Quick holiday-season Facebook tips for hotels

As the holiday travel season approaches, now is a perfect time to take a few simple steps to make sure the holiday cheer reaches guests on Facebook and other digital channels, according to Buuteeq CEO Forest Key.

The hotel digital development company says some savvy Facebook action can position your hotel ahead of competition.

Click through the following pages reveal Key’s top tips:

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Show followers that you’re in the holiday spirit by sharing photos of your holiday decorations and special offers.

Upload new pictures of your rooms decked out for the season, create a holiday album, or feature your tropical vistas to highlight a holiday getaway package.

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Highlight local happenings

Find holiday-themed local events and services and place them as points of interest on your interactive map.

Are sleigh rides offered nearby? A fabulous holiday brunch? Ice-carving contest? Add them to your map so guests can see how close they’ll be to the festivities when they book with you.

Be sure to also list these happenings on your website’s calendar.

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Stimulate ‘likes’ and engage followers

Offer a bag of holiday goodies to guests who like your page, or a discount on a local attraction to guests who check in to your property on Facebook.

Respond and interact with followers when they comment on your wall or like your posts, and tag them in pictures (with permission) so they become a part of your holiday story.

You can also win fans by offering holiday packages and offers to your Facebook followers first, before posting them on your website or promoting them locally.

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Create a holiday-themed Facebook ad

Promote a holiday package or programme with a Facebook ad featuring big images, vivid colors and iconic holiday sights to grab the attention of future guests. Point the ad back to your holiday-ready Facebook page to get even higher conversions than pointing back to your website.

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Taking these simple steps can help turn Facebook followers into holiday travellers and entice them to share in the welcoming spirit of your hotel.

Forest Key is CEO and co-founder of Buuteeq, a Seattle-based company that created a unique digital marketing system for hotels.

Buuteeq fuses technology ingenuity with online marketing savvy to help hotels increase occupancy and reduce distribution costs by converting more direct reservations through online bookings.