A Guide To Hotel Marketing

Digital marketing begins with your website, and should form the first point of your hotel online marketing strategy. Indeed, consumer decision-making has become increasingly dependent on the appearance, strength and functionality of the site they are browsing. This means that an accessible, secure and user-friendly website should form the core of your hotel web marketing strategy. A flowing and visually appealing online presence will hold the attention of your visitors for longer, making sure that your website is a place where consumers can discover, engage and make bookings.

Your website should be built with the objective of being more than a digital showcase for your hotel. Rather, it should aim to be an interactive customer engagement tool that drives visitors and event bookings. To achieve this, it is important to take account of several engagement-driving factors around your site; including security, user experience, content marketing and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). Building a website for your hotel that incorporates all of these elements will ensure that your establishment flourishes in the digital world, both in the present and into the future.

In a world where consumers decisions are driven by what they see online, having a stable, secure and visually appealing website in an absolute essential – but it doesn’t end there. Opting for a design that is flowing and functional can bring in high quality traffic, whilst lacing that design with optimised, high-performance content can make that critical difference between success and failure.

Any hotel marketing campaign should start with a great site – it’s that simple.

In today’s digital marketplace, investing in social media should form an essential element of any digital marketing plan for hotel businesses. Navigating your hotel through these networks whilst communicating your unique message can present real challenges. Indeed, making your campaigns reach the right audiences requires skill, perseverance and insight into what makes the world of social tick. Hotels who chart a connected path to their visitors using the right content on the right channels can expect to see enhanced engagement, increased following and more bookings.

Some of the best hotel social media campaigns specifically target one platform in order to reach their target audience. For example, a Majorcan 18-30 hotel may target younger visitors on Twitter or Instagram, whilst sophisticated conferencing spaces may target professionals and event organisers on Linkedin. An extensive social hotel marketing plan can identify when and where your target audiences discusses business, giving your hotel the prominence it deserves. All of the main platforms offer opportunities for paid hotel internet advertising – so get online and get social.

Pinpointing how to socially engage with consumers can be a difficult affair, and usually depends from hotel to hotel. However, examples of social media for hotels case studies can guide you in determining your audience, as well as providing inspiration for content (including images, hashtags and appropriate tone of voice) . A strong social media marketing strategy for hotels is essential in differentiating your establishment from the rest: so invest some time and effort into establishing a social presence which engages, informs and inspires.

Hotel video advertising is a truly engaging marketing tool which allows for shareable and memorable promotional content. Recently published research suggests that 82% of internet traffic will be video content by the year 2022. With that data in mind, the need for your hotel to join the video marketing revolution has never been stronger. A beautifully shot and edition video project will come as a major marketing asset to your hotel, and a huge number of options are available to boost your establishment’s appeal. For example, a 360° panoramic shot may serve as a ‘try before you buy’ video, allowing event organisers to check out your venues and conferencing videos. Indeed, some of the best hotel videos use advanced technologies such as drones to expertly capture an engaging hotel advertisement.

Continued advancements in video technology have given birth to some of the most innovative and best hotel advertisements the tourism & hospitality sector has seen. From a marketing perspective, it should be noted that video content offers one of the strong returns of investment, with research published by GuestRevu demonstrating that 66% of web users watch videos when planning a trip, and that 65% watch video when making their choice. Indeed, consumers trust video content, and a video tour of your hotel’s rooms, facilities and surrounding areas could separate your credentials from those of your rivals.

It is important to remember that effective video marketing doesn’t begin and end with a strong script and creative approach to filming and photography. Whilst these are crucial in creating a polished and engaging final piece, that content will not reach its intended audience without implementing several key marketing techniques. For example, marketing your video project via a paid service on social media can extend your outreach during certain periods of time. Furthermore, publishing your content on the most appropriate channels (eg. Vimeo, YouTube or LinkedIn) can ensure that your brand engages with the right web traffic, driving more visitors to your site.

Further extending your outreach can also be achieved via a holistic approach which implements a strong and well-researched Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) strategy. Put simply, optimising your video content with high-performance keywords, phrases, URLs and metadescriptions can raise your content’s rankings on the pages that matter: Google search engine results.

The best marketing strategies tie-in with trending topics. For example, this video has highlighted the area’s connection with hit HBO series Game of Thrones.

Across the world, Northern Ireland has become recognised as ‘the Home of Thrones’. With its dramatic filming locations attracting thousands of visitors year-on-year, the country’s tourism sector has taken full advantage with tours, talks, location visits and exhibitions.

Trending topic targeting has unleashed huge profits for Northern Ireland’s tourism industry, with 2018 estimates suggesting that the series brought £206 million into the local economy over eight series.

The modern marketplace has transformed how we receive digital content, and hotel internet marketing strategy is no different. Previous decades saw mainstream brands and multinational businesses hold a monopoly in the world of advertising and marketing. However, the advent of search engines (for example, Google, Yahoo! and Bing) has introduced new elements to online competition via complex algorithms, which change on a regular basis. These algorithms analyse digital content to prioritise high quality and useful content to online consumers, making an evaluation based upon a range of factors (web design, user-friendliness, content and back-end functionality).

When these factors are combined they affect Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). SEO is the crucial strategy which will place your website above your rivals in search engine results, allowing your brand to achieve increased traffic, engagement and sales. An essential element of hotel website marketing, SEO strategy will aim to ensure that your business uses high-performance keywords and phrases throughout its digital presence.

Investing in high-quality content or digital strategies can be a costly and time consuming affair, and making that investment without an SEO strategy can render all of your previous efforts pointless. If you have paid for engaging content, make sure that it engages with the correct users on the correct forums. Embed a well-researched and organised SEO strategy into your marketing plans and reap the eventual benefits of increased digital prominence.

Today’s digital marketplace follows the mantra that ‘content is king’. But what does this mean? Put simply, this refers to the paramount importance of strong content in any hotel digital marketing strategy. Strong content requires effective content marketing, from the blogs and hotel about us content on your site through to video content and social media campaigns. Both for established brands and new arrivals, content marketing is an essential step in showcasing your business’ expertise or knowledge, as well as introducing your brand to new markets or prospective clients.

Establishing yourself as a leader in your industry requires a holistic approach which places a strong content strategy at its core. Whilst many businesses may immediately look towards hotel web advertising to generate engagement, a combination of hotel marketing services will ensure that your brand and its content receives the prominence they deserve.

Kicking off your hotel’s content marketing strategy with a content audit will allow you to consider all of the material in your online properties, including text on web pages, blog posts, page structure, links and word count, as well as their current performance. Whilst identifying some ‘quick wins’ for digital marketers, an extensive audit will assist you in devising an effective content strategy, including a keyword strategy engineered for enhanced engagement and sales conversions.

Building your digital presence on engaging, optimised and frequently updated content can make that critical difference between success and failure. So, consolidate your brand’s credentials with a steady stream of blogs, guides and video content.

Once upon a time, the experience of travelling and booking began at a travel company, where browsing and booking your accommodation was handled by an agent. However, successive developments in voice technology have transformed travel planning, with manually-entered search queries gradually losing ground to voice searches. Indeed, Google’s own voice assistant is now available on over 400 million decision worldwide, with Comcast estimating that approximately half of all searches will be voice-driven by 2020.

Hotel advertising strategies frequently overlook voice search, and staying ahead of the curve can separate yourself from the competition in an increasingly crowded market. Having a fully optimised Google My Business listing can raise your brand’s position in voice search ranking. When exploring how to advertise your hotel via voice search, using conversational language along with a keyword strategy with phrases commencing with ‘who, what, where, when, why’ will allow your business to more accurately respond to voice-driven search queries. Indeed, some of the best hotel ads come in the form of personalised experiences via voice assistants.

Staying ahead of the curve is absolutely crucial in the world of tourism and hotel marketing, and investing in voice search marketing can make sure you are steps ahead of the competition. With home speakers such as Amazon Alexa and Google Home gaining traction, the possibilities for marketing are obvious.

A simple Google Search for “how to market hotel business” brings up several industry-leading travel websites in its highest ranking results, including Expedia. Indeed, this alone demonstrates that expedia marketing is a valuable tool, reflecting what such hotel advertising websites can do for your business.

Featuring an advertisement for your hotel on such sites can connect your business to an extensive network of ecommerce brands, vastly expanding your digital outreach. In the case of Expedia, signing into a travel website marketing package can deliver your branded message at every stage of the consumer journey, with a range of digital marketing solutions available to drive both integrated and custom marketing campaigns. Whether your hotel is well-established or a new arrival, Expedia digital marketing can harness billions of travel, tourism and booking data points, revealing which travel shoppers to target, and where.

For hotels working within a tighter budget, Expedia still offers strong marketing opportunities. For example, Expedia hosts some of the best hotel review samples, allowing you to measure your performance and feedback against that of your competitors.

Travel website marketing doesn’t have to stop there: there are dozens of established travel sites out there, including TripAdvisor, Lonely Planet and booking.com.

A common myth persists which suggests that email marketing is dying. However, recent research flies in the face of such a claim, with recent data published by ReachMail suggesting that 320% more revenue can be attributed to welcome emails alone. Email marketing should therefore be seen as a means of achieving cheap online advertising for hotels and a great way of trialling creative ideas to attract customers. Aside from general announcements, discounts and promotional deals, email marketing can easily share PR activities for hotels maintaining a direct line of engagement and communication with potential visitors. Given its low cost, email marketing should be implemented in any sales strategy plan for hotel industry businesses.

How you engage with potential visitors via email marketing will largely depend upon the nature of your hotel and it’s targeted audience. Whilst some larger venues and sophisticated conferencing spaces may wish to address their audience in a simple, professional tone; boutique hotels and 18-30 clubs may communicate with guests in a more informal and conversational style.

Researching your target audience and how they prefer to engage with their favourite brands can pay off, and the research speaks for itself: a recent report by Experian found that 56% of businesses using an emoji in their subject lines had a higher open rate.

56 percent of brands using emoji in their email subject lines had a higher open rate, according to a report by Experian. Welcome emails are incredibly effective: on average, 320% more revenue is attributed to them on a per email basis than other promotional emails.

The devices that travellers and tourists engage with hotel operators on are in a constant state of change, with more and more consumers turning to tablets and handheld devices when browsing and booking travel accommodation. The modern marketplace is mobile, and mobile therefore offers valuable opportunities for sales and marketing in hotel industry businesses. The most effective hotel strategies to attract customers attempt to engage with them on the platforms they love to use: so take your hotel campaign to the next level with a strong mobile marketing campaign.

An effective hotel digital advertising campaign should begin with a strong, engaging and user-friendly mobile app. Indeed, research by Travel Tripper suggests that over 33% of bookings are done via mobile apps. Furthermore, hotel chain giant, Hilton Hotels, claim that their mobile app is responsible for 20% of its bookings.

When it comes to hotel mobile marketing, it’s all about user experience. That’s why embedding chatbots, social media and a reviewing system into your app can truly differentiate your hotel from the competition.

But why have chatbots and instant messaging functions become so popular? The answer lies in how technology has transformed our lives over the past decade. The ways in which we choose to engage with our favourite brands have evolved beyond recognition: businesses that were once central to the high street are now exclusively digital. As a result, we have come to expect more – especially in regards to communicating with customers.

Consumers want the information they need without delay. Continued innovation in technology ensures that this is possible.