Competition is an amazing thing. Google’s introduction of their social media platform +1 has generated a lot of buzz.  Not surprisingly it has also spurred a flury of activity from Facebook.

One of the more significant recent changes is the revamping of Facebook Places.  Facebook has expanded places to everything, not just smartphone users.  Before, if you wanted to talk about a great place within Facebook, you couldn’t.  Check-ins were only available through Facebook’s mobile application.  Now Facebook has included a “where are you” feature to all posts, allowing you to discuss where you are, where you are going, or where you have just been.

Facebook's description of how to use places in status updates

This opens up Places and makes it an even more powerful weapon for hotels.  There were many guests who, because of privacy concerns, were not comfortable sharing their location via check-in during their stay.  Now these guests can safely brag about your property after they leave, sharing their experience with their Facebook network.

Have you incorporated Places into your Facebook campaign?  These changes make it a more powerful tool, one that should be a part of your social media arsenal.  Learn about some innovative ways others have used Facebook Places in our recent article: 8 Cool Facebook Places Campaigns.

Read more about Facebook Places direct from the source at: http://www.facebook.com/about/location