.
Once you have finished optimizing your hotel’s Facebook page and Instagram account, you can ask your staff for some additions.
Benefits of Facebook Suite
One of the most powerful features of Facebook Suites for hotels is the ability to embed booking functionalities directly on your Facebook page or Instagram account. This makes the booking process easier and faster for customers, increasing the likelihood of conversion. Make sure the booking system is well integrated with your website and is easy to use.
Make sure the reservation system is well integrated with your website and is easy to use. In addition to encouraging bookings, use this feature to show special rates, offers and seasonal promotions.
Another way to maximize your online presence and increase bookings is to use Facebook Ads Manager. This tool allows you to create highly targeted ads to reach your target audience. You can
select specific criteria, such as location, interests, age and more, to reach exactly the right people. In addition, you can create promotional ads for special rates, exclusive packages, or to promote events at your hotel.
Customer reviews can greatly influence the decision to book a room at your property. Carefully manage reviews on your Facebook and Instagram page, responding to each one and demonstrating your commitment to providing an excellent experience for your guests. Also, encourage satisfied guests to share their positive experiences with “digital door-to-door,” encouraging them to leave a review and share posts about their stay at your hotel.
Use your Facebook or Instagram page to promote exclusive events and promotions to your followers.
These may include special discounts for reservations made through your page, promotional packages for special occasions, or seasonal events held at your facility. Promote these events through targeted ads on Facebook Ads Manager and use tools such as Facebook events to invite your followers to participate.
Finally, an effective way to use Facebook Suite for hotels is to create engaging content. Use photos and videos to best showcase your hotel rooms, services, and activities. You can create virtual room tours or show videos of the activities available at your property. Moreover, share stories and testimonials from your satisfied guests to increase trust and interest in your facility. Engaging content can help create an emotional connection with your audience, encouraging them to choose your hotel for their next stay.
Using Facebook Business Suite for hotels is only the first step. It is critical to constantly monitor and evaluate the performance of your online presence to make continuous improvements. Use Facebook Insights and Instagram Insights to analyze key metrics such as post engagement, number of page visits, booking conversion rate, and more. This information will help you better understand your customers’ preferences and optimize your marketing and promotion strategies.
A crucial aspect of using Facebook Business Suite for hotels is responding promptly to customer inquiries. Potential customers can use your Facebook page or Instagram account to ask questions, request information or clarification before booking. Make sure you are always alert to notifications and respond promptly to messages and comments. Positive and professional interaction can make all the difference in convincing customers to choose your facility.
An effective way to increase your facility’s visibility is to collaborate with influencers and travel bloggers. These people have a large amount of followers and can help you reach a wider audience. Invite influencers to stay at your hotel and share their experience on their social channels, including your Facebook page or Instagram account. Make sure the collaboration is authentic and reflects your property’s image in a positive way.
Facebook Suite for hotels works best when integrated with other digital marketing strategies. Use your Facebook page or Instagram account to drive traffic to your website and vice versa. Implement the Facebook pixel on your website to track booking conversions.
And don’t forget, integrate your booking system with your Facebook page or Instagram account and ensure that customers can easily switch from your page to bookings.
Conclusions
Facebook Suite for hotels offers a wide range of tools that can be taken full advantage of to increase your online presence and boost bookings.
From page management and targeted ad creation to using reviews and sharing engaging content, Facebook Suite is a powerful ally for hotels that want to reach a wider audience and attract new customers.
With a judicious strategy and constant performance analysis, you can achieve amazing results and stand out in the competitive digital world. Do not hesitate to take full advantage of the potential of Facebook Suite to lead your hotel property to develop extra revenue directly proportional to the digital activity carried out and that derived from Facebook and Instagram.
Remember that everything is measurable so every euro invested will come back to you multiplied at least 5/10 times, otherwise change consultants! Also, remember that you don’t necessarily have to become a good Facebook Suite “geek,” the important thing is that you understand the potential available to you or to the collaborators or web agencies to which you entrust the promotion of your hotel.
Article written by Giancarlo De Leonardo, former Hotelier and Restaurateur, founder of Caro Collega
