How to Create the Perfect Facebook Page for your Hotel
So you want to learn how to create the perfect Facebook page for your hotel? Considering Facebook is home to more than 1.4 billion monthly active users, and is fast becoming a center for customer relations, you're making a smart move.
Facebook can be a major factor in generating customers, by building a relationship with the customer and establishing trust, so it is important to really make it work. You can't throw together a Facebook Page and expect the customers to roll in. You need to be managing it with the resources to get noticed, liked, and engaged with – so here's how!
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Create the page
Login to your Facebook (this should be a personal account, don't create a dummy account for your business, it is against the Facebook regulations), and click on the arrow in the top right corner, then select 'Create Page'. Follow Facebook's simple instructions. -
Upload a profile picture
A picture of your hotel sign or a photo of your property – something that is easily recognizable. Ensure that this is an attractive external photo, taken on a sunny day, while the hotel is busy, perhaps in front of a pool or gardens. Think of what a customer would like to see as they pull up to your hotel, and give it to them in your profile photo. If this is not possible, a good quality, colorful photo of your hotel sign will work too. -
Upload a cover photo
Again, imagine what the customers will want to see. This doesn't have to be of your hotel, great landscape photos of city skylines or coastlines work great. Bear in mind this is a big photo, so it should be good quality and colorful. -
Add a 'Book Now' button
Click the 'Create Call-to-Action' button located on your cover photo. You'll then be able to add your hotel URL to the page to drive direct reservations. To see how many people are clicking, go to the drop-down arrow on the button and 'View Insights'. -
Add apps to your Facebook tabs
A great one for hotels is the 'Reviews' tab. Visit the Facebook App Center and search for apps you want to add to your page. Once you've selected the one you want, click the flag icon flag-icon.png to visit the app's page. Next, click the menu icon dot-menu.png on the app page's cover photo, and select 'Add App to Page.' You can also rearrange their order on your page so that reviews are displayed first. You can do so by clicking the 'More' drop-down, selecting 'Manage Tabs,' and then dragging and dropping your apps. -
Start posting content
A great starting point is to post pictures, videos and updates about your hotel. You then need to work on posting information your customers will want to know, show them what a great source of tourist information you are. All tourists want the insider tips on how to get the most from their holiday - so give it to them! -
Think like your customer
The next step is to start thinking like your customer, like pages of local tourism boards, tourist attractions and city pages, and start interacting with them. Share their posts, comment on their posts referencing your hotel (they may be looking for somewhere to stay!), and tag them in your own content. It's a great way to access your market. -
Time your content well
This is particularly important if you regularly get guests from different locations and time zones. You have to think about when they will be online and post then. You can check the performance of your updates in your Facebook Insights (which you can navigate to via the tab at the very top of your page), and base your future posts on when people interact most. -
Monitor for comments and messages
You can monitor and respond to comments via the 'Notifications' tab at the very top of your page. While it may not be necessary to respond to every single comment you receive, you should definitely monitor the conversations happening there, and aim to interact with your Facebook fans on a regular basis. -
Consider your responses
Respond in a timely manner, but ensure you take care over what you are writing and check over it before posting. Respond in a tone that reflects your hotel's ambitions and values. Most importantly, always respond with gratitude, gentleness and respect whether or not the comment was positive. Never stoop to an offensive level with your language.
