NB: This is an article from ReviewPro
Out of the hundreds of hoteliers in attendance on our TripAdvisor webinar last year, a total of 87% said that TripAdvisor is either very or extremely important to the success of their brand. We’ve found that one of the most frequently asked questions from hoteliers is “how do I climb the ranks on TripAdvisor?”.
Firstly, it is important for hotels to understand how TripAdvisor’s ranking algorithm works. The quality, recency and quantity of reviews are the three key factors that interact to determine a property’s Popularity Ranking. You can find more details in our blog post here.
Hotels can put several strategies into place in order to climb the ranks on TripAdvisor and here are our Top 10:
1. Provide remarkable service
Your gestures don’t need to be lavish, but it’s the small details that count and that guests notice. By leaving a little note to welcome your guest to their room along with a complimentary piece of chocolate, you’re instantly providing a service that a guest would be more likely to write a positive review about.
2. Be true to your brand
Know who you are. It’s not about being the most luxurious, it’s about having a clear vision about your brand and ensuring that is conveyed to all of your guests.
3. Be honest
Don’t promise guests anything that you can’t deliver. It’s best to be honest than over promise and leave guests underwhelmed. Surprise fees don’t result in happy guests either so ensure you are transparent during the booking process and don’t present your guests with any extra charges when they are on property.
4. Mobilize team
Make sure you involve all departments in creating a guest-centric culture at your hotel. You will see greater results when all members of your organization are focused on making the guest happy.
5. Offer great value
A common negative theme in reviews is when hotels don’t offer good value for money. Instead, if you can, offer some generous extras such as free Wi-Fi or an upgrade.
6. Do it with passion every day
Find employees with a 100% positive attitude and the skills needed work with the public and ensure everyone treats the guests as though they are family in your home.
7. Empower your staff
Train and motivate your staff so that they feel able to resolve any issues before they escalate to online complaints. If possible, give them the authority to go the extra mile when resolving issues without having to consult their line manager first.
8. Reduce negative reviews
One way to reduce negative reviews online is to integrate an in-stay survey solution. Many hoteliers encounter situations where guests are unsatisfied with a specific service or experience during their stay. By implementing an in-stay survey, hotels can recognize the need for service recovery whilst guests are still on property.
9. Listen to your guests
Guest Intelligence from online reviews and guest satisfaction surveys can bring areas to a hotel’s attention where operational and service improvements can be made to make guests happy. It is extremely important to listen to your guests in order to enhance the experience and overall satisfaction.
10. Encourage guests to leave a review
Train staff on the importance of encouraging guests to leave online reviews whether for example, during check out. Hotels also have the option to register for the TripAdvisor Review Collection Program. This allows ReviewPro clients of the Guest Satisfaction Survey to embed the TripAdvisor review form into their survey which in turn builds review volume and boosts rankings.
