Special Series: Quick-Start Social Media Marketing for Hotels 01

01. Social Media Marketing — Wait, What Is That?

By ONDA Manager So Mo-ra

Social Media Marketing — Wait, What Is That?

Hi Magazine ON readers! I'm So Mo-ra, editor of Magazine ON and the marketing lead for ONDA, the integrated booking management platform. You've probably run into me across ONDA's social channels, in this magazine, or at one of our seminars and training sessions.

Some of you might be less familiar with me, but when people ask where we usually meet — it's at in-person interviews, seminars, and training sessions. Online, I'm the one introducing ONDA's services, producing the magazine you're reading right now, and creating all kinds of content to help you run your property better. I share it all through our website and a bunch of other channels. Surprise — I've been lurking around you this whole time. :)

Social Media Marketing? It's Too Hard. ㅠㅠ

One of the most common struggles I've heard from property owners through various channels is this: "Marketing and promotion are just… too hard." Marketing basics, how to promote your property, how to actually use social media — the questions range from absolute fundamentals to advanced tactics. So many of you share this pain, and honestly, it breaks my heart a little.

So ONDA has tried to help through training sessions, seminars, magazine columns, and social media. But I've come to realize we haven't been able to deliver truly clear, structured guidance to enough people.

So here we are. To kick off 2019, I'm launching a special year-long series for Magazine ON subscribers — a step-by-step guide to social media marketing. It's the easiest marketing channel to learn and the quickest to put into practice.

You may not know this, but ONDA has been reaching you through a lot of channels: our website, this magazine, email, SMS, Naver Blog, the "Running an Accommodation Business" café, Naver Brunch, Naver Post, Facebook, Instagram, Kakao Plus Friend, YouTube… You knew about some. Others, you didn't. We've quietly infiltrated them all.

I'm not claiming to be some all-knowing social media guru or marketing genius. But I have been running these channels longer than most of you (I think?), and my job forces me to stay sharp on trends. So I'll be sharing practical, no-fluff tips to help you run your property's social media — well.

But first, let's clarify what marketing, PR, and advertising actually mean.

Marketing, PR, Advertising — Aren't They All the Same?

Most people think they're the same. But they're not. However, with how media has evolved, the lines have blurred — and for small to mid-sized accommodations like guesthouses and pensions, there's no real need to split hairs anymore.

Here's the simple version: all three are about "letting customers know about your product." I won't go deeper here — Google it if you're curious — but from here on, I'll just use the term marketing.

Marketing combines "market" + "ing" (movement). It means "making customers buy in the marketplace" or "creating a new market." For accommodations, marketing is about bringing guests to your property — driving bookings your way.

Marketing is about bringing guests to your property — driving bookings your way.

The Core of Marketing: The 5P Strategy

When we talk marketing, we can't skip the Marketing Mix (4P) strategy. The textbook definition: "Adjusting and composing various marketing methods in a balanced way to effectively achieve marketing goals." In other words: there are many marketing methods. Mix them well, and you sell your product better. I'm adding one more to make it 5P.

The 5Ps represent five essential elements: Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People. Let me unpack each one for the accommodation business.

Product is your property. It's the subject of your marketing. The question is: how competitive is your property? You need to assess what you offer guests — your property's features, quality, competitive edge, brand image — everything.

Price is your room rate. Is your pricing right? From your end, it should generate ROI. From the guest's end, it should feel reasonable. You're trying to find the sweet spot where guests see value — and you're playing a psychological game with them.

Place (distribution) is about where you sell your property and how you deliver it. This is directly tied to revenue. Since 90%+ of bookings now happen online, you should lean heavily into online channels — not split your energy evenly between online and offline. List your property on your website and various booking platforms to promote it and drive reservations.

Promotion (marketing) is what we'll focus on for the next year in this series. It's closely linked to distribution and is the fastest path to driving sales. This includes all online and offline marketing channels — so while I'll focus on social media, PR, word-of-mouth (viral marketing), etc., also fall under this umbrella.

Finally, the added fifth element: People. This got added to the classic 4P thanks to the rise of social media. "People" can mean guests who find or visit your property, your business partners (PMS providers, OTA reps, managers), your staff, or even yourself.

For accommodations especially, your online reputation heavily impacts booking rates. You need to build strong relationships with guests. Social media marketing is the biggest lever here. Hospitality is run by people, starts with people, and returns to people. It's a people-to-people business — which is why this element matters most.

So there you have it — the Marketing Mix (5P) strategy. It's broader than just social media marketing, but if you're running an accommodation, you need to know this. Keep these five points top of mind.

The Marketing Mix (5P) strategy — the fundamentals every property operator should remember.

Common Marketing Methods for Accommodations

Next: types of marketing. As I mentioned, marketing branches into many fields and formats. You can split it by online vs. offline, or by method. Brand marketing, social marketing, keyword marketing, viral marketing, noise marketing — you've heard of some, never heard of others. There are countless strategies.

But what I really want to talk about is how marketing breaks down by channel. Below are some common marketing methods used in hospitality, organized this way.

#1. Search Engine Advertising (Keyword Ads): Online Channel

• Typically called keyword advertising. You pay per click. Use a new or existing website to run the ads.
• Deposit advertising funds with a search portal, register core keywords, set bid amounts per keyword, and display ads to drive traffic.
• Analyze competitor keywords and online ad performance to judge efficiency and set budgets accordingly.

#1. Naver search advertising system

#2. Viral Marketing via Blog/Café/Instagram and Other SNS: Online (Especially Mobile) Channels

• Create your own blog, café, or Instagram account to open a communication channel with guests.
• Provide accurate, useful information to attract potential customers.
• If you can't run and manage your own social channels, pay bloggers or viral marketers, or outsource to an agency to drive traffic.
• Analyze competitor properties' operations and each platform's activity level. Choose the right SNS for your property and judge efficiency.

#2. ONDA's Naver blog

Naver Café

#3. Selling Rooms & Advertising on Online Booking Platforms: Online Channel

• List your rooms on global OTAs (Booking.com, Agoda, Expedia, Hotels.com) and pay a commission percentage when you get bookings.
• Advertise on Korean booking apps (Yanolja, Yeogi Eottae) — pay for banner placements, member discounts, or coupons to drive traffic.
• List on social commerce platforms (TMON, Coupang) and portals like Naver — pay a commission on sales and settle the difference.
• Public guest reviews build trust. Listing across multiple channels increases your visibility in search engines.

#3. Social commerce accommodation sales

#4. Traditional Mass Media Advertising: Offline Channel

• Banners, signboards (common for rural properties and pensions)
• Flyers, magazine ads, print publications, newspaper ads
• Radio, TV commercials, PPL (this is out of reach for small properties — usually the big booking platforms handle it)

#4. Offline channel marketing (Photo by Julius Drost on Unsplash)

#5. Other Methods

• DM using website customer data: Collect guest info and send emails or SMS to drive return visits. Low cost, great for repeat guests — but only efficient if you have a clear target audience and an existing database.
• Real-time chat services like Kakao Plus Friend and Naver TalkTalk: Real-time response channels that build trust and boost booking rates.

#5. Kakao Plus Friend

Even just looking at property marketing methods, there are so many. But the easiest to access, simplest to learn, and most practical? Hands down, social media. That's why ONDA uses various social channels to communicate with partners like you.

What Is Social Media Marketing?

So what exactly is social media marketing? Social marketing, social media marketing, SNS marketing — the terms vary, but it all means "promoting a product or service using social media platforms."

With the rise of the internet and smartphones in the 21st century, SNS (Social Network Service) has become inseparable from daily life. SNS is a web-based platform that builds relationships between people — it emphasizes "communication." As SNS popularity exploded, social media marketing naturally followed. Why? It's free, you can easily track customer interests, and it enables fast information sharing and open dialogue.

The biggest strengths of social media marketing are real-time engagement, voluntary participation, and connectivity. Unlike older marketing methods where companies pushed messages one-way, social media marketing feels more approachable. It encourages guests to participate willingly and lets you track trends and exchange info in real time. It's a win-win for properties and guests alike.

Thanks to this, countless social channels have emerged. But I'll save the details for next time — this is already running long.

Thanks for sticking with me through all this complex info today. It's essential for property operations and marketing fundamentals, but I know it can feel overwhelming. I tried my best to keep it simple — how'd I do?

Next month, we'll dive into why you need social media marketing and the strategies to succeed at it. See you then!

[Series Outline]

2019.01 Social Media Marketing — Wait, What Is That? 2019.02 Why Do Social Media Marketing & Success Strategies 2019.03 Understanding Social Media Marketing Channels 2019.04 Easy Property Social Media Marketing (1): Facebook 2019.05 Easy Property Social Media Marketing (2): Kakao Plus Friend 2019.06 Easy Property Social Media Marketing (3): Kakao Brunch 2019.07 Easy Property Social Media Marketing (4): Naver Café 2019.08 Easy Property Social Media Marketing (5): Naver Post 2019.09 Easy Property Social Media Marketing (6): Naver Blog 2019.10 Easy Property Social Media Marketing (7): Instagram 2019.11 Easy Property Social Media Marketing (8): YouTube 2019.12 Other Marketing Tips: Naver Smart Place

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