HFT3444

Social Media in Hospitality

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?

• 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 AudiencesDonors Opinion Leaders

The conversation is NOT controlled…

Not organized…

Not on message…

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

SOCIAL MEDIA USE IS GROWING

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 3.0The 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

Case Study: Loopt

Loopt, Flagr, Whrrl, Buzzd, Zhiing, Urban Spoon

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

• Restaurant Guides and User Comments• Transportation Information• Golf and Recreation mapping• Historical and Tours• Real Estate Home Buying

Issues For Social Network Services

• 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

• Yahoo Travel in a recent survey indicated 61% of people go on-line for travel

• 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.

The New Travel Order

User Generated ReviewsFrom 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