There’s plenty of research to support the fact that reviews turn lookers into bookers with nearly half of US consumers trusting reviews as much as recommendations from family and friends.
NB: This is an article from WebRezPro
To boost bookings, accommodation providers not only need to accumulate online reviews but also respond to them effectively (more than half of consumers say they wouldn’t be likely to use a business that doesn’t respond).
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Because hoteliers are busy people, we’ve put together a quick guide to managing your online reviews to drive more conversions.
Ask for Reviews
A five-star rating doesn’t mean much if you have fewer reviews than stars. You need a high number of reviews to convince guests that you’re trustworthy and that your rave testimonial wasn’t a one-time fluke. You also need recent reviews. If a review is more than three months old, 85 percent of consumers don’t look at it. On Tripadvisor, the quantity and frequency of reviews influences your Popularity Ranking.
To get more reviews…ask. Sixty-five percent of US consumers have left a review at least once after a business requested it, and 35 percent do so more than half the time.
It’s simple to request feedback either during a guest’s stay—which enables you to fix any issues before they go public—or after they leave via an automated email or text message. Be genuine, not pushy, with a request like, “We hope you enjoyed your stay and welcome you to share your experience by completing this short survey / reviewing us on Google.” Feedback requests via post-stay emails can be automated from your property management system or CRM software, and guest messaging platforms can be set up to invite guests to provide feedback during their stay.
Work in moments throughout the guest’s stay to surprise and delight them. This increases your chance of receiving that review without having to prompt it. Who wouldn’t want to share about the delicious, local maple fudge you left on their pillow?
Monitor Review Sites
Monitoring online reviews and social media mentions enables you to manage your online reputation, make good with dissatisfied customers, and improve your rating on review sites and OTAs.
