Did you know that more than three billion people have an internet connection?
Investing in your hotel`s online presence is the key to success in the digital age. Here`s why:
Untapped opportunities
Statistics show that around 40% of the world population had an internet connection in 2014, whereas, in 1995, it was less than 1%. Seems like the number of internet users has increased tenfold in a period of 19 years. Pretty impressive, right? Imagine what could happen in the next 10 years.
But there`s more: travelers base their decisions on information they receive from the internet and social media channels. This is especially true when it comes to countries with high levels of internet penetration and social media usage like China, the USA, and the European countries, according to Statista.
Top Tips for online promotion
Here`re our best and experience-proven tips to help your hotel become a trendsetter in the digital space:
1. Build a consistent online brand
What do you stand for? Why you do what you do? A brand is the identification of a company, it`s the image and values the world knows you for.
Start by defining your unique value proposition – what do you do differently, do you have a unique story or mission? Then, research your buyer personas (the existent and potential customers). What are their needs and problems? How do you solve them?
Any real-life example? The Pig Hotel markets itself as a “restaurant with rooms”. The logo, the website design, and the storyline are consistent, emphasizing that the focus of the service is food coming straight from the hotel`s gardens.
2. Use the power of Content Marketing
Let`s start by defining content marketing. The definition crafted by The Content Marketing Institute reads as follows:
“Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action. “
The goal is to add value by providing relevant and useful content. Why? It will turn your hotel into an industry expert while building a relationship of trust with your customers.
That`s something InterContinental Hotel does very well. They started a podcast and video series– a mix of interviews that cover inspiring stories about destinations, where the hotel offers its services. The content is educational and avoids promotion. Yet, fans of the podcast would definitely think of InterContinental Hotel if they travel to any of the destinations.
3. Embrace Social Media
Everybody is on social these days and you should be too. Utilize the power of user-generated content (encourage your customers to contribute with images under a specially created hashtag) or benefit from the followers of famous influencers.
Any real-world hotels doing killing social media marketing? Hyatt`s #InAHyattWorld campaign aimed to showcase the hotel`s atmosphere of hospitality. Under the hashtag go Instagram pictures showing random acts of kindness.
Similarly, the Spanish Sol Wave House Hotel uses the #SocialWave to encourage guests to tag photos of their story.
Over to you
Inspired to conquer the digital space?
Test these actionable marketing strategies and give your online presence a powerful boost. And don`t forget to share your success stories in the comments down below. Because your success inspires us to do what we do!
P.S. Here`s the infographic we created just for you. Feel free to download and share:
