Use of Social Media by Airports

JAIRM, 2012 – 2(2), 67-85 Online ISSN: 2014-4806 - Print ISSN: 2014-4865 http://dx.doi.org/10.3926/jairm.9 Use of social media by airports Nigel Halpern Molde University College – Specialized University in Logistics (Norway) [email protected] Received July, 2012 Accepted September, 2012 Abstract Purpose: This study investigates use of social media by airports according to geographical location of the airport, airport size, and airport ownership and operation. Design/methodology/approach: The study is based on a content analysis of airport websites. The sample consists of 1559 airports worldwide that are members of Airports Council International (ACI). Findings: Almost one-fifth of airports use at least one type of social media; 13% use Facebook, 12% use Twitter, 7% use LinkedIn and 4% use YouTube. There is a greater use of social media by airports in North America and Europe, by larger airports, and by airports that are owned and operated by private interests. Originality/value: This study determines how widespread the use of social media is by airports. The degree to which airports and their customers actually use social media is also determined. Researchers can use the approach and findings of this study as a basis for investigating trends over time. Airport managers can use the findings to inform their own social media decisions. Keywords: Airports, marketing communications, social media 67 Journal of Airline and Airport Management 2(2), 67-85 1. Introduction Airports are increasingly embracing social media as a means of communication (Twentyman, 2010) and there are now numerous examples of airports offering the opportunity to ‘Like’ them on Facebook, ‘Follow’ them on Twitter and ‘View’ videos and photos about them on YouTube and Flickr. The range of airports using social media has widened in recent years but still appears to be biased towards larger airports and airports that are located in North America or Europe (AirGate Solutions, 2011). There may also be differences according to the way in which an airport is owned and operated because the use of social media is to some extent a reflection and a driver of the business transformation that the airport industry has undergone in recent years (ACI-Europe, 2011). This study provides a framework for classifying the different types of social media used by airports. The study then investigates the different types of social media used by airports and compares use of social media according to geographical location of the airport, airport size, and airport ownership and operation. The study is based largely on a content analysis of airport websites. The sampling frame for the study consists of airports worldwide that are members of Airports Council International (ACI) which is the international association of world airports. ACI has 580 members operating 1650 airports in 179 countries and territories. This paper provides a written account of the study. The following section provides background to the study including a review of relevant literature. The methodological approach taken in then outlined and is followed by a summary of the main findings. The final section provides a conclusion including limitations and recommendations for future research. 2. Background The term Web 2.0 was first used by DiNucci (1999) and was developed as a concept during the Web 2.0 Conference in 2004 (O’Reilly & Battelle, 2009). The term is generally associated with online applications that allow users to connect, communicate and interact with each other and share information on the World Wide Web. Web 1.0 refers to the technologies and concepts that defined the World Wide Web in the first place. Web 2.0 differs from Web 1.0 because users act as creators of user-generated content in a virtual community setting as opposed to being passive viewers of content. 68 Journal of Airline and Airport Management 2(2), 67-85 Critics claim that Web 2.0 is a buzzword and that it is not a new version of the World Wide Web but a continuation of Web 1.0. For instance, Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web, describes the term as a ‘piece of jargon’ and states that “nobody really knows what it means... If Web 2.0 for you is blogs and wikis, then that is people to people. But that was what the Web was supposed to be all along” (developerWorks, 2006, pp. 1). However, Web 2.0 is now firmly established as a concept and provides a point of reference for the evolution of social media. Social media can be defined as “the group of Internet-based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2.0, and that allow the creation and exchange of user-generated content” (Kaplan & Haenlein, 2010, pp. 61). Table 1 provides a classification scheme for the different types of social media according to two key elements; the degree of media research (social presence and richness of the media) and the degree of social process (self- presentation and self-disclosure). Social presence/media richness Low Medium High Blogs Social networking sites Virtual social worlds Low (e.g. Twitter) (e.g. Facebook) (e.g. Second Life) Self-presentation Collaborative projects Content communities Virtual game worlds /self-disclosure High (e.g. Wikipedia) (e.g. YouTube) (e.g. World of Warcraft) Table 1. Classification of social media (adapted from Kaplan & Haenlein, 2010) Growth in the use of social media during the last decade has been remarkable. According to the respective sites, the number of users in 2011 exceeded 800 million on Facebook, 200 million on Twitter and 100 million on LinkedIn. YouTube had 490 million unique users worldwide per month with about 92 billion page views each month. Most social media applications were traditionally designed for, and used by, friends or people with mutual interests, as a means of connecting, communicating and interacting with each other (Correa, Hinsley & DeZúñiga, 2010). However, an increasing number of businesses have a social media presence, offering direct links from their corporate websites, and use it to promote their brands and support the creation of brand communities (Kaplan & Haenlein, 2010). Worldwide expenditure of businesses on online social network advertising, including building and maintaining a social media presence, is estimated to have reached US$6 billion in 2011. This includes general social networking sites where social networking is the 69 Journal of Airline and Airport Management 2(2), 67-85 primary activity. Facebook alone is expected to have attracted US$4 billion (Williamson, 2011). Users also seem keen for businesses to have a social media presence. Cone (2008) estimate that 93% of social media users believe that businesses should have a social media presence. 85% believe that businesses should interact with customers on social networking sites such as Facebook. Use of social media by airports has received increased attention in recent years although much of the attention is from practitioners rather than academic research. ACI-Europe (2011, 2012) report on how social media and other digital trends impact on European airports and their passengers. Twentyman (2010) discusses how airports are increasingly turning to social networking sites to communicate with passengers. Social media was a key theme at World Routes 2011 with presentations on how social media can support route development at airports (Solterbeck, 2011). Nigam, Cook and Stark (2011) discuss the role of social media for engaging customers and increasing commercial revenues at airports. AirGate Solutions/SimpliFlying (2011) identify a number of social media initiatives used by airports to build their brands and drive customer engagement and loyalty. For instance, Melbourne International Airport uses Twitter to help travellers plan their journey by providing flight schedule information and special offers. London Gatwick Airport has a Twitter Flight Information Display Screen, in public view at the airport that allows travellers to Tweet any issues that need attention. The airport’s responses are also shown. Boston Logan Airport advertises flights, cruise holidays and contests on their Facebook site. Passengers are typically the main focus for social media initiatives at airports. However, social media is used by airports to connect, communicate and interact with all types of customer including airlines, the travel trade, and stakeholders in general. Academic literature tends to focus on social media as a tool for marketing (e.g. see Weinberg & Pehlivan, 2011). This is natural given that it allows businesses to interact with their customers and allows them to coordinate and control various elements of the promotional mix such as advertising, sales promotion, public relations and publicity. It does so from a traditional sense in terms of businesses communicating with customers but also in a non-traditional sense in terms of allowing customers to talk directly to one another (Mangold & Foulds, 2009). Airports use social media as a tool for marketing but also for other areas of their business. ACI-Europe (2011) provide examples of airports using social media for customer service (as a virtual ‘customer service desk’), informal relationship building (to engage directly with customers), crisis handling (to communicate 70 Journal of Airline and Airport Management 2(2), 67-85 quickly and directly during times of crisis), corporate communications (as a tool to raise awareness), and commercial purposes (to promote products and services but also the catchment area and potential for demand). Airports also use social media for research and development (surveying customer satisfaction and/or opinions e.g. about opportunities for new routes). This means that an airport’s social media community can be used as an asset when discussing route development opportunities with airlines, tour operators and other stakeholders (Scourse, 2011). Of course, social media has its risks. Academic literature increasingly calls for a need to investigate how best to manage the social media mix and whether it provides a return on investment (e.g.

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