“Like” and “Check-in”: how hotels utilize Facebook as an effective marketing tool

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how effectively hotels are using Facebook as a marketing tool and how consumers are interacting with the property by measuring the number of fans, customer comments, and accuracy of information provided. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based upon a content analysis, inquiring into 100 hotels' Facebook pages. Findings – Findings demonstrate that the use of Facebook features by hotels varied widely. Some hotels utilize Facebook solely as a means for posting property information, whereas others focus on facilitating customer engagement. Research limitations/implications – Literature related to the effectiveness of social media as a marketing tool within the hospitality industry is severely limited, thus this research highlights the challenges some hotels are experiencing with maximizing the reach of their Facebook pages, suggests possible approaches for improvement and makes recommendations for structuring social networking strategies. Practical implications – Results demonstrated many hotels failed to interact with customers, provide accurate and timely information, and entice prospective purchasers by showcasing the property through photos and videos. Practitioners would be well served to improve upon these aspects to better appeal to consumers and recognize a significant return on investment. Originality/value – This study investigates the extent to which Facebook is being utilized by the top 100 domestic US hotels. Evaluation criteria included three aspects: content information, property details, and interactions between hotels and customers. Literature related to social network marketing is sparse, thus the present research is intended to provide a basis for future research and guidance for industry professionals to best maximize technological marketing channels.