Gone are the days of needing to hire and manage expensive software developers and web designers to build a professional-looking website that fits your brand’s specific needs.
NB: This is an article from Hotelchamp
There is a plethora of automated website builders and pre-made templates to choose from. Today, hotel business managers can easily and quickly craft gorgeous and functional hotel websites with little to no experience.
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But with so many options to choose from, selecting the perfect website template can become quite a challenge. The template you choose should accommodate the type of content and features you plan to share with your audience. This offers a solid foundation for your team to create an effective website that represents your hotel in the most enticing way.
Hotel Website Essentials
The very first step in choosing the right template for your website is to outline the key content and main functions you’ll require to attract visitors and convert them into guests. Using your brand assets and business needs as a starting point will make it easier to choose a fitting template from the various options available. In addition, here are some of the core essentials that every hotel website should have:
1. Mobile-Responsiveness
It’s 2022. If your site is not responsive, unfortunately, that means it’s definitely outdated.
And with most online experiences happening on mobile devices, a responsive design is absolutely crucial both for branding and the overall user experience.
Most modern website templates tend to include responsive, mobile-ready themes by default. However, it’s always a good idea to test for mobile-friendliness. An effective mobile-friendly website template allows users to visit and experience your site in the same way, regardless of the device they’re using or what their screen resolution is.
2. Booking Forms
A hotel website without the ability to book is much like a store with nowhere to pay for your items. As a hotelier, the booking form is your main Call To Action and should constantly be a key focus on your website.
At a minimum, your booking forms should allow visitors to select their tentative dates, number of guests, and number of rooms needed. Linking this form to your booking engine will allow potential guests to view room availability in real time and place a booking; leading to much faster conversions.
3. CTA Buttons
Booking forms are not the only CTAs that you’ll want on your website. Links to your amenities, special offers, and room details are all vital in making sure your hotel website is in the best shape it can be. The ideal conversion may indeed be a room booking. However, it can also be anything from contacting the hotel directly to signing up for a monthly newsletter.
The template you select should have a thoughtful structure and be easy for users to navigate through. This means including a CTA button in each section for visitors to engage with. CTAs compel the user on what action to take next instead of making them wonder how to proceed. This engagement both encourages conversion and works to boost your SEO ranking.
