Social search! And what it means for the hospitality and travel sector

It's a good thing I was planning on writing this article. Or Google’s recent announcement would have forced my hand. The search giant had embraced social search in 2009 and very recently, as recently as last week, they have taken it even further. But first, what is social search? Every time people search on Google, it throws up results according to several parameters that keep evolving.

Social search is part of Google’s parameters and show up results from what's being talked of on social platforms right now. So if someone is tweeting about a hotel or about a particular destination while you are searching for the same, it will show up as well along with the other websites and news articles about the place. Now the latest change in social search from Google means that if someone is connected to you on social media, what they have to say about things that you are searching for will be thrown up as results. They were earlier tucked away at the bottom, but now they will be right up with the best ones.

As Google says, relevance is also about relationships. Now how does it affect us in the travel trade? Search plays a crucial role in helping people make decisions. And travel related queries are among the most searched for. While we have been banking on most review sites and our own websites to help people make the right choice, with social search it becomes more personal. Almost like a person asking about a destination or a hotel or an airline in a room full of friends and anyone who has experienced any of these shouting out suggestions. This supports my theory of half-experts, which is that people are more likely to seek advice from someone who is known to them, even if he or she knows far less than an expert.

Rather than from an expert, who they would only know in a professional capacity, Social Media allows them to be connected to these known 'half-experts'. And social search allows them to know what they have to say. So what does that mean for us? It means that every single satisfied person becomes a spokesperson for us as our brand ambassador among their own little group. It's true that it's not going to be easy. But the travel and hotel industry has always worked hard on giving a great experience to its customers. And it just needs to keep doing that now more than ever and as far as your online marketing goes, well yes it does mean a shift in strategy for the same.