In luxury hospitality, the importance of brand identity is paramount. Especially taking into consideration the impact this identity has on potential hotel bookers. Identity sparks the initial interest and desire of a traveler to book, and this desire is then nurtured on your direct channel.
Upon entering the hotel website, visitors need to be welcomed by the personality of the brand through visually stimulating content, and customizing your website experience to each user is the best way to accomplish this goal.
Read on to discover five ways to seamlessly and aesthetically include personalized messages on your website to maximize users’ website engagement, illustrated with luxury brands to inspire you.
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Communicate personalized offers seamlessly using Inliners
One of the things people enjoy most about gifts is that special feeling of knowing it was selected specifically for them. When visitors land on your website, they are in search of that same feeling, and providing this might be easier than you think. Targeting an exclusive offer to a specific group of users, such as a certain country or low/high intent users, with offers that appeal to them, will set your hotel apart from competitors and encourage more visitors to book with your property directly.
Inliners, which are personalized messages displayed as native content, are the perfect format for luxury brands seeking to seduce users with subtle messages. Thanks to a design that integrates seamlessly with your website, you can ensure that your targeted messages fit perfectly with your hotel’s branding. In the example below, both the tailored design and the exclusive offer targeted specifically for GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) residents are powerful tools that appeal to the hotel’s website visitors.
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Welcome returning users to encourage reservations
As every user is different, it is essential to tailor their experience individually if you wish to boost your conversion rates. Visitors returning to your website will not have the same behavior as a visitor landing on your website for the first time. With a simple “Welcome back” message, you can make visitors feel special. You also have the opportunity to take it one step further by offering returning users something unique.
These types of welcome messages can be integrated aesthetically within the homepage using the color and fonts aligned with your hotel branding. To maintain consistency with your brand image, we always recommend tailoring the message content and phrasing to your brand’s tone of voice.
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Grow your database
Growing your database is key to managing customer data and relationships efficiently or to get a better understanding of who your target audience is. A simple way to collect your visitors’ email addresses is to provide them with something in return, such as membership to your loyalty program, an exclusive offer, saving their search for later, or subscribing to your newsletter.
As a luxury hotel, VIP membership and the advantages that come along with it are likely to provide a strong incentive for visitors to agree to provide their contact details. Let’s imagine you want your visitors to fill in a form to get their email address. With Inliners, you have the possibility to choose from various designs to help find the right fit for your brand. Whether you decide to show it immediately, or when the user begins to navigate the website, integrated personalization can convince specific visitors with simple messaging to provide their contact information.
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Reassure guests that you offer the best available rate
Yes, even luxury travelers care about rates. Price disparities are a big pet peeve for hotels working with OTAs or metasearch engines. Luxury travelers or not, everyone wants to pay the lowest price. First, you must understand how your property is performing in terms of disparities. If an OTA is undercutting your rates, reach out and see if they’re breaking your parity clause. If you find that OTAs are not actually undercutting your rates, then it’s all about letting your direct channel visitors know. Letting your visitors compare prices on your website will prevent them from leaving to browse on other websites in the search of a better price.
There are other tactics to help you fight disparities as well. While visitors remain on your website thanks to the Price Comparison feature, you can communicate the various perks they will receive by booking direct, in addition to the best price. With intelligent behavioral triggers, you’re guaranteed to show users personalized messages at critical points in the booking process to create a sense of urgency, decrease the risk of bounce and boost engagement. Customize your message format and content to discreetly, yet efficiently, catch the attention of your visitors by showcasing these additional benefits, such as a welcome drink or late check-out.
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Make sure users know why guests love your property
The luxury hospitality industry, like no other, thrives on positive reviews and guest satisfaction. According to a survey carried out by TripAdvisor, “96% of users consider reading reviews important when planning trips and booking hotels”. Customers are drawn to concise, succinct information. Therefore, ratings are a proven strong marketing tool to boost your direct bookings.
By incorporating the Reviews Summary feature seamlessly into your website, you maintain a smooth user experience while sharing the notoriety of your hotel and the trust your brand has built with its guests.
These five ways of maximizing users’ website engagement by using conversion and personalization features will transform how you craft, present, and manage messaging. Apply these strategies to unlock a wide range of customizable options to help your hotel website stay true to your brand image.
For more inspiration on staying true to your brand image on your hotel’s website, read The Hotels Network’s guide on website personalization techniques for luxury brands.
