Welcome to this week’s newsletter, where I share the latest hospitality news and trends.
In this week’s Hospitality Highlights Newsletter
- Grubhub Restaurant Portal Launches Customer Insights
- Discover the Latest Wellness Trend: Sleep Tourism
- Meta AI Introduces Generative AI For Advertisers
- Instagram to Enable Creators to Showcase Collaboration Status with Other Creators
- Google’s ‘Perspectives’ Search Results Now Includes Reddit, YouTube, TikTok and More
- Is Instagram Going Head-To-Head With Twitter?
- WhatsApp Introduces Message Editing Feature
- YouTube Introduces Unskippable 30-Second Ads for TV Viewers
- Exploring the Impact of Delivery Apps on Combating Obesity
- Paid Loyalty Programs Pique Premium Interest
☕ Grab a coffee, and let’s dive into this week’s Hospitality Highlights
Hospitality Highlights - Marketing News
🥡 Grubhub Restaurant Portal Now Includes Customer Insights and Other Features
Grubhub has added three new features to its Grubhub for Restaurants portal: customer insights, self-serve refund requests and self-serve photo shoot access.
The updates come after consultation with restaurant partners and the Restaurant Leadership Council. The customer insights feature will allow restaurants to view and filter sales and order metrics by new or returning diners and Grubhub+ or non-Grubhub+ members, making better strategic decisions and adjusting marketing plans accordingly.
The self-serve refunds feature will allow restaurants to automatically request an adjustment in the platform to dispute a refund. The self-serve photo shoot access feature will offer an opt-out option.
💤 Discover the Latest Wellness Trend: Sleep Tourism
Sleep tourism is a new trend in the travel industry, with hotels offering sleep-specific retreats and specialist-backed programs for those seeking a good night’s rest.
The trend is attributed to general wellness and longevity, where guests want an experience that enhances their well-being.
Sleep retreats range from standard add-ons like pillow menus and sleepy teas to comprehensive multi-day programs guided by specialists and clinicians. Hotels with dedicated sleep programs allow guests to focus on improving their sleep and health away from distractions of everyday life by examining everything from barriers to rest to testing how deep your sleep is.
Sleep retreats can offer low-intensity activities like yoga and walking, meditation, reflexology, and massage to counter poor sleep quality.
👍 Meta AI Introduces Generative AI For Advertisers
Meta’s announcement of AI Sandbox for advertisers has created excitement in the advertising industry. The generative AI tool offers three features that enhance how brands interact and engage with their audience on social media platforms.
The first feature generates variations of the same copy with advertisement customisation capabilities, allowing brands to tailor their message for various demographics while keeping the core idea intact.
The second feature simplifies the creation of uniquely different campaign materials, enabling brands to create unique ads with trendy and engaging backdrops that align with the ad’s core idea.
The third feature allows advertisers to create visuals in different aspect ratios, saving creators’ time and effort.
Meta plans to expand access to more advertisers in July, reflecting its commitment to empowering a broader range of advertisers with the capabilities offered by the AI Sandbox.
❤️ Instagram to Enable Creators to Showcase Collaboration Status with Other Creators
Instagram is reportedly developing a collaboration feature for creators on its platform. This “Collaboration status” feature would allow creators to indicate whether they are open to collaborating with other creators.
The status would appear in their profile, direct messages, and search results. The feature would allow creators to find the right partners for their social media projects and help them build their brands.
While the release date for the feature is currently unknown, an insider has reportedly seen the feature and suggested that it will be available soon.
🔎 Google's 'Perspectives' Search Results Now Includes Reddit, YouTube, TikTok and More
Google is introducing a new ” Perspectives ” filter to search results on discussion boards, Q&A sites, and social media platforms like Reddit, YouTube, and TikTok.
The filter will make accessing links and videos from these platforms easier without appending their names to search queries. The “Perspectives” feature will show more details about content creators, including their names, profile picture, and information about the popularity of their content.
Google is developing an improved system for understanding and ranking personal and expert content, acknowledging that its original system for ranking web pages has decreasing relevance in the era of user-generated content.
📱 Is Instagram Going Head-To-Head With Twitter?
According to a leaked marketing slide, Instagram is developing a text-based messaging app for conversations.
Users can sign in with their Instagram usernames and passwords, and their followers, handle, bio, and verification will be transferred over.
The app will feature a feed and enable users to make text posts up to 500 characters long with attached links, photos and videos. The app will also have good moderation controls and be compatible with other apps, such as Mastodon, making it a popular destination for those looking to share tweet-like updates.
Meta, Instagram’s parent company, has so far declined to comment.
✏️ WhatsApp Introduces Message Editing Feature
WhatsApp, the instant-messaging service owned by US technology giant Meta, has announced that it will allow users to edit messages up to 15 minutes after they are sent.
The feature will be available to WhatsApp’s 2 billion users in the coming weeks.
Edited messages will be tagged as “edited”, but recipients will not be shown how the message was altered. The move comes after similar features were introduced by messaging services Telegram and Signal.
📺 YouTube Introduces Unskippable 30-Second Ads for TV Viewers
YouTube is introducing 30-second unskippable ads on connected TVs, replacing the two 15-second consecutive ads currently running when advertisers target top videos through the YouTube Select program.
The change is part of the company’s ongoing efforts to cater to marketers who want to ensure their ad dollars go to high-performing, brand-safe video content.
YouTube Select offers advertisers access to a more curated, higher-quality selection of creators and publishers across various categories.
YouTube believes that viewers at home are more likely to be receptive to longer ads when watching on the big screen, as that’s already common when watching TV.
🛵 Exploring the Impact of Delivery Apps on Combating Obesity
Food delivery apps can play a crucial role in promoting healthier food choices, according to a study presented at the European Congress of Obesity.
The study tested a simulated food delivery app in three randomised controlled trials with over 23,000 adult participants. The trials included interventions such as pre-selecting smaller portions by default, positioning lower-calorie foods more prominently, and displaying calorie labels.
The results showed that all three trials resulted in fewer average calories purchased, with reductions of up to 15%. In addition, the study recommended that food delivery apps provide a filter to switch calorie labels on and off and communicate recommended energy intake per meal.
💳 Paid Loyalty Programs Pique Premium Interest
Brands are launching paid programs because they can show value to members much faster than traditional programs, and consumers see benefits quickly vs waiting for points to accumulate.
According to Forrester data, consumer interest in premium programs is on the rise, with 68% of US online adults joining a premium loyalty program in 2022.
Paid programs are compelling to shoppers who regularly buy from a particular brand because they save them money in the long run and save time.
#AskDawnGribble
Each week, I answer your question and provide expert tips and advice to help you stay ahead of the game.
What is the work of a social media manager & why do you need ONE?
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A solid online presence is essential for any business. An effective social media strategy is a vital component of this presence.
A social media manager is indispensable in developing and implementing this strategy, ensuring that your brand stays relevant, engaging, and thriving in the ever-evolving world of social media.
Roles and Responsibilities of a Social Media Manager
A social media manager manages an organisation’s online presence across various social media platforms. Their primary goal is to boost visibility, customer engagement, and, ultimately, sales. The roles and responsibilities of a social media manager can be broadly categorised into the following areas:
Social Media Strategy Development
A social media manager designs and implements creative social media strategies to promote the brand and achieve its marketing objectives. They analyse the brand’s target audience, competitors, and industry trends to identify the most effective platforms and content types to engage existing customers and attract new ones.
Content Creation and Curation
Social media managers create and curate engaging, shareable content for platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube. This includes developing original content, sourcing relevant third-party content, and coordinating with other marketing and communications teams to ensure a consistent brand message.
Community Management
Building and nurturing online communities is crucial to a social media manager’s job. They monitor and respond to customer and prospect comments, questions, and feedback, fostering discussions and maintaining a positive brand image.
Analytics and Reporting
Data-driven decision-making is vital for a successful social media strategy. Social media managers track, analyse, and report on the performance of their campaigns using tools such as Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, and platform-specific analytics. They use these insights to optimise content, improve engagement, and inform future strategies.
Influencer and Partnership Management
Forming relationships with influencers and partnering with other brands can significantly boost a brand’s reach and credibility on social media. A social media manager identifies potential partners, negotiates collaborations, and ensures the successful execution of these partnerships.
Crisis Management
Social media managers are skilled at handling PR crises and mitigating brand reputation damage. They monitor online conversations, identify potential issues, and develop appropriate responses to maintain a positive brand image.
Team Management and Training
In larger organisations, a social media manager may lead a team of social media executives or assistants. They are responsible for coaching, motivating, and managing their team members, ensuring they have the necessary skills and resources to excel in their roles.
Budget Management
Social media managers manage and track budgets allocated for social media activities, including advertising and influencer partnerships. They optimise the budget to ensure maximum return on investment.
Skills Needed to Be a Social Media Manager
An effective social media manager must possess a variety of skills, including:
- Expertise in various social media platforms and their algorithms
- Strong copywriting and editing skills
- Creative thinking and problem-solving abilities
- Excellent communication and people skills
- Analytical capabilities for data-driven decision-making
- Organisational and multitasking skills
- Working knowledge of search engine optimisation (SEO) and digital marketing
- Leadership qualities and team management experience
A Day in the Life of a Social Media Manager
A typical day in the life of a social media manager might involve the following tasks:
- Review analytics and performance data to inform content strategy
- Schedule and publish content across various platforms using scheduling tools
- Monitor and respond to comments and messages from customers and prospects
- Research and curate relevant third-party content to share with the audience
- Collaborate with other marketing and communications teams on upcoming campaigns and projects
- Develop and execute influencer partnerships and ad campaigns
- Stay updated on industry trends, competitor activities, and platform updates
The Importance of Social Media Management for Customer Experience
Effective social media management plays a crucial role in shaping the customer experience. By maintaining a strong online presence, brands can:
- Strengthen customer relationships through personalised interactions and prompt responses to queries and feedback
- Provide real-time support, addressing customer concerns and resolving issues quickly
- Showcase the brand’s personality and values, fostering a sense of connection and loyalty among customers
- Utilise customer insights gathered from social media to inform product development and marketing strategies
Compelling Statistics on the Impact of Social Media
The following statistics demonstrate the significant impact social media can have on a business:
- 93% of customers are more likely to make repeat purchases with companies that offer excellent customer service
- 89% of consumers are more likely to make another purchase after a positive customer service experience on social media
- According to Zendesk research, 60% of customers find long wait times to be the most frustrating aspect of customer service.
- Social commerce is expected to reach $99 billion in the United States by 2025
These statistics underscore the importance of having a dedicated social media manager to oversee your brand’s online presence, ensuring that your customers receive the best possible experience and your brand reaps the benefits of a solid and well-executed social media strategy.
Industry Insights
👰 Micro Weddings
Rising inflation rates are driving demand for micro weddings.
Couples have reduced guest counts by almost 50%. Wedding planners indicate a rise in costs for practically every aspect of events. The new lingo specifying the smaller occasions on the increase is either a micro-wedding or a minimony.
Hotels and restaurants can capitalise on this trend by offering elopement packages, micro-weddings featuring indoor and outdoor ceremony locations, florals for the couple, and wedding photography, which can help those who want to host a wedding at a lower price tag at venues previously out of reach.
Weighted blankets have become a growing trend due to their ability to help improve sleep quality and reduce anxiety and delayed-onset insomnia. They work by applying gentle pressure to the body, which can help to release serotonin and promote relaxation.
As a result, people are spending more money on everything from weighted blankets to luxury bed linens, and hotels and restaurants can capitalise on this trend by offering weighted blankets as part of their amenities, adding an extra level of comfort to guests, which can lead to more positive reviews and repeat business.
