Recent times have seen modern, online marketing strategies revolutionize the landscape of the tourism and hospitality industry. While traditional marketing strategies still yield results, they have now become merely an auxiliary factor in the overall success of a robust hotel marketing plan. The digitalization of modern life has led to an enormous rise in the number of online bookings due to several factors, the primary ones being its convenience and cost-effectiveness. As a result, the need to adapt to this transforming industry landscape has become all but a necessity for hoteliers across the globe.
Having said that, the fundamental step for a successful hotel marketing plan still remains the same – to have a clearly defined marketing objective and a deep understanding of the target audience. These factors play a key role in the overall success of a marketing plan as they assist you in crafting data-driven and value-based hotel marketing strategies to attract customers. Listed below are some of the most influential and profitable hotel marketing strategies for 2022 –
Build a Stunning Website –
The primary step to establishing a powerful online presence is to build a website that is both – visually appealing and user-friendly.
Nowadays, most customers prefer to check out a hotel’s website before making a reservation. For this reason, it is of utmost importance that your website is fully-optimized with high-quality pictures of the property, complete information including the latest packages and offers, client testimonials, real-time rates and availability, contact details, etc. to engage the customers and boost sales.
Create a Google Business Profile –
Apart from hotel websites and OTAs, be sure to create a Google Business Profile (previously called Google My Business). The most obvious course of action taken by customers these days is to perform a quick google search for what they’re looking for.
This is why, a well-updated Google Business Profile can help provide them with the right information and contact details regarding your hotel, thereby allowing them to get in touch with you effortlessly.
Invest in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) –
Simply put, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the practice of continuously optimizing a website to enable it to rank higher in organic search results. An effective SEO strategy consists of various factors like on-page and off-page optimization, keyword optimization, website responsiveness, etc.
In addition to that, prompt adaptation to the latest search engine algorithm updates also plays a vital role in its success. This practice holds tremendous potential to enhance your online presence, increase traffic to your website and generate a good deal of high-quality leads for your business.
Capitalize on Content Marketing –
Thereafter, another excellent strategy to attract organic leads and nurture them is content marketing. In simple terms, content marketing refers to crafting relevant and captivating content centred on your target audience’s interests and promoting it strategically via various relevant channels. For example, topics like informative destination posts or travel tips can be packaged in the form of blogs, infographics, videos, case studies, etc. to capture the attention of your potential customers and engage them. Tactfully planned content marketing strategies not only drive conversions but also engender customer loyalty for a business.
Leverage the Power of Social Media –
With over 4.55 billion social media users across the globe, social media marketing has become an invaluable component of every business’s marketing plan. Moreover, specific to travel content, users naturally like to engage with travel stories shared by others as well as enjoy sharing their own experiences on social media.
Providing an unparalleled reach coupled with real-time access to your target group, it offers unlimited opportunities to boost engagement and maximize conversions. Being active on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook and Twitter can help create a buzz and go a long way in building a thriving online community for your hotel business!
Run Paid Advertising Campaigns –
Another effective hotel strategy to attract customers is Search Engine Marketing (SEM). Google Ads or Google Hotel Ads enables you to compete with OTAs by appearing at the top of search results, by bidding on highly targeted keywords in your industry.
Besides, with an array of options regarding ad formats and audience segmentation to select from, it helps you to reach out to your ideal customer profiles and amplify your online presence assuredly. Employed intelligently, online advertising campaigns can boost direct bookings for your hotel considerably and fetch you a great return on investment.
Make Use of Email Marketing –
Next, understand that if a customer has subscribed to your email newsletters, it means that the customer is interested in keeping in touch with your business. Hence, ensure that you interact with them at regular intervals by sharing important updates, seasonal offers, personalized packages or deals, exciting news from the industry, etc.
Hotel CRM tools like Guestfolio can smoothen this process for you by sending out timely, personalized emails to your customers at every touchpoint. Executed skillfully, email marketing can foster conversions, maximize ROI and prove to be one of the most rewarding marketing strategies for hotels.
Invest in Video Marketing –
By way of video marketing, you can attract your target audience and engage with them by providing them with an insight into your property, sharing impressive details regarding its unique facilities and offerings, etc. Well-directed, high-quality video marketing content can help businesses in the tourism and hospitality industry stand out from their competitors and optimize their online presence to a great extent.
It holds the potential to connect with the audience effectively, earn their trust and expedite their decision-making process, thereby boosting conversions for the business.
Highlight Positive Customer Testimonials –
Capitalizing on user-generated content i.e. honest reviews and testimonials regarding your business from your customers can fetch you results like no other! Research suggests that 81% of travellers always or often read reviews before booking their accommodations. For this reason, be sure to encourage your customers to share their feedback regarding their experience with you.
Furthermore, make the most out of this hotel marketing strategy by effectively highlighting your positive customer testimonials and stories across all digital channels. Providing such social proof is a definitive way to nurture your leads, earn their trust, and convert them into sales.
To learn about five trends that will define group travel in the future, click here.
Build a Customer Loyalty Program –
Yet another effective hotel marketing strategy to attract customers is to build a customer loyalty program to reward them for their continued support. Most of these programs are designed in a way wherein the more your customer engages with your business, the more they are rewarded. Some examples include offering discounts on their next visit, gifting them a complimentary upgrade, other special perks, etc.
Doing so has multifold benefits like making the guests feel valued, encouraging them to spread the word and further incentivizing them to re-visit your hotel. Most of all, it helps in establishing a strong, long-term relationship with your clientele.
Introduce a Referral Program –
Next, promoting your business through word-of-mouth marketing, especially by way of your satisfied customers can get you exceptional results! A referral program is wherein you reward both – your existing clientele for spreading the word about your hotel as well as the new customers for making a reservation with you.
It is a great way to attract new customers, improve your customer retention rate and boost revenue. Be proactive in using this cost-effective hotel marketing strategy to your business’s advantage to maximize results.
Explore Influencer Marketing –
With the astounding growth of social media, influencers now possess an exceptional power to reach out to a wide audience, attract and engage high-quality leads and direct targeted traffic to your business. In fact, according to research, 49% of consumers today take influencer recommendations into account before making their decisions.
Hotel businesses should most definitely consider collaborating with popular travel bloggers and influencers in order to create awareness, boost social media following and drive conversions.
Market Using Augmented Reality –
One of the most futuristic hotel marketing strategies to attract customers is to explore augmented reality (AR). In simple words, it allows businesses to provide customers with unique, engaging experiences by merely tapping into their mobile devices. For example, by employing AR technology, guests can enhance their overall experience by exploring the hotel property from their device itself as well as gain real-time updates regarding offers at the spa, restaurant, bar, etc.
Its highly interactive nature engenders customer engagement and yields extraordinary results for businesses in the hospitality industry.
Provide Exceptional Customer Service –
Last but not least, the key to successful retention marketing for any business is to provide an exceptional customer service experience. Apart from ensuring a pleasant stay for your guests by meeting all of their requirements seamlessly, you can go one step further by adopting the latest communication channels like chatbots, live chat or other multifunctional hotel CRM tools for your business. By attending to their queries with a prompt and considerate response at all times, you are sure to enhance their experience remarkably.
In conclusion, the digital revolution and ever-evolving consumer preferences are constantly redefining hotel marketing as a whole. However, with all the new challenges to be faced, there are also a plethora of new opportunities for businesses in the hotel industry to exploit! Ultimately, a successful hotel marketing strategy will be the one that attracts the right target audience, nurtures them effectively, converts them into customers and keeps them inspired to come back for more.
While hoteliers must strive to achieve the best results for their business through their in-house marketing efforts, they must not hesitate to obtain additional support by outsourcing some of their requirements. After all, ultimately, all of the efforts are going to add up to achieve hotel marketing excellence and maximize revenue!
Build effective hotel marketing strategies with the right solutions
At InnQuest, we understand the importance of the challenges faced by businesses in the hospitality industry. InnQuest’s mission isn’t just to provide the best hospitality management system but to ensure hospitality businesses are supported whenever they need it.
Our goal is not only to help manage your businesses more efficiently but also to provide ongoing support to engender growth and expansion. This is why we offer competitive pricing, without sacrificing quality or functionality in our software solutions. Book a demonstration of our award-winning hotel management software here.
