How to Organically Grow Your Hotel’s Facebook Likes

Facebook is an excellent platform for hotels to connect with current, past, and potential guests. In addition to providing updates and news about the property, hotels can offer value to their followers by posting things to do in the area as well as travel tips. All of this information can be very useful to guests or anyone that is considering staying in the area. How useful can this information be if your hotel does not have a large fan-base?

The fastest way to grow your likes on Facebook is through Facebook Ads. You cannot wholly disregard growing your fan-base organically. Though it is a slower process, users who follow your page naturally are more likely to interact with your page and see your posts. Here are some tips on how hotels can grow their Facebook likes organically.

1. Invite your current contacts

Encourage those you already know to like your hotel’s page, including friends, family, and current employees at the hotel. Facebook has a great feature that allows you to easily invite your contacts to “like” your hotel’s page. While on your hotel’s Facebook page, click the “Build Audience” button located at the top of the page. Click “Invite Email Contacts” and choose the email service provider you would like to upload your contacts from.

2. Add a link to Facebook on Emails and Blogs

It is already standard practice to include a link to your hotel’s website in your email signatures, so why not add a link to your hotel’s Facebook page as well? This will quickly give your page more exposure, especially when responding to potential guests who are inquiring about your hotel. If your hotel has a blog, you can include a small blurb at the end of each blog that invites readers to join your hotel on Facebook.

3. Signs at the Hotel

Let guests who are already at the hotel know you have a Facebook page. Put up posters in common areas of the hotel inviting guests to “Like” your hotel on Facebook, including the front desk and any tables in the lobby. If your hotel has a restaurant, encourage guests to “Like” your page by including the logo on table tents. You can also add a link to your Facebook page on the bottom of receipts.

4. Offer an incentive for checking in on Facebook

Just as businesses can encourage guests to check in on Yelp and Foursquare by offering a small incentive, the same holds for Facebook. Even something as little as a free water bottle will encourage guests to visit your page. This will give them a chance to take a look at your posts and hopefully like your page! Be sure that the front desk and restaurant staff are aware of any incentive offered for checking in to avoid any confusion.

5. Add Facebook to Business Cards

Include a link to the hotel’s Facebook page on your business cards. Mashable shows some creative examples of how individuals can add social media links to their business cards.

6. Host a contest

Contests are a great way to get fans pumped up and excited about your hotel. No matter what type of competition you decide to run, be sure that users like your page to enter the contest. Also, make sure that they are engaging with your page. Read through Facebook’s contest guidelines to ensure that your contest complies with Facebook’s rules. 

7. Post great content

Finally, one of the most critical factors regarding gaining and maintaining followers is posting content of value. Follow the 80/20 rule: 80% of posts should be regarding the local area, and only 20% of posts should be about the hotel. Regularly monitor Facebook Insights to see the type of content your fans enjoy.

For people to “like” your page, they must know about your page!