A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words

Even though the London 2012 Olympic Games have drawn to a conclusion, many dramatic moments remain vivid in our minds. We must owe thanks to the digital photography technology, which allows us to capture images that we cannot see otherwise with our naked eyes, as suggested in this Wall Street Journal video.

Indeed, visual effect has become very important for internet users --- “A picture is worth a thousand words.” No wonder those photo-based social media apps, such as Pinterest and Instagram, are widely adopted. 

As a matter of fact, I also found supporting evidence in that regard in a recent study of mine (Kwok & Yu, in press). Our analysis of 982 Facebook messages that were initiated by 10 restaurant chains and two independent operators reveals that Facebook messages can be divided into four media types, namely status (with text only), link (containing a URL), video (embedding a video), and photo (showing photos). Statistically, photo and status receive more “Likes” and comments than the other two types.

What do these research findings mean to business then? I suggest the
following:

·         Focus on short status updates and photo posting rather than hyperlinks and videos.  

·         If a hyperlink or a video is shared, make sure to provide a brief description of the content. A description will probably help “drive” the attention from the audience. It is also hoped that Facebook users will “Like” or post comments solely based on a good description.

Going beyond the research findings, I also feel that forward-thinking companies need to consider the following:  

·         When everyone knows the “tricks” about photos and updates, companies may have to post professional and high quality pictures in order to stand out from the crowd. Most of all, high quality content is also a good indicator for the level of service a company provides. It becomes necessary to hire professional photographers to do the job.

·         “Tell” a story with a series of pictures. It is nice to have a lot of good pictures, but a good story can hook the audience.

·         Provide free WiFi and encourage customers to share updates and photos on social media. I understand that many hotels and convention centers are still charging high price for internet service, but not every customer wants to pay extra fees just to post updates on social media.  

Do you see the importance of photos in business communication? What additional comments and suggestions will you make?

If you are interested in more findings and more business implications of my study, please stay tuned and I will provide the hyperlink of the publication as soon as it becomes available online.

References:

Kwok, Linchi and Yu, Bei (In press). Spreading the social media messages on Facebook: An analysis of the restaurant industry. Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, special issue on Information-Based Strategies in the Hospitality Industry. 

The picture was downloaded from Robinadelson.blogspot.com

Newly Released Statistics: How Big Is Social Media Now?

It is no doubt that social media will be here to stay, but do you know how big social media has become? This MSNBC news video shares some updated statistics with us.

Twitter 

Sixty-seven percent (67%) NBA players are on Twitter. Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber, for example, have 26+ million and 23+ million followers respectively as of June 24, 2012, more than the population of Australia (22 million).

I (@LinchiKwok) have to admit that I like Twitter even more after I use it as a teaching tool in my social media class. Twitter makes it easier for me to communicate with students and other industry professionals. As a matter of fact, Twitter is also very helpful for travelers. When my flight was delayed due to a storm in May, I tweeted to @AmericanAir and got prompt responses and assistance. What a great testimonial for the power of Twitter complaints!

YouTube 

There are over three billion hours of YouTube videos being watched every month, 500 years of YouTube videos being watched on Facebook every day, and 700 YouTube videos being shared on Twitter every minute.

Facebook

About 80% of its monthly active users live outside of the U.S.A. Americans spend more time on Facebook than another other websites. Every day, there are over 300 million photos uploaded on Facebook.

LinkedIn 

There are 161 million active users. Every second, there are two new members signing up on this site.

Flickr

Users upload 2,500 images to Flickr every minute. Every day, there are more than 3 million images posted on the site.

We should all embrace new technologies and learn how to use social media for our advantages. Would you agree?

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

References:

The picture was downloaded from blog.mcf.org.

Can You Show Me That Video Again? Video: Overnight Sensations

“Bieber Fever.” Everyone has heard of Justin Bieber right? Well, the only reason Justin Bieber is where he is today is simply because of one video sharing website, YouTube. Bieber was a YouTube sensation; he had millions of viewers who were drooling over him and all they wanted was more and more video. So, he listened to the raving viewers, got picked up by R&B star Usher’s manager, and the rest is history.

 

So, the point of this anecdote isn’t to show that we can all be overnight YouTube sensations like Justin Bieber, but rather to prove a point that there are tools out there that can be utilized to turn nothing into something. Video or “vlogs” (Video web LOG) is quickly becoming the number one way to reach an audience or potential consumers. The reason video is so captivating is the fact that the consumer can become emotionally attached in numerous different ways. You can engage an audience through body language, senses, and creativity. While audio only allows us to hear the message, video allows us to interact through facial expressions and body language, which helps the viewer trust the content as well as the deliverer.

    

We all have our favorite videos that we love to share with our inner circle, but the greatest success of videos is how they reach people in our outer circles. Once a video is searched, either on YouTube or on a blog, it is then shared or reposted by people who find an interest it. Then, it is passed on and on, and by the end of the day thousands and even millions of people have viewed it, commented on it and most likely shared it with a friend. Video has the capability of making connections with people and an everlasting impression; this is why we love to watch the same videos over and over, because they bring back those same feelings we felt the very first time we ever saw it.

   

The most critical part of any social media strategy is to understand completely how it can benefit both you and the audience. You can already see the impact video has on someone and how quickly it can be shared, but the hard part is deciding what to make your video about. The Hospitality Industry can benefit from video whether it is a hotel, restaurant, catering business or even a blogger with a passion for the field. Video can help transform an intangible service or product into something substantial that viewers can connect with on a different level. For instance, taking a virtual tour of a hotel before booking a room to get a feel of what the hotel is truly about; or updates on trends and new changes a restaurant is implementing such as going green and using sustainable products. Seeing rather than hearing goes a long way. It allows the viewer to see with their own eyes exactly what you want them to, rather than the viewer creating a false image in their mind.

   

YouTube is quickly becoming the second largest search engine on the Internet; will hotels and other hospitality industry services fall behind if they don’t start keeping up with the trend? Will video become the new way to communicate over audio and text?