The social media addict is, perhaps, one of society’s most misunderstood members. Your boss has forbidden you from using Facebook at work, your friends have accused you of not having a life, and if you had a dime for every time your mother said “stop wasting your time on that laptop,” you could afford to get your own place.
The truth is that social media skills are in high demand and there are fabulous positions for people who are motivated to learn. So silence your critics and turn your supposed “waste of time” into a the job of your dreams job by pursuing social media careers in the hospitality sector.
Social media is thriving with marketing savvy individuals working in a variety of capacities. Here are just a few of the ways that your posting prowess could benefit a hotel, restaurant, or tourist destination near you.
Put the “Social” in their Social Media Campaign
Are you a natural-born people person who possesses the gift of the gab and a knack for solving problems? Why not transform these highly coveted skills into a career?
Many hotels are expanding their current in-person concierge services to include a large social media component. Future guests can tweet questions about the hotel and its amenities, nearby attractions, and check-out times. They can even post special requests before they step foot on the premises.
In “The Future of the Hotel Industry and Social Media,” Senior Lecturer at Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration, Bill Carroll, states that these strategies are an extension of what the concierge does on a day-to-day basis and that [they] improve service.”
You may be the perfect person to oversee a guest community. Some hotels operate ongoing online communities made up of rewards program members or other groups, while many also create short-term ones for special events. These guest communities not only afford the opportunity for customers to interact with one another, but it also enables them to speak one-on-one with a hotel representative–again, raising the bar in customer service.
Be Their “Eyes” and “Ears”
No one wants to lose a valued customer and, thanks to your omniscient omnipresence on social media platforms, you are the perfect person to monitor what people are saying about a brand. If you come across a customer complaint on Twitter, for example, a company’s social media expert is in the perfect position to work to rectify that problem and turn that customer’s negative experience into a positive one.
Find Fans and Followers
If you’ve amassed a massive following on your own social media accounts, imagine what you could do for a company in the hospitality industry! When it comes to targeting young consumers, it is important for hotels and restaurants to create the right image.
Taking part in “Twitter traditions such as ‘follow Friday’ or ‘mention Monday’ is a good way to show your guests that you’re hip to the whole Twitter thing.” It is also important to be active on the latest and hottest platforms–and as your friends and distraught mother will attest, you are definitely that.
By amassing and returning “likes,” “pluses,” and “pins,” you will not only help build the brand, but you will also create another valuable connection to potential customers. And nothing says “I love you” to a company better than collecting a legion of loyal fans and followers.
Paint Their Pictures and Write Their Words
Are you a virtuoso at visual images? An important part of marketing a hotel, resort, or theme park is to portray its appeal through idyllic images and fabulous photos. If you are a pro at creating popular pins or you’re an Instagram aficionado, you may be the perfect person to increase a brand’s popularity by posting captivating images.
“Turning Social Media Into a Career” says that if you can imagine yourself “taking pictures of the hotel’s beautiful properties, guests celebrating in the party room, and happy diners enjoying a five star meal,” a stint as the in-house paparazzi may be your perfect fit.
If you possess a clever wit and vibrant vocabulary, you may prove to be a valuable social media writer and blogger. As “3 Career Options for People Who Master Social Media” reminds us, “the words you read online come from somewhere, and that ‘somewhere’ is often the copywriter.
Copywriters who generate content for social media may write Facebook posts, Tweets, ads, press releases, or blog posts.” If you love to write and socialize, this career may prove the perfect marriage of your talents.
So, leave that laptop on and pay no heed to those naysayers and critics. Your social media addiction just may prove to be the best thing that ever happened to you–and your career.
What qualities do you look for in a Social Media expert?
Author Bio: This post was contributed by Kimberley Laws, a freelance writer, avid blogger, and self-professed social media addict. You can follow her addiction and multiple OCD neuroses at The Embiggens Project and Searching for Barry Weiss.