What tends to go wrong with lodging and tourism social media
A common pattern is plenty of photos, but posts only at seasonal events. You post during the autumn leaves or cherry blossoms, then go quiet, so someone considering a booking can't see what's recent.
Next, front desk or kitchen staff handle it on the side. During check-in hours and the busy season there's no time to post, and you end up rushing posts in the off season. What you really want to reach are people booking before that quiet period.
Then there is reaching overseas guests. You'd like to post in English, but translating adds work, so it ends up Japanese only.
What to post
People choosing a destination want to know what they will see, and whether there is anything to worry about when staying.
| Type | Example post topics |
|---|---|
| Season | This week's garden and scenery, seasonal ingredients, what is about to peak |
| Rooms and facilities | The view from each room, baths, accessibility, provisions for children |
| Meals | Photos of dishes and where ingredients come from, who to contact about allergies |
| Access | The route from the station, shuttle times, winter road conditions, parking |
| Around the area | Nearby walks, local shops, seasonal events |
| People | The proprietress, head chef and staff |
What people most want to know before booking is how to get there and what the rooms are like. Mixing this practical information in between scenery posts reduces visitors' worries.
How to run it in SNS TOWN
Build up photos in the Library
Add photos of each season's scenery, rooms and dishes to the Library, and give each a description such as "autumn leaves in the courtyard in November". The AI reads the descriptions and picks photos that fit a post. You can also use Google Drive sync, where staff just put photos taken on their phones into a shared Drive folder and they go into the Library.
Set the pace and have seasonal posts written
If you place weekday and time slots in your post cycle, the AI prepares a draft for each slot. Add seasonal topics under "Key messages" in the company profile, such as "November: autumn leaves and new buckwheat" and "December: winter shuttle times", and drafts will include them. If you approve in bulk before the busy season, posting doesn't stop even when you're busy.
Post to Instagram and Facebook together
Inns centered on photos often post to both Instagram and a Facebook Page. Turn on "Also post to Facebook Page" on the Instagram compose screen, and one post goes to both (Cross-posting). Instagram requires an image or video and takes up to 20.
Keep a separate English brand for overseas guests
Each company or brand can have its own language for writing posts (Post language and screen language). Keep an English brand apart from your Japanese posts, connect an English account, and AI drafts are written in English. You can keep using the screen in Japanese.
Decide when to post from your own numbers
Best posting times shows a table of trends by weekday and time of day, based on reactions to your past posts. When travel planners browse social media differs from inn to inn.
Things to watch out for
Show prices and plans exactly as they are
Japan's Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations prohibits representations that make prices or terms look significantly better than they are (misleading representation of advantageous terms) (Consumer Affairs Agency of Japan: overview of representation regulation). If you write "half price for a limited time", check that the original price you compare with was actually used. When you write "from X yen per night", make clear that the price applies only to certain dates or room conditions. Rates change by day, so leave prices out of posts and have people check on the booking page. That way outdated prices don't linger on social media.
Use photos that show how it is now
Lining up photos of rooms from before a renovation, or scenery you only see in ideal conditions, creates a gap with what guests find. If you note when each photo was taken in its Library description, you can avoid picking old photos.
Photos with guests in them
Don't use photos where other guests' faces appear, or get the person's consent first.
Frequently asked questions
Does it connect to booking sites?
It does not connect to booking sites. If you want a booking page link in a post, add it to a post you write by hand (AI drafts don't include URLs). With a short link you can see how many clicks each post got.
Can English posts also go through approval?
Yes. Approval works the same regardless of language.
I want to separate the inn from an attraction we run
You can keep separate companies and brands. One person can hold up to 20 (Separate companies and brands).
Can I reply to reviews in SNS TOWN?
It is not connected to reviews on booking sites or map services. Notifications let you notice replies to your social posts.
Can I post videos?
Add videos to the Library and attach them to posts. The length and number you can attach differ by network, and the compose screen changes to match the rules.
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