Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach is one of Oahu’s most prized properties, with a reputation of providing outstanding comfort and extraordinary customer service. As part of the world-renowned, premier Hyatt hospitality brand, Hyatt Place is designed for the 24/7 lifestyle of those who value style, comfort and function. Guests can enjoy a fresh bite to eat at any time of the day in the Gallery, start their day with a complimentary breakfast, and stay connected through free Wi-Fi and 42-inch TVs in all guestrooms. At Hyatt Place, guests quickly discover they have everything they need for a refreshingly seamless stay. 6 Pillars Marketing was honored to be selected by Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach to provide social media and reputation management services. We work diligently to elevate, promote and protect the hotel’s special brand.
In March 2020, as COVID-19 gripped the world, Hawaii’s governor issued the stunning order that mandated a 14-day self-quarantine for anyone arriving in Hawaii. Given that the visitor industry is the engine of our state’s economy, it was a heart-sinking moment that no one will forget anytime soon. Flights and vacations were promptly postponed or suspended, as people heeded the new regulations for their safety. Hawaii’s hotel, lodging and tourism industry instantly experienced a massive decline in visitors.
However, as is the case in any crisis situation, there are those who rise to the challenge with vision and strength. As other Hawaii hotels and resorts suspended operations, Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach made the strategic decision to continue to service guests. The experienced communications team of 6PM was by its side to help navigate the dramatic shift in the Hawaii tourism industry.
With the safety and health of the public and their employees as its top priority, Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach took the necessary precautions as mandated by local and national government officials to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The hotel made safety its priority as shelter-in-place was ordered.
6PM consulted and collaborated with Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach management, to help ensure compliance with federal and local orders in the interest of public health. Our marketing, social media and online reputation management experts worked closely with the hotel to effectively support their decision to remain open.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, 6PM created and implemented new crisis communication and social media messaging with vital modifications introduced to the Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach social media strategy.
Time was of the essence and our response was immediate. Crisis communication consisted of a special campaign, emphasizing a “We are here for you” message, to reassure the public that hotel staff and management were united with them. 6PM’s team of experts developed and distributed messaging to reach the hotel’s followers and fans, visitors and community, and management and ownership.
While the hotel decided to continue to service guests, in support of the safety and security of our local community, they went on record to discourage leisure travel. The 6PM team carefully crafted messaging to address the sensitive issue. It was critical to respond professionally and compassionately, considering that guests were being asked to postpone what might have been life-long dream vacations and visits to mark special occasions.
Our crisis communication experience ensured that Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach was on top of the evolving situation and ahead of the game in addressing key audiences. 6PM created a new social media and guest response strategy for this new “normal.”
Beyond crafting on-brand social media content, we also implemented a continuous social media monitoring schedule and an online reputation management campaign.
Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach remained connected to the community of Hawaii and the world through 6PM-generated updates on business operations, as well as through words of hope and examples of the Aloha Spirit, as embodied by the hotel’s dedicated staff.
As the hotel could still welcome guests, our team adapted and responded through practices aligned with Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach’s existing brand and marketing strategy. 6PM’s integrated communications campaign ensured that even through difficult times, the Hyatt Place brand remained strong, positive, and sensitive to both the needs of their loyal customers and the local community.
6PM Tactics Employed:
Social media management, social media marketing, social media advertising, strategic marketing, online reputation management, digital media, social media reporting and analytics, crisis communications, graphic design, photography, tourism marketing, promotions and marketing strategy.
6PM’s advertising, marketing and strategy team coordinated closely with our internal campaign lead to ensure a successful new social media strategy. Our agency’s extensive knowledge of the tourism industry and crisis communications confirmed that the new direction would produce a streamlined strategy that successfully encompassed Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach’s goals and focus during the rise of the pandemic. Through 6PM’s in-house graphic design and marketing strategy teams, on-brand content was rapidly produced for social media.
Our social media team took charge of posting relative content on all of Hyatt Place Waikiki’s social media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram. 6PM’s digital and social media teams helped create or post eye-catching content that led to continued high engagement on Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach’s various platforms.
It was a priority to continue to depict the beauty of our islands through posted images, while still communicating the hotel’s key objectives around the safety and comfort of its guests. 6PM understands the importance of providing unique content, and it is our practice to capture fresh images. The social media team continued to strategically post content that showcased the hotel, its amenities, and also the surrounding area. Combined with carefully selected guest photos and scenic images, our team was able to keep Hawaii and Waikiki relevant to and engaged with a worldwide audience — perhaps when it needed it most.
Social media engagement is measured each time a person takes action on a page or platform. An online interaction is significant, and our goal is to continually pique the interest of target audiences. Followers may like a post, click on a link, comment on an image, share content with a friend or family member or leave a review.
Increased engagement on Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach’s social media platforms confirms that content continues to be impactful, forging personal connections throughout the globe.
In addition to providing quality social media content, 6PM also actively engages with consumers and responds to all of Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach’s comments, on various platforms. In response to the pandemic, 6PM recognized that Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach followers, fans and guests needed to be reassured that their favorite Hawaii hotel was doing its part in providing a safe environment.
Some posts aimed to show how Hyatt Place Waikiki values its employee ohana (family) and how it gave back to their hard working staff members.
Our work has expanded the Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach social media platforms to include nearly 11,000 fans on Facebook and Instagram in just a short time, growing even throughout the time of the pandemic. This growth is due, in part, to an effective social media advertising campaign implemented by 6PM. The paid Facebook campaign encouraged guests to “like” and follow our client’s page, targeting a prime audience identified in Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach’s marketing strategy, a strategy developed by 6PM based on the hotel’s business objectives and goals. Paid ads are an effective way to reach more viewers than might otherwise be possible through organic activity. Ever mindful of the client’s budget, we worked to maximize ROI through this disciplined approach.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, 6PM also continued to respond to online reviews to maintain the hotel’s online reputation. Customers need to feel that they are being heard, and 6PM’s timely and accurate responses ensured Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach’s online reputation management continued at peak performance to address current and future guests.
6PM’s crisis communications team also works very closely with our social media and online reputation management team for an integrated approach. Our crisis communication, crisis management and public relations teams were especially vigilant during COVID-19, as it related to extensive monitoring of the developing public health situation.
6PM has continued to service the hotel’s major social media and guest review sites including Instagram, Facebook, TripAdvisor, Expedia, Booking.com and Google My Business. We answer any and all questions posed by guests, prospective guests and the community at large to resolve concerns and maintain the high standards and excellent reputation of Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach.
Key to maintaining a strong, industry-leading reputation is the close coordination of our online reputation management team and Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach’s guest recovery staff. During the pandemic, we ensured regular and timely responses to guest comments, positive or negative, with tone and demeanor consistent with Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach’s brand identity. When necessary, we worked to take the conversation offline and escalate with guest recovery staff to ensure complex reviews were addressed adequately.
In addition, 6PM has kept a critical eye out for inappropriate reviews that go against review site policies or have false information. Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach still continues to boast high marks all around, thanks to our coordinated efforts. We continue to support the hotel’s image through reputation management of Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach’s various customer-facing media channels. 6PM’s dedication to managing Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach’s online reputation helped garner the property the prestigious Tripadvisor Traveler’s Choice Award.
6PM’s in-house graphics design team worked in close collaboration with our social media team to ensure that the messaging and tone of all social media content was reassuring and reflected an appropriate “We are here for you” sentiment during a time of crisis. Our graphic design team rapidly prepared on-brand creative posts that helped to attract a measurable amount of engagement on social media.
The 6PM graphics team also supported Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach’s Tripadvisor Traveler’s Choice Award by designing striking graphics to use on multiple social media and online reputation management platforms, marking the property’s level of excellence.
6PM’s prompt adjustment of Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach’s social media strategy and heightened online reputation management during COVID-19 showcased our agency’s diverse capabilities, executed in a timely and meticulous manner. With our team of in-house experts, we were able to immediately meet the needs of our valued client, even as they evolved rapidly in unprecedented ways. Our expertise in marketing, advertising, strategy, social media and crisis communications helped to ensure that Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach maintained its stellar reputation through one of the world’s most critical moments in time.
