How do young, modern travelers behave online? What connects to them, and how can your hotel use that information to drive direct bookings through your hotel website? Google’s Consumer Barometer gives insight into exactly that. In turn, you can apply this information to your hotel’s direct booking strategy.
We’re going to give you 5 key insights into the millennial market, and ways to turn those insights into direct revenue for your hotel.
The benefit of focusing your online strategy of direct bookings is, of course, that you pay significantly less commission on bookings that come through your brand website than those from OTAs and other third parties. It’s important to have a revenue strategy in place to ensure that your total CPA (cost per acquisition) remains as low as possible for all bookings. When it comes down to it, direct bookings are often the key to growing your revenue.
Here’s what you’ll be learning:
- The path to direct bookings begins with a strong online presence – if your website isn’t easily found, it won’t drive direct bookings.
- Tips on how to leverage search engines, which travel users rely heavily on for product research.
- Mobile: it’s even more popular among young travelers than it is other demographics, and innovations have made bookings on mobile easier than ever.
- Using video as a way to entertain, inform and connect with your potential guests. YouTube is a star social channel for millennials.
- How social media has infiltrated our daily routine, making it easier than ever to connect to friends – and to your favorite hotels. We’re giving you a few ways to boost your own social pages.
Sound good? Ready to find out the best ways to bring the modern traveler to your hotel? Let’s get started.
-
The Internet is Key to Growth
90% of millennials – the 16-34 year old bracket – go online every day. These young travelers will be some of the most frequent travelers and heaviest spenders within the decade. When they’re online, they visit their social media channels, watch videos, shop, and research everything from trips to restaurants to potential dates.
When your customers move online, you need to be there too. Hotels will always be brick-and-mortar establishments (at least until virtual reality gets much further along!), but they still need a strong, active online presence. The internet is key to growth, and a direct booking strategy is the most cost efficient way to grow online.
Read rest of the article at NetAffinity
