We are living in the era of the Internet. Your company’s presence online is nearly as important as the service you are providing. Without it, even the best hotels may experience losses in revenue and the number of guests. It is crucial to understand the processes that rule the fourth medium as well as the methods and tools you can use to better your performance.
Social media
It is impossible to discuss the online visibility without mentioning the social media. Their power is undeniable. So much so, that not many brands take the risk of not being present on them. Even the smaller, local businesses choose them as a cheaper, yet necessary form of advertising.
The most popular of them is undoubtedly Facebook. Not only is it the perfect tool to talk about your property, the new benefits you offer, post pictures, videos and even organize contests, but it is also one of the most important review systems online. It allows the satisfied guests to show their sympathy, like your fan page, share it with friends, and as a result enlarge your community.
Even if you don’t want to invest in a hotel website, (although I highly recommend that you do, because it gives you credibility) you can still use your Facebook fan-page instead. While nothing will surpass your own page with appropriate buttons and easy reservation process, it can surely boost your communication abilities. Your guests will be able to comment and like your activity, give their own opinion on your hotel, and ask questions, which you will be able to answer quickly. Facebook also gives you many advertising possibilities without having to spend a fortune. You can design campaigns to your liking and choose the amount of money you are willing to spend on it.
Another important social media platform is Instagram. It is useful to show your property and make it look as attractive as possible to your guests. Its popularity is growing, especially among Millennials. So if your main target is people in their 20s, it is a great idea to start an Instagram account for your property. While its objective is different than Facebook’s, and so is its audience, it is still a useful advertising tool – especially if you are planning to use influencers in your actions. While this subject is very delicate for most people in the industry, the right celebrity or Internet persona can significantly increase your visibility.
While having a Linkedin account is not necessary in terms of contacting the customers, it is definitely worth it because of the human resources possibilities it offers. It is an excellent tool for professional relations.
Firstly, it can enable new investment opportunities. Linkedin allows you to contact various people of different professions, including angel investors and other influential entrepreneurs that could help you grow your business.
Secondly, it is the ideal place to search for potential new staff members. It is especially relevant for more senior positions, where knowledge, previous work experience and contacts are crucial for creating the right employer-employee relationship.
While Linkedin may not give you an increase in the visibility among customers, it is perfect for creating business networks. If you’re planning to use it more regularly, it may be a good idea to invest in the Linkedin Premium account which gives you more possibilities such as messaging people without having them on your contact list.
Online Travel Agents
In the hospitality industry, the Online Travel Agents (OTAs) have become a force to be reckoned with. Many experts claim that they are taking over the responsibilities of the hoteliers. The situation between OTAs and the hotel owners is tense, but that is a subject for another article.
While opinions on them vary, their importance is undeniable. They are ultimately another distribution channel that the hotels can use for advertising their properties and getting more bookings. Each hotelier should think about joining a booking platform to increase the property’s visibility.Ê Many travellers no longer search for hotels on their own, they use OTAs to make their bookings as fast and convenient as possible.
If you are not a fan of Online Travel Agents, and the commission and rate parity clauses make you resentful towards them, there are still solutions you can use. For example, the new platform Bidroom.com works like an OTA, but does not charge commission nor include rate parity clauses. Joining the right company may be very beneficial for you as it will introduce more people to your hotel.
Reviews
It is no secret that reviews are one of the major factors for guests in choosing the right hotel. They often trust other travellers more than hoteliers. Their popularity is growing so fast, that you can now review items, properties and services on most major websites, such as the booking platforms, Facebook, Google+ and many more.
It is important to have reviews in mind when planning your customer service strategy since good reviews lead to better visibility. People do not book offers and properties that were judged poorly by other customers. Be aware that writing your own reviews is not the right option, since many websites (such as Tripadvisor) can detect self-serving reviews and will push your property lower in the rankings.
Remember, that any actions you take will be judged and very often shared with the world. Listen to your customers and try to help them and answer their needs as much as possible. Some companies choose to ask the guests that were clearly satisfied with the service to write reviews, which can be a decent strategy, especially if your property is smaller or new.
Videos
With Youtube being one of the most popular websites, it is not much of a surprise that videos are currently some of the best tools for increasing your hotel’s visibility. Content creators are told to use them in articles to receive more views and longer readability time. They are also an excellent way to explain new offers and widgets.
As a hotelier, you can use videos in a few different ways. Firstly, they can be an excellent way to show your hotel and all of its best features to the world. You can create a virtual tour or simply focus on some of the most beautiful places on the property. It is also a great advertising tool for highlighting the values of your surroundings. Lastly, it allows you to show your team, which is perfect not only for HR, but also for increasing your credibility.
Automation
Lastly, if you want to take your marketing strategy to another level, you can think about the marketing automation. What does it mean? It is using specialized software to execute, manage and analyze marketing processes. Instead of having to perform all of these tasks manually, you get automatic tools that do it for you.
Many people believe that automation equals spam, which couldn’t be further from the truth. By collecting data and segmenting your audience, it allows you to create personalized messages that will speak to your customers at a deeper level. You will also be able to track your campaigns and see what works and what doesn’t. In reality, you are much more efficient and relevant to your users.
Automation is a part of CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and could not only help you with visibility, but more importantly with reaching the right target groups and getting more bookings.
The subject of the online visibility is certainly complex. While this article only touches on the surface of the issue, it does give you a glimpse at some of the most useful tools you can use to increase the number of Internet users familiar with your brand.
About the author
Brought up in Poland, KlaudiaÊFere_czuk is a journalist and a blogger, with articles published in Business Hotel, MamStartup and more, as well as over 150 blog posts related to the hospitality industry and travel on her account. She focuses mostly on the travel market, with special regard to the Online Travel Agencies.
