Buoyed by my semi-successful prognostication in 2014, I’m back at it this year with three predictions about where I think resort marketing will go in 2015.

I cheated on Wednesday. I said there were four reasons that a ski resort would be the first to delete their Facebook page.

Actually, there are five. Groups.

Say Wha?!
Yes, groups.

Within the next year, resort social media folks are going to be spending as much time in Facebook groups as they are on the brand’s main Facebook page. Here’s why.

#1 – Young People
First, we like young people and young people really like groups. According to one teen, that’s the only way his age group even uses the site.

#2 – Mirco Communities
I wish I could wrap my head around all the implications, but not a week goes by that I don’t see some sign that tells me mini social networks could be the future.

Where do I spend most of my social media time? On a mini network I build for my family. Where can you sell a used Baby Bjorn in 90 seconds? The Vail Moms Facebook Group. Of all the features Facebook includes, they’ve only turned a small list into standalone apps. One of those was for Groups just two months ago.

Through micro-communities, groups will bring real segmentation to social.

#2 – Extra Benefits
Guess what part of Facebook doesn’t use an algorithm? Yep, groups. Guess what part of Facebook doesn’t inject sponsored posts into the feed? Yep, group. Guess what part of Facebook shows new post alerts to members by default? Yep, groups.

Get the picture?

It’s Coming
This year something is going to a happen – a case study from a big brand taking advantage of this feature, perhaps – and resorts are going to start testing the waters.

Then, once they realize the value of these mini communities they’ll look at how they normally segment those guests and create 4, 6, maybe even 10 such groups as their eyes open the possibility of sharing specific messages on social to specific segments of their guests in a way that comes with alerts, no ads, and most importantly, no algorithms.

Yes, resorts marketing on Facebook in 2015 will be the year of the groups.

That’s my final prediction for 2015. Will these 365 days prove me right? Only time will tell.

About Gregg & SlopeFillers
I've had more first-time visitors lately, so adding a quick "about" section. I started SlopeFillers in 2010 with the simple goal of sharing great resort marketing strategies. Today I run marketing for resort ecommerce and CRM provider Inntopia, my home mountain is the lovely Nordic Valley, and my favorite marketing campaign remains the Ski Utah TV show that sold me on skiing as a kid in the 90s.