7 Travel Companies that Nail Twitter

Richard Eastes | September 24, 2010 | Business, Top Lists | No Comments

Perhaps the most unique of the popular social media networks, Twitter allows you to send and receive 140-character messages to and from anyone. The messages you receive feed through your twitter account like a news stream, allowing you to keep track of all the important people and brands in your life. Some of these brands may be travel companies, as the most tech-forward airlines are becoming quite active on twitter.

JetBlue– One of the earliest adopters of Twitter, JetBlue has acquired nearly one and a half million followers. It accomplished this by offering deals on last minute weekend tickets exclusively through its Twitter account. These deals range from 20% off for its followers for an entire day to down-to-the-wire one-way tickets for as low as $9. If you’re a Twitterer and a traveler, JetBlue’s deals should make you want to sign up.

Southwest – With over 600,000 followers, Southwest is the second-most popular airline on Twitter. Its strategy has been to offer Twitter-wide contests for free tickets on a regular basis. This creates a sense of engagement, as these contests are often suggested by followers. Southwest’s advertising strategy is all about creating a deeper sense of connection with its customers, and its use of Twitter and other social media networks is designed to do just that.

Virgin Airlines – Primarily using Twitter to send out informational notices, Virgin Air also uses its Twitter account as a forum for 24/7 feedback. Because representatives answer every tweet, the airline has gotten itself a hefty following of nearly 50,000 “tweeple.” It also uses the social media network to showcase its special travel deals.

Hotel services also use Twitter to advertise their wares, though not on as wide a scale as airlines. Nevertheless, these three hotels have managed to capture a sizeable following through the use of their own unique Twitter marketing strategies.

Ritz-Carlton– The Ritz uses its Twitter account to offer seasonal room deals, as well as to showcase its world-famous restaurant’s specials. It recently held a Twitter contest to choose its next dessert, which saw a lot of action on the “Tweetosphere,” as everyone wanted to chime in with their favorite sweet delicacies. This excitement generated more interest for the Ritz, and helped Twitterers feel more connected to the company’s inner workings.

Hyatt – Hyatt Hotels, with over 12,000 followers, uses Twitter’s immediacy to engage customers by providing a 24/7 “Twitter concierge” service. Representatives will respond to any tweets within one hour asking about nearby restaurants, theaters, or other businesses are located, as well as to confirm late check-ins, and answer any other requests. Social media is all about fostering a sense of social connection between customers and their favorite brands, and Hyatt’s use of Twitter shows that they understand this notion.

Country Inns & Suites By Carlson – This hotel chain offered prominent Twitterers the chance for a free vacation. Three lucky winners were asked to drive in vehicles with Country Inns & Suites decals and to blog about their experience along the way. This got the chain free advertising, and it engaged the whole online community through their Twitter account.

VroomVroomVroom – (that’s us!) We compare car rental. We love using twitter to create a unique way of interacting with customers. We use it for business, fun, chatting and most importantly to satisfy customers car rental needs, even to the most trivial. That’s why most of our loyal customers keeps coming back. Follow us and you’ll see why.