Our 2024 Digital Marketing Tips for Hotels

With 2024 on the horizon, it’s time to start considering what is going to be the most impactful for your marketing efforts. Long-term and always-on strategies, such as SEO and social posting go without saying, but what else could really make a difference to your hotel’s marketing in 2024?

If you find yourself pondering the same question, we’ve compiled a selection of digital marketing tips and trends we think could benefit your hotel in 2024!

A brief summary:

• Why hotels need digital marketing
• Modernise your website
• Social media strategies
• Influencer marketing
• Online bookings and reservations
• Consider TikTok in your social media strategy
• Innovative email marketing
• Sustainability
• AI in hotel marketing
• Customer experience marketing

Why would a hotel need digital marketing?

Reach a wider audience: With over 4.66 billion internet users worldwide, the internet is the most effective way to reach a wider audience of potential guests. Effective digital marketing allows hotels to target specific demographics, interests, and travel behaviours to reach the right people at the right time.

Create a strong online presence: A strong online presence is crucial for hotels to establish themselves as a reputable and desirable destination. Digital marketing helps hotels to create a consistent brand image across all online channels, including the website, social media platforms, and review sites.

Drive direct bookings: Digital marketing allows hotels to bypass third-party booking sites (OTAs) and encourage direct bookings through the hotels own website. This can save significant commission fees and increase overall revenue.

Build relationships with guests: Your hotel's digital marketing provides a platform to engage with potential and existing guests, build relationships, and foster loyalty. Through email marketing, social media interactions, and personalised content, hotels can nurture relationships and encourage repeat business.

Track results and optimise campaigns: Digital marketing offers valuable insights into the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. Through tracking website traffic, booking sources, and customer engagement, hotels can easily measure the success of digital efforts and make data-driven decisions to optimise campaigns and continue to see results.

Modernise and optimise your website

First and foremost, staying up to date with the latest hotel trends is essential. One of the most crucial things you can do for your hotel is to ensure that the website reflects the latest design and functionality standards. With a professional website, you can incorporate responsive design to ensure a seamless browsing experience across all devices. Intuitive navigation is another essential key, allowing users to easily find the information they need with ease and have the best website experience possible.

You’ll also want to integrate social media buttons on your website to encourage users to follow and engage with your hotel on these platforms. Here, users will be able to learn more about you, see firsthand the experience they’ll have and follow your social media channels. This will help build brand loyalty and increase your online presence, directing website traffic to become engaged followers too.

Lastly, make sure that your website provides a seamless and hassle-free booking experience. Invest in a user-friendly booking engine that is integrated with your website, allowing guests to easily make reservations and convert in as few clicks as possible.

Social media strategies

Social media has become an indispensable tool for hotel marketing, allowing hotels to connect with potential guests, build brand loyalty, and showcase their offerings. In 2024, social media strategies will continue to play a crucial role in the hotel industry, helping hotels stay competitive and attract more guests.

One of the 2024 social media hotel trends we predict we’ll see more of is the use of user-generated content (UGC). Hotels should encourage guests to share their experiences on social media and showcase their posts on your hotel's platforms. This not only provides social proof but also engages with your audience and encourages them to visit your hotel. Additionally, real-life UGC performs much better from a marketing perspective as viewers trust it more than the standard professional polished photography and video and relate more to the authenticity.

Moreover, engagement is key in social media strategies, so ensure you have someone available to respond to comments, messages, and reviews promptly and in a professional manner. Engage with your followers by asking questions, conducting polls, and hosting giveaways. This not only increases your reach but also builds a sense of community and encourages guest loyalty.

Influencer marketing

Influencer marketing has become another powerful tool for hotels to reach their target audience and drive bookings. In some ways, you can compare influencer marketing to celebrity endorsements. Consumers are more likely to trust a business or a brand because of its association with someone they trust, admire or are interested in. In 2024, consider partnering with relevant influences in your niche to create video content, social media posts, written content, or other forms of online marketing to reach more people and strengthen your brand image. Collaborating with influencers who have a strong online presence and a relevant audience can significantly increase brand awareness and attract new guests to your hotel, as well as boost your social media following. For example, using the platform of a well-known influencer to advertise a giveaway for a stay at your hotel allows you to tap into their following, engage with new audiences and grow your following.

The key to successful influencer marketing is finding the right influencers who align with your hotel's values, target market, and desired image. Look for influencers who have a genuine interest in travel and have a strong following in your target location or demographic. Partnering with influencers who have a loyal and engaged audience can help amplify your hotel's message and generate buzz. By collaborating with influencers, you can leverage their creativity and storytelling abilities to showcase your hotel in an authentic and compelling way.

Optimise online bookings and reservations

Guests now more than ever expect a seamless and hassle-free booking process, and hotels must optimise their online platforms to meet these expectations. What’s more, almost 60% of all hotel bookings are made online, so optimising your online bookings and reducing OTA reliance is more crucial now than ever.

In 2024, your hotel needs to ensure that your booking engine is user-friendly and easy to navigate. Guests should be able to find available rooms, view rates and amenities, and make their reservations with just a few clicks. If this is something you feel your hotel could improve on, incorporate a simple and intuitive design that guides guests through the booking process, reducing any potential barriers.

Consider adding TikTok to your social media strategy

TikTok has taken the social media world by storm, with many brands now scrambling to join the millions of users. Additionally, short-form videos (between 3-60 seconds) were one of the fastest growing forms of marketing content in 2023 and we don’t see this stopping in 2024.

Hospitality brands and hotels can no longer ignore TikTok’s potential in the travel and tourism world and should consider how to implement TikTok strategies for better reach, brand awareness and more direct bookings. Incorporating TikTok into your social media strategy in 2024 could be a game-changer for your hotel marketing efforts by showcasing your creativity, and the unique features of your hotel and reaching new audiences with short, fun content.

For travel in particular, TikTok is becoming a direct rival to Google, showcasing fantastic hotels, gorgeous venues, hidden locations and aesthetically pleasing views in digestible and creative video form. If you’re still on the fence, simply TikTok search “best things to do in [location]” or “best hotels [location]” and browse the popular content for yourself. Moreover, if TikTok feels like a complete unknown to you, consult our team at Cab Hospitality for a more personalised strategy for 2024.

Innovative email marketing

Email marketing continues to be a powerful tool for hotels to connect with their audience, nurture relationships, and drive bookings. In 2024, hotels need to take an innovative approach to email marketing strategies to stand out from the competition and engage with target audiences effectively.

One approach is to personalise and segment your hotel’s email campaigns. By collecting data from your guests, such as their preferences and past stays, you can tailor your email content to the specific interests and needs of consumers. This not only increases the relevance of your emails but also enhances the guest experience and drives higher conversion rates. Another approach is to incorporate interactive elements into your emails. This could include adding surveys or quizzes to gather feedback and insights from your guests or incorporating interactive images and videos to make your emails more engaging and visually appealing, inspiring a higher CTR.

Automation is also key in 2024. By setting up automated email campaigns, you can deliver targeted messages to guests at different stages of their customer journey, such as welcome emails, post-stay surveys, and special offers. This not only saves time but also ensures that your guests receive timely and relevant information.

Sustainability

As the world becomes more and more environmentally conscious, sustainability has become a significant factor in hotel marketing, with 85.6% of travellers admitting they would pay more for an eco-friendly choice of hotel. Guests are increasingly aware of their carbon footprint and seek out eco-friendly accommodation options, as well as hotels that share their environmental concerns and eco-friendly attitudes. Hotels that embrace sustainability can differentiate themselves from the competition and attract environmentally conscious guests.

There are several ways hotels can incorporate sustainability into their marketing efforts in 2024. One approach is to adopt eco-friendly practices throughout the hotel, such as using energy-efficient lighting, implementing water-saving measures, and using environmentally friendly cleaning products. Hotels can also showcase their commitment to sustainability by obtaining certifications such as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) or Green Key.

Another way hotels can highlight their sustainability efforts is by offering eco-friendly amenities and services. This could include providing guests with reusable water bottles, offering locally sourced and organic food options in their restaurants, and promoting activities that encourage guests to explore the local environment sustainably.

Utilise AI

In 2023, AI has certainly had a lot of air time in marketing meetings across the world. In 2024, we predict that AI will only continue to emerge as a powerful tool for hotels to enhance their marketing efforts and deliver exceptional guest experiences. AI offers hotels the opportunity to automate and streamline various processes, freeing up time for staff to focus on delivering personalised service and creating memorable experiences for guests.

One of the key applications of AI in the hotel industry is chatbots. These AI-powered virtual assistants can handle customer enquiries and provide instant responses 24/7. By leveraging natural language processing capabilities, chatbots can understand and respond to guests' queries, providing them with relevant information and assistance promptly in line with your hotel’s voice and personality. This not only improves the guest experience but also increases efficiency and reduces the workload for hotel staff. AI can also be used to analyse and interpret large amounts of data, helping hotels gain valuable insights into guest preferences, booking patterns, and trends. By harnessing the power of machine learning algorithms, your hotel can create targeted marketing campaigns, offer personalised recommendations, and tailor services to meet individual guest needs.

Customer experience marketing

Creating a positive and memorable customer experience is vital for hotels in 2024. Customer experience marketing focuses on delivering exceptional service and personalised interactions that exceed guest expectations. This approach not only ensures guest satisfaction but also encourages repeat bookings and positive word-of-mouth referrals.

One way to enhance the customer experience is by personalising guest interactions. Collect data on guest preferences, such as room type, amenities, and special requests, and use this information to tailor the guest experience. Personalised welcome messages, room amenities, and recommendations for local attractions can go a long way in creating a memorable stay or taking a normal stay to an excellent one. Another important aspect of customer experience marketing is listening to guest feedback. Actively seek out feedback through surveys, online reviews, and social media interactions. Use this feedback to identify areas for improvement and make necessary changes to enhance the guest experience.

Additionally, personalisation is key in optimising online bookings. Collect data from your guests, such as their preferences and past stays, and use this information to offer tailored recommendations and promotions. This not only enhances the guest experience but also increases the likelihood of repeat bookings.

We can help

If you’re looking at your hotel’s 2024 marketing strategies with a budget set and an intimidating spreadsheet of ideas, leave it to our team at Cab Hospitality. With over 20 years of industry expertise and dedicated teams across all areas of hotel marketing, we can help you curate a 2024 marketing plan that sets you up for a year of marketing success!

Get in touch to discuss in more detail and kick off 2024’s marketing plan with confidence.