DDIH Newsletter November

Digital Developments In Hospitality

November, 3nd 2011

Social Media Trends Foursquare P.2 Facebook P.3

Online Trends Google P.5

Mobile Trends Photo Sharing Devices P.4

Analytic Trends HootSuite P.6

Latest Trends in Hospitality Online Contests P.8 Online Customer Engagement P.9

Digital Marketing Trends for Hoteliers

In October, World Hotel Groups were contest-­‐oriented. With Accor, Four Seasons, Hilton and Starwood, all determined to win over market shares.

Only one objective: creating online customer engagement!

Several solutions: a social media treasure hunt, an online lottery, social media reviews, social loyalty programs, digital awareness campaigns….

They chose to play either the originality card or the simplicity card, which one will be the most effective?

Hotel guests will tell…

Digital Developments in Hospitality is a division of Oneglobe Network dedicated to exploring Net capabilities and innovations facilitating differentiation via breakthrough services.

DDIH explores the impact of apps, tools and platforms, already adopted in the marketplace, and the impact on users’ service expectations.

Social Media Trends

To keep in Mind …

Intersquares app enables users to compare check-­‐ins and find places they have in common.

Foursquare Radar gets people informed of what is happening in the surrounding locations by sending notifications.

Foursquare

Moving Beyond The Check-­‐In, Foursquare Introduces “Radar” October, 13th 2011

The next update to Foursquare’s iPhone app for iOS 5 will pester you even more about things to do nearby. The new feature is called Radar, and it pulls suggestions from FourSquare’s Explore feature. Depending on your location, it might suggest a nearby restaurant, or remind you that the coffee shop on your to-­‐do list is nearby. It will also tell you when your friends are meeting nearby.

Radar pulls in Explore suggestions nearby and sends them to you as notifications so you get them even if the app is closed.

http://ddih.wordpress.com/2011/10/13/moving-­‐beyond-­‐ the-­‐check-­‐in-­‐foursquare-­‐introduces-­‐ %E2%80%9Cradar%E2%80%9D/

Foursquare Hack Reveals When Friends First Met October, 3rd 2011

by Sarah Kessler

Google engineer Mihai Parparita met his wife during their junior year of college. But at some point, it occurred to them that they had actually taken a class together two years prior to that without introducing themselves. It took the couple years of conversation to discover this coincidence, but Parparita recently created a way for other couples — or friends and people who just met — to plot their past intersections.

A clever app he put together at a Foursquare Hackathon in San Francisco compares two people’s checkin history and shows them when they’ve been in the same room. The app is called Intersquares.

To use Intersquares, users hook up their Foursquare accounts and send a link to whomever they want to compare checkins with.

As soon as that person links his or her account, voilà, out spits a list of common checkins.

http://ddih.wordpress.com/2011/10/03/foursquare-­‐ hack-­‐reveals-­‐when-­‐friends-­‐first-­‐met/

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Facebook

To keep in Mind …

Facebook Translation Tool enables users to translate Facebook page content into several languages.

Friend.ly allows individuals and companies to learn from their Facebook friends by sharing Q&A, made in a fun way.

Facebook Launches New Translation Tool For Pages October, 5th 2011

By Kris Holt

Facebook has quietly rolled out a new in-­‐line translation tool that allows you to quickly translate content on pages using Bing Translate.

This will make it easier for you to translate posts and comments on public pages into your preferred language, so you can enjoy content from any public page on the social network.

Whenever a post or comment is posted in a language you don’t claim to know on your profile, a “Translate” button will appear under that content alongside the “Like, “Comment” and “Share” buttons. When you click the button, the content is translated into your preferred language. You can switch back to the original version of the content by clicking the “Original” button.

http://www.scribbal.com/2011/10/facebook-­‐launches-­‐ new-­‐translation-­‐tool-­‐for-­‐pages/

Facebook Timeline: 5 Sites for Customizing Your Cover Photo October, 13th 2011

by Amy-­‐Mae Elliott

Facebook’s new Timeline design gives you a big space for a photo at the top of your profile.

So far we have seen some cool and creative uses of this new “cover photo.”

If you don’t have the time to design your own, consider these fun free services that can help.

We have found five fledgling websites that offer free cover photos you can easily upload to your profile.

http://ddih.wordpress.com/2011/10/13/facebook-­‐ timeline-­‐5-­‐sites-­‐for-­‐customizing-­‐your-­‐cover-­‐photo/

Facebook Acquires Social Q&A Service Friend.ly October, 11th 2011

The acquisitions continue for Facebook. Last week, the social network bought Friend.ly, the social question and answer service, both sides confirm today.

Of note, the Friend.ly team says that they’ll be working on “new projects” at Facebook. But they also say that Friend.ly will continue to operate as a service.

As Inside Facebook noted back in April, Friend.ly was able to gain a ton of users on top of Facebook’s graph very quickly.

http://ddih.wordpress.com/2011/10/11/facebook-­‐acquires-­‐social-­‐qa-­‐service-­‐friend-­‐ly/

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Mobile Trends Photo Sharing Devices

To keep in Mind …

ImageSocial allows to enter online photo contests through photo-­‐ sharing and votes.

Twitter Iphone App enables users to take photos and post them directly on Twitter Photo platform.

First Look At ImageSocial, The Photo-­‐Sharing Network That Just Scored $15 Million In Funding October, 12th 2011

By Sarah Perez

Earlier this month, Australian-­‐based Mooter Media took in $15 million from San Francisco investment firm La Jolla Cove Investors, Inc. in order to launch a new social photography platform. The platform, called ImageSocial, will include a gaming element.

Instead of just friending users and uploading photos, at launch, ImageSocial users will be able to participate in what Mooter says is the “largest online photo contest ever conceived.” The contest will involve a search for the most defining moments of our generation, and will award “big” prizes.

When it launches in Q1 2012, ImageSocial will encourage users to share photos on the network via desktop, tablet or mobile devices and will encourage them to vote on others’ images.

http://ddih.wordpress.com/2011/10/12/first-­‐look-­‐at-­‐imagesocial-­‐the-­‐photo-­‐sharing-­‐network-­‐that-­‐just-­‐scored-­‐15-­‐ million-­‐in-­‐funding/

Twitter Updates iPhone App with Photo Sharing October, 12th 2011

by Todd Wasserman

A day before Apple is expected to release its iOS 5 update with Twitter integration, Twitter has upgraded its iPhone, iPod touch and iPad app with new features, including photo sharing.

The 3.5.0 update, introduced Tuesday, includes an upgraded direct messages design on the iPad and the ability to tap a location on the iPad to show nearby tweets. The most significant upgrade is a feature that lets you take a photo on your mobile device and then upload it to pic.twitter.com.

http://ddih.wordpress.com/2011/10/12/twitter-­‐updates-­‐iphone-­‐app-­‐with-­‐photo-­‐sharing/

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Online Trends

To keep in Mind …

-­‐ QR codes on rooftops could infiltrate Google Maps.

-­‐ Google Maps displays photos of business interiors: 360° information.

-­‐ Google Hotel Finder is available in the UK.

Google Google extends Hotel Finder tool beyond US destinations October, 20th 2011

By Linda Fox

Google’s experiment with its Hotel Finder tool for US destinations must be paying off as the search giant has quietly opened it up to include European cities.

The tool enables users to search for a hotel within a named destination by editing a shape on a map.

Users can also view hotels within the shape as a list and by clicking on a ‘book’ button are provided with advertisements from online travel agencies and the hotels enabling users to compare prices.

Property reviews are also provided from Google Places.

http://ddih.wordpress.com/2011/10/20/google-­‐extends-­‐ hotel-­‐finder-­‐tool-­‐beyond-­‐us-­‐destinations/

Rooftop QR Codes Aim to Infiltrate Google Maps

Google Maps rolls out business interiors in Street View October, 28th 2011

by Meghan Kelly

Google is taking its Street View feature indoors. The company announced last May it would be taking interior shots of stores, but now it is moving out of its pilot phase with more 360 degree interiors cropping up online.

Now Google is using these images as a marketing tool for businesses that want to show off their interiors.

http://ddih.wordpress.com/2011/10/28/google-­‐maps-­‐ rolls-­‐out-­‐business-­‐interiors-­‐in-­‐street%C2%A0view/

October, 12th 2011

by Todd Wasserman

Here’s a circuitous route to free advertising on Google: An Austin, Texas, firm will install QR codes on rooftops in an attempt to sneak into Google Maps. Phillips & Co.’s new proposition, called Blue Marble, offers a “space-­‐accessible profile” for businesses, cities, schools — anyone who wants to raise their profile.

Phillips says in a statement that Google Earth has been downloaded 400 million times and “by integrating a readable code into the space-­‐accessible profile, mobile users can access dynamic marketing programs, videos, digital coupons and other content while viewing the specific geographical location.”

In addition to showing up in Google Earth, the codes would also surface in Google Maps, which makes use of the former with Earth View.

http://ddih.wordpress.com/2011/10/05/rooftop-­‐qr-­‐codes-­‐aim-­‐to-­‐infiltrate-­‐google-­‐maps/

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Analytics Trends

To keep in Mind …

-­‐ HootSuite enables LinkedIn to help businesses develop their social media presence.

-­‐ Geotoko (acquired by HootSuite) lets businesses better understand their audience’s activities on social media websites.

HootSuite

Check-­‐out Who’s Checking-­‐in ~ HootSuite Acquires Location-­‐Based Marketing Tool Geotoko October 12th, 2011

HootSuite Integrates LinkedIn Company Pages & Groups October, 6th 2011

The integration is key for HootSuite — which previously only supported LinkedIn profiles — in evolving side-­‐by-­‐side with its main user base: social media marketers.

In short, LinkedIn is quickly coming into its own in the social networking realm — and social media managers need to stay on top of it. With the new HootSuite features, they can send company status updates and start group discussions around their content. For companies using LinkedIn for HR marketing and recruiting, it’s an opportunity to post job openings and share professional expertise as well.

LinkedIn has named HootSuite one of its four charter members in its new Certified Developer Program, a network of developers designated to help marketers, agencies and companies use LinkedIn to connect with their audiences.

HootSuite has acquired Geotoko – a location-­‐ based marketing tool – adding to the existing geo-­‐location capabilities in the social media management dashboard. This geo-­‐analytic software will help businesses market to understand their audience and customers.

The Geotoko technology reports on geo-­‐ based social media interactions like key influencers, customer sentiment, and demographic patterns to help businesses draw conclusions about audience behavior, as well as help brands reward customers for checking-­‐in via Foursquare and Facebook Places.

http://blog.hootsuite.com/geotoko-­‐acquisition/

http://ddih.wordpress.com/2011/10/06/hootsuite-­‐ integrates-­‐linkedin-­‐company-­‐pages-­‐groups/

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Latest Marketing Trends in Hospitality Online Contests

A|Club launches grand game contest for all its members October 6th, 2011

From October 6 to November 15, 2011, A|Club is offering all of its members a chance to play its big on-­‐line game: Jackpot Days.

By connecting to the “A|Club” Facebook page, participants have a chance to win the Jackpot: 1 million A|Club points credited to their loyalty card, equivalent to a year of weekends!

At the same time, A|Club is doubling points earned for any weekend reservation from October 10 to December 18 made on a-­‐club.com, Accorhotels.com, brand sites – Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Novotel, SuiteNovotel, Mercure, Adagio, ibis, and all seasons/ibis style, and via Accor call centers.

http://ddih.wordpress.com/2011/10/06/aclub-­‐launches-­‐ grand-­‐game-­‐contest-­‐for-­‐all-­‐its-­‐members/

Travel deal of the week: Four Seasons Resorts Facebook giveaway October 6th, 2011

For those who can’t bear the thought of planning the family trip, the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts is hosting a Facebook giveaway that will end with three lucky families vacationing at one of three Four Seasons resorts: The Four Seasons Nevis, The Four Seasons Vail or The Four Seasons Boston.

Four Seasons teamed up with luxury family vacationers Luxury Travel Mom, Ciao Bambino and PoshBrood, to create this social media scavenger hunt. Here’s how it works: The contest is a Luxury Facebook Treasure Hunt. At each stop you answer a question which gives you another entry and another chance to win.

http://ddih.wordpress.com/2011/10/11/travel-­‐deal-­‐ of-­‐the-­‐week-­‐four-­‐seasons-­‐resorts-­‐facebook-­‐giveaway/

Hilton comes up with social media treasure hunt promotion October 6th, 2011

Hilton Worldwide’s loyalty programme Hilton HHonors has launched “the world’s largest social media treasure hunt”, giving away 500 free hotel nights over the course of five consecutive days this week.

Clues for the treasure hunt activities and locations are being given on the Hilton HHonors Twitter account and Facebook page. HHonors members and treasure hunters must follow or become a fan to uncover the giveaway cities and required tasks.

In each city, the first 100 people to correctly complete the task and find the Hilton HHonors team will be awarded with a free night certificate, redeemable at any participating property in the Hilton Worldwide portfolio of brands.

http://ddih.wordpress.com/2011/10/24/hilton-­‐comes-­‐up-­‐with-­‐social-­‐media-­‐treasure-­‐hunt-­‐promotion/

7

Online Customer Engagement Meliá Hotels Opens A “Social Suite” at ME Madrid October 19th, 2011

by Josiah Mackenzie

At ReviewPro, we advocate using guest feedback from the social web to guide design, but a new campaign from Meliá Hotels takes this philosophy to another level. Earlier this month, ME Madrid opened its “Social Suite” – created and inspired by the company’s Facebook fans.

The “Social Suite” is the result of the recent “Everything is Possible” online campaign by the hotel chain on Facebook which for two weeks encouraged fans of all the company’s hotel brands to share their dreams. The campaign helped the company raise the number of fans to make it the top Spanish hotel company on Facebook with more than 200,000 fans.

http://ddih.wordpress.com/2011/10/19/melia-­‐ hotels-­‐opens-­‐a-­‐%E2%80%9Csocial-­‐ suite%E2%80%9D-­‐at-­‐me-­‐madrid/

Starwood Hotels to publish online customer reviews October 25th, 2011

By Barbara De Lollis

Starwood later today will launch a first-­‐ever online review function – a first-­‐ever move by a U.S. global hotel company that gives its customers a high-­‐profile voice and potential influence with other guests.

The new function will let Sheraton, Westin, W and other Starwood-­‐brand hotel customers write their assessment of their recent hotel stay directly on Starwood websites, senior Starwood executive Chris Holdren tells Hotel Check-­‐In. Anyone will be able to read the reviews and share them via social media channels, such as Facebook and Twitter.

Starwood hopes that by giving customers the chance to write reviews, they’ll be more engaged with the company and more likely to book repeat stays.

http://ddih.wordpress.com/2011/10/25/starwood-­‐hotels-­‐to-­‐publish-­‐online-­‐customer-­‐reviews/

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The Power of Foursquare and Location-­‐Based Services [Presentation] How Hotels and Travel Companies Are Nailing Social Media October, 28th 2011

Social Loyalty Startup Topguest Launching White Label Service With Facebook Integration Today, the company is announcing a new product that will make Topguest not just a social loyalty program, but a full-­‐fledged social loyalty SaaS company. This fall it will debut a white-­‐label service that will allow brands to customize their communication with each of their customers, based on their social networking activity. Topguest’s first partner with this effort will be Hilton HHonors.

Hilton’s new social loyalty program, powered by Topguest, will be available at www.socialhhonors.com (site is not yet live). Members will receive 2,500 points simply for connecting their Facebook account, and will then have the opportunity to earn even more points for further engaging with the brand.

http://ddih.wordpress.com/2011/10/28/social-­‐loyalty-­‐startup-­‐topguest-­‐launching-­‐white-­‐label-­‐service-­‐with-­‐facebook-­‐ integration/

Luxury Collection launches bold new ad campaign.

October 4th, 2011

The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts announces a new global advertising campaign, framing its ensemble of iconic hotels and resorts with photography of experiences, destinations and passions of the brand to tell the story of a global explorer and deliver a personal approach to the collection.

Conceived by The Luxury Collection brand’s marketing team and executed with photographer David Prince and noted prop stylist Jocelyn Beaudoin, the campaign captures unique travel experiences, singular environments and cherished memories that reflect The Luxury Collection brand.

http://ddih.wordpress.com/2011/10/04/luxury-­‐ collection-­‐launches-­‐bold-­‐new-­‐ad-­‐campaign/

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Digital Development In Hospitality A word from the team… “ We are pleased to share through DDIH blog, all the pieces of information related to the latest digital trends in the objective to inspire independent hotels when creating marketing strategies.”

Find us on http://ddih.wordpress.com/ @oneglobeddih