Social Media: Public Relatons 2.0

I found the following article to be very interesting and added proof that Social Media 

is changing the face of Communication.

Survey: 60% use social media to 'call' home when 

traveling instead of phone, e-mail

   

 By Barbara De Lollis, USA TODAY

Waiting to hear how hubby's pitch went in London, or if your daughter's enjoying her first Thanksgiving away from home with her new in-laws?

Don't bother waiting by the phone or checking e-mail.

A new survey suggests that a whopping 60% of us now use social media - instead of making a call or sending an e-mail - to connect with our family and friends back home when we're traveling.

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The Sheraton-commissioned survey bases its findings on phone interviews with 4,024 people in the U.S., U.K., and China. Conducted by StudyLogic LLC, the survey reveals some other brow-raising stats that back up what we already know - that social media is a driving force in many of our lives - even when we're busy traveling. Other findings:



Even when there's happy news to share with friends and loved ones back home, 36% say they'd rather log in than make a phone call to spread the word.

77% say they access social media sites such as Facebook throughout the day, with 33% saying they log in multiple times each hour.

39% say they "could not live without" social media sites.

When traveling, 20% of respondents say they still manage to check social media sites multiple times throughout the day.
When it comes to planning trips, 64% said they use social media to make their plans; within the 25-34-year-old age group, however, the figure's 76%.

Sheraton's survey coincides with the just-completed roll-out of a newly created social media hub in all of its hotel lobbies.

Today, all 400 Sheraton hotels contain a Microsoft-powered "Link@Sheraton" area that was one of the key features of Sheraton's $6 billion, global revamp. The lobby lounge area is designed as a social media hub, with a cafe, televisions and - get this! - daily newspapers. The area also contains computer stations where you can check e-mail or print a boarding pass.

(Yes, much to many road warriors' dismay, guests still must pay for Internet in their rooms, unless you're an elite-level platinum member of the Starwood Preferred Guest loyalty program.)

Sheraton, by the way, says that more than 50% of its guests use the Link@Sheraton during their hotel stay.

What's the No. 1 most-visited site at the Link?

Facebook.