What's So Great About Facebook?

In a word? Qualified referrals. Okay, that's two words, but the point is, Social Networking has taken a pretty strong hold over the last few years and smart business owners will learn how to harness its power. Let's look at the difference between searching for a bed and breakfast on Google and on Facebook.

Before we get too far into the analysis, I have to make the point that these two marketing avenues are mutually exclusive and should be viewed as two completely separate marketing campaigns. Ranking well on Google searches is critical for drawing potential guests. On the other hand, having a well planned Facebook presence can help bring qualified referrals to your business. So, what's the difference and why is it a big deal?

The biggest feature of Google will inevitably be it's downfall. Google's success is based on their ability to present search results in a non-biased way. By maintaining and constantly changing an extremely complicated algorithm that ranks websites based on the content of the site itself (along with some external factors), Google has emerged as the most important search engine on the internet today. As a result, many companies sell their services as SEO experts claiming to help clients rank better in Google searches; many of them legitimate, others not so.

Herein lies the main downfall. It sort of works like the old phone book method of being AAAA Plumbing. It didn't take long to find out that the businesses listed first get the most traffic, and therefore, the most business as long as they were acceptable. On a similar note, the websites listed first on a search result list are likely to get business. Any innkeeper can put up a top notch website with professional photos and it is likely they will bring in a lot of business. That doesn't mean they are the best inn in the area.

As the internet matures and the users begin to learn the pitfalls of this kind of internet ranking and rating, it will become less relevant. Search results will become less reliable and users will seek other ways of making decisions.

Enter Facebook. The viral nature of this phenomenon has made it a prime candidate for being the cutting edge of marketing. The crux of it is linking to friends on the internet and sharing information. Look at it this way, a Facebook user checks into your inn and posts something about it on their page. All of a sudden every one of their friends has been informed of your guest choosing your business. If they enjoy their stay, it is likely they will make positive comments about it. With just one guest giving you a positive review to their friends, they've essentially given you a qualified referral. Those of us in business know too well the value of a qualified referral. It's like gold.

As a final note, consider that the fastest growing population on Facebook is users 30 and older. That's the target audience for Bed and Breakfast guests. Don't overlook this opportunity to get your name in front of many potential guests in a very short period of time. Also, we can help you do it.