Engagement Labs Ranks U.S. Hotels Based on Social Media Performance

Technology and data company Engagement Labs released rankings of top U.S. hotels based on social media performance and word of mouth conversations. The data was measured with Engagement Labs’ eValue social media measurement tool, and TalkTrack, which measures word of mouth conversations. Based on the data, Waldorf Astoria ranked first on Facebook, the Ritz-Carlton first on Twitter, and Hilton first on Instagram. Hilton also ranked first in offline word of mouth conversations.

On Facebook, Fairmont Hotels ranked second, the Ritz-Carlton third, Hilton fourth, Novotel fifth, Kimpton Hotels sixth, Best Western seventh, Radisson eighth, Four Points by Sheraton ninth, and Omni Hotels tenth. Waldorf Astoria not only ranked first in overall Facebook score, but also had the highest engagement score, and the most likes and shares per 1,000 fans. Hilton experienced the highest fan growth with 12,505 new followers during the time period measured. The highest responsiveness score went to Four Points by Sheraton, for its time spent interacting with consumers on its Facebook page. 

After the Ritz-Carlton, Marriott ranked second on Twitter, Hilton third, Radisson fourth, Loews Hotels fifth, Fairmont Hotels sixth, Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts seventh, Sheraton Hotels eighth, Renaissance Hotels ninth, and Mandarin Oriental tenth. The highest engagement score was generated by Radisson, which posted numerous high-quality, user-generated images of its amenities at various locations. The highest responsiveness score was generated by Fairmont Hotels for its thoughtful responses to both positive and negative tweets.

On Instagram, Waldorf Astoria came in close second to Hilton, with the Ritz-Carlton ranking third, Loews Hotels fourth, Four Seasons Hotels fifth, Renaissance Hotels sixth, Wyndham seventh, Starwood eighth, Conrad Hotels ninth, and Mandarin Oriental tenth. Hilton used user-generated content to showcase views from its numerous locations, and tagged them with popular hashtags. 

Hilton also leads in offline word of mouth conversation, earning 20.7 percent of all conversations. Marriott came in a close second place with 20.5 percent, while Holiday Inn followed with 11 percent.

“There is an important synergy between online and offline conversations. Today, consumers move seamlessly between offline and online conversations and brands need to understand how to tap into those conversations and utilize this data in their marketing efforts,” says Bryan Segal, CEO at Engagement Labs. “Offline conversation can drive online conversation, and vice versa, both serving as a reflection of consumers’ emotions and experiences. It is those experiences that cause people to talk about one hotel brand over another. Creating an experience which enables guests to generate conversation around a brand can have a major impact on the brand’s bottom line.”