Hotel social media assistance tool unveiled

Hotel e-commerce specialist TravelClick has developed a social media optimisation tool for the industry. The initiative helps independent hotels and chains set a social media strategy and develop a profile and content for the sites and networks where they match the consumer group. TravelClick will also take into account the prominent sites in each individual…

Hotel e-commerce specialist TravelClick has developed a social media optimisation tool for the industry.


The initiative helps independent hotels and chains set a social media strategy and develop a profile and content for the sites and networks where they match the consumer group.


TravelClick will also take into account the prominent sites in each individual market.


Vice president, internet marketing services, Jerome Wise, said: “Social media is growing extremely fast and is the most popular area of internet usage for consumers.”


He also said that hotels could really benefit from the incremental traffic, boost their search engine optimisation and take advantage of a free marketing channel.


“The other thing is that SEO, pay-per-click and other demand drivers work well when the consumer is looking for travel but this allows you to reach them when they are in a passive mode,” said Wise.


According to TravelClick market research shows 40% of marketers said they would divert budget to areas such as social networks in a recession and 38% said they would be investing more in search engine marketing.


The company also provides the hotels with quarterly updates on responses and advises them on how to take the social media strategy forward once they are engaged in the sites.


TravelClick has also signed a deal to become a reseller of Google’s AdWords system. As part of the deal TravelClick’s employees have been through a training scheme so they can show hotels how to get the best from the technology.


Google AdWords delivers relevant advertisements when users search for specific products and services.


Wise said: “This gives us a distinct advantage in terms of helping hotels with their marketing budgets. It also enhances our service and means we have easier access to provide our clients with some of the other Google services.