November 17 , 2009

Hilton Niagara Twittering its way to the top
Hotel uses social media to build brand online

Over the past four months, Hilton Hotel and Suites in Niagara Falls has undertaken a number of initiatives to maintain a social media presence and to engage with the publics who use social media and networking sites.

The property has used social outlets like Twitter and Facebook to engage audiences across the world. Each month, their following continue to grow fans and followers.

The most successful tool for the Hilton’s social media strategy, thus far, has been Twitter. 

“We saw Twitter as a mechanism to touch more potential clients,” says Anthony Annunziata, VP Marketing for Hilton Hotel and Suites. “It’s a very responsive and receptive way to communicate with the public and allows for quick feedback.”

In just a few months since the @Hilton Niagara page was launched, they have reached over 1,100 followers. The hotel is very committed to the social media aspect of the marketing and employ a full-time social media expert to Tweet on their behalf – sometimes up to 30 Tweets a day.

“We keep the content very dynamic and relevant,” says Annunziata. “We Tweet about Niagara area events, airline deals, concert information…not just the same information we already have out there in our advertising but new information that keeps us fresh in the minds of our potential customers.”

Their success is measured in two ways. The first is by the number of followers they log on Twitter. The second is by actual bookings. This is achieved by, for example, offering a special deal on a Friday morning on Twitter that is valid that same night only and then tracking the number of people who book in at the hotel.

The Hilton Niagara is also using Facebook as a way to deliver rich content to their clients.

“We’re using social media as part of our brand building because we feel it’s the right thing to do. We’re one of the biggest resorts in the country with over 1,000 rooms and so I believe that we should be taking a leadership role when it comes to trying new things.”

Keep an eye on @Hilton Niagara in the next few weeks for dynamic new holiday offerings.