Rana WalkerAirPlus International - PR/Marketing/Communications

Social Media in Business Travel

What is social media?

•Social Media Platforms are commonly referred to as Web 2.0

• In the past: (1.0): talking, selling, marketing

•Today: (2.0): listening, sharing, participating

A viral & inter-connected network that:

• Openly removes barriers• Provides an opportunity for meaningful quality interactions

• Occurs virtually and in real-time

The Social Media Prism

Content

ConversationRelationship

Experience

Why Social Media in Business Travel?

We can leverage these channels to:

• Network with other Industry colleagues, beyond such events such as today’s NBTA Europe

• Collaborate with Partners and support joint efforts

• Connect with Customers to offer premier customer service, solicit feedback and even for real-time crisis communication

• Prospect for future Customers by sharing knowledge and research

• Inform and communicate with the Media, keep up to date on industry trends and hot topics

• Encourage a healthy working environment by engaging Staff internally

“Please come and share your experiences & enthusiasm for Social Media – but don’t expect to change the world.”

- Willy SchnyderExecutive Director, Global Marketing AirPlus International

Internet users utilizing Social Media platforms by country – April 2010

Mapping the Social Internet– Harvard Business Review July-August 2010

Asia is the Most Social – yet only with small groups of friends/family to blog & game

US, UK & Australia are similar - more platforms, more friends & groups

Only 25% of French use Internet banking, but 87% Dutch

Emerging markets (BRIC) are big users & most likely to experiment

Facebook

Facebook reach/usage by country –April 2010

Today, it’s available in 70 different languages & has over 500 million active users - with 70% of them outside the USA

Facebook- an increasingly hybrid platform for personal & professional users today!

“People comment to me about my tweets more than any about e-mail I’ve ever sent.”

-Patrick DiemerManaging Director of AirPlus Internationalwww.twitter.com/PWD_AirPlus

Twitter

The World Cup 2010 on Twitter!

During the final, tweets from 172 countries and in 27 different languages!

Today, there are approximately 50 million tweets per day – which is an average of 600 tweets per second

Twitter pages – in local languages becoming more important than ever!

Linkedin – More than a place to store your CV

Update your status with useful info and comment!

List your website, twitter or blog

Share slides via slideshare

Linkedin search “Corporate Travel Manager” found 135,740 member profiles

“Tweetdeck”- a free dashboard-type application for an overview

Communities & Blogs - share knowledge, find research, gain insights & create an opinion

YouTube – for the Visual learners!

What’s next?

• Even further personalization toward your preferences making it all about convenience and trust

• Mobile technology will be the most influential – most users log-in twice a day using smartphones, blackberries, iPhones to do so

• User apps bring more efficiency making it all about the NOW

• Better leveraging of web technology – webinars, skype, teleconferencing

• Only 11% of teenagers e-mail today - they prefer social media platforms and SMSing/texting

• Enhanced security measures, new laws & rules of engagement

Many Thanks!

Connect with me on Linkedin!www.linkedin.com/in/ranawalker