3 ways to increase sales with digital technology

La digitalization of the tourism sector is a crucial issue for accommodation operators. It is necessary to meet expectations Of a increasingly connected customers And so the build loyalty.

With a good web marketing strategy, you will be in a position to approach all these potential customers and to constitute a loyal customer base for your business.

Digital marketing strategies for the hotel industry should encompasssearch engine optimization and numerous paid and organic channels to give your hotel a visibility throughout the research phase, of consideration And of final reservation.

In this article, we give you 3 ways to increase sales in your hotel sales through digital technology.

1. Be easily searchable online!

Let's be honest, technology has taken over. The days of travel agencies are over. Today's travelers have the ability to do their own comparative research without even leaving their beds. If your hotel isn't easy to find online, it's no wonder your bookings are rare. You have to To be EVERYWHERE relevant online for potential bookings so that people can easily find you when they need to book a place to stay.

75% of travelers start by using a search engine to find places to stay, so stay on top of your rankings. Use the keywords the most popular ones in the text on your site and make sure your site loads very quickly.

Businesses in the travel sector have high click rates And low costs, especially on mobiles.

But don't rely solely on organic optimization! The SERP (search engine results page) for hotel searches is highly monetized, which means that people will see ads first. You have to bid aggressively on Google's search and display networks (don't forget the hotel ads!) , Bing, social platforms like Facebook and Instagram, and websites like Trip Advisor and Kayak.

Don't limit yourself to one social platform, a single search engine or travel website. While it may not be necessary to have a strong presence on every website imaginable, you should dig into your website analytics, find out where people generally book from, and create an engaging and competitive presence on these platforms.

2. SEO - The backbone of websites

SEO is the abbreviation for”Search Engine Optimization“(search engine optimization). A good ranking will allow your hotel to be better ranked in search engines, which will give you the visibility your hotel needs.

Above all, it is very important for you to strengthen your online presence.

Hotels that appear in the first search results invest more in their SEO.

Although some opt for paid or organic referencing, as we call it. But did you know that there is a secret trick that no hotelier usually follows? This secret technique consists of Focus on local SEO.

But What is local SEO ?

This part of SEO focuses on the visibility of your establishment in local search results. For example, let's say you have a hotel in the Saint Germain neighborhood in Paris. Local SEO therefore focuses on your hotel so that it appears in the results “hotels near me” or “hotels in Saint Germain des Prés”.

The task is quite simple. Simply mention the places near your hotel from Google maps in the fact sheets. It could be a famous landmark or a specific street. After that, you can optimize these keywords for better search results.

3. Use a channel manager and booking engine

Channel management software for hotels is designed for distribute your room inventory across several online travel agencies (OTAs) at the same time and Synchronize bookings with your software PMS in real time so you can optimize bookings while avoiding overbookings. This means that you can sell the same room on different OTAs, like Booking.com, Expedia, TripAdvisor, etc., and as soon as it is booked, the availability of the room will be removed from the other channels. A channel manager can connect your rooms with a wider audience, which allows you to benefit from greater visibility, to reach more travelers and, in the end, to increase the hotel's turnover and occupancy rate.

While using a channel manager is a great way to sell the availability of your rooms, you will have to pay a commission to OTAs. For Counterbalance bookings obtained through OTA and stimulate direct bookings free of commission and processed through your own website, you can use a booking engine. A booking engine will allow visitors to your website to book directly on your website, or even on your Facebook page. In this way, potential customers have a seamless way to book on your website and you don't have to pay commission for their reservation, which increases your hotel's revenue even more.