The hospitality industry is a powerhouse. With a trillion dollars in revenue every year, it’s no wonder that hospitality marketing professionals are constantly challenged to up their game.
In an industry where your revenue depends on standing out from the pack, staying ahead of the trends is vital.
Hospitality is one of the leading eCommerce industries, with over 53% of travel booked online. With users relying on mobile devices and internet searches to book a trip, excellent hospitality marketing should meet them where they already are.
These are just a few of the trends businesses are currently using to market their brands.
Creating Unique Experiences
Most travelers don’t want to book a hotel and leave it at that. They want to get to their destination and feel like they’re about to have the best time of their life.
Creating unconventional and exciting experiences for your guests helps you stand out. To curate special offers for guests, some brands are using the information they collect online during booking. By asking questions throughout the process, properties can learn more about the reason for the stay and can use that information to take the extra step to make it unique.
Whether it’s creating a fun-filled itinerary of activities or welcoming guests with champagne and strawberries, the information you ask for during booking can make all the difference.
Focusing on Mobile
If you’re in hospitality marketing, you already know how important mobile is. Mobile bookings have been growing tremendously year over year.
Soon, travelers are going to want to control everything via their device — check-ins, updates, and even room service. Hotels.com understood this trend better than anyone and developed an app that helps users manage their stay from booking to checking out.
Even if it’s not creating an app, think of ways to give your guests a seamless and unique experience via mobile.
Encouraging Reviews
You know when your guest has an exceptional stay. Tap into the good vibes and encourage them to leave reviews on sites like Google Local and Yelp. Hospitality marketing is more reliant on reviews than many other industries, so it’s essential to cultivate them naturally and authentically.
Even encouraging guests to tag you on Twitter and Instagram throughout their stay can help spread the word about what you offer.
Having a voice online
With more and more customers booking their travel online, you can’t afford to be silent on the internet.
There are many opportunities to answer questions and showcase what your property is good at. Content marketing, social media engagement, and an informative website can all help your brand stand out.
Standing out through email
Don’t write off email marketing as an antiqued way of reaching your guests. Email marketing is still very effective when done right. That’s why you should focus on making your communications stand out. Offer something unique and make sure your brand voice is engaging.
The key to hospitality marketing is standing out from the competition and staying ahead of the trends. Just because the same old thing worked in the past, doesn’t mean it will work in the future. Step out of your comfort zone and watch your bookings soar.
