Your official website is still a vital marketing tool in 2024. Design it for your guests, not your personal taste, and focus on usability and UX to make it easy for users to find the content they want. Don't compromise on hosting, content delivery network (CDN), and on-page page speed improvements. Keep track of Google's search ranking algorithm updates and stay updated with the latest SEO best practices. Additionally, create a clear and effective call-to-action button, and use mapping and on-page analytics tools to analyse user behaviour.

Social media may not always play a direct role in guests final booking decision, but it does impact their initial micro-moments in the booking journey. Therefore, create engaging content and encourage guests to share their positive experiences on the right platforms for your target customers. Depending on your target audience, focus on LinkedIn and Twitter for business travellers, Facebook and Instagram for leisure and adult travellers, and TikTok, Pinterest, or Snapchat for younger audiences, your potential customers.

Reputation management is critical for both understanding your property's strengths and weaknesses and improving search engine optimisation. Responding to reviews can boost SEO, and increasing the volume of reviews can improve E-A-T (Expertise, Authority, and Trust), which is essential for ranking on Google. Therefore, claim your hotel listing on as many booking, maps, and review sites as possible and keep them up-to-date. Remember to monitor all platforms and not just Google, Booking,com, Expedia, and TripAdvisor.

The Vital Role of CRM in Your Marketing Strategy. One software that should never be overlooked in your marketing arsenal is CRM. Aside from the benefits of marketing automation, collecting data from your guests can help provide a more tailored experience, resulting in increased loyalty, guest retention, sales, and profit.

Advertising Strategies

With countless advertising solutions available, it is essential to choose the one that suits your strategy. Here are some suggestions:

• Social media, pre-targeting, and native advertising can increase brand awareness and attract potential guests.

• Retargeting and branded ads are ideal for high ROI with a modest budget.

• According to studies, 5-15% of hotels total online revenue is generated via metasearch engines. This has become one of the most effective advertising strategies for hotels of any size and type.

• OTA advertising is underused but effective in increasing top-funnel visibility. Booking.com is currently beta-testing native advertising, which is only available to selected hotels in the US, but you can keep an eye on the evolution of the beta test.

Content marketing extends beyond just blog posts and can include videos, newsletters, and social media content. When creating content, consider your target audience and focus on channels where they engage the most.

SEO

Search engine optimisation (SEO) has improved with the increased reliance on AI and machine learning algorithms. Avoid black-hat tactics, as Google's "helpful content update" devalues content designed solely for search engines and rewards "human" content.

Hyper-targeting

Ad personal marketing involves creating marketing personas and segmenting audiences by location, demographics, and other factors. Differentiate your messaging when targeting value seekers, luxury travellers, business or leisure travellers, and repeat guests. Vary your messages during different times of the day.

Experiment and Diversify

Test different approaches and strategies. There is no one size fits all solution to marketing, and what worked yesterday may not work tomorrow.

Track Marketing Effectiveness

Define clear key performance indicators (KPIs) and track your results to adjust, fine-tune, or even make a U-turn. Keep in mind that GDPR concerns regarding Google Analytics privacy compliance could impact marketing activity tracking accuracy in the future.

Review Distribution

There is no definitive answer to what constitutes a good distribution mix. Optimize your OTA listings, update your photos, and list all your property and room amenities, points of interest, fees, policies, and settings. OTAs are not just a crucial part of a healthy distribution mix but also an effective top-funnel/brand awareness strategy.

Train Your Staff to Sell Better

Create a sales culture, implement sales incentive programs, and provide sales training to enhance your staff's ability to sell better. Encourage your staff to build relationships with guests to upsell and cross-sell your services.

Cheers,

Daniel Bermejo Oyarzun