The importance of social networks in Latin American tourism. Part ii
The numbers of the use of social networks
But what are the most important social networks for the tourism sector? The truth is that there is a great multitude of social platforms in which users share both their vacation experiences and their opinions about the establishments where they have stayed. But we can talk about three social media platforms that continue to be leaders in the tourism sector: Facebook, Twitter, and the platform that is very close to reaching Facebook numbers: Instagram. And what determines which social networks are successful in tourism? We present you some statistics that prove it.
A first surprising fact is that, since the beginning of 2019, social networks already have a figure of 3,500 million users, which means almost half of the world’s population, as shared by the study Digital in 2019 | Global Digital Report of We Are Social (2019). This same study also reveals that, among these 3,500 million users, there are 3,256 million who use social networks through mobile devices. A very significant fact of the great leap that users have made to smartphones as their main digital device.
Facebook continues to be the leader of social networks worldwide, with around 2,271 million users. In addition, it is the leading social network on all platforms such as desktops or laptops, tablets, but without a doubt it has the greatest impact on smartphones (96% of users use Facebook on their mobiles). Thanks to the possibility of sharing multiple interests (personal and professional) of users, it is also still the main social network in tourism. Facebook allows you to publish a great diversity of content and has monitoring and analysis tools, which makes it an essential social network for managing your hotel’s social networks.
Another of the most powerful social networks in the world continues to be Twitter. It is true that activity on the social network has fallen by 2.7% compared to the previous period (We Are Social, 2019), but its 326 million users continue to use this platform with great frequency, thanks to the possibilities it offers them the short and fast messaging of the “blue bird” platform. This social network facilitates both instant communication with followers and the possibility of appearing in the trends of famous hashtags to reach new audiences that you could not reach with traditional marketing. Yes, social networks can open new doors for you in the market.
And the platform that continues to boom and does not seem to be stopping anytime soon is Instagram, with more than 1 billion followers. Since Facebook acquired this platform in 2012, the truth is that it continues to grow without stopping, and the situation suggests that throughout 2019 it may reach Facebook’s figures and become a tough competition within the same group, such as indicated Ferran Lalueza, professor of Information and Communication Sciences Studies at the UOC (Hosteltur, 2019). Despite this, it is true that the level of engagement of Instagram does not seem to be an impossible obstacle to overcome for the versatility of Facebook, since it continues to be a leader in achieving interactions with customers.
Since each of the platforms has its pros and cons, it all depends, first of all, on the usage trends of your followers. Do they have a greater presence in one social network or another? Although, if it is the case that your customers move through these three social networks, developing an appropriate social media strategy for each social network can help you develop a strong online presence together.
Benefits of being in the tourism network
These figures are staggering, right? Social networks continue to overcome barriers. Of course, your goal is not to reach all those millions of users, but those who fit into your buyer persona profiles. You may be wondering what spending time and resources on social media can contribute to your hotel. Isn’t it enough just to post every now and then? If you do, you could be wasting the opportunities that social media can bring you. So, we will tell you about the main benefits of working on the social media strategy for tourism.
Amplify the online visibility of your brand. By publicly interacting with users who write on your walls, that is, when a user writes publicly on your profile, it makes you known to her friends or followers, as it appears on her timeline. So you can reach new audiences and have the opportunity to have new followers that can adjust to your buyer personas. Little by little, you would be able to boost your brand awareness on the web.
Greater visibility of your website. It is true that working on the SEO strategy of your website is essential to position yourself on the internet, but the RRSS will provide you a great help when it comes to gaining more traffic. Since you can use your networks to share your content (from your website or your blog), the greater chances you have of increasing traffic to your website. Of course, the content must always be of value to your target audience.
Preparation of segmented strategies. Each social network has a different use, and therefore different opportunities to attract users. Instead of launching the same content, you can plan specific content for each social network. Thus, you will be able to segment your audience; By adapting to each social network, your content will cause a greater impact, since you will deliver the content that interests each segment of your audience.
The RRSS will allow you to retain and retain your customers. As you already know, the online reputation of your hotel is essential for the image that your next clients will have of you. If your reputation is positive through the management of RRSS, you will be able to convert normal followers into loyal admirers of your brand.
Better customer service. Thanks to the possibility of instant response, you will be able to respond quickly to the doubts or suggestions of your clients. Not only will this allow you to streamline your customer service, it will also help you gain more useful information about your audience’s tastes and interests and use it to optimize your marketing efforts.
Control and monitoring of your online reputation. Social networks are a very important part of caring for your reputation on the internet. If you continuously work on your social media strategy, the opinions left by your customers on social networks and on other online platforms will favor the good image of your establishment.
Turn your best clients into promoters. The sharing option is ideal for your followers to share your best products or services with their close circles. Even if they simply hit the Share or Retweet button, they are really becoming true promoters of your hotel.
Discover new trends and opportunities in the market. Sometimes your own followers can make you see new business opportunities that your competition is not yet taking advantage of. Pay attention to the suggestions of your followers and you may discover new opportunities to strengthen your hotel’s brand.
