Social Media in
Hospitality
HFT3444
What is Social Media?
Definition of Social Media
Social Media can take many different forms, including Internet forums,
weblogs, social blogs, wikis, podcasts, pictures and video. Technologies
include: blogs, picture-sharing, vlogs, wall-postings, email, instant
messaging, music-sharing, crowdsourcing, and voice over IP, to name a
few. 1
1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_media
What is social media and Web 2.0?
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Harnessing collective intelligence
Trusting consumers as co-developers
Engaging consumer experiences
Participation
Trust economy
Word of mouse
The old vs. the new
Web 1.0
Web 2.0
Eyeballs
Hands
Britannica online
Wikipedia
Personal websites
Blogging
CMS
Wikis
Directories
Tagging
Stickiness
Syndication
Instant messenger
Twitter
Conferences
Unconferences
Shared Knowledge
• Web 2.0 is a way of thinking about how knowledge is created,
shared, managed, and leveraged using technology.
Web 1.0 vs. Web 2.0
Web 1.0 was about reading
Web 2.0 is about writing
Web 1.0 was about owning
Web 2.0 is about sharing
Web 1.0 was about companies
Web 2.0 is about communities
Web 1.0 was about home pages
Web 2.0 is about blogs
Web 1.0 was about portals
Web 2.0 is about RSS and syndication
Web 1.0 was about taxonomy
Web 2.0 is about “tags” and folksonomy
Web 1.0 was about Netscape
Web 2.0 is about Google
Web 1.0 was about wires
Web 2.0 is about wireless
Web 1.0 was about dialup
Web 2.0 is about broadband
Adapted from www.joedrumgoole.com
Social media is a conversation between people…
Supporters
Participants
Donors
Audiences
Opinion Leaders
The conversation is NOT controlled…
Not organized…
Not on message…
SOCIAL MEDIA USE IS GROWING
184 million bloggers
73% of active online users have read a blog
45% have started their own blog
57% have joined a social network
55% have uploaded photos
83% have watched video clips
39% subscribe to an RSS feed
Source: Universal
Figure 8.1
The emergence and rise of mass social media.
(Source: Hinchcliffe, D., Web 2.0 Blog, web2.wsj2.com)
Why Now?
• Better access to technology for the average user – higher speed Internet
connections, faster computers, better cell phones, etc
• Millennials are known as “digital natives,” having lived with the internet
all of their lives.
• Young people are beginning to expect and demand their employers and
others to use online media to recruit, communicate, engage, and manage
knowledge.
• Those who use technology will outlast those who don’t.
Why does it matter?
• Web 2.0 and social media technologies are about connecting people
information and each other so they can better create and collaborate.
• Information sharing.
• Risk reduction
• Web 2.0 and social media technologies will help strengthen and enhance
traditional communication strategies.
What am I missing out on?
• Viral nature of Web 2.0 and social media technologies
• Improved customer service
• Increased storytelling
Enterprise Social Network Interfaces
• Utilize existing social networks
• Create in-house network & then use as employee communication tool &
form of knowledge management
• Conduct business activities
• Create services
• Create and/or participate in social marketplace
Web 3.0
The Web 3.0 is the next paradigm shift of the internet taking the
best of web 2.0, including rich internet applications and social
media, and bringing them to mobile devices.
Information is searched for, filtered, personalized and
delivered to end users based on preferences, biofeedback and
location. 1
1http://www.mindgrub.com/web3.0
Definition of the Semantic
Web
Semantic Web is an evolving extension of the web 3.0
where information is tagged in relation to use and
context so that it and similar information can be
delivered more effectively to humans and machines
Location Enabled
Social Media
Google Latitude
Loopt, Flagr, Whrrl, Buzzd, Zhiing, Urban Spoon
Case Study: Loopt
Case Study: Zhiing
LBS
Location Based Services (LBS) information services
accessible with mobile devices through a mobile
network and based on location
LBE Frameworks + Content
LBE Framework Case Study:
viaPlace
Types of Location Based
Experiences
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Restaurant Guides and User Comments
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Transportation Information
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Golf and Recreation mapping
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Historical and Tours
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Real Estate Home Buying
Issues For Social Network Services
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Lack of privacy controls
Inappropriate language translations among countries
Fierce competition for users
Prey to illegal activities
Cultural objections may become volatile
Enterprise Social Network Interfaces
• Utilize existing social networks
• Create in-house network & then use as employee communication tool &
form of knowledge management
• Conduct business activities
• Create services
• Create and/or participate in social marketplace
Travel 2.0
• The Internet is an ideal technology for travel. It offers a vast
information resource, immediate convenience and
interaction that can provide a very personal experience. As
the Internet reaches to every house and business, it will find a
huge market of travelers looking for information "Just Beyond
their Imagination, and only a click away".
• Today, Travel accounts for a nearly 28,5 % of all annual
online transactions in the world, at 150 billion usd
• According to a just September 2008 released study by Prophis
eResearch, an estimated 19 million online Americans have
visited one of the top ten travel 2.0 traveler community based
sites such as TripAdvisor in the past 12 months.
• Yahoo Travel in a recent survey indicated 61% of people go online for travel
The New Travel Order
User Generated Reviews
From articles and archives to exhaustive details
towards user generated content on social networks
and an unbiased reviews and referrals paradigm
Travel Blogs
Content still
key, but now
Shared
Experiences
Inspire Travel
Hotels
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CVBs
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Restaurants