Understanding the Value of Social Media at Airports for Customer Engagement (2014)

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3 chapter one INTRODUCTION OBJECTIVE The objective of this report is to synthesize current literature and practice on how airport operators understand the value of social media for customer engagement. BACKGROUND Airport operators use a variety of tools to market their airports. In 2008, the top three marketing tools for small airports based on a survey of selected airports were identified as the airport website, newspaper articles, and press releases. Since then, many airport operators have incorporated social media platforms or channels into their marketing and communication strategies because they provide a new way to reach out to the local community and highlight the important role of the airport as a transportation gateway and a catalyst for economic development. Social media platforms are grow- ing in importance, but are just one part of an overall marketing strategy that includes a combination of public relations, advertising, and networking tools, as shown on Figure 1. As discussed in chapter three, social media platforms are used for customer service, contests and promotions, public relations, and crisis management. In engaging customers, airport operators use a variety of platforms that include, but are not limited to, Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest. Social media management tools are also used to aggregate information from multiple platforms for analysis, including Enhanced Service Portals, Facebook Insights, Hootsuite, Topsy, TweetDeck, Twilert, Twitter Analytics, and Radian6. STUDY METHODS The methods used to gather information for this synthesis report included: • A literature review of published and publicly available material to determine how airports and other sectors currently use social media to enhance customer engagement and to identify exam- ples of social media strategies, policies and guidelines, and tools that drive business results. • Telephone interviews with airport operators and non-aviation businesses known for social media leadership. The following 17 airport operators and non-aviation businesses participated in these interviews (100% response rate): 1. Akron–Canton Airport 2. Boston Logan International Airport 3. Charleston Yeager Airport 4. Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport 5. Eugene Airport 6. Los Angeles International Airport 7. Milwaukee—General Mitchell International Airport 8. Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport 9. San Diego International Airport 10. San Francisco International Airport 11. Tucson International Airport 12. Dublin Airport

4 13. Edmonton International Airport 14. London Gatwick Airport 15. Mall of America 16. Mayo Clinic 17. Staples Center. • Interviews with managers of social media at each airport and non-aviation business as sum- marized in Appendix B. Social media managers were provided with a questionnaire in advance of the interview to guide the discussion and were not required to fill out the questionnaire. The questionnaire can be found in Appendix A. • Social media strategies obtained during the interview calls and from the social media channels for each airport and non-aviation business are summarized in the case examples in chapter six. Chapter five and Appendix C summarize social media guidelines and policies. SYNTHESIS ORGANIZATION The intended audience for this synthesis includes airport external communicators, including those in administration, marketing, customer service, media relations, and public affairs, as well as airlines, concessionaires, and other entities providing services at an airport. It is expected that this synthesis will provide practical information that will support airport operators in taking advantage of social media platforms to enhance customer engagement. • Chapter one is the introduction. • Chapter two presents a review of social media platforms and management tools relevant for airports. • Chapter three is a summary of customer engagement strategies using social media that are cur- rently being implemented by airport operators as well as non-aviation businesses. • Chapter four provides a summary of how airport operators and non-aviation businesses mea- sure the value of social media. • Chapter five is a review of social media guidelines and policies currently in use by airport opera- tors and other non-aviation industries. • Chapter six summarizes the barriers and challenges faced in establishing and maintaining social media programs, the lessons learned, and the resources needed to maintain and develop social media programs, followed by the case examples for each airport and non-aviation business. • Chapter seven is the report’s conclusions. This chapter summarizes the key findings and pro- vides suggestions for further research. • A glossary of terms, abbreviations, and acronyms is provided. • The bibliography provides a summary of the source documents used as background for the synthesis. • Three appendices present the Survey Questionnaire (Appendix A), Selected Survey Partici- pants (Appendix B), and Social Media Guidelines and Policies (Appendix C). Public relations •Earned media (news articles, television and radio interviews) •Public speaking •Events (air shows, open houses, educational programs) •Promotions •Sponsorships and volunteering (student interns, non-profit community events) •Social media Advertising •Internet and website •Print media •Signage (Billboards, posters) •Multi-media (paid spots on radio and television, video streaming) •Social media Networking •Business, civic, and nonprofits •Professional and industry organizations •Tradeshows and conferences •Strategic partnerships •Lobbying •Social media FIGURE 1 Airport marketing tools. (Source: ACRP Report 28: Marketing Guidebook for Small Airports 2010.)