🚀 Boosting hotel bookings
Plugging the leaks in your conversion funnel
Increasing your hotel's booking conversion rate—effectively plugging the "leaks" in your booking funnel—is one of the highest ROI investments you can make. Once your top-of-funnel marketing strategies (like paid advertising, SEO, and referrals) are in place, enhancing conversion not only amplifies the efficiency of these channels but also yields lasting benefits for your revenue stream.
When focusing on conversion in the hotel industry, there are two critical areas to consider:
Keeping potential guests engaged in the booking flow
Bringing guests back into the booking flow
Let's explore each of these areas in detail.
1. Keeping guests engaged in the booking flow
To optimize your booking funnel, concentrate on three key levers:
Maintain guest focus as they navigate your booking process
Maintain guest motivation to complete the booking
Reduce friction so guests can easily finalize their reservation
Brainstorm ideas within each of these levers and prioritize those that align with your guests' needs and your hotel's brand. If you're unable to run extensive A/B tests due to scale, rely on guest feedback, industry best practices, and your team's insights to implement the most promising strategies.
Lever 1: Maintain guest focus 🧐
Simplify navigation: Ensure your website has a clean layout with intuitive navigation. Remove unnecessary menu items during the booking process to prevent distractions.
Limit external distractions: Avoid including outbound links or promotional pop-ups that could divert guests away from completing their booking.
Prompt date selection early: Encourage guests to select their travel dates at the beginning. This filters available rooms and prevents frustration from viewing options that aren't actually bookable.
Lever 2: Maintain guest motivation 🤗
Highlight limited availability: Use real-time data to show how many rooms are left or how often a room has been booked recently. Phrases like "Only 2 rooms left at this rate!" create a sense of urgency.
Showcase unique selling points: Throughout the booking process, remind guests of your hotel's standout features—be it a rooftop pool, award-winning restaurant, or proximity to local attractions.
Personalized recommendations: Suggest room upgrades or add-on services that enhance the guest's stay, making the booking feel tailored to their preferences.
Lever 3: Reduce guest friction
Streamline the booking steps: Minimize the number of pages and fields required to complete a reservation. Autofill known information when possible.
Offer guest checkout: Allow bookings without mandatory account creation. Provide the option to create an account after the reservation is confirmed.
Optimize for mobile: Ensure your website is mobile-friendly, as a significant portion of bookings are made on smartphones and tablets.
Improve site speed: Fast-loading pages reduce abandonment rates. Optimize images, leverage browser caching, and use a reliable hosting service to enhance performance.
2. Bringing guests back into the booking flow
Not every guest will complete their booking on the first visit. They might be comparing options, waiting for approval from a travel companion, or simply got distracted. Re-engaging these potential guests can significantly boost your conversion rates.
Key questions for re-engagement
What can you communicate to convince them to return?
How do you reach them effectively?
What to communicate to bounced guests
Employ these content strategies:
Friendly reminders: Gently remind guests that they have an unfinished booking. A message like, "Your dream getaway is just a few clicks away," can rekindle interest.
Incentives and offers: Provide exclusive discounts or perks, such as a complimentary breakfast or spa voucher, to encourage completion.
Updated information: Inform them of any changes since their last visit, such as improved health and safety measures, renovated facilities, or upcoming events during their travel dates.
Effective re-engagement tactics
Abandoned booking emails: Send an automated email to guests who left mid-booking, summarizing their selected room and prompting them to return.
Personalized offers: Tailor promotions based on the guest's browsing behavior. If they viewed luxury suites, offer a special rate for that room type.
Urgency messages: Notify them if rooms are filling up fast or if a sale is ending soon, encouraging prompt action.
HOW to reach bounced guests
Utilize multiple channels for maximum impact:
Email campaigns: Collect email addresses early in the booking process to enable follow-up communication. Ensure emails are personalized and value-driven.
Retargeting ads: Use cookies to display targeted ads on social media and other websites they visit, reminding them of your hotel.
SMS Notifications: With consent, send text messages offering assistance or exclusive deals.
Direct mail: For guests who have provided a mailing address, consider sending a postcard featuring stunning images of your property.
Phone calls: For high-value bookings or repeat guests, a courteous call offering help can make a significant difference.