Social Media Phenomenon and

Monitoring

Social Eyes Consultancy

OverviewSocial Media PhenomenonOnline Reviews and BookingsNew Zealand ContextSocial Media MonitoringFreely Available ToolsAutomated Media MonitoringConclusion/Questions

Social Media Phenomenon

Social Media is everywhere!Brand OwnershipDurable trendsHospitality and Tourism Sectors most

effected by Social Media

Social Media PhenomenonSocial Media is game changingSocial Media is not just another form of

mediaSocial Media is more than just blogsSocial media is decentralised and real

timeSocial components drive business results

Online Reviews and Bookings

Interpersonal influence and WOM most influential

Guests and visitors are increasingly going online

Reality of public involvement in traveller reviews

Web reviews credibility

Social Network Popularity

Use of Social Network Sites

Blogging Software Popularity

Twitter Use

Online Reviews and Bookings

WOM most important influencerClosed loop system no longer viable88% of those reading reviews affected

their decisionReview higher credibility than brandTripadvisor

32 million unique visitors per month 10 million members 20 million reviews

New Zealand ContextRegional Visitor Monitor

◦Travellers increasingly using the internet to bookOnline accommodation up from 42% to 57% since

2007Online activity and attraction booking up from 55%

to 62% since 2007.Pre-trip research increased by 39% since 2007Mr Bassett - “these findings show that tourism

operators in all areas of the industry needed to get their inventory web-ready and keep their web content fresh and relevant”.

New Zealand ContextYield-Relevant Tourist Decision Making

◦LEAP, Lincoln University – Tourism Yield Research

◦Identified social networks as having a vital role in tourism marketing in New Zealand, and should be an important focus for tourism operators

◦International tourists leave many decisions ‘open’, which are best influenced through social mediums

PhD Research findings to date

90% visited review sites before travelling to NZ67% searched microblogging sites before visiting NZ73% post comments on a regular basis on a at least

one social network site as they travel67% stated that they were more likely to complain

about a negative aspect of their trip via online mediums vs. directly with the business

78% used review and social network sites while travelling in NZ to either investigate there activity and accommodation options or to reduce their decision set.

Social Media MonitoringMedia monitoring in its infancy while user

generated content is well establishedFailure to monitor is a disadvantage that

loses YOU businessNo more closed loop systemsAre you listening?Are you responding?

Free SoftwareGoogle Alerts and Blog AlertsTweet Deck/Ping FMYahoo PipesSocial MentionTechnoratiBlogpulseRSS feeds – generalRSS feeds – OTA’s

Issues with Free SoftwareHidden costsSpamSubscriptionData OverloadUtilisation of this new information streamIdentification of key sites, users,

geographic and demographic dataNo analysis

Automated MonitoringRadian6TechrigyBrandseyeViralheatSymososBrandwatch

Automated Monitoring – must pass a few key tests

Is it timely?Is the solution affordable?Are the essential points of sale sites

delivered?Is your performance measured against

competitors?Enabling and supportive tools?Effective filtering?Analysis features?

ConclusionsEra when businesses controlled what was

said about them is over.Social mediums are changing the way

information gets reported onlineTourism businesses utilising this new

information are experiencing increasing and new revenue streams while reducing costs

Need your finger on the pulse

ConclusionsFree software solutions a good place to

startYOU require the latest and best

information to base your marketing and business decisions, strategies and evaluative tools.

Automated monitoring becoming a necessity

Thank You

Social Eyes Consultancywww.socialeyes.co.nz

steve@socialeyes.co.nzsteve.wilson@lincoln.ac.nzwww.twitter.com/_socialeyes