You cannot have a successful business without marketing, including in the hotel business. Fortunately, there have never been more opportunities to use marketing to build and grow your hotel business.
Hotel Tech Report reports that more than 500 million new international trips are expected over the next decade. Therefore, if you want to attract people from all over the globe to your property, you need to employ as many resources as you can get.
Hotel marketing encompasses a wide variety of topics, and if you want to leverage marketing successfully, you need to stay on top of the latest trends. The following are some of the technologies that are transforming the world of hotel marketing in front of our eyes.
Voice search
Most people type a question into Google on their smartphone when they need some information. But the times are changing. The next generation of Internet users prefers to ask their devices directly. In fact, a third of the US population – roughly 112 million people – use voice search every month. These people represent a good chunk of your target demographic, so you need to cater to their needs. By optimizing your website for voice search, you can get more exposure. When a person takes out their phone and makes an inquiry, your voice-search optimized website will pop up as one of the first results. What’s more, with this technology, you can also allow your guests to book their rooms using voice control.
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence may have seemed like a sci-fi concept just a few decades ago; however, today it’s a reality. The technology has the ability to provide valuable, actionable insights into your customers’ wishes and needs. It can also help you keep your customers satisfied without hiring additional employees. What can you do with such a high-tech concept? Well, you can use a chatbot on your website to ensure that your visitors can consistently get answers to all of their questions. Most modern websites use chatbots, which is why the global chatbot market is expected to exceed $994 million in the next five years, according to Market Watch.
Augmented reality
Augmented reality may be the most interesting marketing tactic you have available today. According to Statista, the augmented reality market will reach $18.8 billion by 2020. The technology alters a person’s perception of their surroundings through the use of technology, and it allows hotel owners to change the way their visitors see and experience their environment. For example, you can use the technology to sell more rooms online by enhancing their features, and some hotels allow their guests to see depictions of their favorite actors and singers in their rooms. You can also use this technology to give your visitors virtual keys that allow them to open their rooms using their smartphones.
Virtual reality
Some people may use the terms interchangeably, but virtual reality should not be confused with augmented reality. Virtual reality allows you to enhance the guest experience by allowing them to see their rooms first-hand in the virtual world before they even set foot in your hotel. Considering that roughly 80% of consumers feel positively about branded VR tactics, it’s likely that your customers will appreciate this. Other ways to use VR include enabling your staff to show guests local attractions to encourage them to stay a few extra days or return for a future visit.
Remarketing
Remarketing allows you to market your business to people who have already shown interest in it. If a person previously visited your website without booking anything, you can use specific tools to reconnect with them and make the sale. Here’s a quick example of a successful remarketing operation from outside the travel industry: the global leader in paper products, Kimberly-Clark, has used remarketing tactics to improve its conversion rates between 50% and 60%. You can use Google Analytics to see which demographics visit your website the most, then use a tool like Google Ads or AdRoll that will target your key demographics and show them ads and banners for your business on the sites they visit.
Final thoughts
This has just scratched the surface of hotel marketing. The main takeaway is to recognize that digital marketing is the way to go. Although old forms of marketing can still work, you need to use digital marketing to successfully advertise your hotel. If you fail to do so, you will fall further behind your competitors.
Explore another hot technology: Blockchain And The Future Of The Travel Industry.