W Hotels earned the top spot in the third annual Digital IQ Index compiled by L2, a think tank for digital innovation.
The chain was the only hotel brand out of 57 to be ranked ‘Genius’ by L2, which recognised W Hotels for its large, engaged communities and innovative programming.
InterContinental and Westin took joint second place in the ranking, while Four Seasons and The Luxury Collection were ranked third.
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The remaining brands in the top 10 were Sheraton, St. Regis, Hilton, Fairmont and The Ritz-Carlton.
L2 evaluated 57 hotel brands on more than 675 data points across four dimensions: Site, Digital Marketing, Social Media, and Mobile.
Clinical professor of marketing, NYU Stern, and founder, L2 Think Tank Scott Galloway said: “In the next decade, hotel brands will live and die by the sword of digital. The influence of digital platforms and content on where a traveller decides to stay is remarkable”.
Key findings from the Index included a 15% year-on-year increase in the number of hotel brands with a mobile optimised site, with 81% of brands now offering this.
All 57 brands were present on Facebook, with 93% of brands maintaining both global and property level pages.
Pinterest and Instagram have gained significant traction, reported Galloway, with adoption rates of 96% and 82%, respectively.