INTRODUCTION
If your hotel is one of the 80 million businesses using Facebook to maintain an online presence and connect with potential guests, you may have noticed some recent changes to your Business Page.
In August, Facebook automatically updated Page templates for certain types of businesses, including service-based businesses like hotels, resorts and bed & breakfasts. The Services template is designed to highlight assets that are most important for your clientele, such as your services, special offers and recommendations.
Following are some ways your property can get the most out of the new Facebook page template.
FACEBOOK PAGE TEMPLATE TIPS FOR HOTELIERS
1. Leverage the services feature. The Services template allows you to highlight various amenities and features of your hotel, such as your restaurant, valet services, health and fitness options or even general room accommodations. Click on the services tab to add a service you’d like to showcase for your guests.
2. Encourage guests to leave recommendations. “Reviews” recently switched to “Recommendations” for all Business Pages across Facebook. While still accessed under the Reviews tab, the new format allows guests to post a recommendation for your hotel using photos, tags and text instead of leaving a star rating and a comment.
Considering that 85 percent of consumers trust feedback posted on online channels as much as input from a friend or family member, the recommendations you receive on Facebook can be powerful endorsements for your hotel. Encourage your guests to share their experiences so they can help boost your reputation and hopefully influence others to stay at your establishment.
3. Post photos. High-quality images of your hotel can leave a lasting impression on potential guests and can help increase post engagement. According to a study by Kissmetrics, posts with photos receive 53 percent more likes, 104 percent more comments and 84 percent more click-throughs than posts containing text alone.
Try to include images of your rooms, amenities and unique features with posts whenever possible. The photos will automatically be included in the “Photos” portion of your Page for guests to peruse more easily.
4. Optimize your call-to-action button. Review the options for the call-to-action button on your Page and select the one that best aligns with your hotel. For example, the “Book Now” button can help drive people to the online booking portal on your website. Note, the “Call Now” button is best if you do not offer online booking or if your property primarily takes reservations over the phone.
5. Prioritize your tabs. The Services template displays tabs in an order that works for many service-oriented businesses; however, you should customize your page in a way that provides the most value to your followers and potential guests. For instance, you should position your “Offers” tab closer to the top if your hotel frequently offers deals or special promotions. In addition, you should turn off tabs that don’t relate to hospitality, such as the “Shop” tab.
6. Post job opportunities. Facebook Jobs makes it easier for businesses to reach potential candidates by allowing them to post openings directly on the platform. To create a job post, simply go to the Jobs tab on your Page, click Create Job and fill out the required fields (i.e. job title, description, wage and job type). The finished post will appear on your hotel’s Facebook Page, on the new Jobs bookmark and on Marketplace for interested parties to view.
Plus, Facebook makes it easy for candidates to apply by pulling personal information from their profiles and including it on the application. New applications will appear in your Page’s Messenger Inbox, where you can track and review submissions, contact applicants and set up interviews. You also have the option to download the PDF of the application to keep for your records.