With so much competition from OTAs for direct bookings, hoteliers need to be savvy with the techniques to attract visitors to their property’s website. Below are a few strategies put together by the experts at Vizergy that have helped our clients boost their direct bookings.
Strategy: Book Direct. Get More.
Use this eye-catching headline on campaigns ranging from email to display, Facebook, and PPC ads. Prominent placement on the website as a power-phrase or a CTA (call the action).
Have a variety of offerings throughout the year to keep the “Get More” aspect fresh to the customer. This tactic is easy to implement and allows flexibility to switch up offers during different seasons.
Strategy: Loyalty Programs
Advertise a loyalty program for a single hotel property or across multiple properties under the same hotel management company. A loyalty program would reward customers for booking direct and encourage repeat business. Reward points can be accumulated to earn a free night’s stay or can be applied as bill credits for incidentals.
This strategy would give an incentive for one-time visitors to become repeat customers. Additional loyalty points could be earned for things that boost a hotel property’s online presence such as, social media posts or reviews on TripAdvisor.
The property will have a bank of email addresses from loyalty program members that they can market to in the future. This also allows hotels to have better communication with their guests. A loyalty program also allows hotel properties to segment customers to discover their profitable and unprofitable customers.
Strategy: Easy Click
A smart strategy for hotels to incorporate to drive direct bookings is having a “book now” button or bar visible at all times. This makes it easier for online customers to take action, especially on mobile. Having an automatic place for customers to convert “trims the fat” on the time they spend scrolling.
Presenting booking options by allowing easy comparison of room types and features encourages customers to make their decision while on the page. This strategy improves user experience, is fast, simple, and mobile-friendly. Not only does it improve conversion rates but it also decreases booking abandonment.
For more information on how to boost your hotel property’s direct bookings, contact the experts at Vizergy.
