How to get Twitter Followers for your Hotel (without hurting profits or your brand). By Josiah Mackenzie Wednesday, 25th November 2009

To run effective Twitter promotions for your hotel, you need people listening, but what if you have no followers? Where do you start?

Note: this list is a little different from other 'how to be popular on Twitter' articles in that I understand hotels need to maintain their brand reputation. Some of the more aggressive tactics used in other industries probably should be avoided.

That said, here are some proven ways you can get more Twitter followers – even if you have none now:

Leverage your reputation. You’ll notice most of the top Twitter users are celebrities elsewhere. Bringing their brand to Twitter helped them quickly grow a fanbase in the network. If people recognize your company, simply taking part will cause others to spread your message and grow your influence.

Leverage your existing web presence. If you have an existing online profile – large or small – use it to promote your Twitter account. This may be Facebook, your blog, or your main website. Link to your Twitter page and actively encourage people to connect with you there.

Tweet regularly. Predictable, regular updates increase the chance people find you. You’ll appear in the public timeline, Twitter searches, and the likelihood of people retweeting your message goes up.

Look at the big picture. Talk about things other than just you and your hotel. Depending on your target audience, this could range from business travel tips to art shows in your city.

Provide value. Why should people follow you? Have a compelling reason.

Tweet during peak times. For me, the most activity happens during US business hours. A leisure audience may be different. Test and find what works for you.

Give away free stuff. No, it doesn’t always have to be rooms. What else could you give away that has a high value for your audience, but costs you little? Free gets attention, if the offer is good enough.

Learn from the pros. It can be very useful to follow the top hotels and experts in your niche to see how they build their followers. Perhaps you can use some of the tactics yourself.

Original article: www.hotelmarketingstrategies.com/get-twitter-followers

About the author
This blog is written by Josiah Mackenzie, who enjoys exploring the relationship between emerging technology and the hospitality industry. 

www.hotelmarketingstrategies.com