| Define Your Online Marketing Strategy | | | | The dynamic internet is changing the way people are |
| If you want to secure your share of the lucrative | | | | making their travel and hotel arrangements. You can |
| online marketplace, think about all the steps you will | | | | secure your customer directly by employing best |
| take to target Leisure, Corporate, and Group | | | | practices such as rate parity across all sales channels, |
| markets for your lodging or resort. Then, create a | | | | creating a strong links program, email marketing, |
| well-defined e-commerce market plan by clearly | | | | loyalty programs, pay-per-click campaigns and last |
| identifying the tools that people use to find and book | | | | minute offers, etc. Your ultimate goal is to create a |
| hotels online. Open your eyes to the myriad of online | | | | powerful presence on the internet through both |
| channels, such as Search Engines, Independent/Brand | | | | independent and brand websites . . . and gain |
| Websites, Email, Blogs, GDS sites, and Travel Sites | | | | customer trust and loyalty. |
| that will help you gain presence and profit on the | | | | Following A Successful Email Marketing Plan |
| internet. These ten elements will make your internet | | | | 6. Email Marketing - Develop a well defined and |
| journey worth your while. | | | | ongoing e-marketing plan. Offer your online guest a |
| Search Engines and Independent Websites For | | | | reason to "opt in" to your Email Offers program. |
| Lodging Industry | | | | Send compelling email messaging that gives them |
| Get the best out of your independent and brand | | | | what they are looking for. Give reasons to come |
| websites and soar on the search engines by defining | | | | back, such as local events and last minute offers. |
| your online marketing plan. Your initial move will be to | | | | Track the results of all your campaigns. |
| identify why people are traveling to your neck of the | | | | Get the Best From Your Distribution Channels |
| woods. | | | | 7. Participate In Distribution Channels & Check |
| 1. Know Your Internet Market - Identify your target | | | | HODs! - To optimize your online marketing channels, |
| market by researching what people are searching for | | | | check what your GDS (Global Distribution Systems) |
| in your area on the internet. Then, market for local | | | | and IDS is saying about you. Call your Franchise GDS |
| and regional factors. Use offline and online | | | | department and request a copy of your HODs (Hotel |
| methodologies to determine which factors are | | | | Description on Airline systems). Make your rates and |
| bringing visitors to your area .Group these reasons | | | | limited inventory available on third party websites. |
| into a clearly identified online marketing bucket, for | | | | Always practice rate parity. For independent hotels, |
| example: Groups, Corporate and Leisure. | | | | participate in your GDS system. |
| 2. Content is King . . . Create content which | | | | 8. Tracking Return on Investment from Hotel |
| addresses the needs of your customer. Develop | | | | Website - Track your online and offline results. Since |
| unique reasons (USPs) for your hotel and destination, | | | | most people searching online will call the hotel to |
| and develop a differentiated approach for key | | | | close the sales, offline tracking is essential. Typically, |
| customer segments. Create unique specials and | | | | for every one person who books online, 5 people will |
| packages, event-related getaways, seasonal | | | | call you. Establish a unique phone number for your |
| promotions and launch one-to-one marketing | | | | website, whether it is a 800-number or local number. |
| initiatives to provide unique value and personalization. | | | | Train your staff to track phone results and to |
| If your online audience is looking for Paramount's | | | | become familiar with what is sold online. Your Front |
| Great America theme park, then offer relevant | | | | Desk staff is an influential sales tool especially when it |
| content regarding the theme park, along with your | | | | comes to closing the deal. Establish a good tracking |
| hotel room, tickets, transportation, etc. Make sure | | | | system at the front desk. |
| you have high quality, rich and relevant content on | | | | 9. Online Tracking - Review your website stats |
| your electronic distribution channels whether it is your | | | | regularly! The key things you should review are how |
| brand site, your travel site, your hotel website, GDS, | | | | many unique visitors are finding your site every day, |
| or your email marketing campaign. Talk about your | | | | the top 10 referral sources, top 10 Keywords people |
| USPs, packages, promotions with local events, and | | | | are using to find you, the top 10 pages generating |
| getaways. | | | | the most traffic, your click-through to goal |
| 3. Link Building . . . Make link building an integral part of | | | | conversion pages -such as reservations, manager |
| your online hotel marketing efforts. You want to be | | | | specials, special offers pages - and the top 10 feeder |
| listed wherever your customers are going and | | | | markets. Your online marketing is constant process |
| looking. Good quality links from relevant websites | | | | of researching, strategizing, implementing, tracking, |
| tremendously boosts your online presence and | | | | and analyzing - not a one-time event! |
| organic ranking. Secure links from relevant and good | | | | 10. Build A Good Online Reputation - Worry about |
| quality local, regional, national, and niche specific | | | | what consumers say about you online? Check Trip |
| websites. | | | | Advisor, E-Opinion Sites, Yahoo Travel, Hotel Chatter, |
| 4. Increase Conversions from your hotel website - | | | | and local travel blogs in your area! |
| You will increase your online conversions by offering | | | | The realm of e-marketing is far-reaching and very |
| convenience and value. Remember, you do not have | | | | rewarding if you utilize the many sales channels |
| to discount your rooms to create value packaging. | | | | available to your hotel - from websites to personal |
| Get close to your customers needs. A good idea is | | | | emails. Creating search engine friendly brand and |
| to bundle local attractions, things to do and activities | | | | independent hotel sites, compelling content, |
| as part of your hotel packages. Packaging and quality | | | | maintaining email campaigns, and participating in travel |
| photography converts! Make the booking process for | | | | sites and GDS will help you achieve the competitive |
| your hotel easy and efficient. Give your customer | | | | edge on the internet. Remember, tracking your |
| ways to book your packages and rooms online. | | | | results will let you know what's working and where |
| 5. Lowest Rates Guaranteed on hotel indepwebsite- | | | | your revenue is coming from. |