Links from other websites to your own hotel website are the foundation of good search ranking, but they also play an important role in exposing new people to your property. A hotel’s goal should be to have a wide and varied link profile from all manner of sources. In this episode, we discuss ways that a hotel can earn links the right way as well as some pitfalls to avoid.
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If you like what you hear, please leave a comment below, share it with your friends, and also leave a review.
========================
Show Notes:
<h3>What is “link building”?</h3>
Process of earning other (external) web pages to link back to a page on your website.
(Resource: <a href="http://www.wordstream.com/link-building" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.wordstream.com/link-building</a>) 

<h3>Why is link building important? </h3>
<ul>
<li>Links are used by search engines and are one of the primary ranking factors</li>
<li>Links = popularity &amp; quality</li>
<li>On-topic links matter more than off-topic links ~ Authority on a subject</li>
<li>Anchor text relevance is also important ~ established relevance</li>
</ul>
(Resource: <a href="https://moz.com/beginners-guide-to-seo/growing-popularity-and-links" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://moz.com/beginners-guide-to-seo/growing-popularity-and-links</a>)
<h3>What does a hotel need in order to build links?</h3>
<ul>
<li>Up to date, mobile friendly website
<ul>
<li>Establishes trust &amp; authority</li>
<li>Positive user experience</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>High quality, useful / unique content
<ul>
<li>Resources (travel planning tools)</li>
<li>Research / case studies, etc.</li>
<li>Unique deals or packages (ex: discount for teachers, military, etc.)</li>
<li>People need something of value to link to…</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Patience, Time &amp; Energy
<ul>
<li>This isn’t a quick process, kids</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>What is the link building process? </h3>
<ul>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul>
<li>Research → Define goals &amp; targets
<ul>
<li>What page(s) are you trying to build links to?</li>
<li>Who would naturally link to this?</li>
<li>Be realistic</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Compile a list &amp; gather contact information
<ul>
<li>Keep it simple → Organize google doc or excel sheet</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Start Building relationships
<ul>
<li>Research sources &amp; authors, connect on Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.</li>
<li>Share other content from sources</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Work on direct outreach
<ul>
<li>Communicate value</li>
<li>Don’t be annoying</li>
<li>Track / Monitor results</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>What are the types of Links A Hotel Can Build?</h3>
<ul>
<li>Content Creation &amp; Promotion &#8211; Create compelling content that people will want to reference and link to, and tell people about it.</li>
<li>Submissions &#8211; Submit your news to press release aggregators, submit your site to directories, etc.</li>
<li>Reviews &amp; Mentions &#8211; Put your product, service, or site in front of influential bloggers.</li>
<li>Links from Friends &amp; Partners &#8211; Get people you know and people you work with to link to your site.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What Are Some Link Building Tactics, Tips, &amp; Tools? </h3>
We have a blog about this, check it out here → <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/10-ways-to-identify-link-building-opportunities-for-hotels/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/10-ways-to-identify-link-building-opportunities-for-hotels/</a>
<ol>
<li>Set up Google alerts for your hotel (<a href="http://www.google.com/alerts">www.google.com/alerts</a>)
<ol>
<li>Monitor brand mentions (Ex: news coverage)</li>
<li>Monitor relevant non-brand mentions (“hotel discounts for teachers”)</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li>Partner with local businesses → Two fold benefit &#8211; can build links but also build additional business
<ol>
<li>Attractions</li>
<li>Restaurants</li>
<li>Events / Event Venues</li>
<li>Schools / Colleges</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li>Scope out competitive links
<ol>
<li>Majestic SEO &amp; ahrefs.com</li>
<li>See what links your competitors have and if you can get a link from that source also</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li>Find brand or URL misspellings
<ol>
<li>Tools.seobook.com &amp; Tlcseo.com</li>
<li>Easy links</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li>Online directories
<ol>
<li>Dmoz</li>
<li>Local listings</li>
<li>CVB / local portal sites</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li>Monitor social media for brand or relevant non-brand mentions
<ol>
<li>Mentions / @YourPage</li>
<li>Hashtags</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li>Have a blog → Create awesome content / resources
<ol>
<li><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-10-hotel-blog/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-10-hotel-blog</a></li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol>
**Not every tactic will work for every property → Find what works best for you!
<h3>How can I build legitimate links without being shady? </h3>
Google Penguin Update → April 2012
<ul>
<li>Targets spammy / spady link tactics</li>
<li>Now part of the core Google algo</li>
</ul>
(Resource: <a href="http://searchengineland.com/library/google/google-penguin-update" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://searchengineland.com/library/google/google-penguin-update</a>)
<h3>Final Thoughts</h3>
<ul>
<li>NEVER pay for links. Ever. Just don’t do it.
<ul>
<li>Link farms</li>
<li>Fake / spam websites</li>
<li>Paid listings</li>
<li>Links acquired through hosting guest bloggers, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Slowly build links over time
<ul>
<li>Do not magically acquire tons of links overnight</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Be genuine → If you build it they will link
<ul>
<li>Smart promotion and outreach</li>
<li>Have an amazing website experience / 10x content</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Fuel is speaking at the SC HSMAI meeting in December in Myrtle Beach &#8211; More details to come!
========================
In the News
American Hotel &amp; Lodging Study Results 
<a href="https://www.tnooz.com/article/hotel-tech-in-room-functionality-and-guest-services-a-digital-overview/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.tnooz.com/article/hotel-tech-in-room-functionality-and-guest-services-a-digital-overview/</a> or <a href="https://www.ahla.com/press-release/new-survey-reveals-latest-hotel-trends-across-country" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.ahla.com/press-release/new-survey-reveals-latest-hotel-trends-across-country</a>
What A Trump Presidency Could Mean for Business Travel 
<a href="http://www.businesstravelnews.com/Management/What-Trumps-Presidency-Could-Mean-for-Corporate-Travel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.businesstravelnews.com/Management/What-Trumps-Presidency-Could-Mean-for-Corporate-Travel</a>
========================
Download the Fuel Leisure Travel Study at www.fueltravel.com/study
========================
Follow Us on Twitter:
@_travelboom 
@stuartbutler 
@pdimaio 
@marketingmeisha 
@pforiska
<div>
<hr />
</div>
<div></div>
Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a>. Download our leisure travel study at <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/study/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.fueltravel.com/study/</a>.

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode  31 – Build Links Like A Boss: The Hotelier’s Simple Guide To Link Building

Your hotel website is the cornerstone of your hotel’s success. It’s the focal point of your marketing efforts, the virtual front lobby to your property and the battleground upon which you will win or lose against your competition and the OTAs. We talk a lot on the Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast about what you should be doing. This episode focuses on the things you should not be doing on your website. There are certainly more than the 10 that we discuss. Let us know some mistakes that you’ve seen in the comments below.
If you like what you hear, please leave a comment below, share it with your friends, and also leave a review.
========================
Show Notes:
<ol>
<li>
<h3>Poor quality photography</h3>
Whether the image looks pixelated, or the people in the photography are sporting short shorts and a perm, it really doesn’t matter. Bad photography is bad for your hotel. People process images significantly faster than they do text; therefore, the photos on your site are what determine the first impression a potential guest gets when visiting your site. Invest in quality photography and ensure that you’re uploading the appropriate resolution.
Related: <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/hotel-photography-the-asset-you-arent-assessing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/hotel-photography-the-asset-you-arent-assessing/ 
</a></li>
<li>
<h3>Slow load time/image file size too large </h3>
Nothing is more frustrating than having to wait for a website to load, especially when you’re researching travel. Often times, a consumer is navigating to multiple sites and comparing rates and value. If your site is slow to load and your competitors sites are not, you may not make the cut. In addition, Google uses page speed as a ranking factor in its search algorithm. So, not only will it hurt your conversion rate, but it may also decrease your traffic.
The main culprit for slow load times is typically images that have been uploaded via the content management systems (CMS) that are far larger than they need to be.
Sometimes, it’s more of a technical limitation due to poor coding, or insufficient hardware resources.It’s good to monitor your page speed and your index speed within the Google Search Console.</li>
<li>
<h3>Not mobile-friendly</h3>
Do we really have to keep saying this? If you STILL don’t have a mobile-friendly website and booking engine, then you are 2 years too late and you are throwing away money. More than 50% of travel-related Internet usage is done on a mobile device. That’s right, the MAJORITY of traffic is not on desktop. If you don’t have a mobile-friendly presence, you are providing a sub-par experience to your potential guests. This will reduce your booking and your revenue
.In addition, now that google is focusing more on their mobile search results, you are losing out on much needed visibility and handing your potential guests to your competition and the OTAs. Stop it!</li>
<li>
<h3>Default Titles/META descriptions </h3>
These much overlooked website attributes are some of the most important aspects of your website. Not only do they help your website in terms of where it ranks on search engines, but they are typically the two snippets that a guest sees before entering your site. These are the front lobby of your site; they can be the difference between whether a searcher chooses you or another site. Please, for the love of inn keepers everywhere, take the time to think about what each page on your site should say. Be sure to include the relevant keywords, but more important, be sure that you are summarizing and selling the value of the page. Try to avoid automation, and definitely do not use generic text across the entire site.</li>
<li>
<h3>Non-integrated booking engine</h3>
So, here I am, reading through your beautiful, image rich site. I’ve looked at the homepage, the amenities and the rooms. Yes, this is definitely a property that I would be interested in. Let me check the rates and availability. “Click”. Oh, the horror. What is this monstrosity? I’ve just gone from the aesthetically pleasing, at design to this Frankenstein&#8217;s monster of a booking engine. Yes, it has the same logo and colors, but that’s where the similarities end. The font is different, the layout looks like it was designed by a back-end developer. This unwanted shock to my system has left me dazed and confused. I’m just going to click over to that other hotel website that kept me in a consistent look-and-feel.
Also make sure that the booking engine is visible and accessible on all pages. It’s not OK to just have the booking widget on the homepage. It needs to be the focal point of every page.
The moral of the story is that this is 2016. There’s no reason that your booking engine shouldn’t look exactly like the rest of your website and shouldn’t be easy to use and intuitive.</li>
<li>
<h3>Sending people out to social media pages/video content or review sites  </h3>
When a guest gets to your website, chances are that you’ve spent money to get them there. Either through SEO, an email campaign, paid advertising. Somewhere, somehow, you’ve done the hard part. You’ve gotten the horse to the water, now all you need to do is get them to drink. Hopefully, your well-oiled conversion machine is up to the task of pushing that guest through the conversion funnel and right through to a booking. So, why in the world would you send them away from the watering hole to get distracted by Aunt Beryl’s latest rant about those damn millennials? Once someone is on your site, do whatever you can to keep them there. Answer all their questions, eliminate all of their fears, and reassure them that they are making the right decision. Don’t let them get distracted.</li>
<li>
<h3>Conversion dead ends (ie: news page with no CTA)</h3>
In addition to not sending the website visitor away, another thing to consider is making sure that they don’t simply close your site. There are 1001 reasons that a potential guest visits your site. Not all of them are at the same point in the conversion funnel. Don’t assume that you’re going to convert all of them first time. Give them a “what’s next” option. If they’re looking at a blog article, show them another related article that pushes them closer to conversion, or better yet, try to get them to sign up for an email newsletter.</li>
<li>
<h3>Not designing the site for the audience</h3>
Perhaps the most common mistake we encounter at the beginning of the redesign process is that the owner/marketing director of the property wants to design a site that appeals to themselves. This often leads to a design that isn’t appealing to the target audience and messaging/content that makes too many assumptions and/or doesn’t sell the value of the property in the right way.
When you’re designing your site, it’s always good to involve your target audience in the process and design it for THEM, not you. You can use your social media pages or your email database to survey past guests on what they like and what sold them on the property in the first place. These become the building blocks for the new site and you end up with a product that performs better.</li>
<li>
<h3>The ‘NASCAR’ effect</h3>
Once your beautiful new site is launched, it’s inevitable that you’re going to want to add stuff. New announcements, awards, offers etc, will all crop up over time. The natural reaction is to slap that new message on the homepage. Right? Wrong! Very, very wrong. The truth is that how a visitor lands on your site has evolved. Often times, the homepage is still the most visited page on your site, but there are an awful lot of people that now land on lower level pages and never even see the homepage. That new bumper sticker that you just added to the homepage is not only junking up your site, it’s also not being seen.
When you do have to add something new to your site, think about it from a relevance perspective. Which people need to know about this and where in their journey would it have the most impact. Then, incorporate that new messaging into the appropriate place and in the appropriate format. If you’re not sure where that is, use A/B testing to figure it out.</li>
<li>
<h3>Not owning your site 
</h3>
You’ve just been blown away by this glitzy new agency that’s showcased all of their fabulous awards and their extensive portfolio of hotel clients. They convince you to sign up with them for a brand new, state-state-of the art website. It’s going to cost a pretty penny, but you know that it’s a good return on investment, so you sign that lengthy contract with a two-year commitment and you don’t pay attention to the fine print.
Time goes by, the site performs adequately, though never quite delivering on the promise of a 25% increase in bookings. Then, you want to go in a new direction, with a new company. You ask your vendor for the website files because you’re going to move your hosting. BAM. You find out that you actually don’t own your site. It’s built on their proprietary CMS and the best you can do is get a static HTML version of the files. That’s no good to you. How will you make updates? You’re now going to have to fork out another wad of cash to have someone else rebuild the same exact website in another CMS. What a waste of money.
Do yourself and your wallet a favor: Make sure you pick a website provider that give you a non-proprietary CMS and make sure that you own all of the code, in case you ever decide to go in a different direction.</li>
</ol>
If there are any other mistakes that you see people making on their website, please let us know in the comments below.
========================
Google’s Travel Business Twice The Size of Expedia 
<a href="https://skift.com/2016/11/01/googles-travel-business-is-already-twice-the-size-of-expedias/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://skift.com/2016/11/01/googles-travel-business-is-already-twice-the-size-of-expedias/</a>
Trip Advisor Partners with EatWith: 
<a href="https://www.tnooz.com/article/articletripadvisor-invests-in-social-dining-service-eatwith/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.tnooz.com/article/articletripadvisor-invests-in-social-dining-service-eatwith/</a>
========================
Download the Fuel Leisure Travel Study at www.fueltravel.com/study
========================
Follow Us on Twitter:
@_travelboom 
@stuartbutler 
@pdimaio 
@makavanagh 
@pforiska
<div>
<hr />
</div>
<div></div>
Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a>. Download our leisure travel study at <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/study/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.fueltravel.com/study/</a>.

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode  30 – Is Your Hotel Making These Top 10 Website Mistakes?

Some of your Fueligan friends attended the first ever Travel Digital Marketing Summit hosted by Leonardo this week.
We thought it would be fun to discuss some of the best takeaways from the summit and give our listeners the TL;DW version.
If you like what you hear, please leave a comment below, share it with your friends, and also leave a review.
========================
In The News
Kayak testing new short term rentals feature 
<a href="http://qz.com/816755/pricelines-pcln-kayak-is-quietly-offering-a-new-feature-for-short-term-apartment-and-home-rentals-as-it-tries-to-compete-with-airbnb" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://qz.com/816755/pricelines-pcln-kayak-is-quietly-offering-a-new-feature-for-short-term-apartment-and-home-rentals-as-it-tries-to-compete-with-airbnb</a>/
Expedia Adding Home Away Inventory 
<a href="http://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Technology/Expedia-on-cusp-of-integrating-HomeAway-rentals-into-hotel-searches" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Technology/Expedia-on-cusp-of-integrating-HomeAway-rentals-into-hotel-searches</a>
Airbnb suing NY over new short term rental regulations 
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/22/technology/new-york-passes-law-airbnb.html?_r=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/22/technology/new-york-passes-law-airbnb.html?_r=1</a>
New Google Hotel Ads Format Live 
<a href="https://www.tnooz.com/article/google-tests-single-hotel-deal-search/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.tnooz.com/article/google-tests-single-hotel-deal-search/</a>
========================
Show Notes:
The presenters were:
Leonardo &#8211; Joey Egan 
Sojern &#8211; (Meisha forgot his name. Sorry) 
Flip.to &#8211; Edward St. Onge 
Triptease &#8211; Charlie Osmond 
SiteMinder &#8211; David Chestler 
TrustYou &#8211; Ellis Connolly
7 Phases of the Travel Shopping Journey → Inspiration, Research, Planning, Validation, Booking, Travel, &amp; Sharing
Flip.to &#8211; Bring True Hospitality Back To The Forefront of Your Marketing Strategy
<ol>
<li>Look at your website, email, social media, etc. with fresh eyes &#8211; are you infusing content that tells a story?</li>
<li>Coupons are not content &#8211; Instead, collect and use photos, videos, and real guest quotes (Story based ads versus generic ads)</li>
<li>Use appropriate CTAs in the inspiration phase &#8211; Nurture travelers into becoming future guests</li>
<li>Adapt a mobile first strategy &#8211; Most of the inspiration phase is done on mobile</li>
</ol>
TrustYou &#8211; Using Social Proof 
<ol>
<li>Reviews</li>
<li>User Generated Content</li>
<li>Awards</li>
<li>Third-Party Certification</li>
<li>Evidence Others Are Booking</li>
</ol>
Triptease &#8211; Driving Your Direct Conversion Opportunity
<ol>
<li>Experience the journey first hand (never make any assumptions &#8211; on &amp; off the website)</li>
<li>Present clear benefits</li>
<li>Prove your rate is the best</li>
<li>Don’t be undercut</li>
<li>Reduce abandonment</li>
<li>Be human</li>
</ol>
SiteMinder &#8211; 8 Keys to Optimizing Your Checkout
<ol>
<li>Only ask for the information you need (you lost 10% of your bookings per every unnecessary field)</li>
<li>Explain why you need the information you are collecting</li>
<li>Ensure travel shoppers can book with minimal clicks</li>
<li>Have clear CTA &#8211; don’t make them guess where to click</li>
<li>Don’t add CTA that distract from check-out (like newsletter popup &#8211; that can be completed after check out)</li>
<li>Assure customers that their check-out is secure</li>
<li>Assure customers that they’re getting the best deal possible</li>
<li>Add a sense of urgency to ensure they book now</li>
</ol>
Sojern &#8211; Programmatic Advertising
Old Advertising = Find websites that you think your target market visits, work to advertise directly on that website
New Advertising = Find the right person at the right time and serve them the right ad
Two facets of programmatic &#8211; Prospecting &amp; Retargeting
My issues with this = This is already a thing and you don’t need a special company to do this. This seems like glorified display advertising which has been proven to NOT be an effective tool for hotels when it comes to generating ROI.
AdWords display advertising provides an array of targeting options:
<ul>
<li>Demographic (age, gender, etc.)</li>
<li>Geographic</li>
<li>Placement (certain websites)</li>
<li>Interest</li>
<li>Retargeting</li>
</ul>
Targeting is tricky… How do they really know they are hitting the right person at the right time?
<ul>
<li>Booking window / impression cap / cookie length</li>
</ul>
Companies that “guarantee” booking by only charging a % of revenue generated… How much are they taking?
<ul>
<li>Traditional display is a CPC or CPM model &#8211; very cost effective</li>
<li>Wouldn’t a % of revenue make it just like an OTA?</li>
</ul>
Sojern &#8211; “People aren&#8217;t going to download an app for your individual hotel”
FALSE. Stuart goes off on a rant.
Stats from our own Hotel Mobile App
========================
Question of the week: 
Shoutouts!
Rick(y?) from Flip.to
<a href="https://twitter.com/FuelTravel">@FuelTravel</a> binge listening to podcast today. Ep 13&#8217;s social media discussion was on point<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/justonehashtag?src=hash"> #justonehashtag</a>
Badi Jones in Charleston
<a href="https://twitter.com/FuelTravel">@FuelTravel</a> hello from<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/chs?src=hash"> #chs</a>. just wanted to say, I&#8217;m loving the podcast! You guys do a great job <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/hotel?src=hash"> #hotel</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/marketing?src=hash"> #marketing</a> All around great stuff!
========================
Download the Fuel Leisure Travel Study at www.fueltravel.com/study
========================
Follow Us on Twitter:
@_travelboom 
@stuartbutler 
@pdimaio 
@marketingmeisha
<div>
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</div>
<div></div>
Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a>. Download our leisure travel study at <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/study/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.fueltravel.com/study/</a>.

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode  29 – Travel Digital Marketing Summit Recap

For some hotels, Cyber Monday may be the single largest volume booking day of the entire year. Is your property taking part in this phenomenal opportunity? In this episode of the Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast, we discuss the ways that your hotel can maximize the impact of this crazy shopping fever by preparing properly and making sure you have the right messaging and the right timing on the right platforms.
If you like what you hear, please leave a comment below, share it with your friends, and also leave a review.
========================
In The News
InterContinental Hotels launches podcast series 
<a href="http://digiday.com/brands/marketing-content-driven-intercontinental-hotels-launches-podcast/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://digiday.com/brands/marketing-content-driven-intercontinental-hotels-launches-podcast/</a>
What Google’s New Mobile Search Index Means For Travel 
(Last week’s announcement that Google will create separate indexes for mobile and desktop results— and will be treating mobile as the primary index — is the inevitable conclusion of the company’s protracted pivot towards becoming a “mobile-first” search engine) 
<a href="https://www.tnooz.com/article/google-mobile-search-index-travel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.tnooz.com/article/google-mobile-search-index-travel/</a>
U.S. Travelers Think Booking Direct With Brands Leads to Better Prices 
<a href="https://skift.com/2015/06/29/survey-u-s-travelers-think-booking-direct-with-brands-lead-them-to-better-prices/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://skift.com/2015/06/29/survey-u-s-travelers-think-booking-direct-with-brands-lead-them-to-better-prices/</a>
========================
Show Notes:
Why is It such a big opportunity?
<ul>
<li>People are conditioned to actively look for deals</li>
<li>40% of shoppers are looking for travel deals (according to Google)</li>
<li>Purse Strings are loosest and people are wanting to spend their money</li>
<li>It’s becoming a habit for many people and a bragging opportunity to tell people how much you saved.</li>
<li>From the hotel’s perspective, it gets reservations on the books and allows you to yield rates more aggressively and drive a higher ADR.</li>
</ul>
Pre-Game Prep
<ul>
<li>Collect Emails</li>
<li>Tell people that it’s coming (prime the pump)</li>
<li>Develop retargeting lists through adWords and Facebook</li>
<li>Get all of your creative work done well ahead of time so that you can be nimble during the actual sale</li>
<li>Staff your phones appropriately</li>
</ul>
Timing
<ul>
<li>Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday or perhaps even earlier</li>
<li>Duration: 1 day, multiple days? Should you extend it will a slightly reduced deal?</li>
<li>Sneak peeks on certain platforms or for certain people?</li>
<li>Monitor the local competition and try to get out ahead of them or provide more value.</li>
</ul>
Messaging
<ul>
<li>Make sure it’s a good offer (at least 30%)</li>
<li>Or create great value by adding freebies</li>
<li>Don’t just jack the rates to show a bigger discount</li>
<li>Make it exclusive (Lowest offer of the year) and stick to it!</li>
<li>Make them feel exclusive and special</li>
<li>Personalize</li>
<li>Consider limiting inventory to add urgency</li>
<li>Use a countdown clock</li>
</ul>
Platforms
<ul>
<li>Social Media</li>
<li>Email</li>
<li>Website</li>
<li>Paid Advertising/Retargeting lists</li>
</ul>
Final thoughts:
<ul>
<li>Think long-term. Offer great value. Be consistent. Stick to your word.</li>
<li>Also, consider smaller flash sales throughout the year.</li>
<li>Trends &#8211; have we reached saturation and a point of diminishing returns?</li>
<li>Mobile</li>
</ul>
Question of the week:
Amit asks, “can E-commerce principles be applied to hospitality with 1click up-sell at room booking confirmation page?”
========================
Download the Fuel Leisure Travel Study at www.fueltravel.com/study
========================
Follow Us on Twitter:
@_travelboom 
@stuartbutler 
@makavanagh 
@marketingmeisha
<div>
<hr />
</div>
<div></div>
Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a>. Download our leisure travel study at <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/study/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.fueltravel.com/study/</a>.

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode  28 – Is Your Hotel Taking Advantage of Cyber Monday?

AirBNB seems to be everywhere in the media right now. Will this industry disruptor spell certain doom for the hotel industry, or are there lessons that hoteliers can learn from this innovative start-up that can help them drive more business and build customer loyalty? Let’s all join hands and discuss in this week’s episode of the Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast.
If you like what you hear, please leave a comment below, share it with your friends, and also leave a review.
========================
In The News
Marriott launches first “Laboratory” hotel in Charlotte (Meisha) 
<a href="http://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Hotel-News/Marriott-hotel-in-Charlotte-serves-as-laboratory-for-the-brand" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Hotel-News/Marriott-hotel-in-Charlotte-serves-as-laboratory-for-the-brand 
</a>
Hilton Recycles Soap 
<a href="http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/global/154000370/4078793.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/global/154000370/4078793.html</a>
Expedia CEO Wants Travel Virtual Reality To Die 
<a href="http://www.geekwire.com/2016/expedias-ceo-virtual-reality-travel-hope-fails-miserably/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.geekwire.com/2016/expedias-ceo-virtual-reality-travel-hope-fails-miserably/</a>
========================
Show Notes:
What is Airbnb? 
<ul>
<li>Travel booking platform &#8211; “Live There. Book homes from local hosts and experience a place like you live there.”</li>
<li>Part of “The Sharing Economy”</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Process:
<ul>
<li>Use App or Desktop site to peruse local accommodation options. Guest enters: “Where to”, “when”, “# of guests”, and completes a search.</li>
<li>Easily toggle between list view and map view and apply plenty of other filters to help you find and select the perfect option</li>
<li>Do not need an account to browse but do need an account to book (duh) → Create account</li>
<li>In order to book, a room can either be “Instant Book” where the host does not have to “approve” the request or there is a delay as the owner approves your request to book.</li>
<li>Booker has to take a photo and upload front &amp; back of ID</li>
<li>You can read more about this in our Travel App Review Article: <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/travel-booking-app-comparison-review-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/travel-booking-app-comparison-review-guide/</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
AirBNB Statistics
<ul>
<li>&gt;100 million users</li>
<li>&gt;34,000 cities in 191 countries</li>
<li>&gt;2 million total listings (Marriott/Starwood has 1.1 million total units)</li>
<li>&gt;1,400 Castles</li>
</ul>
What Airbnb is doing right? 
<ul>
<li>Super sleek website / app / booking process</li>
<li>They make use of user generated content (reviews very present on individual profiles &#8211; though you can not filter by reviews)</li>
<li>They create a sense of urgency throughout the process (Ex: This is a rare find (with diamond image) Barrett’s place is usually booked!)</li>
<li>Exceptional content → Local travel guides, their website covers anything and everything you could want to know about the company (legal issues, booking policies, etc.)</li>
<li>Overcome trust / safety concerns and are seen as a travel authority</li>
</ul>
Concerns about Airbnb? 
<ul>
<li>Legal Issues</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul>
<li>In many states, tenants cannot legally rent out their apartments (or other living space) for short periods (less than 30 days) unless they are also living on the property.</li>
<li>Tax issues → Short term rentals are not subject to the same hotel or tourism taxes that hotel pay</li>
<li>Safety Issues → Similarly, short term rentals are not subject to the same inspections or held to any certain code of safety like hotels are</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Tightening Local Housing Markets 
<ul>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul>
<li>Taking long term rentals off the market to make fast cast on short terms rentals… Is Airbnb screwing the locals that make each city great in the first place?</li>
<li>Airbnb argues that it is helping support the local economy by helping local property owners make more money → Caveat because property owners in many cases do not actually live in the city and are run by one person who owns multiple units and not the “mom and pop” story they promote</li>
<li>Cities like San Fran &amp; NYC are fighting Airbnb HARD.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Prejudice</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul>
<li>Class action lawsuit against Airbnb this summer in VA → Man said Airbnb ignored reports that he was denied a booking because he was black.
<ul>
<li>Set up profile as himself &#8211; Was denied</li>
<li>Set up fake profile with “white” bookers &#8211; Was accepted</li>
<li>#AirbnbWhileBlack went viral</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>How can they fix the problem while maintaining guest safety?</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Sources: <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2016/06/22/technology/airbnb-regulations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://money.cnn.com/2016/06/22/technology/airbnb-regulations/</a> <a href="https://skift.com/2016/06/22/figuring-out-the-tech-solutions-to-airbnbs-racial-discrimination-problem/">https://skift.com/2016/06/22/figuring-out-the-tech-solutions-to-airbnbs-racial-discrimination-problem/</a>
Travel disruptor? 
<ul>
<li>What makes Airbnb different?
<ul>
<li>Traditionally much more affordable than booking a hotel (sorry, hotels…)</li>
<li>Can book a private residence, private room, or a shared room</li>
<li>Pushing the “local experience” → Hotels are late to the game but are catching up</li>
<li>Unique and very personalized experience
<ul>
<li>Interaction with &amp; recommendations from “hosts”</li>
<li>Personalized notes and exchanges</li>
<li>“Surprise” gifts (slippers, chocolates, coffee, etc.)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Completely different than a hotel experience &#8211; begs the question: are guests using Airbnb in lieu of booking a traditional hotel? Or would those users have strayed from the “traditional” experience in the first place and have booked with VRBO / Hostel / B&amp;B?</li>
</ul>
Revolutionizing the travel experience? <a href="https://econsultancy.com/blog/68375-airbnb-how-its-customer-experience-is-revolutionising-the-travel-industry/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://econsultancy.com/blog/68375-airbnb-how-its-customer-experience-is-revolutionising-the-travel-industry/</a>
Is Airbnb a threat to the hotel industry? 
Yes and No… *DISCUSS*
What can your hotel learn from Airbnb?
<ul>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul>
<li>Provide a seamless website experience throughout the customer journey → Research to Booking
<ul>
<li>Clean design and impeccable user experience</li>
<li>High quality, helpful content → Local guides,</li>
<li>User generated content → Genuine reviews, guest shared images, etc.</li>
<li>Dedicated mobile app for your hotel (https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/guestexpress-mobile-app/)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Get local → Know your area inside and out and be prepared to give great local recommendations.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul>
<li>Solicit reviews throughout the experience → On-property and post stay</li>
<li>Have a personality &amp; showcase it throughout your website and other marketing materials</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
The human connection is powerful → Maintain high staff standards when dealing with guests and go above and beyond to surprise and delight with personal touches
========================
Download the Fuel Leisure Travel Study at www.fueltravel.com/study
========================
Follow Us on Twitter:
@_travelboom 
@stuartbutler 
@pforiska 
@makavanagh 
@marketingmeisha
<div>
<hr />
</div>
<div></div>
Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a>. Download our leisure travel study at <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/study/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.fueltravel.com/study/</a>.

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode  27 – Airb-N-Bust? What Hotels Can Learn From The World’s Biggest Travel Disruptor

Hoteliers, and marketers in general, think the conversion process ends once a booking takes place.  This thought process is not only wrong, but it is costing you in lost revenue.  Why? Because once a person converts once, they are much more likely to convert again. On top of that, it is 5 Times more cost effective to retain current guests than find new ones.
In today’s podcast we’re going to cover an excellent article on CopyHackers.com with tips, tricks, and hard data on making your thank you pages convert your guests a second time.
Here&#8217;s the original article, by Talia Wolf: 
<a href="https://copyhackers.com/2016/09/thank-you-pages-retention/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://copyhackers.com/2016/09/thank-you-pages-retention/</a>
If you like what you hear, please leave a comment below, share it with your friends, and also leave a review.
========================
In The News
Hurricane Update &#8211; How should your property handle a PR crisis.  Listen to episode 15: 
<a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-15-how-to-deal-with-a-social-media-or-pr-crisis/">https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-15-how-to-deal-with-a-social-media-or-pr-crisis/</a>
HotelsTonight Launches New Loyalty Program 
<a href="http://venturebeat.com/2016/09/29/hoteltonight-launches-loyalty-rewards-program/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://venturebeat.com/2016/09/29/hoteltonight-launches-loyalty-rewards-program/</a>
Wyndham Tops The List For Best Hotel Rewards Program 
<a href="https://skift.com/2016/10/06/wyndham-rewards-tops-another-list-of-loyalty-program-rankings/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://skift.com/2016/10/06/wyndham-rewards-tops-another-list-of-loyalty-program-rankings/ 
</a>Survey done by travel consulting firm IdeaWorks 
(also top of the U.S. News &amp; World Report list → <a href="http://travel.usnews.com/Rankings/Travel-Rewards/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://travel.usnews.com/Rankings/Travel-Rewards/</a>
The AirBnB Community is awesome: 
<a href="http://www.thestate.com/news/local/article106023807.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.thestate.com/news/local/article106023807.html</a>
========================
Show Notes:
BEFORE YOU LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE, PLEASE CHECK OUT TALIA&#8217;S ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE:
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="pggzpKBgye"><a href="https://copyhackers.com/2016/09/thank-you-pages-retention/">Use these 7 hacks on your thank you pages to boost retention. #3 is beyond easy.</a></blockquote>
<iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);" title="&#8220;Use these 7 hacks on your thank you pages to boost retention. #3 is beyond easy.&#8221; &#8212; Copywriting for startups and marketers" src="https://copyhackers.com/2016/09/thank-you-pages-retention/embed/#?secret=9Ohjqk8zRZ#?secret=pggzpKBgye" data-secret="pggzpKBgye" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>
Typical Conversion Funnel 
<ul>
<li>The typical thought process on the conversion funnel goes one of two ways:
<ul>
<li>Marketing &gt; Site &gt; Signup Form</li>
<li>Marketing &gt; site &gt; Booking Engine &gt; Checkout Page</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This misses a key component for revenue generation, the thank you page and thank you/confirmation email.</li>
</ul>
Why The Thank You Page Is So Valuable
<ul>
<li>Once your guest begins nodding their head with a booking, keep them nodding their head with additional sales opportunities. Customers begin to bond with a brand once they book, they feel connected and at no other point are they more engaged. *Successive approximations &#8211; “foot in the door approach”</li>
<li>A great thank you page will help minimize cognitive dissidence (a fancy phrase for post-purchase doubt).  Use this opportunity to reinforce what a great choice your guest just made.</li>
<li>It’s our job as marketers to help our customers feel good about their initial commitment to us. Most commonly known as ‘choice supportive’ bias, this trigger affects our tendency to persuade ourselves, through rational argument, that the purchase we just made was a good one. &#8211; “Post Purchase Rationalization” &#8211; Good place for testimonials / reviews</li>
<li>This is your FIRST chance to begin forming a personalized relationship (Thank you {name}!  Our agents are working on your estimate for {start date} through {end date}&#8230;</li>
<li>The thank you page and thank you email is more likely to be printed, saved, and shared.</li>
</ul>
How You Can Make the Thank You page Work for You:
Type 1 Conversion Events (Email Signups, Contact Forms, Sweepstakes, Etc)
<ul>
<li>Gather additional customer data to better target for the future
<ul>
<li>Reinforce their good decision (example: value of getting a newsletter</li>
<li>Drive visitor to a revenue generating conversion event</li>
<li>Drive visitor to share socially</li>
<li>Thank you page giveaways:
<ul>
<li>Example for golf package company is they give a free round of golf on the thank you page for anyone requesting a golf package quote.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Type 2 Conversion Events (Bookings, Revenue Generation)
<ul>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul>
<li>Incorporating The Thank You Page As The Start Of The Next Conversion Funnel</li>
<li>In the accommodations space, trip enhancements are relatively cheap compared to the original purchase.</li>
<li>Customer Mind: “Sure, I’ll pre-pay $7/day for breakfast. I’m on vacation and it’s only $7. Plus, I’m saving over the $10 i’d be paying at the resort. Hey, this is my vacation we’re talking about!”</li>
<li>Setting up a well thought out drip campaign is critical to help customers add add-ons, upgrades, et</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
In All Uses Of a Thank You Page (type 1 and 2):
<ul>
<li>DO: Focus on design</li>
<li>DO: Personalize</li>
<li>DO: Continue to lead customers down a conversion path</li>
<li>DO: Promote other areas of your site</li>
<li>DO: Set expectations</li>
<li>DO: Test</li>
<li>DO NOT: drop the visitor on a dead end</li>
<li>DO NOT: Assume that they have converted you are done converting</li>
</ul>
========================
Question of the week:
Jeremy&#8217;s Adventures @JeremyWo “What is your suggestion to a property whose revenue manager does not see the benefit of keeping rate parity?”
========================
Download the Fuel Leisure Travel Study at www.fueltravel.com/study
========================
Follow Us on Twitter:
@_travelboom 
@stuartbutler 
@pdimaio 
@makavanagh 
@marketingmeisha
<div>
<hr />
</div>
<div></div>
Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a>. Download our leisure travel study at <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/study/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.fueltravel.com/study/</a>.

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode  26 – Converting After The Conversion: Making Your Thank You Pages Work

Video is an essential component of any hotel’s marketing strategy. In this episode we dig into some ideas for good content, practical tips, how to integrate the video into your site, how to distribute video on social media and even discuss the future of video.
If you like what you hear, please leave a comment below, share it with your friends, and also leave a review.
========================
In The News
Awesome New Hawaii Promotional Campaign 
<a href="https://www.tnooz.com/article/smile-please-personalised-travel-itineraries-based-on-facial-expressionsa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.tnooz.com/article/smile-please-personalised-travel-itineraries-based-on-facial-expressionsa/</a>
========================
Show Notes:
First Off, Why Video?
<ul>
<li>75% growth in users posting facebook video in past 12 months</li>
<li>100 million videos viewed every day</li>
<li>Youtube is the 2nd largest search engine in the world</li>
<li>Video in the travel space (according to a Google 2014 study)
<ul>
<li>66% watched videos when thinking about taking a trip</li>
<li>65% watched videos when choosing a destination</li>
<li>54% watched videos when deciding which accommodation to stay at, and</li>
<li>63% watched videos when looking for ideas for activities at a destination</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>In a recent study by Fuel, over 80% of people said that video influences their hotel decision</li>
<li>YouTube reaches more 18-49 year-olds than any cable network in the U.S.</li>
</ul>
Must Have Videos for Hotels:
<ul>
<li>Rooms and more rooms (Do I have people in the room shots?)</li>
<li>Amenities (include people enjoying amenities)</li>
<li>Facility (guided video tours work well)</li>
<li>Lobby and street are not that important</li>
<li>Drone shots are great if you’ve got the setting (Pete shares his love of the new GoPro Karma)</li>
<li>Popular Area Activities/Venues</li>
<li>Employee Interviews</li>
<li>Guest testimonials</li>
<li>Most importantly, consider that video must ADD to your visitors journey to becoming a guest.  Self-serving fluff doesn’t help anyone.</li>
</ul>
When shooting video, consider:
<ul>
<li>Lighting is critical</li>
<li>Stage the scene and ensure the background is well-kept</li>
<li>Stabilization/gimbal</li>
<li>Sound Quality (especially outside)</li>
<li>Maneuvering during the video (keep a clear path)</li>
<li>Waivers/Permission if necessary</li>
<li>Shoot in 4k</li>
</ul>
Social Tactics:
<ul>
<li>100 million videos watched on Facebook daily</li>
<li>Get to the point &#8211; you have to grab follower attention quickly as they scroll</li>
<li>Include subtitles &#8211; most videos are viewed with no sound</li>
<li>Frequency is important &#8211; post videos on an ongoing basis, not one and done</li>
<li>Get your guests involved &#8211; user photos and videos have a place on your site</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Go beyond Facebook &#8211; Twitter, Vine, Snapchat, Instagram, Periscope and more.  Find out what hits your audience (BUT DO FACEBOOK WELL FIRST)</li>
</ul>
Live Video:
<ul>
<li>This ties directly into your social campaign</li>
<li>Facebook live has made massive gains in the market and our experience has shown it to be welcomed by fans</li>
</ul>
Practical Advice on Integrating Video into Your Marketing:
<ul>
<li>Make video a feature on the site and specifically the home page</li>
<li>Don’t overthink your video serving platform, Youtube works great and allows for an expanded reach of your content.</li>
<li>Do you link to Youtube? &#8211; Pete says NO, send users to your video gallery instead.</li>
<li>Always, always have an intuitive title and transcript</li>
<li>Of our clients who have live web cams, these pages are consistently in the top page views on the site (make sure you’re converting them)
<ul>
<li>Wata’ mark dat shit ‘bra</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Consider merging your photo and video galleries into one larger platform</li>
<li>Find opportunity to generate user generated content and post on site</li>
</ul>
The future of Video
<ul>
<li>360</li>
<li>VR</li>
</ul>
General Best Practices and Key Takeaways:
<ul>
<li>Develop a video strategy and calendar</li>
<li>It’s the little things that make a big difference</li>
<li>Don’t go it alone, can you partner with area attractions, CVBs, etc?</li>
<li>When creating video content for your hotel, your mantra should be: “Show, don’t tell.”</li>
</ul>
========================
Question of the week:
<a href="https://twitter.com/Amit_0717">Amit Arora ‏@Amit_0717</a><a href="https://twitter.com/Amit_0717/status/780845802809794561"> Sep 27</a>
<a href="https://twitter.com/FuelTravel">@FuelTravel</a> with less than 20% open rates on emails, is email marketing still a better platform than direct mail for hotel marketing?
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/FuelTravel">@FuelTravel</a> with less than 20% open rates on emails, is email marketing still a better platform than direct mail for hotel marketing?
— Amit Arora (@Amit_0717) <a href="https://twitter.com/Amit_0717/status/780845802809794561">September 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
========================
Download the Fuel Leisure Travel Study at www.fueltravel.com/study
========================
Follow Us on Twitter:
@_travelboom 
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@pdimaio 
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<div>
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<div></div>
Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a>. Download our leisure travel study at <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/study/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.fueltravel.com/study/</a>.

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode  25 – How To Make Amazing Video Content

It&#8217;s all about Google this week. We discuss the latest changes to the Google Search Engine Results Page, the latest Penguin algorithm update and also check out the latest vacation planning mobile app, Google Trips.
If you like what you hear, please leave a comment below, share it with your friends, and also leave a review.
========================
In The News: 
Marriott / Starwood Merger Completehttp://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/roadwarriorvoices/2016/09/23/marriott-starwood-merger-complete-and-loyal-customers-get-reciprocal-benefits/90885318/
<ul>
<li>Almost one year after purchase date</li>
<li>$13 Billion</li>
<li>Now Marriott owns 30 brands / more than 5,700 hotels / 1.1 Million Rooms / 110 Countries</li>
<li>Big focus on loyalty program now &#8211; members of both programs can log in at Members.marriott.com to begin earning &amp; redeeming points at all hotels; new, unified experience.</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://skift.com/2016/09/21/every-one-of-marriotts-30-hotel-brands-explained/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://skift.com/2016/09/21/every-one-of-marriotts-30-hotel-brands-explained/</a>
Expedia launches Rev+ revenue management tool 
<a href="https://www.tnooz.com/article/expedia-pushes-hotel-b2b-services-with-revenue-management-launch/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.tnooz.com/article/expedia-pushes-hotel-b2b-services-with-revenue-management-launch/</a>
Expedia axes strategy of dimming hotels that apparently offer low value 
<a href="https://www.tnooz.com/article/expedia-stops-dimming-hotels-in-search-results-that-offer-low-value/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.tnooz.com/article/expedia-stops-dimming-hotels-in-search-results-that-offer-low-value/</a>
Google Rolls Out Cross Device Retargeting 
<a href="http://searchengineland.com/google-roll-cross-device-retargeting-259567" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://searchengineland.com/google-roll-cross-device-retargeting-259567</a>
========================
Show Notes:
SERP Changes (Meisha)
Google showing flights &amp; hotel costs for vacation searches: <a href="https://www.seroundtable.com/google-flights-hotel-costs-vacations-22734.html">https://www.seroundtable.com/google-flights-hotel-costs-vacations-22734.html</a>
<ul>
<li>Showing for very broad searches (ex: Caribbean vacations)</li>
<li>New “popular destinations” box with hotel &amp; flight price information</li>
<li>Clicking on any of the boxes will take you to a Destinations on Google page</li>
</ul>
Google showing booking widget in SERPs for hotel brand searches:
<a href="https://www.seroundtable.com/google-hotel-booking-top-22749.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.seroundtable.com/google-hotel-booking-top-22749.html</a>
<ul>
<li>Google starting testing placing a hotel booking widget within the search results above Adwords ads</li>
<li>This typically would show up within the knowledge card on the right side of the results page but now it’s being displayed on top.</li>
<li>It’s currently only being displayed for specific hotel searches like “Marriott Marquis Atlanta”. It would not be displayed for any searches that would generate multiple hotel results such as “hotels in Atlanta”</li>
<li>We’ve heard that Hotel Ads could be offering a commission based model similar to an OTA where hotels would pay 10-15% for bookings made through Google.</li>
<li>I suspect Google is trying to take over the hotel space like they did with flight searches. Although this is a little different from flights since those are serving below Adwords txt ads.</li>
</ul>
Algorithm Changes:
Google Possum algorithm update
<a href="http://searchengineland.com/everything-need-know-googles-possum-algorithm-update-258900" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://searchengineland.com/everything-need-know-googles-possum-algorithm-update-258900</a>
<ul>
<li>This update is focused on local search results</li>
<li>Businesses falling outside physical city limits saw a huge spike in ranking
<ul>
<li>if a business was just outside the city limits they would have trouble ranking for keywords containing the city name. Since this update those sites that are just outside city limits saw large ranking increases</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The physical location of the searcher is more important than ever before
<ul>
<li>While we’ve known that people searching in different locations will see different results, Some businesses are claiming that this new update has shaken things up even more.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The 3 pack is seeing quite a bit of change for seemingly identical searches
<ul>
<li>We’ve seen small changes for the hotel 3 pack but others are reporting to see much more fluctuation for similar terms. “myrtle beach hotels” “hotels in myrtle beach” and “hotels in myrtle beach sc”</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<a href="http://searchengineland.com/google-updates-penguin-says-now-real-time-part-core-algorithm-259302" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://searchengineland.com/google-updates-penguin-says-now-real-time-part-core-algorithm-259302</a>
Also an update to Google’s Penguin Algorithm. 
<ul>
<li>Penguin is Google’s algorithm update that identifies sites using spammy linking practices.</li>
<li>this would be Penguins 4th major release</li>
<li>We’ve heard that Google was trying to bake Penguin into the algorithm so it operates in real-time and now it seems that will be the case.</li>
<li>Before this update Google was dishing out site-wide penalties. Sites would have to make huge efforts to remove and disavow spammy links. Sites would remain penalized until the next time the Penguin filter ran and only then would there be chance to have the penalty lifted.</li>
<li>This update is supposed to run more granularly.</li>
<li>With this update Google crawls and indexes pages, and the Penguin filter will assess the pages in real time. Penalties will now be assessed on more of a page or site-section level than a site-wide level.</li>
<li>While some claim to have seen the effects already we will likely see more and more affected as this continues to roll out.</li>
</ul>
Mobile App:
Google Launches Google Trips App
<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2016/09/19/google-launches-a-personalized-travel-planner-google-trips/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://techcrunch.com/2016/09/19/google-launches-a-personalized-travel-planner-google-trips/</a>
Question of the week:
Lara Samaha on Twitter: &#8220;Hi @stuartbutler. I have a question. How can you track Tripconnect conversations on Google @googleanalytics ?&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Hi <a href="https://twitter.com/stuartbutler">@stuartbutler</a>. I have a question. How you can track Tripconnect conversations on Google <a href="https://twitter.com/googleanalytics">@googleanalytics</a> ?
— Lara Samaha (@LSamaha) <a href="https://twitter.com/LSamaha/status/777522904409997312">September 18, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Here&#8217;s the neat link builder tool that we discussed. 
<a href="https://ga-dev-tools.appspot.com/campaign-url-builder/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://ga-dev-tools.appspot.com/campaign-url-builder/</a>
Here are instructions on setting up Google Analytics campaign Ids: 
<a href="https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6205762?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6205762?hl=en</a>
========================
Download the Fuel Leisure Travel Study at www.fueltravel.com/study
========================
Follow Us on Twitter:
@_travelboom 
@stuartbutler 
@pforiska 
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<div>
<hr />
</div>
<div></div>
Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a>. Download our leisure travel study at <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/study/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.fueltravel.com/study/</a>.

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 24 – Google Changes Your Hotel Needs to Know

Mobile Apps are all the rage, in this episode, we look at the good, the bad and the ugly app from the major travel industry players. Find out who’s doing it right and who’s doing it very, very wrong.
Also, we look at some data from individual <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/mobile-app-digital-key/">hotel mobile apps</a> and what features are actually working for them
If you like what you hear, please leave a comment below, share it with your friends, and also leave a review.
========================
In The News:
Hotels Need More Bandwidth <a title="http://hotelnewsnow.com/Articles/71622/2017-tech-trends-Faster-bandwidth-more-mobile-apps" href="https://exit.sc?url=http%3A%2F%2Fhotelnewsnow.com%2FArticles%2F71622%2F2017-tech-trends-Faster-bandwidth-more-mobile-apps" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">hotelnewsnow.com/Articles/71622/2…more-mobile-apps</a>
YouTube is now a Social Network 
<a title="https://techcrunch.com/2016/09/13/youtube-gets-its-own-social-network-with-the-launch-of-youtube-community/" href="https://exit.sc?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftechcrunch.com%2F2016%2F09%2F13%2Fyoutube-gets-its-own-social-network-with-the-launch-of-youtube-community%2F" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">techcrunch.com/2016/09/13/youtub…outube-community/</a>
Twitter Adds Customer Service Hours 
<a title="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/twitter-customer-service-features/173889/?ver=173889X3" href="https://exit.sc?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.searchenginejournal.com%2Ftwitter-customer-service-features%2F173889%2F%3Fver%3D173889X3" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">www.searchenginejournal.com/twitter-cus…er=173889X3</a>
========================
Show Notes:
Check out the original blog post: 
We Tried Every Travel App Out There So You Don’t Have To 
<a title="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/travel-booking-app-comparison-review-guide/" href="https://exit.sc?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fueltravel.com%2Fblog%2Ftravel-booking-app-comparison-review-guide%2F" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">www.fueltravel.com/blog/travel-boo…n-review-guide/</a>
========================
Download the Fuel Leisure Travel Study at www.fueltravel.com/study
========================
Follow Us on Twitter:
@_travelboom 
@stuartbutler 
@pdimaio 
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<div>
<hr />
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<div></div>
Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a>. Download our leisure travel study at <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/study/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.fueltravel.com/study/</a>.

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 23 – The Best and Worst Travel Industry Mobile Apps

Paying attention to your data is critical if you want to be a successful hotel marketer. The challenge is knowing which metrics to pay attention to and which ones are vanity metrics that can lead you to the wrong conclusion. In this episode, we look at 10 of the most important metrics and why they are important.
The inspiration for this podcast came from this awesome blog written by our resident analytics guru, Melissa Kavanagh. Read the full blog here: 
<a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/10-hotel-marketing-metrics-matter/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/10-hotel-marketing-metrics-matter/</a>
If you like what you hear, please leave a comment below, share it with your friends, and also leave a review.
========================
In The News: 
Business Travel App Stats (via @Tnooz)
<a href="https://www.tnooz.com/article/business-travellers-on-apps-and-other-hotel-technology/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.tnooz.com/article/business-travellers-on-apps-and-other-hotel-technology/</a>
Hilton Is Full Of Fun 
<a href="http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/software-technology/23565.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/software-technology/23565.html</a>
TripAdvisor revamps homepage with activity focus alongside hotels 
<a href="http://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Technology/TripAdvisor-redesigns-website-to-induce-more-tour-bookings" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Technology/TripAdvisor-redesigns-website-to-induce-more-tour-bookings</a>
========================
Related articles:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/deconstructing-the-hotel-conversion-funnel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/deconstructing-the-hotel-conversion-funnel/</a></li>
<li><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-7-how-to-get-more-hotel-bookings-and-influence-people/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-7-how-to-get-more-hotel-bookings-and-influence-people/</a></li>
</ul>
========================
Download the Fuel Leisure Travel Study at www.fueltravel.com/study
========================
Follow Us on Twitter:
@_travelboom 
@stuartbutler 
@pdimaio 
@makavanagh
<div>
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<div></div>
Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a>. Download our leisure travel study at <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/study/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.fueltravel.com/study/</a>.

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 22 – Hotel Marketing Metrics That Actually Matter

The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) is one of the industry&#8217;s leading advocates for intelligent, sustainable hotel revenue growth. The association provides hotel professionals &amp; their partners with tools, insights, and expertise to fuel sales, inspire marketing, and optimize revenue. One of their recent articles, entitled 8 Essentials Every GM Needs to Know About Digital Marketing Today, caught our eye and that is the subject of episode 21 of the Fuel Hotel Marketing podcast.
Here’s the original article from HSMAI: 8 Essentials Every GM Needs to Know About Digital Marketing Today 
<a href="http://www.hsmai.org/knowledge/article.cfm?ItemNumber=27890&amp;RDtoken=17453&amp;userID=4854" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.hsmai.org/knowledge/article.cfm?ItemNumber=27890&amp;RDtoken=17453&amp;userID=4854</a>
If you like what you hear, please leave a comment below, share it with your friends, and also leave a review.
========================
Show Notes:
HSMAI’s Digital Marketing Council, which consists of a wide range of hotel marketing experts, recently discussed the question of, “What are the digital developments that every GM needs to have at least a basic understanding of?” From the very basic to the more advanced, here are their top 8 recommendations:
<ol>
<li>First and foremost, understand your own hotel’s digital landscape. Through which channels (brand.com, OTAs, meta, etc.) does what percentage of your business come? For those largest pieces of the pie, focus your attention on understanding what is driving them, and the digital trends and developments happening there.Fuel’s Comments: Far too many hoteliers don’t have a firm grasp on where their revenue is coming from. This often results in the lazy practice of relying too heavily on high-cost channels such as OTAs and Groupon. Because a hotelier can get a ‘quick fix’ and bump occupancy through these channels, they don’t stop to consider the long-term damage they are doing to their guest history and their profitability. By carefully monitoring and managing each channel, a savvy hotelier can use these third-party channels to drive new business and simultaneously create a marketing strategy that encourages repeat business and loyalty. 
 
Related: <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/travel-trends-for-2016-disruption-in-the-ota-space/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Travel Trends For 2016: Disruption In The OTA Space</a></li>
<li>Understand the digital marketing funnel, and the difference in ROI between efforts directed at filling the top of that funnel and pulling business though the bottom of it. 
 Fuel’s Comments: The easy way to look at your data is through ‘last click analytics’ &#8211; meaning that you give 100% attribution of your sales to the last channel from which the consumer arrived at your hotel website. The danger here is that it creates a heavy bias towards channels that are lower down the funnel (Review sites, brand searches, etc.) and devalues the contribution made by channels that are higher in the funnel (CVB/Portal sites, broad keywords within adWords, etc.). This approach also ignores the indirect impact that may have been gained from non-direct exposure (social media, display advertising, etc.). Hotels should understand their multi-touchpoint data and should develop an attribution model that is fair and allows them to compare apples-to-apples.Related: <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/deconstructing-the-hotel-conversion-funnel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Deconstructing the Hotel Conversion Funnel 
</a></li>
<li>Pay attention to the impact of the guest experience, reputation management, and social media on your hotel’s digital outreach and pricing power. 
Fuel’s Comments: This one should be a no-brainer. Over 35% of travellers surveyed by Fuel in our 2016 Leisure Travel Study indicated that they looked at a property’s Facebook page prior to making a booking. Over 85% said that they would not make a reservation without first reading reviews on the property. Online reputation is directly related to you ability to drive new guests and the experience itself is the #1 driver for repeat business.Related: <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/2016-fuel-travel-study/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">2016 Travel Insights: What Smart Hotels Need To Know 
</a></li>
<li>Especially if you are part of a brand and/or management company, be very clear on the company’s overall strategy when it comes to natural search, websites, and more. Understand the tools and resources already available to your property from the brand and the management company. And for goodness sake, don’t sign up for extra products, services, or channels without understanding what the umbrella company is doing. 
Fuel’s Comments: Alignment of strategy throughout the entire organization is critical to success. Tapping into the knowledge and the tools that others have already developed or purchased makes your life easier and your marketing more efficient. There’s no use reinventing the wheel if you don’t have to. The best marketers are those who understand that marketing is not performed on an island. Collaborating and sharing knowledge often births new ideas and new opportunities.</li>
<li>Realize how ads work on Google (and other places). When you’re online, don’t click the ad result for your property because you’re burning up your own marketing budget! 
Fuel’s Comments: Paid advertising can be one of the largest marketing expenses for any hotel. The old adage that 50% of your advertising works, you just don’t know which 50% is no longer acceptable. Whether you use Google Analytics, or a premium tool such as Adobe Analytics, you should be tracking and measuring every single penny you spend on advertising and comparing the ROI from every channel. One of the biggest and most costly mistakes is to continue remarking to a guest AFTER they have booked. This can be significantly reduced by adding a success event to your booking engine’s confirmation page.Related: <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fast-easy-mobile-ppc-tips-hotels/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Fast &amp; Easy Mobile PPC Tips For Hotels</a></li>
<li>Know what is happening in the world of search (including what Meta is, and its real value in the scheme of things). This is one of the biggest areas you’re likely spending on, so make sure you have a sense of what is happening here, and what your investments in this area do for you. 
Fuel’s Comments: This is very similar to #5. It all comes down to tracking and paying attention to the data. You want your property’s website to have as much exposure as possible but only if it’s profitable. In many cases on META searches and search engines, you are not competing against other hotels, you are competing against your other distribution channels (Expedia, Booking.com, etc). They key to success in META search is rate parity. Make sure that your direct booking rates are ALWAYS equal to or lower than they are on third-party channels. Also, make sure that your website does a good job of educating visitors on the value and importance of booking direct.Related: <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-16-definitive-hotel-page-seo-cheat-sheet/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Definitive Hotel On-Page SEO Cheat Sheet 
</a></li>
<li>Recognize the importance of imagery. This is another sizeable investment, so understand what the impact of it is. Think about how you shop. Would you ever buy anything from Amazon that doesn’t have a picture? How do online photos influence your own shopping behavior (when it comes to travel products and more)? 
Fuel’s Comments: In a recent Fuel survey, to be published next month, 90% of consumers indicated that quality photography was an important factor in their decision making process when booking a hotel room. That’s a higher percentage than said that reviews were important in our previous study! It’s quite simple, you hotel website is only as good as your photography. Invest in great photography and continue to do so every year.Related: <a title="Permalink to Hotel Photography: The Asset You Aren’t Assessing" href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/hotel-photography-the-asset-you-arent-assessing/" target="_blank" rel="bookmark noopener noreferrer">Hotel Photography: The Asset You Aren’t Assessing</a></li>
<li>For budgeting, look at the big picture and set larger goals for digital’s overall impact (occupancy, ADR, business mix, etc.) instead of trying to nit pick and measure ROI on every little thing that you do in the digital space. It’s just too complex. For example, social media really does not have a good direct ROI, but it is an absolutely essential part of a property’s overall marketing and operations strategy. 
Fuel’s Comments: When working on your budget, it’s always important to let the data make your decisions for you. Look at what’s working and what’s not working. Look at trends YoY and try to see patterns in terms of what tactics continue to improve over time vs. those that aren’t as profitable as they once were and shift your budget accordingly. Also, don’t budget in a vacuum. There’s a whole world out there of other properties who are trying to do the same thing you are and have already learned things that can benefit you. Find an agency that can help you or engage with other properties on social media and exchange information.</li>
</ol>
If you’re a digital marketer at a brand or management company, or on property, there are two simple things you can do to help your GMs stay up to date. Check them out in the original article: <a href="http://www.hsmai.org/knowledge/article.cfm?ItemNumber=27890&amp;RDtoken=17453&amp;userID=4854" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.hsmai.org/knowledge/article.cfm?ItemNumber=27890&amp;RDtoken=17453&amp;userID=4854</a>
========================
In the News
<h3>Hotel operator accuses Expedia of diverting customers with misleading ads in ‘brazen’ bait-and-switch 
<a href="http://www.geekwire.com/2016/hotel-operator-accuses-expedia-stealing-customers-misleading-ads-brazen-bait-switch/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.geekwire.com/2016/hotel-operator-accuses-expedia-stealing-customers-misleading-ads-brazen-bait-switch/</a></h3>
<h3>Hotelier Outrage Over ACCC Rate Parity Agreement With Booking.com and Expedia 
<a href="http://www.traveltrends.biz/ttn555-hotelier-outrage-over-accc-rate-parity-agreement-with-booking-com-and-expedia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.traveltrends.biz/ttn555-hotelier-outrage-over-accc-rate-parity-agreement-with-booking-com-and-expedia/</a></h3>
<h3>Facebook pressures advertisers to cut mobile page load speeds or it’ll cut their reach 
<a href="http://marketingland.com/facebook-pressures-advertisers-cut-mobile-page-load-speeds-itll-cut-reach-190045" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://marketingland.com/facebook-pressures-advertisers-cut-mobile-page-load-speeds-itll-cut-reach-190045</a></h3>
========================
Related Links:
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.hsmai.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">HSMAI</a></li>
</ul>
========================
Download the Fuel Leisure Trravel Study at www.fueltravel.com/study
========================
Follow Us on Twitter:
@_travelboom 
@stuartbutler 
@pdimaio 
@pforiska
<div>
<hr />
</div>
<div></div>
Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a>. Download our leisure travel study at <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/study/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.fueltravel.com/study/</a>.

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 21 – What Every Hotel Needs to Know About Digital Marketing in 2016 (Courtesy of HSMAI)

Chances are, if you have a product or service to sell, you are producing content in some form or fashion. From text, photos and videos to interactive widgets and downloads, the Internet is essentially a great big web of content. In order for customers to learn about your hotels you need content that provides them with helpful information that answers their questions and that persuades them to part with their hard earned money in exchange for a trip to your property.
In this episode of the Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast, we look at content in its many forms and discuss techniques that hoteliers can implement to ensure that they are beating their competition in the battle for content supremacy.
If you like what you hear, please leave a comment below, share it with your friends, and also leave a review.
========================
Show Notes:
What Is Content?
<ul>
<li>The entire web is nothing but content</li>
<li>Simply… content marketing is building up an information base to support your product or service</li>
<li>Once created… tell everyone</li>
</ul>
Why Does Content Matter?
If everything on the web is content&#8230;
<ul>
<li>Search engines ONLY index content</li>
<li>People ONLY link to content on social networks</li>
<li>Video is the ONLY content on YouTube</li>
<li>ONLY content will persuade someone to stay at your property</li>
<li>If you are not producing content, ONLY you will know about your company</li>
</ul>
IF YOUR CONTENT IS NOT GOOD, YOUR MARKETING IS NOT GOOD.
How Do I Know If I Am Producing Bad Content?
<ul>
<li>Don’t phone it in&#8230; Deliver</li>
<li>Will your audience feel the click was worth it?</li>
<li>Did you go above and beyond to answer a question?</li>
<li>Are you genuinely proud of what you did?</li>
<li>Will people who don’t know you want to share your content? (This is when it “goes viral”)</li>
</ul>
The Goal is to make 10x Content
Make your content 10 Times more valuable than the next best thing.
Build content that competitors could never duplicate.
Don’t just answer a question or  provide information, take the guest to the next step of their journey.
Provide Enlightenment by giving them information that they didn’t have before or helping the see things from a different perspective.
The term 10x Content was coined by Rand Fishkin, co-founder of MOZ.com
<a href="http://www.moz.com/blog/why-good-unique-content-needs-to-die-whiteboard-friday" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.moz.com/blog/why-good-unique-content-needs-to-die-whiteboard-friday</a>
How Can You Produce Great Content?
Just start with these simple steps.
<ol>
<li>Make a list</li>
<li>Calendar &amp; Responsibility</li>
<li>Produce</li>
<li>Publish</li>
<li>Promote (Repeatedly)</li>
<li>Analyze</li>
<li>Repeat Steps 1 -6</li>
</ol>
10 Content Mediums To Consider
Content extends way beyond the written word and different types of content can appeal to different audiences.
The Basics: Pebbles
<ul>
<li>Site content &#8211; amenities, room descriptions, FAQs etc</li>
<li>Blogs and articles &#8211;  nearby attractions, things to do, differentiators, top 5 lists, etc.</li>
<li>Video &#8211; standalone or supporting other content</li>
<li>Photos &#8211; 90% of people said that quality of photography was an important factor when selecting a hotel in a recent Fuel study.</li>
<li>User Generated &#8211; show people the experience through the eyes of past guests</li>
</ul>
More Advanced: Big Rocks
<ul>
<li>Infographics</li>
<li>Whitepapers and downloads</li>
<li>Podcasts and audio</li>
<li>Tools</li>
<li>Presentations/How-Tos</li>
</ul>
Examples of Big Rock thinking:
<ul>
<li>The Standard Hotels Cultural blog &#8211; <a href="http://www.standardculture.com">www.standardculture.com</a></li>
<li>Ritz Carlton &#8211; The Art of the Craft Video Campaign lifts the veil and shows guests how the memories are made from the perspective of staff members.</li>
</ul>
Does Big Rock Content Make Sense for your hotel?
<ul>
<li>Leads to 10x content</li>
<li>Point of reference for all content</li>
<li>Creates opportunity for multiple pebbles</li>
<li>Makes you the authority on the subject and adds credibility</li>
<li>Brings the entire team together</li>
</ul>
Promoting Your Content
If content is produced and no one knows&#8230;
<ul>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul>
<li>Develop a plan to promote</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Remember, you are speaking to a parade, not a standing army. Promote often.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Automation is your friend</li>
</ul>
Organic tips &amp; tricks to reach your audience
<ul>
<li>Make your headlines pop (there’s a reason it’s called click bait)</li>
<li>Post and share often</li>
<li>Match the content with the medium to ensure the right target audience</li>
<li>Utilize your network and ask for shares</li>
<li>Interact with your network BEFORE you need their help</li>
<li>Follow the right people</li>
</ul>
Promoting Your Content
Paid exposure does work
<ul>
<li>Promoted Tweets</li>
<li>Boosted Facebook Posts</li>
<li>PPC programs via AdWords (Google)</li>
<li>Distribution Channels</li>
<li>Content Discovery Platforms &#8211; Yahoo Gemini, OutBrain, etc.</li>
</ul>
Tracking Your Content
Before you promote, track
<ul>
<li>Analytics such as Google Analytics, 
Adobe Analytics, Bit.ly, etc.</li>
<li>Platform analytics such as Twitter, 
Facebook, etc.</li>
<li>Use your analytics to determine 
future content</li>
<li>Don’t forget your ultimate goal is heads in beds, not traffic.</li>
</ul>
Next steps for your hotel&#8230;
A content marketing starters guide
<ul>
<li>Make a list of your FAQs</li>
<li>Answer at least ONE question on your site</li>
<li>Post to Twitter, Facebook, Linked In, Instagram, etc</li>
<li>Brainstorm some Big Rocks</li>
<li>Create a calendar, hold everyone accountable, and start</li>
</ul>
Biggest Reason for Failure: YOUR INNER CRITIC!!!
Just Do It. Start small and build on your successes.
========================
In the News
Aloft hotels debut voice-activated rooms
<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/roadwarriorvoices/2016/08/24/aloft-hotels-debut-voice-activated-rooms/89218504/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/roadwarriorvoices/2016/08/24/aloft-hotels-debut-voice-activated-rooms/89218504/</a>
Hotel Guests Engaged During Stay 40% More Likely to Come Back
<a href="http://www.hotel-online.com/press_releases/release/hotel-guests-engaged-during-stay-40-more-likely-to-come-back#When:10:02:09Z" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.hotel-online.com/press_releases/release/hotel-guests-engaged-during-stay-40-more-likely-to-come-back#When:10:02:09Z</a>
In a first, Expedia promotes a hotel’s loyalty rates and rewards program
<a href="https://www.tnooz.com/article/expedia-hotels-loyalty-rates/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.tnooz.com/article/expedia-hotels-loyalty-rates/</a>
Google drops “mobile-friendly” label from SERP
<a href="http://searchengineland.com/google-drops-mobile-friendly-label-keeps-mobile-friendly-ranking-algorithm-257245" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://searchengineland.com/google-drops-mobile-friendly-label-keeps-mobile-friendly-ranking-algorithm-257245</a>
Google’s new penalty on pop-ups
<a href="http://searchengineland.com/interstitialgeddon-google-warns-will-crack-intrusive-interstitials-next-january-257252" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://searchengineland.com/interstitialgeddon-google-warns-will-crack-intrusive-interstitials-next-january-257252</a>
========================
Related Links:
<ul>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul>
<li>Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 10 – Should My Hotel Have a Blog? <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-10-hotel-blog/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-10-hotel-blog/</a></li>
<li>How To Create Kickass Content For Your Hotel Website <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/create-kickass-website-content/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/create-kickass-website-content/</a></li>
<li>Download the Fuel Leisure Trravel Study at <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/study" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.fueltravel.com/study</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
========================
Download the Fuel Leisure Trravel Study at www.fueltravel.com/study
========================
Follow Us on Twitter:
@_travelboom 
@stuartbutler 
@pdimaio
<div>
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</div>
<div></div>
Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a>. Download our leisure travel study at <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/study/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.fueltravel.com/study/</a>.

Hotel Marketing Podcast

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 31 – Build Links Like A Boss: The Hotelier’s Simple Guide To Link Building

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 30 – Is Your Hotel Making These Top 10 Website Mistakes?

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 29 – Travel Digital Marketing Summit Recap

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 28 – Is Your Hotel Taking Advantage of Cyber Monday?

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 27 – Airb-N-Bust? What Hotels Can Learn From The World’s Biggest Travel Disruptor

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 26 – Converting After The Conversion: Making Your Thank You Pages Work

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 25 – How To Make Amazing Video Content

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 24 – Google Changes Your Hotel Needs to Know

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 23 – The Best and Worst Travel Industry Mobile Apps

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 22 – Hotel Marketing Metrics That Actually Matter

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 21 – What Every Hotel Needs to Know About Digital Marketing in 2016 (Courtesy of HSMAI)

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 20 – How to Easily Create Amazing Content

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