Social media gives businesses a direct line of communication with the public and helps them shape the story being told about their operations. It also provides a platform for operators to create relationships with existing customers, attract new customers, and recruit and retain employees.
“Ultimately the social media provides the best value when it can create a story, brand or a feeling that people can connect to, especially in the truckstop business," said Taryn Brice-Rowland, director, database and technology for NATSO.
Creating a Social Media Strategy
Operators’ social media strategy should support their business goals. “Understand your business goals before you even start thinking about social media and then align your goals with your social media strategy,” Brice-Rowland said.
To help identify where and when to post, operators need to understand who their customers are. “You might have different platforms that are good for reaching different groups, and your posts should be targeted for who you are trying to reach,” Brice-Rowland said.
Facebook and Instagram both work well for the truckstop and travel plaza industry because they allow photos and have better engagement, Brice-Rowland said.
Ericka Schapekahm, director of human resources and special projects at Coffee Cup Fuel Stops, said the location regularly engages with Facebook, Google and Yelp. “Googling our business often helps to find out what people are saying on sites we don't have on our radar,” Schapekahm said...