
<p>Today we’re digging into what is on a lot of hoteliers&#8217; minds, 2022 and the big projects you’re planning for in the upcoming year.&nbsp; One of those bigger capital expenses many are planning on is a new website.&nbsp; Well, if that’s you, you’ve brought your ears to the right place since we’re going to be discussing how to choose the right CMS for your hotel website.&nbsp; As we discuss this today, you can follow along on our corresponding article at <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/choosing-a-cms-for-your-hotel-website/">admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/choosing-a-cms-for-your-hotel-website/</a>&nbsp;</p>



<p>Before we begin to recommend any hotel website CMS it’s important to look at what your needs actually are.&nbsp; Are you building a complex website for a large resort with amenities, dining, entertainment and more?&nbsp; Or are you building a site for a smaller boutique inn?&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>Once you have determined your use case and needs, we need to talk about budgets.&nbsp; While we all like to think we can get the moon on a stick (that’s for you Stuart) you will want to consider what goes into the site you need.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>Now, let’s look at the three main sites/platforms independent hoteliers use for their hotel site’s CMS.</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>WordPress</li><li>SquareSpace</li><li>Wix</li></ul>



<p>========================</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>60 Seconds To Success:</strong></h3>



<p>To make the most out of your hotel’s paid advertising budget, you need to be as refined as possible when it comes to targeting. Not all hotels have tens of thousands of dollars to spend each month to reach new guests at the top of the funnel and reel them into their mouse trap. Some only have a few hundred dollars to spend max. For those hotels, we recommend looking at a few factors to only run ads at the right time to the right prospect. The right time could be your top converting day of the week, hour of day or a combination of both. The right prospect may include people who live in certain areas, who fall into certain behavioral audiences, who fall into certain income levels etc. Layer targeting allows you to make the most out of a very small advertising budget.<strong> </strong></p>



<p>========================</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Newsaroos:</strong></h3>



<p><strong>Travel Deal Tuesday?</strong> Does this really need to be a thing?<a href="https://www.traveldealtuesday.com/">https://www.traveldealtuesday.com/</a> </p>



<p></p>



<p><meta charset="utf-8">========================</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Stat of the Week:</strong></h3>



<p><strong>Stat of the Week:</strong></p>



<p>Check back for new and exciting stats that will shock the hotel world!</p>



<p>========================</p>



<p>Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/_travelboom" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@_travelboom</a> or info@travelboommarketing.com.</p>



<p><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/downloads/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IN ADDITION TO THE PODCAST WE HAVE A STACK OF WHITEPAPERS AND STUDIES YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE</a></p>


Hotel Marketing Podcast Episode 206 – Which CMS Is Right For Your Hotel Website?


<p>For decades retailers have relied on a massive sale at the end of the year to push their profitability into the black, hence the term Black Friday.&nbsp; What retailers have known for years has been slow to be adopted by hoteliers. Even now, far too many hotels and resorts are not participating in the annual shopping spree.&nbsp; Millions in bookings are lost every year and the sooner hoteliers jump on the bandwagon the sooner revenue projections and rate yielding for next year can take place.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What is OTT Advertising?</h2>



<p>OTT stands for “over-the-top” and is essentially television commercials served specifically through streaming services on connected devices. It’s called over-the-top because of advertiser’s ability to go over-the-top of the traditional gatekeepers of this medium which have historically been cable TV providers.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Where do OTT Ads Run?</h2>



<p>These ads run on streaming services such as Hulu, Roku, Pluto.tv, Sling, Tubi, Vimeo, Vevo as well as channel specific apps like ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX &amp; many, many more outlets. This apps can run on personal computers, mobile devices, smart TVs, streaming devices like Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV as well as apps on gaming consoles.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Who Would Even See These Ads</h2>



<p>The number of people who currently subscribe to streaming services continues to grow. If you use any of these streaming services, you have almost definitely been exposed to OTT ads. According to a <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/742452/media-streaming-services-penetration-rate-age/">Statista survey held in May 2020</a>, 70% of people aged 18-34 subscribe to a streaming service. While this number drops to 49% for those aged 65+, it is still a significant percentage of the population who could be exposed to this type of advertising.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The biggest and best difference between OTT and traditional TV commercials is the targeting aspect that OTT provides. Consider all of the targeting options you have available to you through other digital media like geographic targeting, demographic targeting, interest based targeting, life event targeting, etc. This is all available to you through OTT and it is what makes this medium so appealing to advertisers who wouldn’t dream of wasting marketing dollars on traditional television commercials through cable providers.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Does OTT Advertising Make Sense For Hotels?</h2>



<p>As with anything, our answer is “it depends.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>It depends on your current marketing budget. Do you have additional marketing dollars set aside to try new things, or is your marketing budget so tight that you need to focus only on the tried and true, high ROAS platforms.&nbsp;</p>



<p>It depends on your hotel’s need for demand generation and brand awareness. For example, a new hotel that needs to generate awareness within its area’s top feeder markets would be a perfect candidate for OTT. On the other hand, you may be a well-established, well-known hotel but you want to promote some new feature or amenity you have on property or the fact that you are a title sponsor of an upcoming event.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>It depends on your property’s ability to provide a unique differentiator that would resonate and entice a particular target audience to book a stay based on your video ad. Essentially, do you offer something worthy of this type of advertising campaign?</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Examples of Viable OTT Campaigns For Hotels.</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Your hotel offers a unique wedding venue and you have created a special wedding package. You could target a defined geographic area around your hotel and layer that targeting with users labeled as recently engaged, and/or users who have visited your weddings page of your website.&nbsp;<ul><li>You could also use the “recently engaged” audience to promote a specific honeymoon package that your hotel offers.&nbsp;</li></ul></li><li>Your hotel offers a unique kid-friendly experience such as a waterpark, on-site arcade, themed suites, etc. You could then target specific known feeder markets for your hotel layered with an audience of Parents with children aged 6-12 with a special weekend getaway package.&nbsp;</li><li>Your hotel is in close proximity to a local ski resort. You could layer geo-targeting for your top feeder markets with an audience of Winter Sports/Skiing enthusiasts with a special package that features accommodations and discounted lift tickets &amp; free shuttle service.&nbsp;</li><li>You have an annual music festival that brings thousands of people to your area. Your hotel could partner with the event promoters to package accommodations with discounted tickets to the festival. You would then create an audience segment of previous guests who have stayed at your hotel for the festival and show them an ad to take advantage of your exclusive package.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<p>These are just a few examples of viable OTT tests, but there are certainly many others that may make sense for your offering. The point is that you need to create something that is going to be enticing and memorable enough for people to see the ad on their television, then want to visit your site to take advantage of your offer. You also need to be as refined as possible with your targeting so you know your ads are only reaching people with a high probability of taking advantage of your offer.&nbsp;</p>



<p>========================</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>60 Seconds To Success</strong></h3>



<p>Dedicate time to review your reviews. This goes for anyone working in the hotel industry. From marketers, to GMs, to front desk &amp; operations. Everyone needs to know what people are saying about their experience on property. It is great to see the praise of the 5 star reviews and also get a reality check from the honest 1 &amp; 2 star reviews.&nbsp;</p>



<p>When an employee is mentioned in a good review, it should be acknowledged. The feedback from a positive review can also help the marketing team identify &amp; promote differentiators they may not know exist.&nbsp;</p>



<p>It&#8217;s also important to read the honest negative reviews and acknowledge what issues need to be addressed from cleanliness to staff interactions.&nbsp;</p>



<p>You should also repeat this process for your competitor hotels and see if there are things that people appreciate about them that you could also capitalize on.&nbsp;</p>



<p>We know that the vast majority of guests read reviews before booking so leaning into the things that generate positive reviews and fixing the things that cause negative reviews will almost certainly increase occupancy.</p>



<p>========================</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Newsaroos:</strong></h3>



<p><strong>Choice Hotels Hopes to Finish Out Year Ahead of 2019 Levels</strong></p>



<p><a href="https://skift.com/2021/11/04/choice-hotels-hopes-to-finish-out-year-ahead-of-2019-levels/">https://skift.com/2021/11/04/choice-hotels-hopes-to-finish-out-year-ahead-of-2019-levels/</a></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>$117 million third quarter profit</li><li>RevPAR in the U.S. was 11.4 percent higher in Q3 v/s 2019 (aka: Pre COVID)</li></ul>



<p><meta charset="utf-8">========================</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Stat of the Week:</strong></h3>



<p><strong>Stat of the Week:</strong></p>



<p>Check back for new and exciting stats that will shock the hotel world!</p>



<p>========================</p>



<p>Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/_travelboom" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@_travelboom</a> or info@travelboommarketing.com.</p>



<p><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/downloads/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IN ADDITION TO THE PODCAST WE HAVE A STACK OF WHITEPAPERS AND STUDIES YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE</a></p>


Hotel Marketing Podcast Episode 205 – Does OTT Advertising Make Sense For Hotels?


<p>For decades retailers have relied on a massive sale at the end of the year to push their profitability into the black, hence the term Black Friday.&nbsp; What retailers have known for years has been slow to be adopted by hoteliers. Even now, far too many hotels and resorts are not participating in the annual shopping spree.&nbsp; Millions in bookings are lost every year and the sooner hoteliers jump on the bandwagon the sooner revenue projections and rate yielding for next year can take place.</p>



<p>On today&#8217;s episode, we are going to review the article, &#8220;<strong><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/the-definitive-guide-to-black-friday-for-hoteliers/">The Definitive Guide To Black Friday For Hoteliers</a></strong>&#8221; and focus on the specific way hotels and resorts of all sizes can take advantage of the shopping momentum effect of Black Friday to drive bookings and set the stage for an aggressive rate management strategy in 2022.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Black Friday Best Practices Cheat Sheet</h3>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Plan Ahead</li><li>Include Revenue Management Early</li><li>Create The Best Deal</li><li>Give Your Guest History The Best Deal</li><li>Invest In Creative</li><li>Countdown Timers Work</li><li>Align Your Paid Tactics</li><li>Alert Your Technology Providers</li><li>Alert Your Staff</li><li>Plan For An AAR</li><li>Schedule Next Year’s Kick off</li></ul>



<p>========================</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>60 Seconds To Success</strong></h3>



<p>Everyone’s days are very busy, and spending 30 minutes or an hour listening to a sales pitch for a new product or service can seem like a colossal waste of time.&nbsp; However, keep an open mind and allocate an hour or two per month to understand what new products and technologies are out there for hoteliers.&nbsp; You may not, and probably won’t, purchase but what you will do is break away from your day-to-day mindset.&nbsp; This can help you find new ways to use your existing technology, things you may want to implement on your own, or something you may want to budget for in the future.&nbsp; Every new piece of technology we use starts as a pitch somewhere, we suggest you be on the lookout to take advantage of the next one… before your competitors.</p>



<p>========================</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Newsaroos:</strong></h3>



<p><strong>Facebook’s New Name is Meta:</strong> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/28/22745234/facebook-new-name-meta-metaverse-zuckerberg-rebrand">https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/28/22745234/facebook-new-name-meta-metaverse-zuckerberg-rebrand</a></p>



<p><meta charset="utf-8">========================</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Stat of the Week:</strong></h3>



<p><strong>Stat of the Week:</strong></p>



<p>Black Friday online spending totals for this year (2021) is expected to exceed 17 billion dollars, a 20% increase over 2020 (source: <a href="https://blackfriday.com/news/black-friday-predictions">https://blackfriday.com/news/black-friday-predictions</a>)&nbsp;</p>



<p>========================</p>



<p>Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/_travelboom" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@_travelboom</a> or info@travelboommarketing.com.</p>



<p><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/downloads/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IN ADDITION TO THE PODCAST WE HAVE A STACK OF WHITEPAPERS AND STUDIES YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE</a></p>


Hotel Marketing Podcast Episode 204 – A Hotelier’s Guide to Black Friday


<p>You may have the world’s smallest hotel, like the <a href="https://www.ehehaeusl.de/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eh’Haeusl</a> in Amberg Germany with just one room 8’ wide.&nbsp; Or you may have the world’s largest hotel, like the 7,351 room <a href="https://www.rwgenting.com/Hotels/First_World_Hotel/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">First World Hotel &amp; Plaza</a> in Malaysia.&nbsp; Even if you work at one of the other 700,000 hotels worldwide, you all have a similar problem.&nbsp; How can you create compelling content that will inspire your potential guests to make a booking?</p>



<p>Today on Episode 203 of the Hotel Marketing Podcast we are going to dive into the 10 steps any hotelier use to create kickass content for their website. We will also cover the ways to ensure this content rank as highly as possible in the SERP.&nbsp; You can enjoy the full-length article at <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/create-kickass-website-content/">https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/create-kickass-website-content/</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>To summarize, we’ll cover how to plan your calendar, target your content, and execute your strategy.&nbsp; Now let’s dive into the 10 steps to creating kickass hotel content.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">#1: Define Your Topic.</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>The blog on your hotel website should contain a variety of topics.&nbsp;</li><li>Of course, write articles featuring your on-site restaurant or the recent renovations made to your pool area.&nbsp;</li><li>Self-promoting topics are important, but you also have to think outside the box. Tangential content about your area can help people find you when they are interested in your area but may not be familiar with your hotel.&nbsp;<ul><li>Think of your blog as a digital concierge.&nbsp;</li></ul></li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">#2: Who Is Your Target Audience?</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Before we get further into the content creation process, let’s remember to whom we are writing this blog article.&nbsp;</li><li>The overall goal is to create an amazing user experience that turns page visitors into hotel guests. But who is your typical hotel guest?&nbsp;</li><li>Your target audience may change by topic as well. Those who find and read your article about local nightclubs may not be the same crowd that’s finding your article about local museums.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">#3: What Are My Target Keywords?</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Now it’s time to select your keyword(s).&nbsp;</li><li>Start by thinking of how someone would search for your topic when putting it into a search engine. It might be one word or a phrase or even a question.&nbsp;</li><li>To keep track of your main keyword and keyword variations you may want to include in your blog article, it is helpful to create a spreadsheet for your findings.</li><li>You’ll want to look at search volume and competition for all of your keyword variations</li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">#4: Who Are My Competitors?</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>The best way to be sure your content is better than that of your competitors is to read what your competitors have written.&nbsp;</li><li>Simply take your main keyword(s) and enter it into a search engine.</li><li>When you see which sites are ranking, you then need to figure out how you can make your content more appealing and more informative or provide something that the others aren’t (like videos, images or maps).&nbsp;</li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">#5: Get To Work Creating Something Great.</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>It’s time to write! Before you get overwhelmed with a blank page, try creating an outline of your article.&nbsp;</li><li>Make a list of the main points you want to discuss and any specifics within those. Then make note of how you want to introduce your article and how best to conclude your thoughts.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">#6: Don’t Forget Your Optimization Best Practices.</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Now is the time to add headers to your text. This is not only helpful for users to make the content easier to read but also important for optimization.&nbsp;</li><li>Google pays attention to the headers on your page and it is a factor when determining your page’s ranking.&nbsp;</li><li>Your new post will likely reference something you have written about before. Create internal links within these references. Also, make sure your posts link to page you know do a great job of sending users further down the conversion funnel.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">#7: Go The Extra Mile with FAQs.</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Continue thinking about the big picture by adding elements to your article that will be helpful from an SEO standpoint.&nbsp;</li><li>Remember the questions you saw in the search results under “People Also Ask”? You can add FAQ schema to your webpage with these questions and their answers.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">#8: The Devil Is In The Details, The Technical Details.</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Once your article is complete, edits have been made and the extras have been added, it’s time to post.&nbsp;</li><li>When adding your new blog article to your website, don’t forget the technical details that are very important from an SEO perspective.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">#9: Submit Your Content To Search Engines.</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>You want to be sure that Google knows you have created new content as quickly as possible. Within Google Search Console, which is a free tool, there is a tab titled URL Inspection.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">#10: Promote, Promote, Promote&#8230;</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Finally, anytime you create new blog content on your website, you should share it with your “Followers.” Whatever social media networks you are on, be sure to create a post inviting your followers to read and share your new article.&nbsp;</li><li>You may also want to send it in prearrival emails or newsletters.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<p>Keep in mind, while you may be working on creating kickass content, the reality is that is just a means to an end.&nbsp; Your true goal is to put heads in beds.&nbsp; This means you should never forget the conversion funnel, specifically how you plan to move a reader from the piece of content to the booking process. While not taking away from the value of the content you have created, look for natural ways to put your brand, amenities, or specials into the article.&nbsp;</p>



<p>========================</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>60 Seconds To Success</strong></h3>



<p>Running a Flash Sale or Limited Time Offer? Be sure to use countdown timers on your website and within your ad copy. When someone sees “Only 2 Days Left To Save 45%” in your ad copy and they click on your ad and see another timer ticking away it creates a sense of urgency and FOMO. We have seen this work wonders and tends to generate high CTR from ads and high CR for not only those who have seen the ad but all website visitors who see the countdown. If you have a Cyber Monday sale coming up, be sure to test this tactic for yourself.&nbsp;</p>



<p>========================</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Newsaroos:</strong></h3>



<p><strong>Hotels Can Afford To Be Greedy</strong></p>



<p><a href="https://www.phocuswire.com/Hotels-afford-to-be-greedy-2021-final-quarter" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.phocuswire.com/Hotels-afford-to-be-greedy-2021-final-quarter</a></p>



<p><strong>International Travel To Resume To The United States In November</strong></p>



<p><a href="https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-news/us-to-lift-border-restrictions-canada-mexico?did=684564-20211013&amp;utm_campaign=just-in_newsletter&amp;utm_source=travelandleisure.com&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=101321&amp;cid=684564&amp;mid=69315670004" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-news/us-to-lift-border-restrictions-canada-mexico?did=684564-20211013&amp;utm_campaign=just-in_newsletter&amp;utm_source=travelandleisure.com&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=101321&amp;cid=684564&amp;mid=69315670004</a> </p>



<p><meta charset="utf-8">========================</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Stat of the Week:</strong></h3>



<p>No stats this week, check back next episode!</p>



<p>========================</p>



<p>Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/_travelboom" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@_travelboom</a> or info@travelboommarketing.com.</p>



<p><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/downloads/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IN ADDITION TO THE PODCAST WE HAVE A STACK OF WHITEPAPERS AND STUDIES YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE</a></p>


Hotel Marketing Podcast Episode 203 – How You Can Create Kickass Content For Your Hotel’s Website


<p>In today&#8217;s episode of the Hotel Marketing Podcast, we welcome special guest Bruce Jordan of <a href="https://hotelguestmanagement.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hotel Guest Management</a> and &#8220;<a href="https://hotelyoutube.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hotel Management Do&#8217;s and Don&#8217;ts</a>&#8221; on YouTube.</p>



<p>Listen to the full podcast for details on how you can help break down your property&#8217;s marketing/operations silos and help everyone work together more effectively.</p>



<ol class="wp-block-list"><li>Great Communication with Revenue Management</li><li>Great Communication with Sales Team</li><li>Employee Testimonials</li><li>Corporate Testimonials</li><li>Leverage your Relationship with 3rd Party Vendors</li></ol>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Connect with Bruce Jordan:</h3>



<p><strong>Youtube:</strong> <a href="http://hotelyoutube.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hotelyoutube.com</a>&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>LinkedIn: </strong><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/bestofbrucejordan/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/bestofbrucejordan/</a>&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>Facebook: </strong><a href="https://facebook.com/txtguest" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@txtguest</a></p>



<p><strong>Instagram: </strong><a href="https://instagram.com/txtguest" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@txtguest</a></p>



<p><strong>Website: </strong><a href="http://hotelguestmanagement.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hotelguestmanagement.com</a></p>



<p>========================</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>60 Seconds To Success</strong></h3>



<p>Fully explore what your PMS and booking engine can do to improve your conversion rate and average order value.&nbsp; A good example is using the proper urgency messages that may (and should) be built into the shopping process.&nbsp; If a room is popular or is in limited inventory, it should be highlighted with a message to drive a potential guest to book right away.&nbsp; Another example would be hoteliers who think of additional services/add-ons as an afterthought.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>I’d also love to talk about accessing the “second wallet” and upgrading rooms between booking and stay, but that would be getting beyond my 60-second window.</p>



<p>========================</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Newsaroos:</strong></h3>



<p><strong>Is Daily Housekeeping A Thing Of The Past?</strong></p>



<p><a href="https://www.htrends.com/trends-detail-sid-117404.html">https://www.htrends.com/trends-detail-sid-117404.html</a></p>



<p><meta charset="utf-8">========================</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Stat of the Week:</strong></h3>



<p>According to <a href="https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/consumer-insights/consumer-trends/holiday-travel-insights/">Google’s Holiday Travel Insights</a>: “On average, 45% of travelers said they planned to travel within their own countries in the early fall, and 8% planned to travel internationally. When it comes to holiday travel, 30% to 40% will plan trips a month or more in advance, while the majority will make plans less than a month ahead of time.”</p>



<p>========================</p>



<p>Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/_travelboom" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@_travelboom</a> or info@travelboommarketing.com.</p>



<p><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/downloads/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IN ADDITION TO THE PODCAST WE HAVE A STACK OF WHITEPAPERS AND STUDIES YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE</a></p>


Hotel Marketing Podcast Episode 202 – Top 5 Hotel Operations Efforts That Support Marketing With Bruce Jordan


<p>In today&#8217;s episode the TravelBoom team is going to dive into the 13th and 14th editions of the Covid-19 Traveler Sentiment Studies and discuss the key takeaways that will impact hoteliers as we close out 2021 and look toward 2022.</p>



<p>Listen to the full podcast for details and you&#8217;ll learn:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>It&#8217;s all age based: </strong>Those under 40 are pretty relaxed about covid, 40 &#8211; 55 are a little bit more concerned, 55 plus are highly concerned.</li><li><strong>48% of respondents are changing their travel plans:</strong> Nearly 1/2 of travelers surveyed said they are either hesitant to travel or are not going to travel at all.</li><li><strong>52% are planning more travel in 2022:</strong> 52% are going to take more trips than 2021 and 40% will take the same number of trips, that means 92% plan on traveling! If this holds to be true, we are going to have another fantastic year in the travel industry.</li><li><strong>Older travelers are very hesitant to travel: </strong>Traveler’s under 55 state the Delta variant has largely not impacted their travel behavior&nbsp; 62% plan on traveling as usual.&nbsp; However 56 and older (skewing 75 or older) are much more concerned and only 42% plan to travel as usual.</li><li><strong>International travel requires a different message:</strong> Canadians  have been largely locked out of the US for the past two years.  In fact, of those surveyed only 24% of Canadians said they have traveled in 2021, compared to 73% of their U.S. counterparts. </li><li><strong>Without fail, people are mainly concerned with a hotel&#8217;s cleanliness policies:</strong> When asked, &#8220;How would the following protocols increase your confidence in staying at a property?&#8221; the The #1 response was guests wanting a &#8220;A Deep Cleaning Between Guests.&#8221;  Furthermore the next question was, &#8220;The next time you travel, which of the following would you want the property to communicate to you prior to your stay?&#8221;  The top two answers were updated cleaning protocols at the property (#2), which just came in behind status of local mask requirements.</li></ul>



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<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>60 Seconds To Success</strong></h3>



<p>We all know how important links are to building authority for your hotel’s website. Link building is a very tedious and time consuming task with a whole lot of rejection, however, one easy way to get links is to leverage existing relationships.&nbsp;</p>



<p>First, identify your vendors, both operations vendors and Marketing/Tech vendors and find out if their websites use testimonials.&nbsp;</p>



<p>If they do, reach out to your vendor contacts and let them know you’re happy with their product or service and you would love to offer a testimonial. In your email, write a quick couple of kind &amp; truthful sentences about your relationship with that product or service and include a link to your website. In many cases they will copy &amp; paste this response into their existing testimonials on their website. Kindly ask that they make that link clickable and thank them again for what they do for your hotel.&nbsp;</p>



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<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Newsaroos:</strong></h3>



<p><strong>Get Your Google Eco-Friendly Flair&nbsp;</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li><a href="https://skift.com/2021/09/22/googles-new-climate-and-environment-push-wont-drop-rankings-for-hotels-opting-out/">https://skift.com/2021/09/22/googles-new-climate-and-environment-push-wont-drop-rankings-for-hotels-opting-out/</a>&nbsp;</li><li><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-09-22/google-search-adds-eco-certified-check-for-finding-sustainable-hotels">https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-09-22/google-search-adds-eco-certified-check-for-finding-sustainable-hotels</a></li></ul>



<p><meta charset="utf-8">========================</p>



<p>Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/_travelboom" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@_travelboom</a> or info@travelboommarketing.com.</p>



<p><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/downloads/">IN ADDITION TO THE PODCAST WE HAVE A BUNCH OF WHITEPAPERS AND STUDIES YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE</a></p>


Hotel Marketing Podcast Episode 201: Top 3 Takeaways From the Latest COVID Traveler Sentiment Study


<p>In today’s special 200th episode of the Hotel Marketing Podcast we welcome back both Stuart Butler and Melissa Kavanagh to the stage as we answer recent listener questions.&nbsp; Join us on a trip down memory lane as well as the expert opinions on the most pressing issues for today’s hoteliers.</p>



<p><strong>Question #1: </strong>How do I know if my marketing is really working? Is my hotel really improving or is everyone just improving?</p>



<p><strong>Question #2:</strong> How should properties structure their rate strategies going into 2022?&nbsp; It seems that demand is going to stabilize and rates will need to come down to a more “realistic” level.</p>



<p><strong>Question #3: </strong>What marketing tactic used to work before the pandemic, but is no longer effective. Conversely, what are things that wouldn’t have worked before the pandemic but are effective today.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>Question #4: </strong>I’m starting on my 2022 budget.&nbsp; What’s something I should consider for next year that’s new?</p>



<p><strong>Question #5:</strong> What’s your recommendation for keeping up with content and the need for a blog?&nbsp; I don’t have the time to commit to producing that much content.</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Suggested Reading: Jay Baer’s Youtility &#8211; <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Youtility-Smart-Marketing-about-Help/dp/1591846668">https://www.amazon.com/Youtility-Smart-Marketing-about-Help/dp/1591846668</a>&nbsp;</li></ul>



<p><strong>Question #6: </strong>My hotel is pretty far from the major attractions and city center compared to my competitors. Also, the city is small with only a handful of local events that drive people to my area each year. What can I do to entice visitors to stay with me rather than my competitors without reducing my rate significantly?</p>



<p>========================</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>60 Seconds To Success</strong></h3>



<p>Your site speed is everything and if you’re not paying attention you’re opening yourself up to your competitors and the OTAs. Google’s Page Experience is now fully rolled out and is now a major factor in determining where you rank on the SERP. This one is important and should not be left only to your technical team.&nbsp; Today, check out Google’s Lighthouse in your browser’s console or tools like <a href="https://tools.pingdom.com/">https://tools.pingdom.com/</a> to see how your site performs.&nbsp; If you don’t see green… well you won’t be seeing the “green.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>The results change as well, so set a reminder to check monthly to stay on top of your site’s performance.</p>



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<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Newsaroos:</strong></h3>



<p><strong>COVID Restrictions costing $198 Million Daily</strong></p>



<p><a href="https://www.travelpulse.com/news/impacting-travel/covid-related-travel-restrictions-costing-us-almost-198-million-daily.html">https://www.travelpulse.com/news/impacting-travel/covid-related-travel-restrictions-costing-us-almost-198-million-daily.html</a></p>



<p><strong>Google Sunsetting Expanded Text Ads </strong></p>



<p><a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-to-sunset-expanded-text-ads-etas-in-june-2022-374153">https://searchengineland.com/google-to-sunset-expanded-text-ads-etas-in-june-2022-374153</a>&nbsp;</p>



<p></p>



<p></p>



<p>========================</p>



<p>Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/_travelboom" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@_travelboom</a> or info@travelboommarketing.com.</p>



<p><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/downloads/">IN ADDITION TO THE PODCAST WE HAVE A BUNCH OF WHITEPAPERS AND STUDIES YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE</a></p>


Hotel Marketing Podcast Episode 200: Hospitality Questions Answered


<p>This episode of the Hotel Marketing Podcast covers the article at <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/your-emails-are-failing-your-hotel-guests-here-is-how-you-fix-it/">https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/your-emails-are-failing-your-hotel-guests-here-is-how-you-fix-it/</a>&nbsp;</p>



<p>Marketers are the worst when it comes to using an effective marketing tool in a smart way.&nbsp; And of all the tools at a marketers disposal, email is the one that gets the most abuse.&nbsp; It’s seen as a “free” way to reach qualified customers. Though just like the saying “There’s no such thing as a free lunch,” there’s no such thing as a free email.</p>



<p>In fact, abusing your email list is very, very costly.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<ol class="wp-block-list"><li>It wasn’t actually free, you paid a ton for that list through years of marketing efforts, conversion funnels, paid search and more.</li><li>Hoteliers are in the business of creating trust with their guests. If you abuse their email, what are the odds you abuse their stay experience?</li><li>Abusing your email list means people will tune you out, meaning they won’t be listening when you have something important to say.</li><li>Lastly, people will become sick of your shenanigans and completely opt out (aka, the death sentence of marketing).</li></ol>



<p>But you don’t have to worry about that, you’re a smart hotelier.&nbsp; Just for fun, let’s say you find people are opting out, well that’s why we have the article we’re going to cover today at <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/your-emails-are-failing-your-hotel-guests-here-is-how-you-fix-it/">https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/your-emails-are-failing-your-hotel-guests-here-is-how-you-fix-it/</a> where we go over the three reasons why your hotel’s email efforts have failed your guests, and what you can do about it.</p>



<p>========================</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>60 Seconds To Success</strong></h3>



<p>Make the most of Google’s Data Studio and share your hotel’s insights with the entire team.&nbsp; Using DataStudio is incredibly easy.&nbsp; Start by going to <a href="https://datastudio.google.com/">https://datastudio.google.com/</a> using the same Google account as your GA data.&nbsp; From there you can simply create a template report, customize an existing report, or create an entirely new one.&nbsp; For starters, choose a template from one of the dozens that are already in your system.&nbsp; From there you can customize the data in a simple drag and drop layout.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>The best part is when you have a report you’re happy with you can share view access with anyone without the unnecessary complexity of Google Analytics.</p>



<p>========================</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Newsaroos:</strong></h3>



<p><strong>Our Latest Traveler Sentiment Study #13 is coming out soon</strong> which focuses specifically on the Delta variant and how that is impacting our industry.&nbsp; We’re still crunching numbers on approximately 2,000 responses but this one fact will give you pause.  </p>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>13.6% Will NOT travel due to Delta</li><li>31.6% is hesitant to book due to Delta</li></ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/W9L4s2ppi89ra3qmBNoi0zQa_L2BKnVl-gaYIjjwa9ed-exT13h3H_GILVjG4W_440QhT6Ko_rmBf65zZO2n9DbVzK6dvakSqlt_M3yJ0kzN3Rb1Z0_TfD3N_IyPrlrFActnej1z=s0" alt=""/></figure>



<p>========================</p>



<p>Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/_travelboom" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@_travelboom</a> or info@travelboommarketing.com.</p>



<p><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/downloads/">IN ADDITION TO THE PODCAST WE HAVE A BUNCH OF WHITEPAPERS AND STUDIES YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE</a></p>


Hotel Marketing Podcast Episode 199: Don’t Let These Three Email Pitfalls Destroy Your Hotel’s Marketing


<p>Is your hotel experiencing high occupancy? <strong>Congratulations!</strong>&nbsp;Pat yourself on the back, pour yourself a drink and get back to work.  Today we are going to dive into how hoteliers can make the most of great occupancy numbers to push their marketing efforts to the next level. </p>



<p>Enjoy the full article at <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/marketing-strategies-for-hotels-with-high-occupancy/">https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/marketing-strategies-for-hotels-with-high-occupancy/</a> and keep listening to find out how to lock in fantastic growth for years to come when you apply these 8 strategies.</p>



<p></p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">1. Build relationships with your current guests</h3>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Your most important guest is your current guest.</li><li>That’s because when you create a <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/strategies-increase-hotel-direct-bookings/">positive, unforgettable experience</a> for your current guests, chances are they’ll turn into repeat guests.</li><li>Whether it’s surprising your <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/make-your-hotel-more-kid-friendly-by-focusing-on-these-five-areas/">younger guests with treats</a>, offering complimentary drinks at check-in, or just listening and responding to questions and needs, making a strong first impression can lead to a consumer-to-business relationship that lasts for years to come.</li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">2. Push for revenue through add-ons and on-site purchases</h3>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>This could be through add-ons like a bottle of wine or basket of snacks in the room after check-in, food or arcade credits, or discounted tickets to nearby attractions available only through your hotel.</li><li>You could push for additional food and beverage revenue by offering a coupon to your on-site dining outlets. Or offer discounted rates for your hotel’s paid services, whether that’s yoga classes, beach chair rentals, or hiking tours.</li><li>If you’re having trouble filling your most expensive rooms, consider upselling to the right guest and throw in an extra perk to make the upsell even more appealing.</li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">3. Pivot your paid search bidding strategy</h3>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>If you&#8217;re noticing that your more expensive rooms are still sitting empty, it may be time to pivot to a Maximize Conversion Value bidding strategy.</li><li>Switching your Google Ads <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/services/paid-media/">hotel paid search</a> campaigns to a Maximize Conversion Value bidding strategy will aim to drive as much revenue as possible within your budget by potentially serving your ads to higher-yielding customers.</li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">4. Look ahead to periods of low occupancy</h3>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>When current occupancy is high, it’s time to start looking toward periods of low occupancy and adjusting your marketing efforts to fill those dates</li><li>Influence prospective guests to book during these periods through ad copy messaging, website messaging, imagery, blog articles, and hotel deals themed to specific dates, seasons, or holidays.<ul><li>Think back to school deals, fall foliage packages, staycations</li><li>Identify events happening in your area during low occupancy periods and market toward people attending the event.&nbsp;</li></ul></li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">5. Build demand for down the road</h3>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>In Episode 191 we covered How to Analyze Demand Generation Campaigns and covered a few demand generation tactics.&nbsp;</li><li>When your occupancy is high, it’s the perfect time to develop these strategies and start generating demand in your property for future dates</li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">6. Reach travelers that stayed in your area but didn’t stay at your hotel</h3>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Thanks to Facebook Ads, we can combine the unfamiliarity of an awareness campaign with the familiarity of a remarketing campaign.</li><li>In this case, people may be unfamiliar with your hotel but they <em>are</em> familiar with your hotel’s location.</li><li>In your ad set settings,&nbsp;<ul><li>Set your location targeting to your area&nbsp;</li><li>Adjust your geo-targeting settings to “People just recently in your location”&nbsp;</li><li>Exclude your page fans and your past guests.&nbsp;</li></ul></li><li>Now you can introduce your property to fresh faces that are already familiar with your area.</li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">7. Minimize availability for high-commission channels</h3>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>If you know your property is full for certain date ranges, don’t provide rates to OTAs for those time frames</li><li>Work on filling the remaining rooms through channels with less expensive CPAs</li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">8. Market to your most profitable guests</h3>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Using past customer data, you should be able to identify the group(s) of people that typically spend more at your property.&nbsp;</li><li>Use this knowledge to build out campaigns across multiple channels that target these demographics.</li></ul>



<p>========================</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>60 Seconds To Success</strong></h3>



<p>How to identify non-brand keywords that you’re site is ranking for &#8211; Go to Search Console &gt; Performance &gt; Queries &gt; Hit the Filter on the far right under dates &gt; Top Queries &gt; Change “Contains” to “Does Not Contain” &gt; Type your brand name or part of your brand name &gt; click Done. You now have a list of non-brand keywords that are driving traffic to your site.&nbsp;</p>



<p>From here you’ll want to look for queries that have an Avg rank of 6+ and see if you can improve those and drive even more traffic.&nbsp;</p>



<p>========================</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Newsaroos:</strong></h3>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>Day Passes Helping Hotels Plug Pandemic Holes:</strong> <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Hotel-News/Day-passes-helping-hotels-plug-pandemic-holes-in-revenue">https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Hotel-News/Day-passes-helping-hotels-plug-pandemic-holes-in-revenue</a>&nbsp;</li><li><strong>CoStar puts out articles two days apart with somewhat conflicting headlines</strong><ul><li>Aug 17 &#8211; <a href="https://www.costar.com/article/889584950/latest-hotel-forecast-leisure-surpasses-2019;-business-and-group-have-a-long-way-to-go">Latest Hotel Forecast: Leisure Surpasses 2019; Business and Group Have &#8216;a Long Way To Go&#8217;</a></li><li>Aug 18 &#8211; <a href="https://www.costar.com/article/265228694/forward-bookings-tell-story-of-corporate-group-recovery">Forward Bookings Tell Story of Corporate, Group Recovery</a></li><li>Though the headlines are somewhat conflicting, the data within each article is showing what we all know. Corporate/Business/Group travel is down, but it is slowly coming back.</li></ul></li></ul>



<p>========================</p>



<p>Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/_travelboom" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@_travelboom</a> or info@travelboommarketing.com.</p>



<p><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/downloads/">IN ADDITION TO THE PODCAST WE HAVE A BUNCH OF WHITEPAPERS AND STUDIES YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE</a></p>


Hotel Marketing Podcast Episode 198: 8 Marketing Strategies For Hotels With High Occupancy


<p>Expedia Group just released their Traveler Value Index, which looks at traveler behavior changes in our post-COVID world.&nbsp; Approximately 8,000 adults 18+ were surveyed across the globe (US, Canada, Mexica, UK, France, Germany, Japan, and Australia) in Mid April of this year.</p>



<p><strong><a href="https://welcome.expediagroup.com/en/research-and-insights/the-traveler-value-index" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Get The Expedia Traveler Value Index 2021 Study Here.</a></strong></p>



<p>The good news is that at the time of release the data is looking fantastic and, all things being constant, the rest of 2021 and going into 2022 will very likely continue to shatter records.&nbsp; However, the uptick of COVID news and worries has a good chance of derailing the findings of this report and the current growth trend we are all enjoying.</p>



<p>We’re going to dig into the report today and share the good, and bad.&nbsp; And, since we have a love/hate relationship with Expedia, we picked three things we love and three things we hate.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>What is the Traveler Value Index?&nbsp;</strong></p>



<p>Expedia chose seven values that they determined shape how today’s traveler makes decisions and ranked those by importance:</p>



<ol class="wp-block-list"><li>Ability to get a full refund</li><li>Atypical, low pricing</li><li>Contactless experience</li><li>Environmentally friendly policies</li><li>Enhanced cleaning and disinfection</li><li>Flexible policies to change bookings</li><li>First-class benefits and upgrades</li></ol>



<p>Expedia also recently came out with a “what travelers want in 2021” study which is linked here we discuss later.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Things We Love About The Expedia Traveler Value Index</strong></h3>



<p><strong>#1 Love:</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>Pete:</strong> 3/4 of travelers are likely to travel to a place they&#8217;ve never visited before.&nbsp; Great opportunity for smaller destinations, and properties, to make a mark.&nbsp; Combine this with the fact that 41% of users are looking to maximize weekend getaways or short trips.<ul><li>Consider marketing closer in to attract guests who are in driving distance (60% are wanting to stay close to home)</li></ul></li><li><strong>Phil: </strong>75% of travelers are likely to select a destination they’ve never been to before<ul><li>Okay, hoteliers. Here is your opportunity. We’ve preached for years about making each guest a return guest. You are likely to see a bunch of new faces over the next year or two so make sure from the moment someone books, you are working to get them to return for another trip.&nbsp;</li></ul></li></ul>



<p><strong>#2 Love:</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>Pete: </strong>54% of travelers won&#8217;t book until they trust the provider.&nbsp;<ul><li>Pay attention to reviews</li><li>deliver great service</li><li>be smart about your social and email targeting to your pre-booking audiences</li></ul></li><li><strong>Phil: </strong>89% of travelers want to see info or features of the surrounding location<ul><li>This may seem obvious but we’ve encountered many hotel websites that do not contain enough of this type of information, and if they do, it’s not displayed prominently on the site. Here is great content opportunity for your hotel website not only to provide valuable information to your site visitors, but also to increase brand awareness by drawing in potential guests searching for specific things around your hotel. (from the what Travelers Want in 2021 study)</li></ul></li></ul>



<p><strong>#3 Love:</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>Pete:</strong> Everyone wants, no&#8230; DEMANDS, the ability to get a full refund<ul><li>This is far more important for your over 40 guests, but is expected to be a standard</li><li>Travel is a top priority and guests are throwing their money at it.</li></ul></li><li><strong>Phil: </strong>70% said they would be willing to pay more for their favorite amenities and services. The #1 amenity that people would pay extra for would be a spa treatment. If your hotel offers spa treatments make sure that add-on is easily booked while booking the hotel and if they don’t book it right away, make sure you are including that add-on in your pre-arrival email to get into that second wallet. We know not all hotels have spas but that doesn’t mean your hotel can’t partner with a local spa. While this type of partnership may not be incredibly profitable, it could make the guests’ experience much more memorable and you will be more likely to receive positive reviews. (from the what Travelers Want in 2021 study)</li></ul>



<p></p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><meta charset="utf-8"><strong>Things We Hate About The Expedia Traveler Value Index</strong></h3>



<p><strong>#1 Hate:</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>Pete: </strong>The 8000 respondents are from around the globe and looked at very holistically.&nbsp; This is a big mistake in my mind and I would have liked the ability to drill down to each specific country/market.&nbsp; This also suggest the survey should have been done collected a much higher number of responses. I would love to be able to see the questions asked, not just the analysis.</li><li><strong>Phil: </strong>Though I did not participate in the survey, and no idea of how the questions were worded, I have a feeling that some of these data points need to be taken with a grain of salt. I don’t think anyone would have responded that would be less likely to stay if a hotel showed inclusivity or environmentally friendly practices.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<p><strong>#2 Hate:</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>Pete: </strong>I would caution readers to &#8220;read too much into&#8221; the generational data.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li><strong>Phil: </strong>Expedia was a little self-serving here. They asked questions about the importance of booking accommodations and transportation all in one transaction. They also asked about the importance of a site that offers a high number of listings. These things just aren’t attainable for the average hotel website so it seems like Expedia is using the study to generate more participation on their platform. While this is to be expected, I’m still adding to my “hate it” list.</li></ul>



<p><strong>#3 Hate:</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>Pete:</strong> It seems that the report has some political/social pandering with pages dedicated to environmentally sensitive policies, inclusive policies, and others.&nbsp; This seems leading and creates data that can send a hotelier down the wrong path.&nbsp; For instance, one of the findings was people were eager to book at properties with environmentally sensitive policies, of course we all are.&nbsp; However was this organically revealed or was the respondent lead toward that answer with a question such as, &#8220;Would you prefer a property care about the earth?&#8221;</li><li><strong>Phil: </strong>The focus on “enhanced cleaning”. We discussed this during our consumer sentiment studies as well. Everyone seems to want it but no one defines what exactly it means. I’m not saying that cleanliness isn’t important. I’m just saying that it should be expected instead of valued to a point where someone would pay more for it.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<p><a href="https://welcome.expediagroup.com/en/research-and-insights/the-traveler-value-index" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Interested in making your own love/hate list? Download the Expedia Traveler Value Index Study here.</a></p>



<p>========================</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>60 Seconds To Success</strong></h3>



<p>Pay attention to your competition. Pay attention to what they are doing both online and offline.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>Online: </strong>Pay attention to age and user friendliness of their websites. Pay attention to the online offers and incentives they are promoting. Evaluate their online bookings process vs your own and identify where your site may be causing friction. Secondarily, look at your reviews vs your competitor’s reviews and see how people talk about their stay at your hotel vs stays at competitor hotels. Also pay attention to the OTA booking experience. Note the psychological triggers they use to entice someone to book now and brainstorm ways to use similar triggers on your site and/or booking engine.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>Offline: </strong>Visit your local competitor hotels. Even book a stay with them and take notes of everything from the booking experience to how you are greeted, front desk procedures, in-room amenities. When you find something you like, start figuring out how you can implement it at your property.&nbsp;</p>



<p></p>



<p>========================</p>



<p>Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/_travelboom" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@_travelboom</a> or info@travelboommarketing.com.</p>



<p><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/downloads/">IN ADDITION TO THE PODCAST WE HAVE A BUNCH OF WHITEPAPERS AND STUDIES YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE</a></p>


Hotel Marketing Podcast Episode 197: Major Traveler Shifts Unveiled In Expedia’s Latest Traveler Value Index


<p>Have you recently asked yourself “<em>Do I need to revamp my hotel website?</em>” With so many components to <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/services/web-design-development/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hotel website design</a> and development, the thought of starting over can be exhausting. But do not fear, redesigning your site doesn&#8217;t have to be a nightmare.  In fact, if you plan the redesign properly it can be quite easy.  </p>



<p>On today&#8217;s episode we&#8217;re going to be discussing the recent article, <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/the-who-what-when-why-how-of-hotel-website-redesign/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Who, What, When, Why &amp; How Of Hotel Website Redesign</a>.   What the article covers is when you&#8217;ll know it&#8217;s time for a redesign:</p>



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<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>1. Age</strong></h3>



<p>Have you ever heard the phrase, “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”? That doesn’t apply here.&nbsp; We recommend a new hotel website every <em>two to three years</em>. This ensures that you’re aligned with industry standards, on par with your competitors and taking advantage of new features and functionality. Waiting longer than three years <strong>could impact your bottom line</strong>.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>2. New Industry Standards</strong></h3>



<p>Are you following current hotel website best practices?&nbsp;Digital marketing is constantly evolving and so is the way consumers behave.</p>



<p>We’re regularly seeing Google algorithm changes as well as some massive announced changes like the <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/hotel-marketing-podcast/fuel-hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-160-googles-latest-ranking-signal-marks-a-new-age-in-seo/">Page Experience Update</a> (episode 160). Not only are there marketing best practice standards your site needs to live up to, there are also legal standards like ADA compliance, CCPA, WCAG &amp; more.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>3. Performance</strong></h3>



<p>Do you know what your hotel KPIs look like? Are you meeting or exceeding your goals?  Your site may have been meeting the KPIs you set years ago, but are they still relevant to today&#8217;s market?</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>4. Lead Generation</strong></h3>



<p>You’ve done it. A visitor has reached your website and landed on a highly coveted request form. Do you think your hotel’s website has forged enough demand to secure a form completion?&nbsp;</p>



<p>Go through this process and test it for yourself. If you’re frustrated, your potential guests probably are, too.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>5. Conversion Rate</strong></h3>



<p>The job of your website is to funnel visitors down a path that leads straight into your hotel lobby. If users aren’t even making it to your booking software, there’s likely a problem with your website. </p>



<p>Here are OUR <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/hotel-marketing-podcast/fuel-hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-177-secrets-to-optimizing-your-hotel-website-conversion-rate/">secrets to optimizing your hotel website conversion rate.</a> (episode 177)</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>6. Data Collection</strong></h3>



<p>Is your website still doing a good job of collecting data? You may be surprised to find that your data collection rates are not what they should be and have gotten worse over the years.  Typically, when deciding to look at a new website, are you optimizing your data collection for:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>Email: </strong>An email address is like gold to a digital marketer. </li><li><strong>Demographic / Geographic Information:</strong> Are your hotel website analytics implemented properly? If so, you should be mining this data for gems. Check out our <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/3-most-important-google-analytics-goals-for-hotel-websites/">three most important Google Analytics goals for hotel websites.</a></li><li><strong>Retargeting: </strong>Whether you’re running digital paid advertising or not, adding retargeting pixels to your hotel website will ensure you collect valuable data from visitors.</li><li><strong>User Behavior: </strong>Is your current site taking advantage of user behavior analysis software to collect visitor information? Think heat maps, rage clicks, dead clicks, user recordings, and other important data that you should know about your largest money maker. Free tools like <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/hotel-marketing-podcast/hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-194-is-microsofts-clarity-the-secret-to-an-improved-hotel-conversion-rate/">Microsoft Clarity</a> can help expose areas that need improvement.</li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>7. Are you rebranding?</strong></h3>



<p>Though this doesn’t happen often, a rebrand certainly warrants a hotel website redesign or development of a brand new site/URL.&nbsp; We typically see this when a flagged property turns into an independent property or vice-versa.&nbsp; We have also seen many businesses change their names to avoid cultural insensitivities. If your hotel needs to change its name you also need a new site.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>8. Improve User Experience</strong></h3>



<p>When was the last time you used your own website, from the eyes of a guest? We already know that <a href="https://developers.google.com/search/docs/advanced/experience/page-experience#signals">Google’s Page Experience update</a> is forcing hotel web developers to hone in on delivering a good page experience. But, what else establishes favorable UX?</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>9. New Features &amp; Functionality</strong></h3>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Technology is constantly changing, which means there are already new features and functionality that you probably aren’t taking advantage of. Does your existing site have the ability to effectively and efficiently use virtual tours, urgency messaging, review systems and more.</li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>10. Flexibility</strong></h3>



<p>How easy is it for you to manage your hotel website?&nbsp; Can you edit content easily?&nbsp; Consider that your content management system may be primitive, limited, or worse, owned by someone else.&nbsp;</p>



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<p><strong>In The News:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>Google Rolls Out A Three Strike Policy:</strong><ul><li><a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/googles-new-3-strike-policy-the-checks-balances/414137/">https://www.searchenginejournal.com/googles-new-3-strike-policy-the-checks-balances/414137/</a>&nbsp;</li><li>For now, these penalties are only applicable to three categories: Enabling Dishonest Behavior, Unapproved Substances, and Dangerous Products or Services. These are policies that monitor deceptive behavior, hacking services, spyware, drugs, weapons, etc. Google has plans to expand this.&nbsp;</li><li>wrongful violations that are successfully appealed will result in the removal of the strike</li><li>Starts with a warning. If you violate the same policy within 90 days you get a strike. If you receive another violation within 90 days of your first strike you get a second strike. If you have another violation within 90 days of your second strike you get a third.&nbsp;</li><li>Strike 1 &#8211; temporary hold for 3 days. Strike 2 &#8211; 7-day temporary hold. Strike 3 &#8211; account suspension</li><li>Problems:<ul><li>Algorithmic&nbsp;</li><li>Can you get multiple strikes at one time?</li></ul></li></ul></li></ul>



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<p><strong>60 Seconds To Success</strong></p>



<p>Audit your mobile and desktop booking process.&nbsp; Better yet, get people who are not familiar with your hotel or resort and have them take 5 minutes to try to find and book a room.&nbsp; I guarantee you will find at least one way to improve your conversion rate.</p>



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<p>Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/_travelboom" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@_travelboom</a> or info@travelboommarketing.com.</p>



<p><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/downloads/">IN ADDITION TO THE PODCAST WE HAVE A BUNCH OF WHITEPAPERS AND STUDIES YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE</a></p>


Hotel Marketing Podcast Episode 196: 10 Reasons To Redesign Your Hotel’s Website


<p>Ryan Beachum of HelloVacay.com and ResortShare.com is joining us today to share his years of experience launching and managing companies as well as using the power of persuasion to improve BOTH revenue and customer satisfaction.&nbsp; While this is critical from a sales and startup role, it also is something every Hotelier should be building into the journey a guest experiences pre, during, and post stay.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Unleashing the Power of Persuasion&nbsp;</strong></h3>



<p>Remember the words of Jeff Bezos, ‘<em>Think about your customer/guest not your competition &#8211; your competition is not going to buy from you anyway</em>.” This will allow you to unleash your full power of persuasion. Listen to the full podcast while we discuss the below and much more.</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>The power of persuasion immensely affects every aspect of our lives including work, relationships, negotiation on consumer goods and services</li><li>The great leaders of companies and countries are sales people: &#8220;<em>Not just convincing your customers to buy your product, but convincing people to extend credit to you and convincing people to come to work for your company.</em>&#8221; &#8211; Bill Gates</li><li>Persuasion through the front desk staff: Find ways to over serve the guest and ask them for feedback&nbsp;</li><li>Website persuasion, modernize, it’s your face now &#8211; what differentiates you from the hotel down the street &#8211; what audience would be interested to know that? Drive paid social targets to your page&#8230;</li><li>Your property must become incredibly consumer-centric&nbsp;</li><li>Marketing these days is not so much about a call to action &#8211; it’s about simply providing value to a specific audience within proximity to your brand &#8211; so, the question is how can you provide value online and other ways &#8211; keep in mind, it doesn’t have to be directly correlated with hotel stays</li><li>Create value without always selling &#8211; also, what is your b2b plan to get in conferences, etc.</li><li>Customer service is not what it used to be &#8211; even from when I was a kid a nice restaurant or hotel was really distinguishable and you got what you paid for &#8211; that guest is in your home and it’s your goal to make them feel that way</li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Who is HelloVacay?</strong></h3>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>HelloVacay sit in the middle of the Travel Clubs and the OTAs &#8211; Affordable and flexible subscription-based access to private travel rates on resort/hotel unsold rooms (with benefits) &#8211; but without the significant expense and long-term obligation of a travel club &#8211; legitimately up 70% off, these are not publically available travel rates. On today’s podcast we&#8217;ll be learning about:<ul><li>HelloVacay’s vision is to become the most affordable, flexible travel club there is with access to the private rates</li><li>How does HelloVacay.com compare to TripAdvisor Plus?</li><li>Is there a place for the hotelier to succeed on HelloVacay?</li><li>How are the rates on HelloVacay better than what a guest could book online or directly through Priceline?</li><li>If a property is already sending rate to Priceline you are ALREADY on HelloVacay</li><li>What hoteliers and vacation rental owners can do to put their best foot forward on HelloVacay?</li></ul></li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Getting to know Ryan Beachum:</strong></h3>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>What is your 2nd favorite podcast (after ours of course)&nbsp;</strong><ul><li>Positive head podcast: <a href="https://www.positivehead.com/">https://www.positivehead.com/</a>&nbsp;</li></ul></li><li><strong>What piece of advice would you share with a hotelier to make the most of the 2nd half of 2021 and into the future?</strong><ul><li>have someone that understands marketing technology &#8211; paid social &#8211; digital marketing strategy You just have to stand out above the white noise at all cost through value and branding &#8211; there is tremendous competition in our industry so you have to ask yourself ‘What is my unique voice and my unique value proposition’ &#8211; but, be careful not to try to be all things to all people. You just want to stand out to a very specific audience and go really deep with that &#8211; narrow your focus &#8211; be very specific.</li></ul></li><li><strong>Favorite Vacation Destination</strong><ul><li>International: Japan</li><li>Regionally: Lake Tahoe</li></ul></li><li><strong>How can we connect with HelloVacay.com and you?</strong><ul><li>Website: <a href="http://www.hellovacay.com">www.hellovacay.com</a> Go to hellovacay.com/freeyear for a free year!</li><li>LinkedIn: <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/RyanBeachum">www.linkedin.com/in/RyanBeachum</a>&nbsp;</li><li>Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/hellovacaywholesaletravel">www.facebook.com/hellovacaywholesaletravel</a>&nbsp;</li><li>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/hello_vacay">https://twitter.com/hello_vacay</a>&nbsp;</li></ul></li></ul>



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<p><strong>In The News:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>Hotel Occupancy Reaches Highest Level Since October 2019</strong><ul><li><a href="https://www.htrends.com/trends-detail-sid-116625.html">https://www.htrends.com/trends-detail-sid-116625.html</a>&nbsp;</li></ul></li></ul>



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<p><strong>Correction of the Week: </strong></p>



<p>After our last podcast, episode 194, the Clarity team at Microsoft reached out and said they enjoyed the show and confirmed we got everything about 95% correct.&nbsp; However they did correct two grave errors:</p>



<p>1 &#8211; Clarity is not “free for now” as Melissa put it.&nbsp; It’s “free for always”</p>



<p>2 &#8211; Their heat mapping system looks at each individual element on the page, not just the target link.&nbsp; Meaning it is much more accurate than heatmaps of the past.</p>



<p>Thank you Ravi and Priyanka for helping keep me between the lines.</p>



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<p>Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/_travelboom" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@_travelboom</a> or info@travelboommarketing.com.</p>



<p><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/downloads/">IN ADDITION TO THE PODCAST WE HAVE A BUNCH OF WHITEPAPERS AND STUDIES YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE</a></p>


Hotel Marketing Podcast