Hotel marketing revolves around creating a fantastic experience for guests, from start to finish.
Effective hotel marketing strategies prioritize key aspects of the guest experience, from services, amenities, and other unique features that would encourage more bookings.
The best hotel marketing strategies will utilize channels like social media, email campaigns, and search engine optimization strategies. Let’s discuss!
Why Hotel Marketing is Important
Competition
Incredibly competitive, the hospitality industry is full of hotels vying for travelers. We'll put it this way: there are two highly-rated hotels. One has spent time on a quality marketing strategy, whereas the other has not. Between the two, it's likely hotel #1 will snag more travelers!
Brand Awareness
Put simply, a good marketing strategy will increase a brand's visibility in the market. This naturally can lead to more business, along with increased levels of brand loyalty and more bookings. Prioritizing brand awareness through marketing will also position hotels favorably against competitors.
Revenue Generation
Effective marketing for hotels also drives bookings, which has a direct impact on how much revenue the hotel brings in. By investing in targeted marketing campaigns, hotels are able to reach potential guests and encourage them to start booking.
Customer Engagement
Another benefit of hotel marketing strategies? Better customer engagement interactions. Allowing hotels to engage with both potential and existing customers, marketing strategies provide a unique connection between these two groups. Common ways to boost customer engagement include newsletters, social media efforts, and related strategies. In doing so, hotels can easily interact with guests, addressing concerns while also building relationships.
Differentiation
Marketing for hotels also allows them to focus on unique selling points and differentiate themselves from the competition. This can be many things, so the way a hotel chooses to market these points depends on what they offer. This can be anything from luxurious amenities to exceptional service or even a prime location.
Adaptation to Trends
A well-planned hotel marketing strategy enables them to stay relevant, too. These strategies can help hotels easily adapt to changing consumer trends and preferences as they emerge. Keeping an eye on trends like this is especially important for hotels that want to remain on top, as the preferences within the travel industry are always in flux.
Feedback Collection
Market channels act as platforms for gathering guest feedback, an essential tool to use. Encouraging reviews and engagement on social media platforms, hotels that use this route gain unique feedback on guest preferences and areas to improve upon.
Optimization of Resources
A key aspect when developing a marketing plan for hotels is to make sure that resources are allocated effectively. A large part of this involves demographic research and ensuring the proper audience is targeted. As a result, hotels can spread their message via the most effective channels, boosting their marketing ROI.
Best Hotel Marketing Strategies in 2024
Website Optimization
Up to 88% of website users won't go back to it if the experience is poor. This is key for hotels to nail, as a poor user experience can have a significant negative impact on business.
The site should be visually appealing, easy to navigate, and optimized for search engines. It's also essential hotels offer enough information about their services.
Guests will have questions, and it's key they leave a hotel's site with answers about common concerns. It's also a good idea for hotels to include detailed information about accommodations, amenities, location, and local attractions.
Lastly, hotel websites should always include updated, high-quality photos and clear calls to action to encourage bookings.
Social Media Marketing
Relying on social media marketing is a simple act hotels can do to remain in the competition!
Hotels should use platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to show off their offerings. Additionally, these channels are a great way for hotels to show off their personalities.
Using these platforms, hotels can also share content like photos, videos, virtual tours, and guest testimonials to promote their services. By interacting with users, hotels can prioritize their target audience.
Content Marketing
An effective content marketing strategy will allow hotels to engage potential guests.
An effective content strategy can include many factors such as blog posts, articles, videos, and guides. In these, hotels can discuss local attractions, travel tips, and special insider recommendations for travelers.
This content can be shared on the hotel's website, social media channels, and email newsletters to gain the trust of travelers.
Email Marketing
Marketing for hotels also involves plenty of email marketing.
After building an email list of past guests, subscribers, and potential customers, targeted email campaigns can be sent out to promote special offers, discounts, packages, and upcoming events.
When creating these emails, it's a good idea to personalize them based on guest preferences and behavior. This helps to increase engagement levels as well as bookings.
Influencer Partnerships
Collaborating with travel influencers, bloggers, and content creators is ideal for hotels. This acts as a creative way for the hotel to show off their services to their audience through the lens of someone else's experience.
Ways hotels can promote this is by hosting influencer stays, sponsoring content, and/or offering exclusive experiences in exchange for exposure on social media platforms and blogs.
Online Travel Agencies (OTAs)
Partnering with popular OTAs like Booking.com, Expedia, and Airbnb will boost a hotel's visibility, extending its reach.
Since the goal is to reach a larger audience of travelers, it's a good idea to optimize OTA listings with attractive photos, detailed descriptions, and competitive pricing to draw in more bookings and overall traveler activity.
Reviews and Reputation Management
Nothing can turn away potential guests like a poor review.
This is why it's so important to encourage happy guests to leave positive reviews on websites like TripAdvisor, Google My Business, and Yelp. When doing this, it's key to ensure responses are made quickly, and that they address any concerns and complaints the guest may have.
Doing this maintains a positive online reputation and also builds trust with future guests.
Loyalty Programs
Loyalty programs are a great way to reward repeat guests for continuing to stay at a hotel.
Implementing a loyalty program also helps to incentivize direct bookings.
Stumped on what to offer in these programs? Consider perks like room upgrades, exclusive discounts, complimentary amenities, and member-only events. Doing this will encourage guest loyalty and continue to drive repeat business.
Guest Satisfaction Surveys
A guest satisfaction survey is a fantastic tool for gathering details on a traveler's hotel experience.
These simple online surveys will ask guests detailed questions about their stay at a hotel, from the overall experience to the guest's likelihood to recommend them to others. A key reason for hotels to invest in this market research tool is the accurate data, directly from the hotel guests.
That way, there are no guessing games when it comes to improving the hotel experience. Instead, management teams can take the data and feel confident knowing it will help improve their services.
PR Surveys
PR surveys for hotels attract potential guests and also create buzz.
A public relations survey aims to gather newsworthy insights from a specific group of people. This data can then be used to grow brand awareness, create data-driven content, and help boost thought leadership.
By running PR surveys, hotels can compete against rivals and continue to stay relevant amongst consumers.
Tips to Improve Hotel Marketing
Understand Your Target Audience
Conducting market research will allow hotels to zero in on their target demographic. Doing this will reveal key details, like preferences, behaviors, and booking patterns. Market research data can help different outreach strategies by creating a message specific to these groups of travelers.
Enhance Your Online Presence
As we've covered, it's important for hotels to have visually appealing and updated websites. It's essential that a hotel's website provides detailed information about a variety of topics for potential travelers. Ideally, these sites should include information on the actual hotel, amenities, and local attractions travelers can visit during their stay.
Utilize Visual Content
Thankfully, there are many different ways to go about gathering quality visual content for a hotel's website. Common forms of media include quality images, videos, virtual tours, along with drone footage.
The goal is to show off the hotel's best parts, like the facilities, rooms, and amenities. Since visual content is so engaging, this can help potential guests envision a great stay at the hotel.
Engage with Guests on Social Media
Engaging with guests on social media is a simple and effective way to continue to interact with guests.
Common platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn promote easy engagement opportunities for hotel staff. Additionally, it's important to post on a regular basis, interact with followers, and respond to comments and messages quickly.
Lastly, sharing user-generated content to build engagement levels is also advantageous.
Encourage Guest Reviews and Feedback
Encouraging guests to leave positive reviews on sites like TripAdvisor, Google My Business, and Yelp are all good ways to create buzz around a hotel. It's also key that hotels keep an eye on these reviews, so they can respond promptly to any concerns and questions.
This not only shows that a hotel is professional, but it also shows potential guests that they care about the traveler's experience.
Offer Value-Added Packages and Promotions
Creating enticing packages, deals, and promotions adds value for guests and sets hotels apart from other competitors in the industry. Hotels should consider offerings like romantic getaway packages, family-friendly offers, or seasonal promotions.
It's also a good idea to provide incentives that encourage bookings and boost revenue.
Monitor and Analyze Performance
Tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) like web traffic, booking conversion rates, social media engagement, and revenue from marketing campaigns can help hotels keep tabs on current trends and preferences.
Hotels should consider using analytics tools to gain insights into marketing efforts and how effective they really are with an audience. In addition, this will also help management teams make data-driven decisions to boost performance.
Contact Our Hotel & Hospitality Market Research Company
In order to create a memorable guest experience, hotels can invest in creating a unique experience through a quality marketing campaign.
Drive Research is a market research company in New York. Our team will partner with your hotel to create an effective marketing strategy based on actionable insights from your target audience.
Want to learn more about our market research services? Get in touch with us today!
- Message us on our website
- Email us at [email protected]
- Call us at 888-725-DATA
- Text us at 315-303-2040
Lark Allen
As a Content Marketing Specialist, Lark has a strong background and passion for creative, professional, and journalistic writing. She is also a self-proclaimed music freak and 90s enthusiast.
Learn more about Lark, here.
