The relationship between Google AdWords and Online Travel Agencies is draining the pocket books of most hotel marketing departments. If you\u2019re sick of paying OTA\u2019s exorbitant fees it\u2019s probably time to re-focus your online strategy and start driving organic traffic directly to your site.
From content marketing to in-house offers, there are no limits when it comes to promoting your hotel\u2019s brand. Check out\u00a0our top 5 marketing tips for hotels and minimize OTA fees for good.
Enter the Blogosphere
You will never run out of topics to write about in the Hotel and Tourism industry. Blogging about your hotel is a great way to build your brand and show off your hotel\u2019s unique atmosphere. You can give your potential guests a lot of useful information about your city or events happening at the hotel. All of which will help your guests decide if they want to stay at your hotel and, if you\u2019ve done your job right, make your hotel the most desirable choice out there.
A Little Birdie Told Me\u2026
Twitter is a quick and easy way to interact with your guests directly. You can answer their questions and respond to their comments. It\u2019s also a great resource for resort hotels that offer daily activities. Give out your hotel\u2019s Twitter handle to guests when they check-in and use Twitter as a way to keep them updated on the day\u2019s events. Twitter is also another way for you to promote your blog and stay connected with your guests, past and present.
Good Things Come to Loyal Customers
This tip is less digitally focused than the others, but just\u00a0as important. Offering frequent guests free or discounted rooms is just a generally good way to build customer loyalty and provide some incentive for guests to return. If you\u2019re looking to add a unique touch, it can be very beneficial to partner with local businesses and offer gift cards to your preferred guests. This way you\u2019re offering something special and promoting local business in the community.
Mobility Over All
This is one of, if not the most important aspects of digital marketing in the hotel industry. So many people make travel plans on the fly, and most of the time they\u2019re using a mobile device to research hotels and make reservations. If your hotel\u2019s site isn\u2019t responsive and hard to use on a smartphone, you can count an entire market of travellers out. If it means shelling out for a\u00a0mobile redesign, do it now, because the mobile trend isn\u2019t one that\u2019s slowing down.
Good News Travels, But Bad News Travels Faster
This next tip goes for both good and bad reviews. Reaching out to say thanks to guests who\u2019ve left you a positive review will leave them with an even better opinion of your hotel and your staff. A personal touch like this can even be the reason that guests return for a second stay.
No matter how great your service and amenities are, it\u2019s inevitable that someone out there might feel they didn\u2019t get the service they were promised. If this happens and they do leave a less-than-kind review of your hotel online it\u2019s best not to ignore it. Reach out to them, offer an apology, and if possible try to remedy the situation.
