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To do so, the different platforms on the Internet have inevitably become some of the most consulted information sources by travelers and therefore a strategic way to promote your property’s guest experience online!
Your website
Your website is an essential tool for promoting your guest experience. It’s also your property’s main online showcase, since it is one of the first platforms that travelers will visit to find all the information needed and have an overview of the experience offered. As you may understand, the more attractive your website is, the more it will stimulate Internet users’ curiosity and make them want to book a reservation. Therefore, you can use high quality photos and videos or even room tours to highlight your property, your rooms and all the available activities.
Furthermore, your website must be as optimized as possible in order to facilitate Internet users’ purchasing process and to encourage them to finalize an online reservation. The design of your website must be web responsive, which means that it adapts to the devices used, such as smartphones, tablets and computers. Moreover, it is important to have a clear and simple website navigation, since nearly 85% of travelers book their stays from their mobile devices. For properties that have specific units with names instead of different types of room, keep in mind that Internet users have to see quickly if the unit they wish to book is still available or not. To do so, an online calendar connected to your PMS could be a very interesting option, since travelers would be able to see units’ availability in real time.
Don’t forget that your website allows you to collect information on individuals who visit it, communicate with them directly through your online chat or to retarget them.
Your online booking
Did you know that your online booking engine is also an interesting tool for promoting your property? Indeed, you will be able to personalize it, choose the content you want to highlight, create packages or items for sale and update your prices. Thus, this tool will be directly connected to your PMS (property management software) and your channel manager, which will allow you to simplify your operations and your booking process.
Therefore, if you want to generate more online bookings, keep in mind that your online booking engine must be attractive and efficient. Its style and design must be coherent with your website and the information must be complete, precise and available in different languages and currencies based on the user.
Your social media
In the hospitality industry, social media represents real opportunities to attract potential customers. These platforms are consulted on a daily basis and the publication of travel content often creates curiosity and imagination for Internet users, which could encourage them to book their next stay at your property.
Furthermore, a good social media strategy allows you to promote your offers, packages and activities to a large audience, but could also reach a specific type of clientele, if wanted. This kind of advertisement is free, but you could choose to pay to add more visibility to your campaign. To reach as many people as possible, you can also use social media to share your guests’ content, including their photos, videos and stories. Indeed, it’s proven that 74% of travelers use social media during their stays and almost 97% of Millennials share photos of their stays on social media. So why not take advantage of it to increase your property’s visibility and interactions, but also to strengthen your e-reputation?
Even if the use of social media has many advantages for your hotel, don’t forget to check it regularly and respond to positive and negative guests reviews, so it doesn’t weaken your e-reputation.
Bloggers and influencers
Have you ever heard of influencer marketing? This strategy involves working with bloggers and influencers to promote your property to a larger audience, but also to gain more visibility online and increase your number of reservations. The role of these influencers is to affect the purchasing decision of Internet users and reassure them in their booking process, while remaining as transparent as possible. The main goal isn’t to lie to your audience to win their trust, but to share the experience of your property. In addition, it is important to mention that 85% of consumers will rather trust an influencer and follow their recommendations.
Thus, you have to define your campaign, your marketing budget and calculate the return on investment. Moreover, make sure that the influencer shares the same values as your property, that their audience matches the clientele you want to attract and that its content is consistent with your property’s brand image before signing a partnership.
In the hospitality industry, guest experience is very important and it’s at the heart of a property’s success. Moreover, the guarantee of a good customer experience is your PMS, since it includes all the guests’ stay information and allows you to coordinate with all the hotel departments. Therefore, it is not only necessary to refine your guest experience so that your guests can fully live the experience offered, but also be able to promote it in an efficient and intelligent way by using digital marketing tools.