Social networks have their origin in a man called Randy Conrads. In 1995, he created a
website called Classmates.com, the world's largest online community (RedWeek, 2011). His
main aim was to facilitate people to regain or maintain contact with classmates from school,
college or university. This network became very popular and the creator received many prizes
like the eBusiness Reports 2001 Entrepreneur of the Year (Andriyenko, 2011).
Classmates.com is one of the top 15 most highly trafficked websites on the Internet, with 38
million members and 2 million visitors each day (RedWeek, 2011). Nowadays, Randy
Conrads is co-founder (president and Chief Executive Officer) of RedWeek.com, an online
marketplace connecting travellers to the timeshare community (ibid).
In 1997 had appeared sixdegrees.com which allows users to create friends list, profiles and
send messages. In 2003, MySpace and Xing were created. But in 2004, the real phenomenon
was Facebook (Andriyenko, 2011).
This essay will focus on how social networks can be used for tourism marketing from my
point of view, analysing in particular case, Facebook and Twitter. (1718 words)
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Types of Social Networks
3. Facebook
4. Twitter
5. Personal experience
6. Conclusion
7. References
Objectives and Topics
The primary objective of this work is to explore how social networking platforms, with a specific focus on Facebook and Twitter, can be effectively utilized as marketing tools within the tourism industry. The study addresses the research question of how businesses can leverage these digital networks to promote their services and engage with potential travelers.
- The historical development and origin of social networking sites.
- Categorization and classification of various types of social networks.
- Strategic marketing potential of Facebook for local businesses and tourism.
- Role of Twitter as a real-time micro-blogging tool for customer engagement.
- Practical application of social media in the personal travel planning process.
Excerpt from the Book
2. Types of social networks
Social networks offer several possibilities like being in touch with your friends, family and classmates; share with them photographs, videos, and interests; make new friends; follow your idols and belong to a fan club; establish professional contacts, find a job, expand a business, flirt and organize events. The idea of the social networks is based on the theory of six degrees of separation which states that all the people in the world can be connected to any other person through a chain of six intermediaries. It demonstrates that the world is not so big and that we are an interconnected community (Andriyenko, 2011).
Nowadays, there are more than 200 social networking sites and more and more people join to them. For example, one out of every fourteen people in the world has a Facebook account (Vargas, 2010). There are websites focus on friendship such MySpace, Tuenti, Badoo, Hi5; bringing people together with same hobbies or interests like Athlinks, Goodreads, Horseland, Last.fm, CafeMom; etc. (Andriyenko, 2011).
The market is shared by Facebook and Twitter, but in Spain for example the most famous are Tuenti and Wamba (ibid).
According to Fernandez Burgueño (2009), there are two types of social networks:
1) Analogue or Off-Line Social Networks: those formed by groups of people with any relationship or things in common, which are developed without electronic or computer systems connected to the network.
2) Digital or On-Line Social Networks: those that have the origin and are developed through computer and electronic media. They can be divided into several groups:
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the origins of social networking, beginning with Classmates.com, and sets the research focus on the application of Facebook and Twitter in tourism marketing.
2. Types of Social Networks: This section categorizes social networks into analogue and digital forms, further subdividing the latter based on target audience, topics, and geographical location.
3. Facebook: This chapter examines the growth of Facebook and its utility for tourism companies, particularly through advertising and segmentation features.
4. Twitter: This chapter explores the role of Twitter as a micro-blogging tool used by businesses for real-time customer connection and cost-effective marketing.
5. Personal experience: This section provides a practical case study of how social networks influenced the author's personal travel planning for a trip to Berlin.
6. Conclusion: The concluding chapter summarizes the potential of social networks as powerful, growth-oriented marketing tools for the tourism sector.
7. References: This section lists all scholarly and digital sources cited throughout the essay.
Keywords
Social Networking, Tourism Marketing, Facebook, Twitter, Digital Marketing, Travel Planning, Online Community, Social Media Strategy, Customer Engagement, Micro-blogging, Advertising, Six Degrees of Separation, Real-time Communication, Tourism Industry, Digital Media.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper fundamentally explores the role of social networking sites as vital information sources for travelers and how they can be strategically used for tourism marketing.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The central themes include the categorization of social networks, the evolution of digital interaction, specific marketing functionalities of Facebook and Twitter, and the shift in travel planning behaviors.
What is the main objective of the research?
The primary objective is to investigate the efficacy of social platforms in promoting tourism services and to understand how these tools help businesses grow and reach new customers.
Which scientific methods are applied?
The study utilizes a descriptive and analytical approach, incorporating an industry literature review alongside a personal experiential case study to validate theoretical findings.
What content is covered in the main body?
The main body covers the theoretical classification of social networks, a detailed analysis of Facebook and Twitter functionalities for business, and a practical application example regarding travel planning.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Key terms include Social Networking, Tourism Marketing, Facebook, Twitter, Digital Marketing, Travel Planning, and Online Community.
How does the author specifically evaluate the use of Facebook?
The author evaluates Facebook by highlighting its massive user base, its segmentation tools for targeted advertising, and its ability to act as a direct booking intermediary for tourism companies.
What specific observation does the author make about Twitter for businesses?
The author identifies Twitter as a micro-blogging platform that is particularly effective for real-time customer feedback, sharing information, and reducing the costs of marketing campaigns.
How does the personal experience case study support the conclusion?
The case study illustrates the limitations of traditional search engines like Google compared to the trust-based, social-network-driven recommendation process that led to a successful hotel booking.
- Quote paper
- Dilara Torun (Author), 2011, How social networking (Facebook and Twitter) can be used for tourism marketing, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/183443
