Building the hotel’s digital footprint through digital marketing

With the internet being an absolute necessity in modern times, hotel digital marketing is gradually starting to gain momentum. In fact, a guest’s journey begins by discovering the hotel online. Having a strong online presence is therefore vital in achieving better revenues. Today, hoteliers are presented with many online platforms they can utilise creatively to attract potential customers.

Owned Digital Marketing Channels

Hoteliers can utilise marketing channels created by their business itself. This would most likely be the hotel website which is often the first point of contact with guests. The hotel website is also the marketing channel that hoteliers have the most control over. Hoteliers could invest in professional photography for the hotel website to ensure that it is visually pleasing to potential guests. They should also ensure that the photos are an accurate representation of their premises and their services. The text on the website is just as important as its images. This is because it helps to create a clear communication passage between the guest and the hotel. The text on the website should align with the brand’s voice and be tailored to the targeted audience. Moreover, from contact details and opening hours to menus and specials, the information provided through the website should be accurate and up-to-date.

Social Media

Statistics show that as of 2021, 4.48 billion people use social media daily. These statistics show the importance of utilising social media as a tool for hotel marketing. It is an effective and cost-efficient tool to reach both new and current guests. By combining social media posts with texts and links to the hotel website, hoteliers can communicate easily with the guests. The links to the website will guide potential customers to the hotel website, allowing them to maintain frictionless communication. Currently, Facebook is the largest social network in the world and is the world’s third most used website. Hoteliers can bandwagon on the platform’s existing popularity and use it as a tool to communicate their business offerings and upcoming events. By posting questions and polls on the hotel’s page, hoteliers will be able to gain information about the guests’ preferences. This will assist hoteliers in catering for them by including the touch of personalisation. Instagram is a close contender to Facebook, with over 1 billion active users every month, and 80% of its users follow at least one business. A hotel Instagram page can attract a significant number of potential 21st century guests, especially millennials and Gen Zs. Hoteliers can create an Instagram account that will allow customers to experience the ongoings at the hotel and interact with the content shared. The many tools and functions it provides will be very useful in communicating the brand to the audience. One such function is the ability to track specific hashtags and trends that the customers may be interacting with. This will allow hoteliers to analyse the success of their marketing campaign to the target audience. Posting frequently on the feed and creating engaging content will also contribute to creating a strong brand presence.

Paid Advertising

Paid advertising is a quick and effective way to guide more traffic to the hotel website and increase business. However, hoteliers should utilise it with care to avoid unnecessary expenditure. Through social media platforms, hoteliers can boost a post that could increase the reach of the hotel’s social media account to the targeted audience. When boosting a post, hoteliers can select their audience, budget and the duration of the campaign. Google ads is another option of paid advertising. It allows hoteliers to select the required keyword and bid on it to create ads relevant to those keywords. Payment will be as per the number of clicks on the keywords chosen by the audience. In conclusion, one could say that digital marketing is the future of marketing. The variety of online platforms made available for hoteliers have provided more opportunities for them to reach their customers. Utilising these channels creatively and effectively will ensure increased revenue and enable hoteliers to stay ahead of the competition.