Your hotel website is a crucial pillar of your revenue and profitability. Whether you stay independent or have a hotel brand powering your distribution, a dedicated website is always the best investment you can make in securing a revenue future for your asset.
NB: This is an article from Vikram Singh
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As I’ve written about websites many times in the past, I think it’s time for a refresh. This post was inspired by the fictional Chef Carmy Berzatto on The Bear and the list of “non-negotiables” he made for his new restaurant. Below is my list of non-negotiables for hotel website design and usability.
Every Second Counts
This one is right out of the high-stress kitchen series…and 100% relevant to your hotel website. Taking more than 3-4 seconds to ‘serve’ your website is simply not an option anymore. Slow load times are impacting your guests’ website experience and your revenue.
This rule 100% also applies to your booking engine. If you want bookings, make load speed your number one priority. That means choosing technology that’s lean and fast, and avoiding booking engine software that’s bloated with extra coding.
You Must Be Searchable
Search engines cannot be an afterthought. The very first step a traveler takes when they decide to travel is to start looking for accommodations using an array of location and interest-based keyword searches. In contrast, when planning a new website, owners often spend endless hours on photos and colors and forget about searchability. Adopting a search first mindset will ensure that you are set for success from day one.
Search considerations should drive the development of your navigation, sitemap, content and landing pages. UX (User Experience) elements that focus on demonstrating E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) are key to making sure your website eats your competition’s lunch. (Or just “eats” if you’re living with a teenager.) Creating a high-quality, user-friendly, easy-to-navigate website is more important than the video drone shot that is now available on 99.99% of hotel websites worldwide.
Convert Traffic Into Revenue & Leads
The main goal of your website is to share information about your hotel to help drive revenue. However, if revenue is the only conversion you are tracking, then you are in for a heartbreak. In addition to revenue tracking at the bottom of the funnel, you need to be tracking lead capture: RFPs submitted, newsletter signups, etc. Website UX, content, landing pages, and calls to action should all be focused on starting a conversation, collecting leads, and ultimately driving revenue.
An integrated CRM is crucial for keeping track of leads. Don’t spend all your time tracking bottom of the funnel campaigns and sending repetitive “book now and save” emails to your guests (like this). You can’t overestimate the value of generating brand exposure and harvesting top of the funnel (not ready to book yet) traffic and interest in your hotel. Think ahead. Cultivate the guests you want to see in your hotel in the future. If you are a truly independent hotel, then this is the only real way to stay relevant.
