From OTA fees to online ads, digital marketing can eat up a chunk of the budget for independent hoteliers. But hey, good news – there’s a bunch of nifty free digital marketing tools out there for hotel marketers!
NB: This is an article from WebRezPro
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and stay up to date
These tools aren’t just budget-friendly (obviously), they also spice up your marketing game without costing a dime – just your time. And guess what? Many of these tools can even save you time in the long run!
Let’s dive in and check out these free tools that make social media management a breeze, expand your reach, help you create and organize content, and strengthen communication with customers. And the best part? They’re all right at your fingertips, for free!
When it comes to free digital marketing tools for your hotel, Google is your best friend. In addition to paid Google ads, Google offers a variety of free tools for hotels.
- Google Business Profile: If you’re not set up with this already, run—don’t walk—to get it done today. This is the first piece of the Google puzzle you mustn’t ignore. Formerly known as Google My Business, your Google Business Profile allows you to create an online profile, including photos, and respond to customers’ Google reviews. It’s also essential for Google’s free booking links (keep reading).
- Google Free Booking Links: Once you have a Google Business Profile, your hotel can qualify for free booking links within the Google Hotel Search. Free booking links drive potential guests straight to your online booking engine to book direct. When integrated with your hotel’s online booking system (like WebRezPro), Google automatically displays your property’s live rates and inventory to maximize bookings while saving you time.
- Google Keyword Planner: Adhering to Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tactics is essential for any website and campaign. Instead of hiring an SEO expert, you can initiate the groundwork using Google’s Keyword Planner. Designed to assist you in identifying keywords for your digital campaigns, this free tool provides insights into trending search terms and highlights competitive ones. It offers ideas about potential opportunities that may exist.
- Google Analytics 4: Once known simply as Google Analytics, Google Analytics 4 (GA4) offers free digital insights to help you comprehend the guest’s digital journey to and through your website. Event-based information, as opposed to session-based, can provide insights into the path each guest segment takes toward booking. This invaluable information can assist you in shaping promotions and determining where to invest.
- Google Travel Insights: Gain insights into travel trends with Google Travel Insights. Using this free tool, you can explore your region’s tourism demands and observe how they have changed year over year. For instance, Google Travel Insights can inform you whether searches for your city originate from domestic or international users. This kind of information can aid you in making informed decisions about how to allocate your marketing dollars.
- Google Page Speed Insights: Your website’s Google search ranking is determined by their algorithm, currently referred to as Core Web Vitals. Google aims to direct traffic to legitimate, user-friendly websites that are fast, operate smoothly, and are spam-free. Assess your website’s performance by using Google Page Speed Insights. This free tool provides a comprehensive analysis of your website’s performance, accessibility, best practices, and SEO. It offers valuable insights into your website’s strengths and weaknesses, eliminating the need for guesswork or costly third-party audits.
- Google Alerts: Stay on top of what people are saying about your hotel and set up Google Alerts to receive notifications directly delivered to your inbox. Setting up alerts to track content about your partners, related tourism opportunities, and even competitors can keep you abreast of what’s happening in your industry.
Design
When it comes to updating website images, adding photos to OTA profiles, and creating social media posts, these free tools will elevate your content while saving you time and money.
