What are some of the most common ways that one can earn points towards hotel rewards? Maybe you’ll reserve a room several months in advance. You could also utilize your credit card on a consistent basis so that, once the year is up, you’ll have enough points for a free night or two at a luxury resort. It’s easy to say that reward accumulation is varied. As common as these methods are, though, did you know that there might be an easier way to earn hotel-related perks?
How, you might ask? It’s rather easy. All you need is a Facebook, Twitter or Instagram account.
How Hotels are Encouraging Social Media Engagement
USA Today posted an article in regards to Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants and a program they launched this past Tuesday. The Kimpton Karma Rewards is a loyalty program that rewards its guests for a number of actions that they can undertake. Some of the more standard methods include dining at a Kimpton restaurant but it’s possible for a guest to benefit from said program if they were to mention either the aforementioned restaurant or the hotel on social media. The report specifically mentioned posting a photo of the hotel on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
It’s prudent to note that the Karma Rewards program does not necessarily distribute points, though. Rather, the article made mention of “personalized perks,” including but not limited to advancement in tiers. As different as Karma Rewards is, loyalty programs aren’t exactly new when it comes to hotels and resorts. Marriott Rewards, which is regarded as one of the better programs for guests to take advantage of, launched in 1997 and has been rated highly ever since. However, it’s not the idea of Kimpton launching a program that has drawn attention.
The way hotels are encouraging social media within Karma Rewards should, in theory, catch the attention of any online marketing firm. The best thing about this, from my perspective, is that it’s an easy endeavor to take up. There isn’t much effort that’s required when it comes to taking a picture of a hotel, as long as the building itself is visible. Posting the picture itself should take even less effort, especially when given the rampant use of social media networks, Facebook and Twitter in particular. As a result, it seems much more accessible than a program that requires guests to spend more money than they would probably like.
Utilizing specific airlines, eating at certain restaurants, and social media usage. It’s clear that hotels are becoming increasingly aware of what potential guest spend their money on and have tailored their rewards accordingly. Seeing as how Kimpton Karma Rewards has just recently gotten off of the ground, only time will tell if this proves to be a worthwhile investment for Kimpton in general.
What is your take on this particular story? Do you believe that Kimpton is wise for incorporating social media engagement into its Karma Rewards program? Sound off in the comments below!
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See also: Hulu and the Case of More Practical Advertising
