Hotel marketing channels help you reach a wider audience and attract potential guests. These channels can be online or offline.
NB: This is an article from asksuite
This text will focus on online marketing channels: website, social media, ads, email, and conversational marketing. After all, digital marketing is a key strategy in any business since most of the buying decisions are made in the virtual environment.
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To understand the importance of the virtual environment for the hotel industry, take a look at these impressive numbers:
→ Online hotel bookings are estimated to exceed $174 million across the globe in 2022;
→ 75% of leisure travelers and 65% of business travelers use digital resources when planning their trips. (Source: Google)
→ 700 million people will make a hotel room booking online by 2023, making online hotel bookings 57% of all bookings.
So, yes, digital marketing channels for hotels matter!
Even though online marketing is not exactly a new strategy, the best channels and practices are constantly evolving. What was good yesterday might not work today, and the rules of the game keep changing.
There are several ways to promote your hotel, different strategies, and platforms to convert more online bookings. And that is great since travelers are spread across different channels.
To help you navigate through hotel marketing channels, we will explain:
- What digital marketing in the hospitality industry is
- Online hotel marketing channels strategies
- Conversational Marketing: the new trend you must know about
1. What digital marketing in the hospitality industry is
You might have a gorgeous hotel and an amazing hotel staff, but if no one knows that you exist, what’s the point? Yes, word-of-mouth marketing is still very effective and might be one of the most trustworthy marketing strategies out there.
However, your ability to reach a bigger market is limited if you don’t have another strategy in place. Especially now, when choosing a hotel is so easy to do, right?
That is not to mention the power of online reviews. Sometimes, they are more impactful than what your friend or relative is saying!
Here is where digital marketing comes in. Digital marketing is a set of all techniques and tricks that can be done to attract people to learn more about your hotel, so you reach a wider audience and increase brand awareness.
Since your visibility will improve, chances are you’ll be able to get more bookings and boost your revenue. Using digital marketing influences your audience to prefer your hotel over your competitors while reaching out to new potential customers.
Currently, people use digital channels more than traditional channels to research their traveling destinations and book a hotel. Therefore, it’s important to have a consistent, active, and impactful image in the digital world. You have to showcase the best of your hotel anywhere possible.
But don’t fall into the trap of thinking that hotel marketing is only about attracting guests. It’s also about retention, creating strong relationships, and loyalty. You should strive to keep in touch with the existing guests, interacting with them on social media or by email.
Now that you understand the importance of digital hotel marketing, let’s take a look at the main online marketing channels for hotels.
2. Online hotel marketing channels strategies
As we mentioned before, the modern traveler likes to find their next travel destination by searching online. From social media to Google search, everything plays an important role in shaping their decision.
But before you decide to invest in any online channel, there are some fundamentals that you should keep in mind:
a) Know Your Audience: Match your hotel with the traveler and with their channel of choice. Marketing is all about connection and you can’t connect if you don’t know who you are talking to. Since the pandemic started, your target audience might have changed. Analyze your current requests: what type of guest is looking for you, where they come from, and why they contact you. All this information will help you make a connection with your audience.
b) People like convenience: Tell your audience what all luxury elements your hotel has to offer, including facilities and amenities. Make sure they understand the value of staying at your hotel, not only the price. Keep in mind that when we say “convenience”, we are also referring to “online convenience”. Booking a room should be easy and hassle-free. Don’t give your potential guest an excuse to not book with you.
