Are you participating and/or encouraging conversation on your hotel's social media channels? Is your social media presence consistent? Do you know the right social networks to target for your audience and social search? If you're unsure, it's time to call CoMMingle. An outsourced social media marketing agency from Lodging Interactive, CoMMingle develops customized solutions for hotels, restaurants and spas to help craft their social media marketing messaging to keep travelers thirsting for more informational content . . . more dialog . . . and more fun.

"One of the first questions we get asked at CoMMingle is: What social networks do we need a presence on and how do we market to that audience without overselling ourselves?" said Rosella Virdo, Director of CoMMingle Social Media Marketing. "Creativity, posting content consistently, remaining fluid with the ever changing tides of social media, and having a message that is relative to each audience is the key to engagement and social media success.

"You don't have to win a popularity contest on social media to connect with your past, present and future guests," Virdo said. "Hotels should keep in mind the 'social' aspect of social media. In the last five years, social media has evolved from both the user standpoint as well as the business side. People interact on social networks to be engaging, without being bombarded by marketing and advertising."

The question becomes: “How does a hotel share its offerings, promotions, specials, location, etc. without strong arm marketing?” This is where the softer -- or conversational  -- side of marketing comes in.

"We are not standing on top of a mountain shouting our message and expect everyone to listen," Virdo said. "Climb down the mountain, mingle with the people and talk. It's simple. Just talk. Now is the time to softly market your property while adding a human voice to the business. These conversations will become an integral part of social search."

CoMMingle serves as a consultant to its customers, advising hotels how to deal with social media, reputation management on review sites, online issues that arise as more social media channels become an extension of customer service, and giving them tools to manage their social presence effectively. For instance, CoMMingle will nip a bad review in the bud by working with hotel management to learn the details of an issue, formulate the response to adhere to third-arty website policies and manage the conversation online for the client. A neglected Tweet can turn into a negative Facebook post and eventually turn into a devastating TripAdvisor review. CoMMingle assists in managing the reputation of the hotel in online conversations and comments, as well as enhancing reputation by addressing issues with the transparency needed on the social networks to remain authentic.

"As CoMMingle clients, hotels are not buying Facebook 'maintenance,' but rather they receive a vast array of social media and reputation management services that can be adjusted to a client's specific needs as well as allow the client to stay visible where the conversation is taking place," Virdo said.

"Stop bombarding mobile travelers with unnecessary web content that comes from Responsive Web Design. Relevancy, not redundancy, is key to mobile website success." This is the message that Lodging Interactive is stressing to hotel marketers in 2013. The interactive and social media marketing agency exclusively servicing the hospitality industry, which also receives numerous hotel website design awards annually, says hoteliers need to be mindful that placing too much content on their mobile website can be more of a traveler deterrent rather than an incentive to book or buy.

"There are many definitions of Responsive Web Design (RWD), but our concern is directed to adapting website content to fit different screen sizes and reformatting data elements so that they are more easily viewable," said DJ Vallauri, Lodging Interactive Founder and President. "What would appear on a hotel's website as a three-column copy box would be reduced to one column of text with smaller images to simplify navigation using a Responsive Web Design process. But here's the rub: All content that appears in the original site is resized and adapted for the mobile web. That means, a hotel's 50 page website which contains detailed information on the property, room types, floor plans, photo galleries, news and press releases, etc., all becomes part of the mobile display. Not only is this an overwhelming amount of data for a mobile environment, but it's simply not an efficient format for today's mobile-dependent travelers who demand quick, relevant information.

"For this reason and many more, we at Lodging Interactive believe that from a website design standpoint, two separate versions are needed: one for the desktop and tablet, and a separate website architecturally optimized for mobile users that provides them with just the information they need to engage with the hotel and make their experience rewarding," Vallauri said. "Ignoring the needs and demands of smartphone users for the sake of technology will only turn them away, versus driving new business and creating new loyal customers."

Lodging Interactive identifies the Top 5 Reasons that Responsive Web Design is Not a Best Practice:

1. "One Web" May 'Fit' All, But Should It? 
While RWD aims to scale and stream web content to a variety of mobile devices with differing screen sizes, it may not be the best option for hotels or brands looking to deliver unique and innovative experiences to guests. A key reason that consumers have become dependent on mobile technology is that it provides them with a shortcut to instant information. If a traveler had the time available to navigate through multiple pages of hotel information and peruse photos, read reviews, etc., chances are he or she would do so via the proprietary website via a laptop, desktop or tablet.

2. RWD Increases Data Load Time
Consumers are flocking to mobile technology because of its convenience and easy access to information. Those benefits become moot when a user is trying to load content from a 50-page hotel website. A mobile web version would dramatically reduce data load time and simultaneously remove any undue stress associated with trying to access hotel information.

3. RWD Ignores the Core Desires of Users
Studies show that consumers are using their smartphones as a primary device versus a PC or laptop. As this market continues to grow, it makes good business sense to deliver data in a way that is relevant to this target audience. Mobile savvy consumers are leaving the PC environment for a reason. Bombarding them with an overabundance of traditional web content is pointless.

4. RWD Takes Longer to Build and is More Expensive
Just keeping up with the demands of maintaining a hotel's mobile strategy is challenging. Why complicate the matter by establishing a plan that is challenging to execute and costly to build? Standard mobile website development takes far less time and at a cost much less than what a typical Responsive Website Designer would charge.

5. RWD Content Management is Cumbersome
If you thought implementing the RWD program was difficult, try managing the content on an ongoing basis and updating images, descriptions, promotions, etc. on the fly. Lodging Interactive assumes the content management role for its Mobile Website customers. Not only does this take a lot of pressure off hoteliers shoulders, but it guarantees that all content remains fresh and relevant for mobile customers.

Mobile Website Design Making a Difference
Lodging Interactive offers customized, hosted mobile solutions for hotels and resorts of all sizes and brand affiliations. The technology enables fast download time for all iPhone and Blackberry users worldwide, along with easy navigation, stunning image photo galleries and connections to Facebook and Twitter. In addition, Lodging Interactive's mobile marketing services enable direct hotel-to-consumer communications via SMS text messaging.

Lodging Interactive's mobile website service enables hotels to offer mobile users a dynamic and streamlined user experience regardless of mobile device. Pages can detail the property, including description of rooms, amenities, premise, packages, restaurants, spas, recreation facilities, loyalty programs and online reservations. Additional features may include mapping and directions, click-to-call functionality, photo gallery, embedded video capability, convention and/or meeting listings, social media links, guest reviews and more. Mobile website management and hosting also is provided by Lodging Interactive. The company's mobile website code automatically redirects mobile users to the hotel’s mobile website.

"While responsive design can help hotels achieve a certain measure of consistency across channels, the real prize lies with the ability to create unique experiences for guests," Vallauri said. "Lodging Interactive will design a mobile website experience for each hotel that delivers higher engagement and contributes to overall mobile strategy success."

Regardless where in the world you own or operate a hotel, the challenge of maintaining control over the guest experience and the property or brand reputation is universal. That's why Lodging Interactive is taking its in-demand Guest Review System to Australia and New Zealand. Through a distribution partnership agreement with Australian-based Technology 4 Hotels, travelers visiting the Oceania region will be able to post their comments and reviews about hotel stays directly on each properties' website, removing Online Travel Agents (OTAs) completely from the equation.

"You can't be online today without reading something about the success hotels around the world are having with Lodging Interactive's Guest Review System," said Technology 4 Hotels Founder and Director Brendon Granger. "This product can easily be utilized in the Australian and New Zealand markets to solve a really big challenge -- getting out from under the thumb of the OTAs and companies like TripAdvisor as reputation managers. Back in the late '90s, while everyone was sleeping, OTAs took a tremendous amount of business away from hotels; and TripAdvisor has the potential today to do the same. It's time the industry wakes up and takes back control of their business and their online reputations. Utilizing a tool that enables guests to post reviews directly on the hotel's website is a great first step in regaining that control. Add in the ability for managers to be alerted to comments and instantly respond, and hoteliers are back in the drivers' seat. We at Technology 4 Hotels believes that no company does this better than Lodging Interactive, and we are proud to take their GRS to market."

With customers such as Accor, Hilton, Hyatt, Intercontinental Hotels Group, Langham Hotels International, Pan Pacific Hotels Group, Quest Serviced Apartments, Rydges Hotels & Resorts, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Stamford Hotels and Resorts, Toga Hospitality and others, Granger said he believes adoption of the Lodging Interactive GRS will spread quickly.

"Hoteliers of the right mindset and who understand the importance of social media will quickly see the benefits of the Lodging Interactive GRS as a way to polish their online images, and use vehicles such as Facebook and Twitter to not only post reviews on their pages, but to quickly see those reviews shared among their network of friends," Granger said. "And because the GRS validates that each review is being posted by a legitimate guest and not an imposter, hoteliers can rest assured that reviews posted on these channels are valid."

Since 2001, Lodging Interactive has provided hotels, resorts, spas and restaurants in more than 35 countries with proven ROI-driven online services, including: website design and development, search engine marketing, social media marketing, and online reputation management. Today, the company has become the hospitality industry's leading provider of interactive Internet marketing services.

"We are delighted that Technology 4 Hotels has joined our distribution network," said D.J. Vallauri, Lodging Interactive Founder and President. "This hotel-based guest review system ensures there are no delays in communication, and the appropriate staff can immediately fix any pending problems before the guest leaves the property or has the opportunity to post negative reviews on third-party websites. It's a tool that hoteliers around the world have come to depend on, and we look forward to adding new properties and new brands across Oceania to our portfolio of satisfied customers."

Hotels need to stop losing business and sending potential guests to third-party review sites. Click here for a You Tube video that shows how to keep guests where they belong -- writing reviews on the hotel's own website.

Lodging Interactive has created a Facebook Widget for its popular online Guest Review System that links comments from the hotel's website to its Facebook page in real time. The Guest Review System’s Facebook widget enables potential guests to read guest reviews on Facebook and enables past guests to leave reviews directly on Facebook. 

“Leveraging Facebook as a communications platform for guest reviews is a natural extension for our Guest Review System,” said D.J. Vallauri, Lodging Interactive’s Founder and President. “There is no additional cost to implement the Guest Review System on Facebook and our team will even handle the set up for the hotel.”

Since 2011, a number of hotel companies have announced plans to integrate guest reviews into their own websites—either through partnerships with TripAdvisor or by launching their own programs. But relinquishing control to a third party isn't savvy with hoteliers who want to maintain complete control over their online reputations. Likewise, having the human resources and skill needed to continually scrutinize reviews and respond immediately to comments isn't always financially feasible. That's where Lodging Interactive comes in; the company is staffed to manage the review process and reply to guests' comments on the hotel's behalf.

"Some hotels rely solely on brand sites for their website, so having a proprietary landing page for guest reviews isn't an option," Vallauri said. "However, every hotel does -- or can -- have a Facebook page. Therefore, the Lodging Interactive Guest Review System Facebook Widget is an easy way for hoteliers to establish an online guest review repository. Now they can interact quickly and easily with guests and prospective new customers. Our Guest Review System opens up another avenue for hotel marketers to collect reviews and make them more valuable by broadening the market of readers."

To complement its comprehensive set of integrated marketing and social media management services, Lodging Interactive is offering a turnkey email newsletter (“eNewsletter”) service for hotels. Lodging Interactive’s eNewsletter service is a fully managed program that includes professional copywriting, creative design, email list management, distribution and analytics reporting. 

According to recent polls, more than half of North American hotels (58 percent) are projecting marketing budget increases by at least 10 percent in 2013, and a StrongMail survey cites more than 56 percent of marketers planning to grow their email marketing budgets.

“Email marketing continues to be under utilized in our industry as hoteliers continue to juggle online marketing activities, mobile and social engagement.  Hoteliers simply don’t have the resources and copywriting skills to produce a consistent and professional monthly email newsletter,” said DJ Vallauri, Lodging Interactive’s Founder and President.  “As a result many hoteliers are opting to use generic email templates, which often look amateurish and often are ineffective.”

Using its team of skilled bloggers and copywriters, Lodging Interactive creates a dynamic monthly eNewsletter on behalf of the hotel that isn't a sales pitch. Rather, it contains content and offers that past, present and prospective guests will find informative and inviting, helping to build loyalty and revenues. The monthly eNewsletter may contain a welcome letter from the General Manager, news about happenings or points of interest in the local market, and a section that contains property offers for the month.

"Like all Internet marketing programs we offer at Lodging Interactive, this service is backed by data analytics that hoteliers can use to determine the effectiveness of their eNewsletter program," Vallauri said. "Hotel marketing managers can view analytical data related to their campaigns, from the number of eNewsletters sent and opened to the number of click-throughs on embedded links, the number of people who shared the eNewsletter with someone else, and where it was shared on the social channels, such as Facebook or Twitter.”

Lodging Interactive's eNewsletter service delivers a consistent message from the hotel to its email list. The hotel's email database is uploaded into Lodging Interactive's servers and managed on the hotel's behalf. This is the easiest and most professional way to enlist a professionally managed eMail marketing campaign that mirrors the hotel's website and brand imaging. Plus, it's being produced, distributed and managed by a team of more than 50 highly skilled online content experts who are vested in the hospitality industry.