
We use cookies to improve your experience
By browsing our site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.

-
Digital Marketing
Get Creative with Your Web Presence
This article originally appeared in the March 2016 issue of Roomers Magazine
The Internet is the most important marketing platform for your hotel. It’s where the vast majority of travelers go to plan and book their trips. But perhaps more importantly, it’s the place that travelers go to in search of inspiration for their travel plans—to find that spark of excitement that makes them say “I want to go there”.
In a world where cheap, convenient accommodation is always just a click away, it’s time for hoteliers to get creative. You shouldn’t just be selling accommodations—you should be selling an experience. And this experience shouldn’t just begin when a guest walks through the front door. It should start during that all-important inspiration phase, when your window to potential guests is almost always through a phone, tablet or computer screen.
Website Design
For thousands of potential guests, your website is the face of your hotel. And, considering that most web users have an attention span less than that of a goldfish (seriously), it’s important to make an impactful first impression upon them with the design of your site.
Your hotel’s website should not only reflect the look, feel and unique ‘personality’ of your property, but it should also have some distinctive features that make guests want to spend their time on it. Avoid website templates. If you can afford it, choose a digital agency that will take the time to research your competitors, identify your target markets and design a site that isn’t just functional and easy to navigate, but also inspires the kind of guests that you’re looking to attract.
Local Area Guides
When is the last time you saw anyone buying a travel guidebook? These days, all it takes is a Google search on your mobile device to tap into a wealth of information about any destination on the planet. But because there is such an overwhelming amount of information available, finding, something concise and relevant to your specific location and tastes can sometimes be a challenge.
Invite guests to plan their itinerary right on your hotel website by providing a detailed “local area guide” section designed specifically for guests of your hotel. Profile nearby local attractions and provide distances from your hotel and transportation options. Highlight “hidden gems” and recommendations from your staff. This not only functions a value-add service for guests but also helps them see your hotel as an essential part of their experience of the destination.
Blogging
Building a blog into your hotel website and publishing original blogs posts on a regular basis can help to draw traffic from, and increase your ranking on, search engines (talk to your digital agency about this if it’s not already part of your SEO strategy). But, like a local area guide, regular blog posts can also help to engage website visitors and provide an added service to guests.
Blog posts should focus on upcoming, date-specific events in proximity to your hotel—things like festivals, expos, restaurant openings, and art exhibits. Be sure to include somewhere in your post a call-to-action for guests to book at your hotel, with some reasons why they might want to.
Social Media
Social media is a never-ending torrent of images and information. How can you expect your hotel to stand out and make a meaningful impression amid all this noise? Your most powerful tool for making an impact on social media isn’t promotions or perks, but stories. Social media loves a good story. And, thankfully, your hotel is full of them. You just have to look.
Using social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to share the stories of your guests is a powerful way of inviting users to envision their own potential experiences at your property. One way of doing this is to encourage or incentivize guests to share images and video of their trip with you, and then share them on your social media accounts. You might always want to profile the stories of your employees and the amazing things they do for your guests. Narratives like this capture people’s attention and humanize your hotel.
Keep Reading

How You Can Use Instagram to Drive Your Hotel Bookings
- October 19, 2020
It’s not uncommon for most travellers to now look to social media as inspiration for their next trip. Social platforms are abound with perfectly curated travel snaps from friends, influencers and brands. So, how can you improve your hotel’s social media presence and increase your bookings?

Let’s talk about Google Adwords
- January 18, 2019
Recently, we held an event hosted by Kevin Harwood all about Google Adwords and how small businesses could utilize its full potential. The event hosted in downtown Vancouver was to learn Kevin’s secrets used in creating countless consistent and profitable Google Ad campaigns.

Guide to Creating Visual Content for Your Hotel
- September 22, 2020
With fierce competition in the hotel industry, enticing visuals of your property can help you stand out from the crowd. Follow this guide for creating visual content that will improve your online aesthetic and increase your bookings.

New Technology Trends: Artificial Assistance for Hotels
- August 23, 2018
With the emergence of home assistants like Amazon’s Alexa, Google’s Assistant, or Apple’s HomePod, the reliance on having an artificial helper is a growing need. Hotels are beginning to test how voice recognition can enhance the in-room experience.

How You Can Use Instagram to Drive Your Hotel Bookings
- October 19, 2020
It’s not uncommon for most travellers to now look to social media as inspiration for their next trip. Social platforms are abound with perfectly curated travel snaps from friends, influencers and brands. So, how can you improve your hotel’s social media presence and increase your bookings?

Let’s talk about Google Adwords
- January 18, 2019
Recently, we held an event hosted by Kevin Harwood all about Google Adwords and how small businesses could utilize its full potential. The event hosted in downtown Vancouver was to learn Kevin’s secrets used in creating countless consistent and profitable Google Ad campaigns.

Guide to Creating Visual Content for Your Hotel
- September 22, 2020
With fierce competition in the hotel industry, enticing visuals of your property can help you stand out from the crowd. Follow this guide for creating visual content that will improve your online aesthetic and increase your bookings.

New Technology Trends: Artificial Assistance for Hotels
- August 23, 2018
With the emergence of home assistants like Amazon’s Alexa, Google’s Assistant, or Apple’s HomePod, the reliance on having an artificial helper is a growing need. Hotels are beginning to test how voice recognition can enhance the in-room experience.






Stay up to date on what's happening at Digital Hospitality. We promise to keep your information private and you can unsubscribe at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails.
