Using social media to improve customer engagement and promote products and services

Airports across the globe are using social media to engage customers, promote their airline partners and enhance concession revenue. A successful social media strategy is most often built on a solid brand foundation — one that clearly articulates the airport’s strategic differentiators and value to travellers. The symbiotic relationship between airline and airport is enhanced by using social media as part of a comprehensive cooperative marketing plan. It can be used to announce new routes or destinations, help to defray the risk to the airline and to ensure the success of the new service to a community. Plus, smart partnerships between airports and their concession partners can increase per-passenger spending while travellers are in the airport. Several airports are either informally or formally partnering with the concession partners in this way.