If you’re planning to design a website for your hotel, there are several things you should know and be able to deliver. These include being responsive, providing clear calls to action, and including photography.
OTA websites include prices for every room type
When it comes to hotel room booking, you need to be aware of the numerous OTA’s, metasearch engines and other ad hoc booking services. This is because your inventory will fluctuate with the seasons, and you need to keep up with all of them to ensure that you are not losing out on lucrative business. It also a good idea to have a channel manager in place to maintain a high occupancy rate.
Some OTA’s have a nifty tool that allows you to sync your booking diaries with your Google calendar. While it may take a few hours to set up, it can be well worth the effort. Using a software tool is a must in order to avoid mistakes or accidentally overbooking your rooms.
It’s no secret that OTA’s have massive marketing budgets, which means that they are capable of creating brand awareness and highlighting the best deals. The OTAs can be a boon for independent hotels, but it can also be a curse, particularly if you aren’t careful. They will often lead to customers defaulting to their site to make their reservations.
It’s not hard to see why this tactic has become a popular way for customers to make their hotel reservations. For example, a metasearch engine like Kayak or Skyscanner can be a useful way to sell rooms from your hotel’s own website. A similar solution is available from online booking sites such as Expedia or Booking.com. Using the aforementioned solutions, you can be sure that your inventory is always up-to-date, which can be critical during peak periods. You can also benefit from their nifty tools, which includes the ability to re-book customers who cancel their reservation.
Blogging is a powerful content marketing strategy for hotels
If you are a hotel, you might already be aware that blogging is one of the best content marketing strategies. It helps you attract new customers, and strengthen relationships with your current guests. Blogging is also an inexpensive way to increase traffic to your website. However, it is important to keep in mind that there are many other options available to increase hotel bookings.
A well-crafted blog can have a positive effect on your hotel’s SEO and website rankings. In addition, properly written blog content can boost brand awareness and increase email sign-ups. Whether you write your own content or hire an agency, it’s important to create content that is engaging and encourages people to take action.
When planning a blog, it’s important to determine who your audience is and what you want to accomplish. This will help you make better choices for a CMS that will fit your needs.
Before you start blogging, it’s important to understand what your competition is doing. By knowing what your competitors are doing, you can set yourself apart. You can also use this information to come up with some great ideas for your own blog.
As you develop your hotel’s blogging strategy, it’s important to analyze your competition and how they are promoting their content. Don’t copy their work – find ways to improve upon it.
Blogs are an excellent way to create a personality for your hotel, and they can help your hotel stand out from the competition. Make sure that your blog is a reflection of your hotel’s personality. Your blog should be relevant to your target market and contain information about your hotel’s history, features, and recommendations.
Hotels should also consider leveraging their existing social media profiles and email newsletters to promote their blogs. Getting in touch with guests and sharing their stories is a great way to engage them and build trust.
Include photography
When designing a hotel website it’s important to include a slew of multimedia content, but none is more significant than photography. The latest stats suggest that photos account for almost half of the total number of pages visited on a typical hotel website. And while photos aren’t the first thing guests consider when making a reservation, they can be a goldmine when it comes to online marketing and sales collateral.
The most effective hotel website is designed using a well-crafted template that includes the aforementioned photography. Besides photos, it should also take advantage of other online marketing tools, such as social media, Google Maps and YouTube to name but a few. It’s also important to implement a strong email marketing strategy. Keeping guests in the loop is a top priority for any hotel owner, and a well-crafted email list is the key to a successful hotel business relationship.
A well-crafted website should be a happy medium between functional and engaging. Creating an aesthetically pleasing web page is an ongoing endeavor, but a hotel owner should never neglect the basics. In addition to maintaining a photo gallery, it’s important to remember to keep up-to-date hotel room inventory and hotel amenities. These factors should be incorporated into your hotel’s marketing plan in order to maximize return on investment. Likewise, it’s vital to keep tabs on your competitors to ensure you remain ahead of the game. One of the best ways to do this is to track competitors’ websites and read up on the latest hotel technology innovations. Using the best tools and technologies for the job will pay dividends in the long run. Having the right information to make informed decisions can help you clinch a win.
Be clear with calls to action
The key to attracting visitors to your hotel website is to be clear with calls to action. A strong call to action will attract visitors, entice them to act, and increase conversion rates.
Your hotel website should have a professional, sleek design that doesn’t distract from the booking process. You should also include high-resolution images that convey the feel of your hotel.
To get guests to book online, your hotel website needs to be integrated with an online booking engine. This is a crucial element of your global marketing strategy. Creating a seamless, intuitive booking process is important for generating direct bookings.
The call to action should be placed prominently on your homepage. You should include a phone number, email address, and links to your online booking engine. Also, ensure that your site loads quickly. Ideally, web users expect sites to load in under two seconds. If your hotel website takes longer than this, you will not attract visitors.
Other ways to entice visitors to book include offering special offers. An eye-catching banner on the homepage can serve as a way to highlight these specials. Some examples are the “Join Now” or “Shop Now” buttons from Starbucks, or the “Book Now” and “Reserve Now” CTAs on the Ace Hotel’s website.
Using compelling hotel copywriting can help keep visitors interested and lead to direct bookings. Use high-resolution pictures of your property and communal areas. Be sure to display awards and certificates of excellence.
Finally, your website should be optimized for mobile. Google prioritizes mobile websites that are well-designed, quick to load, and have relevant content.
To be effective, your hotel website should have a clear narrative, and you should be sure to highlight your brand’s values, features, and benefits. Whether you’re selling room blocks, wedding packages, or wedding planners, your call to action must be clear.
Be responsive
If you own a hotel and you want to increase bookings online, you need a responsive website. It is essential for a number of reasons. First, you need a mobile-friendly site. Mobile-friendly sites are rewarded by Google. Second, they reduce your bounce rate and improve your conversion rates. And third, they help you get found by more customers.
When designing a hotel website, it is important to keep the following tips in mind. For starters, you can use social media to attract visitors to your website. Another option is to integrate your website with an online booking engine. Many travellers prefer to book via OTAs.
Another tip is to optimize your website’s load time. Google prioritizes websites that load quickly. Also, a slow website will not catch the attention of visitors. A good hotel website should also be mobile-friendly. You can test your site’s mobile friendliness using Google’s mobile friendly test page.
The best way to create a mobile-friendly hotel website is to choose a responsive theme. These types of themes will automatically adjust your content and layout to fit the device you’re using.
Another tip is to use high-resolution images. Images account for around 60% of the weight of a site. They should be optimised before you upload them.
It’s also important to use a simple design. The average mobile user isn’t a web expert. This means that a simple design will be more attractive to them.
Make sure that your website’s mobile-friendly features include a room list, contact form, and other relevant information. Visitors are more likely to book your hotel if they can access all this information easily.
A hotel website should also feature a mobile-friendly search bar. Google prioritizes mobile-friendly websites, so you should make your search bar easy to navigate on a small screen.