The importance of having the right hotel marketing strategies is difficult to overstate, as it is a key part of launching a hotel, optimizing the number of bookings you generate, building brand awareness and managing your reputation. In this article, you will be able to learn more about some of the most important strategies to adopt at all times, as well as some specific strategies to focus on during the COVID global pandemic.

6 Specific COVID & 10 Essential Hotel Marketing Strategies

Adopting the right hotel marketing strategy in the right situation is crucial, but some strategies are applicable at all times too. Below, you will see a breakdown of both some “all-time” hotel marketing strategies, along with some strategies that serve as a response to the coronavirus pandemic and associated changes to consumer behavior.

6 Specific Hotel Marketing Strategies Due to COVID

The following are some of the strategies that those concerned with hotel management will need to consider in response to the COVID global pandemic, which has disrupted the entire travel industry.

1. Highlight Safety in Hotel Marketing & Guest Communication

In terms of responding to the threat of coronavirus and the changes in behavior from customers, arguably the single biggest marketing message that hotels need to get across is that safety and hygiene measures are in place. After all, for guests to stay with you and enjoy their visit, they need to feel that their risk is as low as possible.

Communicate the hygiene and safety measures you are taking on your website homepage, on social media, during the booking process and in your pre-stay communication. Make sure you update descriptions on third-party platforms and look into ways you can go above and beyond, such as using contactless check-ins and payments.

Those in the hotel industry need to contend with the impact COVID has had on business customers. With more people working from home, the widespread cancellation of business events and restrictions on mass gatherings, business travel has been hit especially hard. If this is a key focus for your hotel, you may need to shift focus.

Although leisure travel has been impacted too, it has not been hit to the same level and there are still ways to appeal to leisure travelers, especially if you focus your hotel marketing strategies on families, couples and groups of friends. You will also need to make sure you use distribution and communication channels that allow you to reach these guests.

Highlight activities like tours and visits to local landmarks, and promote facilities that will appeal to leisure guests. Take a look at how rival hotels that specialize in leisure travel are marketing their properties too.

3. Focus on Local as Opposed to International

With travel restrictions, some countries requiring people to quarantine upon entry or return, and the overall fear of international travel increasing, some of the most effective hotel marketing strategies during the pandemic are those which focus on attracting local guests from the same country, or from neighboring countries with similar rules in place.

Focusing on the local market may mean highlighting facilities like your restaurant, gym or meeting rooms and it could also involve promoting one of your hotel rooms as a temporary office, which can be ideal for those working remotely.

Some hotels are also targeting local markets with things like food delivery. A hotel marketing strategy that can be extremely effective here involves turning food delivery into an experience. This means ensuring food is presented well and also including extras with the meal, such as candles, or a QR code with a romantic Spotify playlist.

4. Provide Value & Flexible Cancellation Policies

With people feeling more reluctant to stay in hotels during the pandemic, it is more important than ever to highlight your USPs. People need to be convinced, so focus on what separates your hotel from rival properties, whether that is your design, your location, the quality of your facilities, the reputation of your restaurant, or nearby attractions.

It is important to focus on the idea of value and providing experiences. You do not necessarily need to cut your rates to attract guests, as long as you deliver value for money. This could mean offering extra services, like room service breakfasts, complimentary drinks, massage services, bike rentals and other things your guests will remember.

You should also respect the fact that coronavirus is going to be on people’s minds and they may wish to cancel their booking, or reschedule for another time. Try to offer a generous and flexible cancellation policy when possible.

5. Take the Time to Analyze Your Data

One of the best hotel marketing strategies involves capitalizing on the availability of website data, turning to tools like Google Analytics, and using this information to understand which demographics are most interested in travelling to your hotel, or most willing to do so. In doing so, your main target demographic may need to change.

Use your property management system to explore different groups within your customer base and analyze the data. Which demographics are most likely to travel? Which demographics are least likely to travel? What are the main areas of weakness and what can you do to address the issues? How much growth potential does your hotel have?

Once you have these answers, you can start to think about changing some of your marketing messages.

6. Let Potential Guests & B2B Clients Experience Your Hotel From a Distance

Within the context of COVID, many travelers need to be convinced that their visit will be worthwhile and virtual reality tours for hotels provide the ultimate way to experience a hotel or restaurant during the decision-making phase. This will allow potential leisure, wedding or event customers to get a clear impression of the facilities from afar.

Accessibility to virtual reality tours has greatly improved in recent times and most modern VR videos are web-based and can be viewed on any device with a web browser, including computers, mobiles and tablets. Of course, the experience and overall immersion can be enhanced further through the use of a VR headset.

Read “6 Reasons Why Every Hotel Should Have a Virtual Reality Video” for more information.

10 Essential Hotel Marketing Strategies

There are a number of hotel marketing strategies that can be implemented at almost any time, regardless of external circumstances. Below, you will be able to read more about these “all-time” approaches.

1. Go Live With a Great Website

Your website is the most important distribution for your business and the crux of any good online marketing strategy. No matter which hotel marketing tactic has directed a potential customer to your website, this is the place where people can learn more about your individual business and decide whether or not to book a stay with you. It’s also the only online distribution channel where you can generate direct online sales, so it’s crucial your website has a booking engine to handle self-service reservations. As more internet users rely solely on their smartphones and tablets, a mobile-friendly website is necessity these days.

More tips about how to create a perfect hotel website are described in the article “8 Tips To Gain More Bookings With Your Hotel Website”.

2. Follow The SEO Staples

There’s no point in having a website if it’s difficult for potential customers to find via their preferred search engine. Make sure you’re following SEO (Search Engine Optimization) online marketing basics like ensuring your content is rich and relevant, with strong keywords and keyword combinations that give your website the best chance of being clicked upon. Consider likely search terms when planning your hotel marketing SEO campaigns and don’t forget to combine your main keywords with strong secondary ones like the name of your local neighborhood or district.

More tips about how to rank your website higher in Google are described in the article “5 SEO Tips for Hotels to Improve your Ranking in Google”.

3. Differentiate Yourself From The Rest

To really contend with the competition, your hotel needs to offer something unique and distinctly different to entice potential guests. Your hotel marketing campaign needs to be equally individual. Quality customer care needs to be at the core of everything in the hotel and hospitality industry. Going that extra mile for your guests can yield massive returns. Make sure you’re doing something different, from providing customers with a little treat at check-in, to nabbing local press and PR connections to shine a light on hotel marketing events.

4. Get Recommended by Real Authority

One surefire way of securing new customers is to get your hotel listed with local tourist offices. Whether it’s a printed flyer in bricks and mortar office, or a prominent link on a local tourism website, you’re guaranteed to take premier listing over many rival competitors. If you’re looking to appeal to the business traveler, nearby convention and exhibition centers are also a great place to promote your hotel. It’s also worth talking to local marketing and event companies in the region as many of these may only offer part-package deals to their own customers, meaning you can cover the accommodation needs and bolster your bookings in quieter seasons.

5. Promote Yourself With Online Travel Agencies

In the modern digital age, no hotel can secure regular business without capitalizing on online travel agencies and travel brokers. A simple listing can generate thousands of bookings in the long-term, but it’s worth remembering that each time a booking is generated through such an agency, a commission will be applied. Never rely solely on online travel agencies when it comes to your hotel marketing efforts, ensuring such websites are used to generate additional sales, rather replace your direct sales efforts entirely.

6. Global Distribution Systems

A GDS system (Global Distribution System) is a network that enables automated transactions between travel service providers (airlines, hotels, cruises and car rental) and travel agencies. When connecting your hotel to a GDS provider your hotel can be booked via hundreds of travel agencies worldwide. You can also use such systems to target specific travelers, including those venturing from home turf on business.

More detailed information about GDS systems and what the benefits are for hotels, you can read in the article “Global Distribution System (GDS): What Are the Benefits for Hotels?”.

7. Appoint a Sales Rep and Reap The Rewards

When it comes to hotel marketing strategies, you should always take the best practice in hospitality out into the field when promoting your business. If a local business is regularly recommending you to potential customers, make sure you’re maintaining a mutually beneficial relationship with strong incentives. Appointing a dedicated sales representative is definitely worth considering for hotel businesses looking to expand. Any good rep should be taking stock of potential companies in the area worth making a connection with, while ongoing procurement efforts to lock down new partnerships should be at the forefront of any hotel marketing effort.

8. Get Savvy With Social Media

If you’re not utilizing social media in your online hotel marketing campaign, start now. It’s free to create accounts with the likes of Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Instagram and YouTube and it’s never been easier to create dynamic social media pages in moments. However, there’s no point launching a social media presence if you don’t mean to maintain it. Make sure you’ve got at least one person appointed to keeping your hotel marketing social media message live and engaging. Fresh content is pivotal, so make sure you’ve got a content delivery schedule. If you’re strapped for time to create new content, consider launching a hotel blog you can link back to from your social pages regularly. More social media tips about how to promote your hotel, you can read in the article “7 Social Media Marketing Tips to Promote Your Hotel”.

9. Keep an Eye on Reviews and Recommendations

A great review can earn you a new customer. A poor review can cost you hundreds. Try to encourage better reviews and recommendations from previous guests by engaging them after checking out. Your hotel could feature dozens, if not hundreds of times on review websites, so you need to ensure that each page is loaded with positive reviews and complimentary content. Monitor reviews on the most popular sites, taking note of any bad reviews and engaging dissatisfied guests with helpful and constructive feedback. Neutralize negative feedback wherever you can.

10. Personalization Marketing

For hotel owners and others operating in the hospitality industry, it is essential to find ways to stand out from rivals and appeal to potential customers. One of the best ways to do this is to deliver tailored, individual marketing messages.

The Latest Hotel Marketing Trends in The Hotel Industry

For marketers operating in the hotel industry, there is a wide range of hotel marketing strategies to turn to. In the article “Hotel Marketing; The Latest Trends in the Hotel Industry”, you will learn more about the latest hotel marketing trends.

Hotel marketing strategies are one of the key ways in which hotels are able to reach out to potential guests and explain why they should visit. Many of these strategies can be used at all times, but it is also important to respect the disruption that coronavirus has caused and implement some specific COVID-related strategies too.

Ramy Ayoub

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Business growth and revenue management are top priorities for most hotel owners, and these concepts tend to rely heavily on optimizing demand for hotel rooms. One of the ways hotels can do this is through the Google Hotels platform. In this article, you can find details on how this works and what the main benefits are.

What is Google Hotels?

Google Hotels is a hotel metasearch engine, which forms part of the wider Google search engine. It allows customers to search for and book hotels online, and allows those involved in hotel management to increase visibility and attract more bookings. The service originally launched in 2011 and was initially known as Google Hotel Finder.

Aside from its core functionality in helping users to find and book hotel rooms, Google Hotels is also valuable as a room rate comparison tool and a review platform. It will allow potential customers to compare feedback, along with prices for different hotels, and even prices on different platforms that are selling the same hotel rooms.

How Does Google Hotels Work?

The Google Hotels service is able to present users with information about all of the hotels that Google is aware of. This awareness could home about as a result of online travel agents (OTAs), other hotel metasearch engines, professional relationships between the hotel and Google, paid advertisements, and more.

Examples of the type of information presented include hotel descriptions, reviews, location data and price information. Google Hotels also allows users to book rooms directly through the platform, which means potential hotel customers do not ever need to leave Google. This results in a greatly streamlined booking process.

With that being said, Google Hotels also provides links to other platforms, including hotel websites and OTAs.

For many travelers, Google represents the first destination for travel bookings, because it allows for instant price comparisons and the booking of hotels, airline tickets and much more. With this in mind, it makes sense for those involved with hotel marketing to capitalize on the platform’s popularity, in order to enhance hotel visibility.

While those within the hotel industry tend to favor direct bookings, because more of the money spent by the customer is retained by the hotel, it is a reality that the hotel industry is increasingly reliant on third-party services. These third parties can help to generate bookings, because customers discover hotels through them.

Google Hotels is unique in offering benefits associated with third-parties, while simultaneously boosting direct bookings.

What is the Difference Between Google Hotels and OTAs?

Online travel agents, or OTAs, sell services on behalf of companies in the travel industry, including hotels. In the process, they will take a commission fee, which will usually be a percentage of the amount the customer pays. As a result, while they have a clear role in your hotel marketing strategy, they can be expensive to rely on.

By contrast, Google Hotels is a metasearch engine, which searches other platforms, including OTAs, and shows availability information, along with the various room rates. In addition to this, hotels also have the opportunity to use Google Hotels to showcase their property, advertising rates and availability, and attract direct bookings.

What Are the Advantages of Google Hotel for Hoteliers?

In this section, you will be able to find out about some of the key advantages of using Google Hotels for those in the

1. Capture Customers Seeking a Hotel in Your Area

One of the big advantages of Google Hotels is the ability to attract and convert customers who are specifically seeking hotels in your area. This is important, because many Google users do not have a specific hotel in mind when they begin their search and they are seeking only the best available option in the location of their choice.

The results that are displayed when users enter a relevant search term will provide your hotel’s name, along with room rates, location details, reviews and various other pieces of information that can help to attract bookings.

2. Generate a Higher Number of Direct Bookings

Another crucial benefit of using Google Hotels is the ability to compete with OTAs for visibility in Google search results, while also linking customers directly to your hotel’s website and/or booking engine. Without this, customers would be more likely to book through those OTAs instead of going the direct route.

This is significant because direct bookings allow hotels to retain more of the money customers spend on the booking. After all, OTAs take a fairly large commission – sometimes exceeding 20 percent. If your hotel is not connected to any OTAs at all, Google Hotels helps to ensure you have a presence on search engine results pages.

3. Access to Important Customer Information

While Google’s service does essentially act as a link between the customer and the hotel, many bookings generated through Google Hotels are eventually made directly. As a result, when you generate bookings, you are able to gain access to valuable customer information, including contact details and demographic data.

When bookings are made through other third parties, they often gain ownership of the customer information instead. Such information is valuable for pre-arrival customer service, and the customer information can equally be used as part of a wider data collection strategy, so that the data can inform future business decisions.

4. Ownership of the Entire Customer Journey

In addition to gaining valuable customer information, another plus point associated with using Google Hotels is the opportunity to own the entire customer journey from start to finish.

This can be important for a number of reasons, but one of the most significant relates to pre-arrival communication. If a hotel has ownership of the entire journey, they can more easily communicate hotel policies with those who book, but also identify opportunities for up-selling and cross-selling too, which is vital for optimizing revenue.

How is Your Hotel Showcased in Google Hotels?

When you actually connect your hotel to the Google Hotels service, your hotel will be showcased in a number of different ways. You can find out more about these below:

In Search Results

The first and perhaps most obvious place your Google hotel ads will be displayed is within search engine results pages. Your hotel information and booking options will be shown to users who enter relevant search terms, such as those who are searching for hotels with your name, or for hotels close to your geographical location.

In Google Maps

Google Hotels will also display your hotel information within the Google Maps platform. This can be vital, because many travelers use Google Maps ahead of their trip in order to get a clear sense of local attractions, local facilities and nearby hotels. From the Maps interface, users are also able to book rooms directly.

In Google Assistant

Google Assistant is the name of Google’s AI-powered virtual assistant. It is found on smartphones, smart hubs and other similar devices, and allows hotels to reach users who are using voice search to find hotels. Furthermore, Google Assistant actually allows for bookings to be completed entirely through voice commands.

In Google Hotel Search

Finally, hotel ads will also be displayed when users visit the dedicated Google Hotels website (Google.com/travel/hotels) and conduct a relevant search. This is useful, because these users have very clear intent with their searches and they are also among the most likely to actually complete a booking.

What Are the Costs for Hoteliers Selling Rooms via Google Hotels?

Google Hotels works according to a bidding model, with hotels selecting their strategy and deciding how much they are willing to pay for hotel information to be displayed to users who have carried out a relevant search. One of the most popular options here is cost-per-click (CPC), where the hotel pays for each click generated by their advertisement.

The CPC model includes options for a fixed amount to be paid per click, or for a more flexible approach, where bids are automatically adjusted based on the likelihood of attracting a booking. An alternative to CPC is to pay Google on a commission basis and this can be set up so that you pay per commission per booking, or per guest stay.

Essentially, this means you will have a choice between paying out a percentage of the booking fee the customer pays, or paying a set amount of your own money each time one of your ads is clicked.

Video: How Consumers Use Google Hotels?

In this video, you will learn how consumers use Google Hotels to search and find hotels.

Video: How to Use Google Hotel Ads to Increase Direct Bookings

In this video, hoteliers will learn how to Use Google Hotels Ads and increase their direct bookings.

How to Become a Google Hotels Partner

Hotels have two main options for becoming a Google Hotels partner: connect availability information and room rates to the service directly, or find and work with an official connectivity partner or channel manager.

The first option will require you to create and maintain an account with the Google Hotel Center. From there, you should be able to connect availability and pricing information and link your new account to your Google Ads account.

Working with a connectivity partner circumvents much of this hassle, as everything will be taken care of for you. However, the downside is that this option will cost more and it could be prohibitively expensive for smaller hotels.

Reviews on the Google Hotels Service

The Google platform allows users to leave reviews for many business types, and hotels are no different. Google Hotels will display these reviews to users, enabling them to get a sense of what customers really think about your hotel. Crucially, the platform has been configured to detect and remove reviews that appear to be spam.

Understanding Google Travel Insights

Aside from Google Hotels, there are various other Google services that can benefit those in the travel and tourism industry, and a good example of this can be seen with Google Travel Insights. This particular service provides access to key performance and industry data, with examples including demand for travel and emerging booking trends.

Google Hotels forms one part of the much larger global offering from Google, and it has become extremely well regarded within the travel and tourism sector. By fully capitalizing on what the platform has to offer, hotels have the potential to improve online visibility, attract direct bookings and grow their business.

Ramy Ayoub

The post Tips for Hoteliers to Grow Bookings With Google Hotels appeared first on Ramy Ayoub.

It is vital to ensure your hotel is safe for your guests and staff during COVID. However, even if your hotel’s COVID measures are set up correctly, the communication regarding these measures is just as important. Below you find a COVID communication plan for your hotel.

Processes in the Four Stages of Your Guest’s Journey

We’ve prepared a handy checklist to ensure your guests are provided with the right information. Make sure that extra marketing activities are included in every phase of your guest’s journey: from visiting your hotel’s website until they have returned home.

Stage 1: Pre-booking

It is essential to acknowledge that the interests of your potential guests have changed. Your hotel’s cancellation policy, safety, and hygiene regulations are now more important than ever. If customers cannot find this information on your website, they will likely check out other hotels. Therefore, an optimized website is crucial. Here are some tips for optimizing your website:

1. Add a COVID Page on Your Website

Information that should be included on this page is:

• Which hygiene measures your hotel is taking to avoid spreading the virus (distance, face mask, cleaning policy, presence of disinfectant gel, etc.);
• Outline the rules and restrictions for your hotel’s different areas (for example, restaurant/buffet hall, rooms, reception area, swimming pools);
• Outline your cancellation policy for all the different scenarios (new domestic/foreign regulations).

You can also include a FAQ page that links to the different information on your COVID page and national guidelines about COVID.

2. Highlight the Most Relevant Information on Every Page

Make sure that the most relevant information with regard to COVID measures is displayed on every page. For example: if your hotel offers a free cancellation policy, make sure this is visible on every page of your website or add pop-ups.

3. Change Images and Videos

You might want to revise the photos and videos that are used on your website. Photos and videos of your hotel with a crowded swimming pool or restaurant might scare potential guests. You can also consider adding an informational video with your hotel’s COVID guidelines.

4. Be Visible on Social Media

Not only your hotel’s website should be optimized; your COVID policy should also be visible on your social media channels.

Extra Tips for Hotel Chains:

First, for hotel chains, it is important that the COVID information is adjusted for every single hotel. This might sound logical, but in practice, we often see that only general information and guidelines are provided on the hotel branches’ website pages, while location-specific details are much more relevant for your potential guests.

Second, if your hotel branches are in charge of their websites and social media channels, make sure the user information and pictures are consistent and follow your brand identity. Since we live in a fast-moving world, following the hotel’s brand guidelines can sometimes be neglected by your hotel branches. Consider using a Digital Asset Management system, such as Marvia, where all your photos, videos, and other marketing/communication materials are centralized. All employees of different branches have constant access to the right assets.

Stage 2: Pre-arrival

Good job! The customer is convinced that your hotel is the best place to spend his or her holiday. A few things are essential in the before-arrival phase:

1. Make Sure Your Booking Confirmation Email is Adapted for the New Situation

Ensure your safety guidelines, cancellation policy, and other measures are highlighted in the confirmation email and add a link to your COVID website page.

2. Get Personal

Your guests’ opinion-forming starts directly after booking. In these challenging times, engaging with your existing customers can be very meaningful. Therefore, make sure that every contact there is from now is personalized. Pre-arrival emails with questionnaires are the perfect opportunity to get to know your guests and offer customized services. You can also give them the option to add extras to their booking, like personalized gifts that will make their stay unique.

3. Offer Digital Check-In Possibilities

Long waiting lines at your hotel’s front-office are the last thing you want during this pandemic. By adding an online check-in possibility sent via email before arrival, you reduce the time spent at your front-office and prevent your arrival hall from being crowded.

4. Keep in Touch by Providing Relevant Content

The guests who have booked their room weeks or even months before their arrival: keep them informed by providing relevant information. When there are new rules and regulations regarding the COVID situation, update them as fast as possible. Keep them engaged by providing relevant, informative, or entertaining content, such as a blogpost with traveling or airport tips during COVID.

Stage 3: During Stay

Your guests have arrived! Now your guests must have a safe and hassle-free stay and an excellent experience in your hotel. You have been communicating your guidelines in the previous phases. Now it is time to live up to the expectations. Make sure all COVID expressions inside your hotel are consistent in their message and in line with your hotel’s corporate identity. Even when your hotel rules are changing, you should prevent your hotel from displaying self-made communication materials that aren’t in line with your brand guidelines.

Especially for hotel chains or multi-location hotels, employees at every branch must be empowered to make on-brand marketing and communication materials themselves. Distributing materials from the headquarters’ communications department to every hotel is in times of COVID not achievable and undoubtedly not efficient. Using special Hotel Marketing Software, you can allow employees at every branch to easily create, manage, and order marketing materials that align with your hotel’s corporate identity.

Branded Templates allow your hotel’s employees to quickly generate every communication material they need and modify it for their own branch. From the COVID house rules posters at your front desk to signage or even door hangers, every material can be made consistent with your corporate identity and edited for every hotel, which increases your brand’s visibility and the time-to-market.

Stage 4: Post-stay

Your guests have left your hotel, but that doesn’t mean your hotel should leave your guests’ minds. During COVID, retention marketing is more important than ever. Why? First, because people aren’t able to travel around the world anymore. They are more likely to stay in their own country or continent, which increases the possibility of revisiting your hotel when they have had an excellent stay. Second, during COVID, people are very likely to choose hotels based on experiences from others.

If your guests had a fantastic stay at your hotel, there is a big chance family and friends will also consider staying at your hotel. Here are a few extra tips to keep your guests joyful and your hotel top-of-mind after they have left:

1. Give Your Guests a Personalized Gift

When checking-out, give your guests a personalized thank you card, discount voucher, or goodie bag for the next stay at your hotel(s). This will make them feel appreciated. You can easily let your branches make on-brand and personalized cards, vouchers, or flyers.

2. Sent them a Questionnaire

You are probably curious to know how your guests experienced staying at your hotel during COVID. Assuming that you already have a questionnaire sent to your guests by email afterward, make sure this email is adjusted for the new situation. Add concrete questions about the COVID regulations in your hotel. When they have complaints, take serious steps to improve your hotel’s COVID measures. Apologize to the guest and let them know you’re taking their feedback seriously.

Additionally, you can send a gift or voucher to apologize, depending on the complaint’s degree. When guests are positive about your hotel, you could send them a follow-up email with an invite to share their review on Tripadvisor or Trustpilot.

3. Keep in Touch With Previous Guests

Not everyone might be able to visit your hotel at the moment, so don’t forget the guests that have stayed in your hotel in the past. Keep them close so they will choose your hotel again after the crisis. Make a list of your most loyal guests and provide them with personalized, relevant, and entertaining content via different channels.

As long as the hotel industry is under pressure, a well thought out communication strategy for every phase of your guests’ stay is the key to satisfy your guests and to beat your competitors. Consistent use of your hotel’s corporate identity should never be underestimated in this. Keep these tips in mind when optimizing your COVID communications strategy and your hotel will be able to survive the pandemic.

Ramy Ayoub

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