Seasonal paid search marketing is a great way to meet your hotel’s shifting objectives throughout the year. However, it can also be somewhat complex, making it tricky to ensure the best outcome for campaign performance through seasonal marketing.
NB: This is an article from gcommerce
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If you’re interested in seasonal paid search but unsure where to start, this guide is for you. We’ll answer frequently asked questions about seasonal paid search advertising and provide advice to get you started with your hotel or property.
Should my hotel use seasonal paid search advertising?
Though seasonal paid search marketing can come with a number of benefits, a seasonal ad strategy doesn’t make sense for every hotel. An occasional ad copy refresh is always a good idea, but for some hotels, the time spent on consistent seasonal updates would be better used towards other optimizations.
Seasonally shifting demand drivers
Seasonal paid search advertising is best used when your hotel has shifting demand drivers. This could include seasonal draws such as skiing, yearly events in the area, or even amenities such as an outdoor pool. Weather and climate can also act as a seasonal demand driver. For example, tropical climates may be equally appealing year-round, but travel in a location with clear seasonal divides may see fluctuations with those weather changes.
Season-dependent hotel demand drivers
Certain hotel demand drivers can also provide a compelling reason to implement seasonal paid search advertising. Hotels prioritizing year-round outdoor adventures, for example, may want to call out the unique experiences available during each season. For a hotel located near a large arena or stadium, drawing more attention to location may be a smart move when the relevant sports are in-season. Even a shift in business mix could be a reason to add seasonal paid search advertising, gearing language more towards a business or leisure audience, depending on the month.
Booking trends don’t always match demand drivers
Most hotels have slight differences in seasonal demand, but this isn’t always the result of a unique demand driver. Though booking volume often fluctuates, seasonal paid search marketing is most effective when the reasons for those bookings change. If guests are drawn to your hotel for somewhat consistent reasons throughout the year, a seasonal paid search marketing strategy may not be necessary for your hotel.
Does my hotel need seasonal paid search marketing all year?
Deciding when to run seasonal paid search advertising comes down to your hotel’s unique demand drivers. Depending on the reasons that your guests book, your hotel may benefit from seasonal ads for a few weeks, a few months, or the entire year.
Year-round messaging for year-round demand drivers
If your hotel has ever-changing demand drivers with unique draws across all seasons, you may find success with year-round seasonal rotation. Since features vary across winter, spring, summer, and autumn, it can be beneficial to call out shifting experiences throughout the year. Hotels based on outdoor adventures are a great example of this. Winter sports, spring hikes, summer water activities, and autumn colors all have a unique draw, so individual paid search advertising for every season may be beneficial.
