Although major travel brands, including American Airlines and Alaska Airlines, are embracing social media's real-time customer service capabilities, not all of these efforts are translating to increased engagement or bookings due to lackluster content, according to a report from Engagement Labs.

Technology and data company Engagement Labs undertook a six-month analysis of the engagement and responsiveness rates that airline brands have in relation to social media users? questions and complaints. While American Airlines and Alaska Airlines nabbed the top spots, other marketers in the travel space should ensure they offer interactive content to drive engagement and positive experiences among followers.

?For the travel industry especially, social media is another avenue companies can use as customer service and provide their consumers with the information they need, in real-time,? said Bryan Segal, CEO of Engagement Labs, Quebec, Canada. ?Travel can be a stressful occasion for many because there is potential for a lot to go wrong.

?From cancelled flights to mishandled luggage, many travelers leverage social channels to get information, and the number of consumers leveraging social media channels as an avenue for customer service is increasing year over year. By having a strong social media response strategy, travel brands are able to provide consumers with the information they are looking for and/or a simple acknowledgement of the issue the consumer is experiencing, which can positively impact brand affinity.?

Bolstering brand experiences
The two-way communication that social media provides is an excellent tool for marketers to continue enhancing transactional and brand experiences with consumers. The study found that the airline industry has been tapping its social channels to offer better customer service by personally responding to users? questions, concerns and complaints.

Airlines also often take to Twitter or Facebook to post relevant information about topics such as inclement weather and major delays, which many frazzled customers find extremely helpful.

However, the report discovered that while marketers in travel industries scored high in responsiveness to fans and followers, they fell more flat in engagement rates. Therefore, brands have a major opportunity to differentiate themselves by having their content focus more on fostering engagement and conversation alongside a top responsiveness strategy.

For example, United Airlines recently posted a quick travel tip for social media users, and then asked followers to respond with their own best techniques, culminating in a conversation of useful tidbits.

The top airline to score highest in both areas in the past six months on Twitter and Facebook was American Airlines. Alaska Airlines came in at second on both social networks, with United and Hawaiian Airlines trailing behind them.

JetBlue Airways grabbed the highest responsiveness score of 85.94 on Twitter, thanks to the brand?s average response time of six minutes.

Responding to public questions and issues on Facebook and Twitter reflects on the marketer in a positive light, and also makes users feel as though they are important to the brand, rather than just a number in its masses of consumers.

American Airlines also frequently posts user-generated content, which prompts users to want to interact with the brand on social media in case their videos or photos get re-posted.

OTAs joining the pack
Online travel agents, known as OTAs, are also joining the fray by using social media to encourage future bookings among customers. BookIt.com was the top online marketer on Facebook, due to the brand?s continued strategy of posing questions to travelers on its official page.

The OTA may ask about consumers? travel style or desired destination for their next trip. Later, it follows up by thanking anyone who responds.

Meanwhile, Hotels.com reigns supreme on Twitter with the highest number of retweets for each 1000 followers and the highest engagement subscore.

Engagement Labs?s report highlights trends of brands not using the most effective content to drive more fan interactions, and subsequently, bookings. Many marketers are tapping similar material that is not resonating with social media users to its full potential.

BookIt.com?s Facebook page is a stand-out in the sector, thanks to the brand?s development of teaser campaigns to foreshadow upcoming giveaways and contests.

?It is really important for these brands to remember that not effectively engaging with their audiences is a missed opportunity,? Mr. Segal said. ?It not only establishes trust from the customer but it also increases the opportunity for the brand to be highly considered when the customer is at the purchasing phase.

?Additionally, engaging with fans and followers through interesting content, brands are able to stay top of mind among consumers. As media consumption continues to increase through mobile and as social media channels are creating ?buy now? options, it is extremely important for brands to take advantage of these opportunities and create social media strategies that can ultimately lead to sales.?

Final Take
Alex Samuely, editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York