Hotel Digital Marketing

As many as 90% of travelers worldwide say that they prefer a personalized experience while traveling. While everything matters when it comes to creating a customized experience, from that free food you get on a  flight to free entry to events, perhaps nothing shouts out personalization more than staying in a hotel that tends to each of your needs. 

If you’re a hotel business owner, you need to look to create an experience customers will fall in love with. From sensuous aesthetics to pragmatic services, it’s all about showing travelers how special your business is.  

So, what are some of the best hotel marketing strategies that you can use to build brand loyalty and bring more customers?

1. Setting Up a Website That Converts 

How does your web page look like?

It’s not just about focusing on the UI – though user experience will always remain at the top of it all. Google looks highly at web pages that are easy to navigate. 

However, to get more sales, you need more than just a good UI. You need landing pages with the right Call to Actions. A/B testing helps, but that’s just part of the game. In addition, you need to know what your web page visitors are looking for, as well.

For instance, most people who book a room at a hotel are essentially looking for ‘Instagrammable’ locations. Include photographs of the different spots in the hotel. Provide short descriptions of all the facilities available in your hotel – from the spas, and pools to conference rooms and fine dining. You can also add a page with short descriptions of key staff members in the hotel and a group picture to show that the hotel is like one big family.  

Have an easy to use interface for easier navigation. An informal and enticing language helps – it just gives a personalized feel, and gives them that extra push. 

In the end, don’t forget to mention the discounts and offers you offer, along with their rates and packages. 

2. Reputation Management – Focus on Building Reviews 

Nearly 65% of consumers trust search engine results when they are booking online – and you would be making a mistake if you didn’t take a look at what your hotel visitors are writing about you online.

What attracts customers more than good discounts is a good review. Make sure that you ask your customers to review their stay not just on your website but also on other digital platforms like Facebook and Expedia. 

If there are negative reviews, don’t fret. 

  • Be responsive and empathetic to any problems mentioned online. 
  • Apologize for any inconvenience and address the issues as soon as you can
  • Provide incentives to customers to write reviews.

Constant improvement is the key.

3. Invest in Optimized Online Ad Campaigns

Now, you can advertise your hotel in different platforms online. The question though is, are you reaching out to the right audience? Digital ad spending in the U.S. alone will be worth nearly $130 billion by the end of this year. However, you shouldn’t jump the gun and start advertising straightaway. You need optimized online ad campaigns that reach out to more people. 

Facebook ads

Focus on creating travel ads aid and reach out to people who are looking to book hotels in the near future. If someone is searching for hotel bookings online but haven’t booked yet, your hotel recommendation will pop-up in their newsfeed.  Target people according to demographics, or their interests. 

Re-marketing 

Did a customer look at your website, the hotel rooms but then didn’t make the final booking? Perhaps all they need is that final push, and that’s what remarketing is all about. You get to target users who’ve visited your site with ads reminded them of your website while they are browsing the internet.  

It’s sure to make them rethink their choice. Plus, there is a good chance that the hotel’s name will stay in their memory for longer, helping you get sales even in the future.

The trick is to have a digital marketing strategy that is persuasive but not overly pushy, something that can definitely help in an up-sale.

4. Improving Your Search Engine Optimization Strategy

Are you focusing on both on-page and off-page SEO?

It’s not just the texts, titles and images that you need to worry about. Focus on the use of both short and long tail keywords to target your visitors better. 

A good backlinking strategy helps too -Backlinks from popular websites in the travel niche, for instance, can help build trust in search engines and influence the customer’s choice. 

It’s why you need a good content strategy too. Think about what you need to keep visitors engaged. For instance, you can include details about local attractions for tourists and ongoing events. It’s sure to offer a wholesome travel idea to your visitors; they will be able to view several aspects of their travel at one place. 

5. Focus on Listings in OTAs

Online travel agencies such as Expedia, Kayak, and TripAdvisor receive significant bookings. Don’t miss out on listing your hotel property on the sites. Offer discounts and lightning deals to get more bookings. 

It’s a guaranteed way to increase sales. Look to increase positive reviews on these sites so that your hotel gets a place at the top of the list.  

You could also talk about the places buyers can book from on your site itself -something that is sure to increase visibility through SEO.  

Which is the Best Digital Marketing Strategy for Your Hotel Business?

If you’re looking to reach out to more people, you need a digital marketing strategy that works. Since every business and industry is different, you need one that is tailored to your needs.

Some of the best strategies out there, for instance, may require technical expertise. You need to study consumer behavior and market trends to improve. The right digital marketing strategy takes into account everything from increasing search engine visibility to how you can manage your reputation online. Or you can always work with a marketing agency  who can assist you through the process. Here’s a great list to choose from.