Summary of RobertKCole’s Tweets for the period ending midday October 12. Highlights include Advertising Age and Forrester hinting that big changes are required for marketing, YouTube’s Content ID confirms authenticity & monetizes media distribution, US Hotel performance & Sabre stats don’t look too good, and RobertKCole makes the list of Travel Twitterers to follow.
Erin Andrews Peephole Video Demands a Proactive Hotel Industry Response
October 8, 2009 By 11 Comments
Erin Andrews victimization by a stallker who modified a peephole and filmed a video using a cell phone camera has been well documented. What has not been publicized is that unmodified hotel peepholes do not put a guest’s personal privacy at risk. Hotel management is able to take three basic measures that can help to eliminate the risk of future peephole related security issues. One distressing recommendation that has arisen as a result of the publicity is the recommendation for women traveling alone to block the hotel room peephole. Instead, women should always use the peephole before opening a hotel room door to avoid the risk of entry by unwanted visitors.
New FTC Rule Helps Improve Social Media & Travel Reviews
October 5, 2009 By Leave a Comment
The United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) took a much needed positive step forward by introducing guidelines designed to differentiate between legitimate personal opinions and sponsored commercial endorsements made through social media. Individuals blogging or posting product reviews are now required, under threat of fines up to $11,000 per post, to disclose any material connections between themselves and the companies selling the products they are reviewing. This will improve the accuracy and reliability of hotel reviews and help eliminate unethical practices designed to artificially improve travel industry product rankings.
Change Your Thinking about Social Media
September 30, 2009 By 3 Comments
A parable of two men sharing a hospital room provides a foundation for considering the true spirit of hospitality and how the sharing of experiences through effective communication can create inspiration. For hotels, resorts, attractions, destinations and other travel suppliers, it is extremely important to provide a quality experience that meets or exceeds the customer’s expectations. With the growth of social networks, effective communication that is authentic and personal has the ability to inspire travel. To succeed, travel companies need to focus more on the “social” and less on the “media.” As opposed to communicating with customers solely to attain short-term sales, the goal should be to improve travel experiences and enrich the lives of their customers to establish true engagement. This approach helps grow a community that can inspire others to travel and enhance the cycle.
Marketing Your Hotel or Resort in a Web 2.0 World – Presentation at HFTP Annual Convention
September 28, 2009 By 3 Comments
Presented at the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals 2009 Annual Convention in Las Vegas, Marketing your Hotel or Resort in a Web 2.0 World covers the importance of ensuring property product and service delivery is functioning properly and the alignment of traditional marketing with online and social media efforts. Most importantly, marketing strategy must drive technology and channel decisions – ensuring tactics support marketing strategies and business objectives. The presentation includes hospitality industry examples applying rich content, reputation management, search engine optimization, and social media in both small and large properties.
HFTP Presentation – Marketing Your Hotel or Resort in a Web 2.0 World
September 19, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Robert Cole presented “Marketing Your Hotel or Resort in a Web 2.0 World” for the Hospitality Financial & Technology Professionals (HFTP) Annual Conference held on September 19, 2009 at Green Valley Ranch Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. Travel industry executives need to understand guest engagement is no longer broadcasting messages, it is a conversation.
How Google Can Help Enhance Online Travel Research
September 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Recent studies have shown that the research phase of the seven-step online travel process is becoming frustrating for consumers. Many travelers search a large number of sites or spend extended periods of time seeking information regarding airlines, hotels, car rentals, attractions and destinations that are best suited to their interests and needs. Google, with its massive search traffic and extensive advertising platform is well suited to help the travel industry improve travel research. In addition to many innovative tools that are currently offered, Google could help travel marketers by embracing travel industry standards and working to create persona-based traveler profiles that will better align the products of travel suppliers with customer needs.
The World’s Most Infamous Hotel Stay?
August 23, 2009 By 8 Comments
Keith Moon, the notorious drummer and perhaps equally feared hotel guest, celebrated his 21st birthday on August, 23 1967 following a concert in Flint, Michigan. The site was the Flint Holiday Inn, who even posted a warm welcome message to Keith on its iconic “great sign.” The 1960’s were largely about pushing boundaries and the loss of innocence. Keith pushed the boundaries; the hospitality industry discovered a new benchmark for room destruction and property damage. Both rock ‘n roll and the hotel industry were forever changed, and the legend of the most world’s most infamous hotel stay was born.
How Google Can Help Facilitate Travel Inspiration
August 20, 2009 By 6 Comments
Google, through its embracing the Open Source development community provides a wide variety of tools to developers, if creatively employed, can produce applications that help inspire travel. The Google Code site that supports developers offers numerous technologies that can help online travel sites create more compelling content to support eComerce for airlines, hotels, car rental, attractions and destinations. Google Wave provides a powerful platform for traditional travel agents to engage and collaborate with clients that will enhance their ability to inspire travel.
How Google Can Help Revolutionize Online Travel
August 18, 2009 By 3 Comments
A perfect storm of a lack of online travel innovation, traveler frustration, and an economic downturn that limits investment for potential new entrants provides Google with an opportunity to dramatically democratize online travel. With a large number of tools that already help facilitate online travel search, and social media, Google can further simplify access to better organized information to help a broader range of travel suppliers, destinations and sellers increase commerce and competition.
