Top 5 ways to increase direct bookings for a hotel

The hospitality industry is becoming more competitive every year, with hotels continuously looking for effective ways to boost their direct bookings. While third-party channels such as OTAs (Online Travel Agencies) and meta search sites like TripAdvisor can drive a significant amount of bookings, they also charge commission, which means less revenue. To avoid paying high commission fees, hoteliers should instead focus their marketing efforts on increasing direct bookings. In this blog we’re going to look closer at five strategies that hotels can use to increase their direct booking revenue, including:

• SEO
• Brand protection
• PPC
• Meta search
• Functional website

SEO

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is the process of optimising your website and its content to increase its visibility and ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs). By doing so, you can attract more organic traffic to your site, which can lead to increased conversions and revenue.

Several factors affect your website's SEO, including the quality of your on page content, website structure, and user experience. By optimising these factors, you can improve your website's rankings and appear higher in search results and increase direct traffic. With 52.2% of all website traffic being generated from mobile phones, one of the most effective ways to improve your website's SEO is by ensuring that it is mobile-friendly. Therefore, if your site isn’t optimised for mobile, you are missing out on more than half of the available organic traffic

Another important SEO factor, and perhaps the foundation of SEO, is the use of relevant and high-quality keywords in your content. By including keywords that are relevant to your business and industry, you can increase your chances of appearing in search results when users search for those keywords. So, for example, if you are a spa hotel in Yorkshire, you want to gather searches and organic traffic from those searching for this in particular.

It is also important to regularly update your website with fresh, informative content. This not only keeps your website up to date and relevant, but it also signals to search engines that your website is active and valuable to users, further boosting your rankings and organic traffic results.

Implementing an SEO strategy can take time and effort, but it is largely one of the most effective strategies for increasing organic traffic and revenue

Brand protection

Brand protection is incredibly significant in the hotel world, particularly when it comes to competition from third-party sites. In today's world, it is easy for customers to compare prices and make bookings through OTAs and get a few ideas of prices before committing to a booking. This means brand images will be used across third-party sites, leading to a loss of control over the brand image and pricing, as well as a reduction in profit margins for the hotel.

One way to ensure effective brand protection is by relying on brand protection PPC and creating attractive special offers for direct bookings that are only available on your website. By offering exclusive deals, you can incentivise customers to book directly with your hotel, avoiding the costly fees and commissions of third-party. This not only helps to increase revenue but also gives you greater control over the customer experience and in building a relationship with a consumer.

When designing your special offers, it is important to make them visible and straightforward to access. Use eye-catching graphics and clear calls to action to encourage customers to take advantage of the deal. You can also personalise the offers based on the customer's preferences and past booking history to make them feel valued and appreciated. Using targeted email campaigns to offer birthday discounts and reminder emails is a great way of doing this.

Another way to protect your brand is by investing in online reputation management. Monitor online reviews and respond to any negative feedback promptly and professionally. This shows that you care about your guests and are committed to providing a high-quality experience, addressing negative feedback, and thanking consumers for honest, positive feedback. ReviewTrackers found that 52% of customers expect to hear back from brands within 7 days of giving an online review, particularly if it was a negative one.

Social media is another great way to boost brand protection. Having an engaging online presence with a selection of consumer reviews, UGC and a great experience presented will ensure your brand image and reputation are protected.

Overall, brand protection is vital for the long-term success of any hotel. By creating attractive special offers, investing in online reputation management and leveraging social media, you can ensure that your brand remains strong and competitive in the marketplace.

PPC

A pay-per-click (PPC) advertising strategy can be a game-changer for your hotel's online marketing efforts. By placing targeted ads on search engines or social media platforms, you can instantly drive traffic to your website and increase your direct bookings. Perhaps one of the most significant advantages of PPC advertising is its ability to target specific keywords, demographics, and geographic regions. For example, if your hotel is located in a popular tourist destination, you can target travellers searching for "hotels in [location]" or "best places to stay in [location]." By doing so, you can ensure that your ads are seen by travellers who are actively searching for accommodations in your area.

However, creating a successful PPC campaign requires more than just selecting a few keywords and writing a compelling ad. To maximise your ROI, you must create targeted and relevant ad campaigns that speak directly to your target audience and focus on driving conversions.

Firstly, identifying your target audience and understanding their pain points and motivations is a key indicator of how to shape your ads, determining:

• What are they looking for in a hotel?
• What sets your hotel apart from the competition?
• What will catch their attention?

Use this information to craft compelling ad copy that highlights your hotel's unique selling points and addresses your audience's needs quickly and effectively.

Finally, tracking your campaign's performance is crucial to its success. Use analytics tools to monitor your ad's click through rate (CTR), conversion rate, and cost per click (CPC). Use this information to make data-driven decisions about your campaign and adjust your strategy as needed.

Meta search

Meta-search sites like TripAdvisor and Google Hotel Ads have revolutionised the way people search for and book hotels. These sites aggregate information from multiple sources and present it to users in a convenient and user-friendly way.

One of the main advantages of meta-search is that it allows you to reach a much wider audience. By listing your hotel on popular meta-search sites, you can attract consumers who may not have found your property through other channels. This can be especially beneficial for smaller or independent hotels that may not have the marketing budget to compete with larger chains. Another benefit of meta-search is that it provides users with a transparent view of pricing and availability. When a user searches for a hotel on a meta-search site, they can see prices and availability from multiple sources, including OTAs and the hotel's own website. This can help build trust with potential guests and encourage them to book directly with your hotel, meaning direct bookings, a built relationship and no commission fees.

Participating in meta-search can also be a cost-effective way to drive traffic to your website. Unlike with OTAs, you only pay when a user clicks through to your site. This means you can control your advertising spend and optimise your campaigns to ensure maximum ROI.
However, simply listing your hotel on meta-search sites is not enough, to reap the benefits, you will also have to monitor your campaigns regularly and make adjustments as needed (which is why working with industry experts is advised). This may include tweaking your bidding strategy, adjusting your ad copy, or optimising your landing pages. By continually optimising your meta-search campaigns, you can ensure that you are getting the best possible results.

A fast and appealing website

A fast and appealing website is the cornerstone of any successful online business, no matter the industry. One thing that cannot be disputed is that consumers expect websites to load quickly and be visually appealing. In fact, 1 in 4 consumers will leave a page if it takes more than 4 seconds to load.

Your website is often the first impression potential customers have of your business, so it's crucial to make it count. One of the most critical factors in website speed is the hosting provider you choose. Slow loading times can cause frustration and lead to potential customers leaving your site before they even have a chance to explore what you offer. This means a higher bounce rate and a missed opportunity to leave a positive impression on a potential customer.

Another crucial factor in website speed is the optimisation of images and videos. Large images and videos can significantly slow down your website's loading time, so it's essential to optimise them for the web. Portent reports that website conversion rates drop by an average of 4.42% with each additional second of load time (between seconds 0-5).

In addition to speed, the appeal of your website is also crucial. A visually appealing website can help attract and retain potential customers. It's essential to choose a modern and responsive design that looks great on all devices (especially mobile), that not only captures attention but serves the purpose and pushes visitors towards a call to action button.

When designing a website, it's also essential to consider user experience. Your website should be easy to navigate and visitors should be able to find the information they need quickly and easily. A seamless booking experience is essential, as potential customers are more likely to book a room if the process is straightforward and hassle-free.

In conclusion, investing in a fast and appealing website is crucial for any business looking to increase direct bookings. By choosing a reliable hosting provider, optimising images and videos, and designing a visually appealing and user-friendly website, you'll be well on your way to success.

Why does a hotel need direct bookings?

Direct bookings have become increasingly popular among hotels in recent years and for good reason. In addition to the benefits mentioned above, direct bookings also allow hotels to provide a more personalised experience for their guests.

When guests book directly with a hotel, they are often able to take advantage of exclusive perks and amenities that they may not have access to through third-party booking sites. One of the biggest advantages of direct bookings is the ability for hotels to collect valuable guest data which can then be used to create targeted marketing campaigns and personalised offers that are tailored to each guest's interests and preferences. By leveraging this data, hotels can increase guest satisfaction and loyalty, ultimately leading to higher revenue and a stronger brand reputation. This can then increase the LTV of an existing customer and encourage them to return.

Another benefit of direct bookings is the ability for hotels to offer more flexible cancellation policies. When guests book through third-party sites, they are often subject to strict cancellation policies that can be difficult to navigate for the hotel and the customer. By booking directly with a hotel, guests can often enjoy more lenient cancellation policies, which can help to alleviate some of the stress and uncertainty that goes hand in hand with travel.

Direct bookings also enable hotels to provide a more seamless booking experience for their guests. By optimising their website and booking process, hotels can make it easy for guests to find what they are looking for and complete their booking quickly and efficiently. This can help to reduce booking abandonment rates and increase overall conversion rates, leading to more revenue for the hotel.

In conclusion, direct bookings offer a multitude of benefits for hotels, from increased revenue and profitability to improved guest satisfaction and loyalty. By prioritising direct bookings and continuously optimising their online presence, hotels can position themselves for long-term success in an increasingly competitive industry.

We can help

As one of the leading hospitality marketing agencies, we can assist with creating highly effective and meticulous strategies that will boost your hotel’s organic traffic and direct bookings. As well as increasing direct bookings for your hotel we also provide a guide to abandoned remarketing and why it is beneficial.

Direct bookings are our bread and butter and with a dedicated team of experts and over 30 years of industry experience, we are the trusted partner in your hotel marketing. If you’d like to know more about how we can help increase your direct bookings, get in touch.