Related to my previous post on how to critically read consumer reviews –

Conde Nast asked  Tripadvisor executives how to best utilize their site.  Their advice:

–         Don’t automatically pick the #1 rated hotel.  Delve a bit into the reviews and pick one that suits your travel style and budget best.

–         Ask questions – privately message the reviewer or post a question in the forums.

–         Look at the pictures that reviewers post.  The pictures you view on a company’s website are going to be fabulous;  you’ll see how things actually are by looking at reviewers’ photos.

–         Read the Tripadvisor travel guides.

–         Connect your Tripadvisor account to your Facebook account to see reviews that your friends have written.

You can read what else the executive had to say here.

How do you use Tripadvisor?  Do you follow any of these suggestions?