Hoteliers need to employ various digital marketing strategies to fill their rooms. Tactics may vary according to the hotel’s location and target audience but should always aim to generate direct bookings. A typical digital marketing strategy used by hotels is content marketing. Content Marketing helps encourage customers to make reservations at your hotel by promoting educational or exciting content on related topics found on your website. This digital campaign can be created in many ways, including publishing blog articles, making videos, and adding images with text overlays. The goal is usually customer engagement that generates more click-throughs resulting in increased conversions for the business while also establishing a positive brand image among potential customers who are not yet familiar with your hotel.

What is digital marketing?

Digital marketing is the process of using online channels to promote and sell products or services. This can be done through various digital channels, including search engines, social media, email, and websites.

Why digital marketing is important

Digital marketing is essential because it allows hotels to reach a larger audience than they would be able to through traditional hotel marketing tactics. It also allows hotels to target specific demographics and track the results of their campaigns in real-time.

Digital Marketing Strategies for Hotels

The number of internet users has increased exponentially over the last decade, leading to a corresponding loss in interest in traditional marketing channels like print and TV. Companies must adapt their digital marketing strategies to appeal to this new generation of digital-native consumers. This can be done by creating engaging content tailored to their interests, using social media to build relationships, and employing effective paid advertising campaigns.

Hotel digital marketing has become increasingly important in recent years as more and more travelers shift their bookings to digital channels. According to a study by Phocuswright, digital travel sales will reach $76.7 billion in 2022, just slightly lower than in 2019, accounting for more than half of all global travel sales. This is due mainly to the growth of online travel agencies (OTAs) such as Expedia and Booking.com, which have been taking a larger share of hotel revenues in recent years. Hotels need to compete in various digital marketing strategies to reach travelers online.

The hotels’ most common digital marketing strategies include content marketing, social media campaigns, paid advertising, search engine optimization (SEO), email marketing, and push notifications.

Most important booking factors from a guest’s perspective

When guests are looking to book a hotel, there are several factors that they take into consideration. Price range, reviews, location, and the hotel’s website are some of the most critical factors.

Price is always a significant consideration for guests when booking a hotel. They want to find a hotel within their budget without sacrificing too much in terms of quality. This is where hotel digital marketing comes in. Using digital marketing techniques, hotels can reach a larger audience and promote their rooms at a lower cost than traditional marketing methods.

Hotel reviews are another essential factor that guests use to make their decision. Online review sites like TripAdvisor and Yelp have become increasingly popular in recent years, and hotels need to monitor their reputation on these sites. Hotels must provide excellent customer service and create an enjoyable guest experience to generate positive reviews.

The location of the hotel is also a significant consideration for guests. A hotel located in a city with many tourist attractions will be more likely to generate bookings than a hotel in a more rural area. Hotels can use digital marketing to target travelers interested in visiting specific locations.

The hotel’s website is also essential for guests to consider when booking a room. The hotel’s website needs to be user-friendly and provide all the information guests need about the hotel. This includes the room rates, the amenities offered, and the policies of the hotel.

Audiences

Hotels need to know their audiences to tailor their digital marketing campaigns accordingly. Their ideal hotel guests may vary depending on the hotel’s location and target market. However, most hotels will want to target affluent travelers looking for luxury accommodations. These customers are typically willing to spend more money on their hotel stay, and they are more likely to be familiar with the hotel’s destination.

Digital marketing is crucial for reaching these travelers, and hotels should employ various digital marketing strategies to appeal to them. Content marketing is a great way to educate potential guests about the hotel’s amenities and services, and social media campaigns can help build relationships with them. Paid advertising can target specific demographics, and SEO can help ensure that the hotel’s website appears at the top of search results. Email marketing and push notifications can keep potential guests engaged with the hotel’s brand.

By employing various digital marketing strategies, hotels can reach a larger audience of potential guests and increase their bookings. To compete in the digital age, hotels need to have an effective digital marketing strategy in place.

When it comes to digital marketing, hotels need to consider a variety of demographic factors and audiences. Each digital marketing strategy will be most effective when tailored to a specific audience.

Demographic Factors:

-Age

-Gender

–Location

-Martial status

-Income

-Education

Audiences:

-Affluent travelers

-Luxury hotel guests

-Travellers looking for deals/cheap accommodations

-Business travelers

-Families

-Solo travelers

Business Goals and strategy 

Digital marketing should be aligned with the hotel’s overall business goals and strategy. Hoteliers must determine what they want to achieve with their digital marketing campaigns and how those goals will fit into their larger business objectives. Some common business goals for hotels include increasing brand awareness, occupation rates, and revenue, generating more direct bookings, increasing website traffic, and improving customer satisfaction.

Once the goals have been defined, hotels can begin developing specific digital marketing strategies to help them achieve those objectives. Content marketing is a great way to raise brand awareness and generate leads, while social media campaigns can help increase website traffic. Paid advertising can drive sales and improve customer satisfaction, and SEO can help bring in more traffic from potential guests. Email marketing and push notifications can also be used as a digital marketing strategy to keep guests engaged with the hotel’s brand. 

The Importance of Content Marketing

Content marketing is a digital marketing strategy that involves creating and sharing educational or exciting content on topics related to your hotel to encourage customers to make reservations. This type of campaign can be completed in many ways, including publishing blog articles, creating videos, and adding images with text overlays. The goal is usually customer engagement that generates more click-throughs resulting in increased conversions for the business while also establishing a positive brand image among potential customers who are not yet familiar with your hotel.

Hotels need to create content that their target audience wants to consume. This involves researching the topics and keywords most relevant to those audiences and creating exciting and informative content. Inspirational travel articles can be a great way to drive traffic to the hotel’s website, and social media posts can help generate leads and conversions.

By creating relevant, engaging content, hotels can reach a larger audience of potential guests and increase their bookings. To compete in the digital age, hotels need to have an effective digital marketing strategy in place.

How to drive traffic and conversions

When it comes to digital marketing for hotels, one of the most important things to consider is how potential guests search for information. Most travelers start their research by looking online for destination information, packing lists and tips, and reviews of hotels and restaurants. Your hotel’s website should be optimized for search engines to appear at the top of search results.

To generate direct bookings from digital marketing content, hotels should include casual links to their booking engine or between-the-lines call to action. For example, a blog article about the best restaurants in town can link to the hotel’s booking engine, where readers can learn more about the property and make a reservation. Social media posts can also have a call to action, such as “book now” or “reserve today,” encouraging readers to take action and make reservations. By including these links and calls to action, hotels can increase the chances that potential guests will visit their website and make a reservation.

Social Media Campaigns

Social media campaigns are another digital marketing strategy hoteliers often use to reach new customers and grow their business. Paid advertising on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok can effectively target potential guests who are not already aware of your hotel. These ads can be customized to target specific demographics, interests, and even locations to ensure that your message is being seen by the people most likely to book a room at your property.

The different social media platforms

There are many different social media platforms. These include Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Youtube, Pinterest, and Whatsapp. Each forum has another way of sharing content. For example, Facebook shares mostly text posts and pictures. Instagram is primarily for images and videos. TikTok is for short videos. Twitter is for short messages called tweets. Youtube is for longer videos than Instagram and TikTok. Pinterest is for pictures with text overlays. And Whatsapp is mainly used to send messages to people you know.

– Facebook: 2.9 billion active users, mainly from India (416 million), the USA (240 million), and Indonesia (176 million). The majority of users are aged 35-44.

– Instagram: 1 billion active users, mainly from India (201 million)and the USA (157 million). The majority of users are aged 25-34.

– TikTok: 1 billion active users, with the majority in USA and Indonesia. Most users are aged under 30.

– Twitter: 229 million active users, with the majority in the USA (77 million) and Japan (59 million). The majority of users are aged 18-34.

– Youtube: 2.6 billion active users, with the majority in India (467 million) and the USA ( 240 million). The majority of users are aged 18-34.

– Pinterest: 433 million active users, with the majority in the USA (86 million). Most users are female (+75%) and aged 18-49.

– Whatsapp: 2 billion active users, with the majority in India (478 million) and Brazil (108 million). Most users are aged 26-45.

Platform Demographics Matter

The user base demographics of digital channels can vary greatly, and hotels should be mindful of where they have their best potential exposure. There are many different digital channels, each with a sizable following.

Different age groups use these platforms, so it’s good to know what they are. If a hotel wants to target a specific age group, it should use digital marketing platforms that have a higher concentration of users within that age group.

Some digital marketing platforms are used more by certain genders than others. So if a hotel wants to target a specific gender, they should use digital marketing platforms with a higher concentration of users who identify with that gender.

Geographic location is another thing to consider when using digital marketing platforms. Some digital channels are used more in certain parts of the world than others. So if a hotel wants to target potential customers in a specific geographic region, it should use digital marketing platforms with a higher concentration of users within that region.

Social Media Content

Digital marketing for hotels doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. Hoteliers can use many simple, effective strategies to reach new guests and grow their business. By creating relevant, engaging content and leveraging the power of social media, hotels can increase their bookings and fill their rooms. With some creativity and effort, digital marketing can be a powerful tool for hotels of all sizes.

Hotels should consider digital marketing platforms that align with their target audience. They need to think about which digital channels will get the right message in front of those target customers who are most likely to convert into a paying customer.

To create quality content relevant to their target audience, hotels should consider what their audience is interested in. They can do this by looking at the type of content their competitors are posting and the topics their customers are talking about. Once they know what their audience is interested in, they can create content designed to capture their attention and persuade them to book a room at their hotel.

The message that hotels want to communicate should be clear, concise, and persuasive. It should be something that speaks to the needs or wants of their target customers. And it should be delivered in a way that is easy for potential customers to understand.

But to be successful, hotels need to be consistent in their social media efforts. They must create quality content relevant to their target audience and post regularly. And they need to keep an eye on their competition and ensure they’re not being outdone.

Some popular types of content that hotels can use for their social media channels include blog posts, images, videos, and infographics. All of these types of content can be used to generate interest in a hotel and persuade potential guests to book a room.

Hotels should also consider using social media contests and giveaways to engage with their audience and generate leads. And they should ensure they’re regularly posting fresh content, so their followers don’t lose interest.

Here are some examples of hotel social media content.

Share photos and testimonials from guests

Hotels can share photos and testimonials from guests on social media to show potential customers what their experience at the hotel was like. This can be a great way to show off the hotel’s facilities and convince people to book a room.

Promote special events and offers

Hotels can use social media to promote special events and offers. This can be a great way to attract new guests and increase bookings.

Share photos and videos of local attractions

Photos and videos of local attractions can be a great way to market a hotel. They can help potential guests get a better idea of what the area is like and persuade them to book a room.

Use social media contests and giveaways.

Hotels can use social media to run contests and giveaways. This can be a great way to engage with potential guests and generate leads.

Paid Advertising

Paid advertising is a digital marketing strategy that involves paying for ads that will be displayed on search engines, social media platforms, or websites. These ads can be targeted to specific demographics and usually include a call-to-action that encourages viewers to click through your website or make a reservation.

There are many digital marketing strategies to use for hotels. One type of digital marketing strategy is social media paid ads. You can spend money on digital advertising, like Facebook and Instagram, to show your hotel in front of people searching for it. This helps you get more guests and make more money.

When creating a Facebook or Instagram ad for your hotel, you’ll want to target people most likely interested in booking a room. This means targeting people in your hotel’s area and people who meet specific demographic criteria, such as age and gender.

You can also target people based on their interests. For example, you could target fans of travel destinations in your area. Or you could target people who have recently made a reservation at a competing hotel.

Facebook and Instagram ads offer plenty of targeting options so you can reach the right people with your message. By targeting the right audience, your ads are more likely to get results.

Another type of digital marketing strategy is pay-per-click (PPC) ads, which you can use on websites like Google, Bing, and Yahoo! Search Marketing has pages where people search for things. When people look up what they want, the website will tell them other results related to it–including hotels–and these will be near the top or bottom of their list if your hotel has a PPC ad. This can help because people usually only look at the first few websites on their search.

Google Display campaigns are digital advertising that allows hoteliers to place ads on websites across the web. These ads can target specific demographics, interests, and locations, making them a great way to reach potential guests.

One of the great things about Google Display campaigns is the variety of targeting options available. Hoteliers can target people based on location, age, gender, and interests. This allows them to reach the right audience with their message and increase their chances of conversion.

Another benefit of Google Display campaigns is the ability to measure results. Hoteliers can track how many people saw their ad, clicked through to their website, and how much revenue they generated. This data can help hoteliers optimize their campaigns and get the most out of their digital marketing budget.

You can also use retargeting ads, a type of digital marketing strategy that shows your ad to people who have already been to your website or have shown an interest in what you’re selling. This can be effective because you know that they’re already interested in what you have to offer, so you need to remind them about it and give them a reason to choose your hotel over others.

Google hotel ads and local campaigns are digital marketing strategies that allow hotels to target guests in their area specifically. With Google hotel ads, hotels can create a list of specific destinations and then promote their business to people searching for hotels in those areas. This is a great way to reach potential guests who may not have already heard of your hotel.

Local campaigns are similar to Google hotel ads but allow hotels to target guests based on location. This is a great way to connect with people who are already in your area and may be looking for a place to stay.

These Google digital marketing channels are an excellent way for hotels to reach new guests and increase their bookings. They are easy to set up and can effectively get more people to book rooms at your hotel.

Meta Search Marketing

Metasearch marketing is a digital marketing strategy involving online travel agencies booking hotel rooms. These agencies allow travelers to compare prices and find the best deal on a hotel room.

While this digital marketing strategy can be effective, there are some drawbacks. First, these agencies often take a high commission on each booking. This can reduce your profits and even cause you to lose money on some bookings.

Second, these agencies can be demanding when it comes to price negotiations. They may require the best price guarantee, which can be challenging to meet or hurts your direct bookings because you won’t offer cheaper rates on your website.

Many hoteliers rely on online travel agencies (OTAs) to book their rooms. OTAs are a great way to reach potential guests who may not have already heard of your hotel. They also provide a convenient way for guests to book rooms online.

Overall, meta-search marketing can be a successful digital marketing strategy for hotels, but there are some potential pitfalls to be aware of.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Search engine optimization (SEO) for hotels is a long-term digital marketing strategy that involves optimizing your website for specific keywords or phrases so that it will rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs). It’s no secret that hotels rely heavily on organic search traffic to fill their rooms. A recent digital marketing agency Sojern found that nearly 60% of hotel bookers use Google to find their accommodation. This makes it clear that hoteliers need to invest time and effort into optimizing their websites for Google to succeed in digital marketing. This can be done through on-page optimization, such as adding relevant keywords to your website’s title and meta tags, and off-page optimization, such as building backlinks from high-quality websites.

When looking for a hotel, they often search for keywords like “best hotel in” or “best business hotel in.” You will likely get more bookings if your hotel ranks high for these keywords. In addition, ranking high for keywords like this can help with brand awareness. People looking for a business hotel may not have heard of your hotel before, but if they see that you’re ranking high for this keyword, they may be more likely to consider staying there. Ranking high for keywords like this is essential for any hotel looking to succeed in digital marketing.

Hotels that focus on local SEO will be more successful in digital marketing than those that don’t. When hoteliers optimize their website for keywords and phrases related to their location, they can drive relevant website traffic significantly.

This is because when people search for hotels in a specific area, they are more likely to use keywords that include the name of the city or region. For example, someone searching for hotels within a particular location might use keywords like “hotels near me,” “best hotels in Bali,” “resorts in Pattaya,” “Cincinnati hotels,” and “hotels Sydney.”

If your hotel website is optimized for these keywords, you’re more likely to appear in search results and get more bookings.

Email Marketing

Hotel email marketing can also be a great way to reach out to potential guests and remind them of your hotel when they plan their next vacation. You can collect email addresses from past guests or sign-up forms on your website. Then, you can send periodic newsletters with special offers, new amenities, or local events that may interest your subscribers.

Email marketing is a digital marketing strategy that involves sending promotional or informative emails to a list of subscribers. These emails can include special offers, discounts, links to blog articles, or images with text overlays. Email marketing usually aims to increase brand awareness or drive traffic to your website. Using Hotel email marketing can be a great way to keep in touch with past guests and encourage them to book again.

When creating an email marketing campaign for your hotel, you’ll want to ensure your messages are relevant and engaging. Otherwise, they’re likely to be ignored or deleted. You’ll also want to ensure you’re targeting the right people with your messages. This means segmenting your email list so that you’re only sending messages to people who are likely interested in what you have to say.

Hotel email marketing can also be automated using software that allows you to create and send out messages regularly. This means that you can create a series of emails that will be automatically sent to your subscribers at predetermined intervals. This can be a great way to keep your hotel top of mind for potential guests, and it can also help you increase bookings over time.

Hotels can utilize their existing email address databases to send promotional or informative emails to a list of subscribers. This can be done through email marketing platforms like Mailchimp, which allow you to easily create and send emails to a list of subscribers and see statistics for opening rates and other performance metrics.

Email marketing is a great way to increase brand awareness or drive traffic to your website. In addition, it’s a great way to keep in touch with your guests and let them know about upcoming events, special offers, or discounts.

To grow your email list, you can promote your sign-up form on your website, social media channels, and through emails. You can also offer incentives like free hotel stays or discounts for people who sign up for your email list.

Push Notifications

Push notifications are digital marketing messages sent to a customer’s mobile device or desktop computer. These notifications can include special offers, discounts, links to blog articles, or images with text overlays. Push notifications usually aim to increase brand awareness or drive traffic to your website. Once your website has been visited, you can also retarget those visitors.

Push notifications, same as emails, are a great way to reach potential guests who might not be familiar with your hotel and also a great way to keep in touch with past guests and encourage them to book again.

When creating push notifications for your hotel, you’ll want to ensure they’re relevant and engaging. Otherwise, they’re likely to be ignored or deleted. You’ll also want to ensure you’re targeting the right people with your messages. Segment your customer database so only potentially interested receivers will see your notes.

Hotels can utilize different software platforms to send push notifications to a list of subscribers. These platforms usually allow you to segment your list and send targeted messages to specific groups of people.

Hotels can get people to sign up for push notifications by installing a push notification plugin on their website. This plugin will allow customers to subscribe to push notifications by just pressing a button. The plugin will then ask for confirmation, and it’s done. Once they’ve subscribed, the plugin will send them push notifications about upcoming events, special offers, or discounts. It can also send them push notifications about new blog articles or images with text overlays.

Reviews

Reviews are digital marketing messages customers leave on review websites or social media platforms. These reviews can be positive or negative but should always be honest and accurate. Reviews aim to provide potential customers with information that will help them decide whether or not to book a reservation at your hotel.

Hotels must take their reviews on their Google My Business profile and other review websites like TripAdvisor and Yelp seriously. It’s essential to monitor these websites regularly for new reviews. This means reacting appropriately to everyone, whether the review is good or not. If a guest leaves a negative review, the hotel should reach out to them and try to resolve the situation. If a guest leaves a positive review, the hotel should thank them and maybe even offer a free stay or discount, at least say they hope to host the guest again soon.

Hotels should also encourage guests to leave reviews by providing review cards in their rooms or sending follow-up emails after their stay. You can also offer incentives for guests who leave positive reviews, like discounts on future holidays or complimentary hotel amenities.

Guests are more likely to book a hotel if it has better reviews. This is because reviews provide potential guests with information that will help them decide whether or not to book a reservation at your hotel.

Other thoughts and considerations

Hotels need to weigh the practicalities of digital marketing before investing too much money into it. One practical consideration is whether or not the hotel’s staff is comfortable using digital marketing platforms. For example, if the hotel doesn’t have a social media manager, it may not be easy to keep up with a social media campaign.

Another practical consideration is how frequently the hotel can post content. If the hotel only has one person posting content, they may not be able to post as often as they would like. Additionally, hotels need to budget for paid advertising and search engine optimization services.

Digital marketing platforms like Mailchimp offer a free trial so hotels can test the platform before investing. Hotels should also research which digital marketing strategies are most effective for their target audience.

Content marketing, social media campaigns, paid advertising, and search engine optimization is excellent digital marketing strategies for hotels. However, not all these strategies will be equally effective for every hotel. It’s essential to research and figure out which digital marketing strategy is most likely to generate direct bookings for your hotel.

Digital marketing can be daunting for hotels, especially if they’re not sure where to start. Luckily, some marketing agencies specialize in digital marketing for the hospitality industry. These agencies can help hotels develop a digital marketing strategy and execute it flawlessly.

Outsourcing digital marketing can be cheaper than having an in-house team. In addition, agencies have access to the latest digital marketing tools and technologies, which means they can create better campaigns than hotels could on their own.

It’s essential to do your research before choosing a digital marketing agency. Make sure you ask for case studies or testimonials from previous clients. Also, ensure the agency is familiar with your target audience and knows how to reach them online.

Conclusion

Digital marketing is a necessary part of any hotel’s marketing strategy. By employing some or all of the digital marketing strategies listed above, you can increase brand awareness, drive traffic to your website, and generate direct bookings, thus increasing revenue and occupancy rates. Which digital marketing strategy will you use for your hotel? If you feel overwhelmed with the whole topic of hotel digital marketing, check out how Geonet can help you here, or contact us!