Digital marketing is already a substantial part of every hotel’s marketing strategy. For some it is even the leading tool for reaching the right audience. And not without a reason – about 80% of people who are planning a trip do a preliminary Internet research and even book accommodation, tickets and tours online.
But like everything else Internet is also changing and so do digital marketing strategies for hotels. It is therefore important that you are consistent with the trends in the dynamic travel industry.
Rise of Mobile
Mobile searches are the key trend in the digital marketing for 2015 which will increase even more in the future. Mobile users can become an entirely new segment of visitors to your hotel if you apply the right mobile marketing strategy. The most important step is to get a mobile website. This will also help you rank higher in search results as Google announced it will prioritize mobile websites. In order to meet mobile customers’ needs you can also provide an opportunity for direct online booking and payments via mobile devices.
Rise of content marketing
Content as part of hotel’s digital marketing strategy will become more and more important. The idea is to create unique content for your website in order to create emotional relationship with customers and to improve your SEO, of course. Content can be everything from information about your hotel, about nearby sights or upcoming events in the area, photo galleries or even interesting travel news. It is important to know how to optimize your content for search engines and focus on your target audience.
Need for speed
You will have less and less time to keep the attention of online users. In order to make them choose your hotel and stay on your website, you have to grab their attention at the beginning. After that you have to facilitate the navigation of your website so they don’t lose patience. Important elements such as loading speed, menu structure, colors and call to action buttons must be taken into account.
Be unique on social media
Social media marketing for hotels positions your brand and creates connection with your past, present and future guests. Your online presence in those websites is what will differentiate your hotel from your competitors. But you need to plan your social media strategy well. Social networks such as Facebook provide good opportunities for advertising, strong targeting and create more personalized relationships.
Understanding the tourist behavior
Understanding the tourist behavior on the Internet is an important part of your digital marketing planning process. Your hotel should appear at any stage of the journey for your guests – from the beginning of the idea to travel to the accommodation research and activities after the trip.
The process of creating a digital marketing strategy for hotels require a deep understanding of online users behavior, audience targeting and your hotel’s goals. Travel Mind can help you create an effective digital marketing strategy and manage your online reputation.
