Your business is active on Facebook, but that nagging feeling that you could be doing things better rarely goes away.
NB This is a guest article by Taylor Smariga, an in-house copywriter at NetAffinity.
You know social media can boost bookings. But you also know the process isn’t as simple as slapping a page together, magically scooping up followers and fans, and blasting out ads. And you know that, to drive more bookings with Facebook, your ads have to convert better.
So, we’ve put together seven ways to boost your hotel’s Facebook ad conversions.
1. Reduce CPC cost and boost conversions with better targeting
6,000 high quality fans beat 10,000 low quality fans.
Quantity matters, but not as much as quality. A large group of unengaged fans won’t bring you business. That’s why when building your core group of fans and followers, or targeting new ones, you need to focus on quality to convert potential guests.
According to branding consultant Amy Porterfield, “when you work hard to build a fanbase first, you reap the rewards by getting better conversions…without breaking the bank!”
2. Offer incentives to fans and followers
Your hotel Facebook page is not necessarily about direct bookings.. Your page is about engaging potential guests, building a loyal community, and most importantly; building your email list.
Usually, fans aren’t going to sign up just because you asked them too. They’ll be more likely to subscribe and interact if you offer them something valuable in return. Research from Syncapse shows that 42% of fans like a page to get a coupon, and 35% like so they can participate in contests.
One Chicago dealership gained a 24x return on their ads by combining Facebook offers with custom audiences.
If you want to get more out of Facebook advertising, create an enticing offer that links to a landing page. You could:
- Create a short, snappy guide for guests during their stay
- Offer discounts and special activities that are available once people are subscribed
- Have a link to a contest that runs on your website. To stand a chance at winning, have visitors enter their email addresses
- Offer a quick checklist of activities for guests when they arrive
3. Target existing hotel guestsA popular marketing adage is: “The best customer you can get is the one you already have.”
Similarly, the best fan to target is the one who is already unlocking his room in your hotel and walking in to unpack.
Think about it: A guest who’s previously stayed with you is likely to stay again. And, while at your hotel, guests are going to be more attentive and involved because they’re actively engaging with you as a business.
Take advantage of that! To grow your fanbase, offer rewards in the hotel for becoming a Facebook fan.
For example, at your bar or front desk you can offer free drinks or discounts in exchange for liking your Facebook page. This increases future conversions because you have stronger leads for targeting.
4. Get solid leads with Facebook custom audiences
Custom audiences lets you upload a list of customers from your phone book or email list, which means you can reach a bigger, qualified audience, even if they weren’t fans before.
One game developer, Kingnet, experienced a 40% decrease in cost-per-installs with custom audiences on Facebook.
5. Reach out to site visitors
Custom audiences can be used for your website too!
By placing a piece of code on your site, Facebook tracks visitors and compiles their Facebook IDs for your list. People can also be targeted based on the pages they visit on your hotel site, so you can improve conversions with segmented ads for people who clicked off at your homepage, started the booking process, or visited your contact page.
6. Use content to breath life into your Facebook page
If your page is rife with posts that promote your hotel and ask people to book, you’ll probably bore your audience.
Remember, it’s social media. To maintain the attention of your fans, mix up your posts.
You can post:
- Interesting events happening in your city
- Idyllic images around your hotel
- Customer testimonials
The “fill in the caption” style post is another way to engage fans. Here’s a great example from Pepsi:
Be sure to use images when posting. According to Kissmetrics, posts with images get 104% more comments, 84% more clicks and 53% more likes.
Also, make an effort to reply to comments. It shows that you care for your fans—and by extension, your guests—and makes your hotel look more fun.
Looking for more post ideas? Here are 22 to get you started.
7. Keep your posts short and sweet
Your fans aren’t expecting in-depth articles; keep your posts short and snappy to maintain their interest. Research shows that posts with 80 characters or less get 66% more engagement.
Conclusion
According to Social Media Examiner, 97% of marketers are using social media to support overall marketing efforts, and 84% of respondents indicated that Facebook was the top medium used for paid social advertising.
Facebook advertising works. But it has to be done properly.
NB This is a guest article by Taylor Smariga, an in-house copywriter at NetAffinity.