Just because your Guests “Like” you doesn’t necessarily mean they are telling anyone about you. Chances are somewhere on your Web site or Blog you have provided Social Media Buttons “Connected” to your Inn’s own Social Media Accounts.
We have fondly termed these Buttons your Social Media Connection Buttons. With these buttons your Guests can click on your Facebook Connections Button and go to the Inn’s Facebook Page and “Like” you. They can also click on your Connections Button to the Inn’s Twitter Page and “Follow You” to receive Twitter posts from your Inn. They can even click on the Google + Icon and "Share" in your Inn’s Circles. All of these Connection Buttons are great avenues to share your news, to create relationships with your Guests and to give them insight into the mission of your inn.
But…
What you really want to achieve is a high level of FREE advertising where you allow and encourage your Guests spread the news about your Inn for you! You do this by providing your Guests a "Digital Word of Mouth" option which can be easily accomplished with the use of Share Buttons!
Share Buttons are NOT THE SAME as the Connection Buttons we discussed above.
Share Buttons allows Guests visiting your Website to “Share” YOUR individual Web site and Blog pages with their own friends on their own Social Media Accounts.
Real Life Example:
When you provide Share Buttons, Mrs. J. is able to click the Share Button on your Inn’s Web site for your “Over the Top Anniversary Package”, right from your packages page and let all HER friends on Facebook, Twitter and/or Google + know what her awesome husband, Mr. J. planned for their 5th Wedding Anniversary.
Mr. J. then wants bragging rights too for not forgetting their special occasion, and “Shares” it on his Facebook, Twitter and/or Google + page.
Consider the ramifications when Mrs. B. (Mrs. J’s best friend) sees on her Social Media feed that Mrs. J. got the “Over the Top Anniversary Package” and “Shares” the same post on her Social Media Accounts so that her husband will get the hint for their upcoming Wedding Anniversary.
This type of “Digital Word of Mouth” advertising goes on and on! Social Media Sharing is standard communication for many of your guests! Just ask them at breakfast who has a Facebook, Twitter or Google + account. Don’t make it hard for them to share the your business with their friends.
Add Share Buttons to make it simple to get FREE advertising for your business.
Please watch the video below to better understand the difference between Social Media Connection Buttons vs. Social Media Share Buttons, and if you don’t currently make it easy for your guests to SHARE your business online, contact our Minor Development Project Manager at markhall@acorn-is.com to receive an estimate for including these awesome “Advertising Jewels” on your Web site and Blog ASAP.
Final Note: Remember, you as an Innkeeper do not have to have Social Media accounts setup as Connection Buttons to be able to provide the Share Buttons on your Web site and Blog for your guests to use to advertise for you. Though, we do recommend that all Innkeepers get involved in Social Media. It is a great way to keep your name and brand in front of your past guests, and cultivate new ones. But don’t take our word for it. Investigate it yourself starting here [read more…]
Written By: Mark Hall and Lisa Kolb
Acorn Internet Services, Inc.
Educating our Industry One Innkeeper at a Time!
