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Hotels Checking In on Foursquare. Where’s Your Property? (Los Angeles Edition)

	by Jacquelynn Mendez on November 29th, 2010

Now that Foursquare has gained over 4.5 million registered users, a number of businesses that were once skeptical of the location based check-in trend now see incredible value in the popular platform. This is especially true for those within the hospitality industry. According to research, hotels have been slow in adopting this new form of social media marketing, but with its rising popularity, an increasing number of hoteliers are checking in on the Foursquare Fun.

As mentioned in an earlier post, Foursquare is particularly great for hotels because it offers properties an easy way to entice users to give their location a try. There is valuable information being shared through Foursquare and it is important for hotels to capture users’ attention to help spread the word about the variety of amenities their properties offer. This site allows potential guests to see the type of places their closest companions are visiting and read reviews from the people they typically trust the most.

For those of you who are wondering which hotels are currently on Foursquare, below is a list of a variety of properties throughout Los Angeles, California that are currently bringing in guests through enticing check-in incentives.

Hotel Shangri-la – Santa Monica, CA
Suite 700 Exclusive: Complimentary pitcher of Pimm’s cocktail for our mayor, drinks 4 (limit one per day per mayor).

Millennium Biltmore – Downtown Los Angeles
Show us your check-in and enjoy 15% off an appetizer at the Gallery Bar. Become the Mayor and get 25% off! (1 appetizer per person/check-in)

Hotel Oceana Santa Monica – Santa Monica, CA
Come have a drink in the lounge and get a second one on The Oceana for checking in for the first time!

Crowne Plaza Beverly Hills Hotel – Los Angeles, CA
No time for lunch? Check in at the Crowne Plaza Beverly Hills for our ‘Grab & Go’ special for only $10 plus tax! Call us and ask for Marty’s Bistro for questions.

Hollywood Hotel – Hollywood, CA
Check in three times and receive a free in room pay per view movie.

The Standard Hotel – Downtown Los Angeles
Check In at The Standard – Downtown LA and show our receptionist in The Shop for a 10% discount on your purchase! Crazy cool gifts and accessories and a foursquare discount to boot.

Although this post focused on Los Angeles, we plan on developing a similar list for every major city throughout the United States. That being said, if you would like to share hotel Foursquare offers you have seen, feel free to write about them in the comments section below.

Written by Jacquelynn M.

Categories: Blog — Tags: Foursquare, Geo-location, Hollywood Hotel, Hospitality Industry, hospitality marketing, hotel Internet marketing, Hotel Social Media Marketing, Social Media Marketing, social networking;

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Hotel Blogs: Subjects that Attract an Audience

	by Jacquelynn Mendez on November 22nd, 2010

Remember how disappointed you were as a kid when television networks only showed re-runs all summer long? Well, that’s how readers feel when they see the same blog posts over and over again from any one website.

In order to keep the attention of readers, it is essential for any blog writer to continuously mix content types while still keeping posts relevant, engaging and fresh. The hospitality industry is no exception, so if you’re thinking that there is not enough information for a hotel blog to carry on, you’re wrong. There are already a number of hoteliers who have successfully attracted an audience through the variety of stories they share with their blogs. It just takes a little creative thinking.

In an earlier post, we already discussed the value of a hotel blog so now we’re giving a short list of topics and subjects other popular hotel bloggers are writing about today…in case you’re feeling stuck.

Make Your Staff Stars
The Marriott “On the Move” blog, which brings in an estimated 6,000 visitors a day, regularly highlights stories about Marriott staff members. For example, on October 11, there was a thoughtful post about housekeeper Kelsey Ricks, an employee at Marriott Spring Hill Suites in Idaho. Ricks found and returned a bank envelope with $5,000 in it that she found in one of the rooms she cleaned at the Marriott. The post displayed the type of honesty Marriott aims to instill in all their employees. Whether you are writing for a single property or a hotel brand, the employees are oftentimes the ones with the most original stories to share, so when you’re feeling clueless, you should look to the hotel staff for help.

Tell Visitors what’s going on Around Town
If potential guests don’t know what is going on around your area, why would they ever want to visit? Every property should regularly promote events, attractions and celebrations that will be happening around the hotel, along with highlighting commonly popular spots, like a well-liked restaurant. Although the hotel website might already market local events, with a blog the hotel has the opportunity to extensively detail why one particular attraction is worth the trip. There are countless ways to get creative with this subject. The Hilton Anaheim does a great job of incorporating local events into its “Today @ Hilton Anaheim” blog.

Interview the Hotel Management
It’s important to know who your followers are. If both potential guests and hoteliers visit your blog, you should have valuable information for both audiences. This is why it is important to develop a well thought out strategy ahead of time. You want to write posts that will attract your hotel’s desired audience and in order to do that you need to know who you’re writing for. For those properties trying to attract the attention of both guests and hoteliers, it might be a good idea to host interviews with different members of the hotel management. Not only will this display transparency to the guests, but it also gives other hoteliers a little guidance.

Written by Jacquelynn M.

Categories: Blog — Tags: Blogs, Hilton anaheim, Hotel Blog, hotel Internet marketing, Hotel Social Media Marketing, Marriott, Social Media, social networking;

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Using Google’s New Local Search To Strengthen Your Hotel’s Online Presence

	by David Sotelo on November 12th, 2010

Google seems like they come out with a new feature every week. Well they have just recently changed the rules for local search and search engine optimization. People rely heavily on google’s local search for choosing a hotel. It is a great tool to use to discover new places and find out if you might like it. If you are going to mardi gras then we usually type in the words “hotels near mardi gras” or “hotels near bourbon street” or something similar to that. We might want to know how the food is at the hotel or nearby, how the neighborhood is, and what amenities they offer so we can draw an overall conclusion to help make our buying decision. There are more than 3 million local searches every month online and that’s just by U.S consumers. Those numbers make search engine optimization and the rules that determine your placement very important.

Google has taken the search information and organized or clustered it around specific locations so that you can see all the information you need right there on one page. This includes unique red pins that give detailed information and reviews and links to places such as yelp, trip advisor, and others so you don’t have to go searching around for it. One of the most interesting changes is the integration of organic and local listings. This means there is no more of the top seven listings or “Seven Pack” that shows up. The new layout also displays a local map that will scroll up or down along the right hand side as you do. Basically Google has created a new layout to reduce the extra clicking to find the information you are looking for.

How this will affect search engine optimization is still not clear at this point but keeping up with reviews and having up to date and accurate information about your business is vital. The more you can market your business online whether it be through positive reviews, coupons, relevant keywords, or advertisements it will showcase your presence through place search. Essentially all your information that a consumer will want to know will be merged with google algorithms to display a “snapshot” of your business for consumers to see. Make sure it’s a good picture!

Written By: David S

Categories: Blog — Tags: google, hotel Internet marketing, Hotel Social Media Marketing, local search, search engine optimization, travel;

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Hotel Mobile Apps: Is Yours Up to Par?

	by Jacquelynn Mendez on November 8th, 2010

By now, there is no question that mobile phones are undoubtedly becoming a crucial component of our everyday lives. And knowing this, many businesses within the hospitality industry have developed apps to keep up with the times and grab a piece of this mobile action. At first glance, a number of these apps look incredibly advanced, offering everything from language translations to a mobile light switch, but according to one New York Times blogger, Bob Tedeschi, it’s time for hotels to think about quality over quantity.

With technology moving faster than ever before, so many companies are eager to cater to the rising groups of tech savvy travelers that have come out of this tech boom. But in Tedeschi’s recent post, named, “App Smart Extra: Hotels Check in on Apps,” he stresses the importance of quality that so many hotel apps lack. Although I don’t necessarily think most hotel apps are as horrible as the article makes them sound, I do think it is a worthwhile idea to check out hotel apps that have been given great reviews to see if yours matches up.

That being said, I’ve decided to concentrate on the recently released app that is offered by the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, called “MO Hotels.” The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has found a way to successfully bring together a comprehensive app that offers features that most guests would typically desire, including:

Comprehensive Property Details: Browse room details, services and amenities and/or view the extensive image galleries for each of our properties as well as maps and contact details.
Real-time Reservations: Make your next booking on our app with the secure connection to our reservation system in real time. You may also Modify or cancel your reservation directly from within the app.
Tempting Offers: The latest special offers available at all Mandarin Oriental hotels worldwide are showcased and dynamically updated within the app, ensuring users can take advantage of our best and latest offers.
At Your Service: Call or email Dining and Spa services directly to make appointments or request assistance.
International Phone Number access: Look up and dial any of our worldwide reservation numbers, by looking up the country or region you are currently calling from.
“Cities by MO”: Cities by MO is a wide-ranging destination guide carefully selected by Mandarin Oriental’s legendary concierge teams. From area attractions, restaurants, shopping and nightlife sections, travelers can search for specific areas of interest.

But it doesn’t end here. Apparently, some Mandarin properties also have mobile apps with their own special features. For example, according to Tedeschi, the Mandarin New York has an iPad app that allows guests to open the shades in the room and turn off the lights. Although I know that this particular feature may not be a necessity, you have to admit that it is a really cool luxury.

If any of you have used hotel apps that offer incredible features, please let us know which hotel it was for and what kind of feature was offered.

Written by Jacquelynn M.

Categories: Blog — Tags: hotel Internet marketing, Hotel Mobile Apps, Hotel Mobile Marketing, Hotels & Resorts, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, mobile, Mobile Applications;

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The Landing Difference: A Tip for Turning Facebook Users into Fans

	by Jacquelynn Mendez on November 1st, 2010

When you arrive at any business’ Facebook wall, how much time do you spend there?

A few seconds? A few minutes?

Chances are…not very long.

By default, the first place Facebook will lead potential fans when they arrive at your Facebook business page is the overly tiresome, easily recognizable Facebook wall. Don’t get me wrong, the Facebook wall is great for interaction, but let’s not forget the old adage that says, “First impressions mean everything.” That being said, it is difficult for any business to stand out and make a great first impression with its Facebook wall when everyone else has one too. In order to really grab the attention of the 500 million users on Facebook today, your business will need to add a little spice to its page with a customized landing tab.

Facebook Landing Tab Research
With Facebook at the forefront of the social media game, businesses are constantly researching new ways to help reach their ideal customers on this popular platform. One method that has given researchers proven results is a customized Facebook landing tab. According to Brand Glue™, a Facebook business page management group, a well made custom landing tab can increase Facebook conversions by over 40%. This is likely because these pages stand out and have a unique branded look that clearly shows the benefits of becoming a fan of your business. This makes fans feel more compelled to “Like” your property’s Facebook page.

Getting Started
There’s more to it than just creating an attractive tab. According to social media strategists at Brand Glue, elements that are important to add onto a landing tab to help turn users into fans include:

- Benefits or incentives exclusive to fans
- Powerful video or copy to introduce visitors to the brand
- Effective call to action prompting visitors to click the “Like” button

Creating a Facebook landing tab requires knowledge of Facebook Markup Language (FBML), which is coding that is unique to the social network. If your regular webmaster is not familiar with FBML, there are companies that can help design your page. Just remember that it is important to constantly test and update the page to help optimize the conversion rate.

So now, the next time you check out your company’s Facebook page you should ask yourself if it’s time to paint over the wall with something new.

Written by Jacquelynn M.

Categories: Blog — Tags: Conversions, Facebook, Facebook Landing Tab, hotel Internet marketing, Hotel Social Media Marketing, Social Media, Social Media Marketing;

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