Expert tips for exploring digital marketing in hotels and guesthouses
The tourism sector was one of the hardest hit by the pandemic and still struggles to navigate this new era. Resuming activities, encouraging travel, and developing strategies to reach new audiences and retain customers are among the goals of Digital Marketing for Hotels and Inns.
If you'd like to learn more about this topic and discover how to set your business apart from the competition, keep reading! Below, you'll learn more about the importance of digital marketing for hotels and inns of all styles!
You will also like: 5 advantages of digital marketing and why you should apply it to your business!
It's time to resume…
Since the early months of 2020, with the emergence of the pandemic and the need for social distancing, the tourism sector has been one of the most impacted. Around the world, hotels and inns were the first to close their doors, following health authorities' restrictions.
However, the sector is expected to grow. This was consolidated in 2022, and from 2023 onward, results promise to be even better.
With vaccinations advancing and COVID-19 cases under control, the resumption of domestic and international travel has brought joy to business owners. But for those who want to stand out, attract customers, and make the most of this moment, they need to do things differently.
Thinking of innovative strategies to differentiate yourself from hundreds of hotels, inns, and even new competitors is more than necessary. In other words, expectations are high for the hospitality industry throughout Brazil. From countryside to beach, from luxury to rustic, there's room for every segment.
How to use digital marketing tools for hotels and inns?
As we know, the internet is one of the main drivers of consumer decision-making. And when it comes to tourism, it's even more powerful. When planning itineraries and choosing destinations and accommodations, tourists turn to search engines to make their choices. Therefore, the digital landscape should be seen as a powerful ally.
With a good digital marketing plan for hotels and inns, it's possible to set clear and efficient goals to achieve excellent results in the short, medium, and long term. And with the right tools, the establishment can be more assertive and position itself strongly in the market.
As Tiago Flores Dias, CEO of Kaizen Marketing Group, explains, the current situation should be viewed as an opportunity for new developments, not a threat to the industry. "It's a new era in the tourism sector, and it's time to renew strategies, understanding what worked and adapting what needs improvement," he says.
How to use digital resources to benefit your business?
Nowadays, hotel chains rely on various mechanisms to help manage reservations and attract new customers. Among them, booking platforms function as a large catalog. However, it's necessary to go further and take advantage of other resources.
As Tiago explains, Google itself offers Google Hotels, and Facebook has specific formats for hotel and guesthouse ads, customized for this niche market.
Digital format is essential for communication and is even more important when it comes to accommodations. Far beyond large hotels and resorts, inns and guesthouses hostels They also need to be vigilant and adapt their strategies. After all, in this industry, digital marketing is one of the main drivers of new business, and establishments that aren't prepared will fall behind.
"Business owners need to understand that beyond booking platforms, there's a vast universe of solutions. These include customizable tools, such as social media, content marketing, blogs, SEO, email automation, and relationship building strategies. These initiatives help build the company's reputation and relevance with customers," says Tiago.
What are the main digital marketing channels for hotels and inns?
There's no doubt about it... The internet is a platform that's constantly evolving. Every now and then, new developments emerge that directly impact user behavior. For companies, it's a medium that offers a variety of formats, allowing them to adapt channels to each organization's needs and strategy.
Social Media
Social platforms have an extremely loyal audience and a large portion of users connected to the network have at least one social media profile.
To give you an idea, Facebook has 2,96 billion users worldwide, followed by Instagram, also owned by Meta, with 2 billion users. WhatsApp is another leading platform among social media giants, also with 2 billion active users.
We also have other important networks that reach different audiences. Among them are TikTok, LinkedIn, and Twitter. While these three lack user numbers compared to the previous ones, they are essential in the digital media landscape. Each has its own popularity with a specific audience, attracting loyal and ever-present followers.
Therefore, it's important to remember that each social network has its own specificities in terms of formats, language, and audience profile. Therefore, it's essential to develop specific content for each one.
E-mail marketing
Even though it's somewhat overlooked compared to all the possibilities offered by digital channels, email marketing was one of the first channels used in digital marketing and continues to be essential in building customer relationships with brands.
Over time, it reinvented itself and became more than a direct sales channel, losing its aggressive nature that so annoyed users. As a result, it became an important lead nurturing tool.
paid advertising
Paid advertising is one of the highest-converting channels in digital marketing. When managed well, this method can yield significant results with a relatively low investment.
The most common are ads on social media, such as Facebook and Instagram, paid search on Google, which places your link at the top of the search engine, and sponsored links on display networks, known as banners. We also have other display ads displayed on Google affiliate sites.
Blog
Having a blog, even if it's a bit more laborious than maintaining a social media page, is a worthwhile endeavor and deserves attention in your marketing strategies. Through the content published on the blog, companies, such as hotels and inns, can demonstrate to their audience that they understand their needs and have the solutions they need.
This increases the chances of converting a simple website visitor into a loyal customer. Furthermore, when blog content is relevant, produced, and published using SEO (Search Engine Optimization) techniques, it can significantly improve your website's search engine rankings.
Of course, there are several other channels that can help with a digital strategy, such as videos, eBooks, and webinars, which are still gaining popularity and traction. The important thing is knowing how to use them best and evaluating the best way to reach your audience.
See more tips from our experts and learn how to position your hotel or inn against new competition.
Transform your business!
As we have seen, the digital marketing is the way forward for hotels and inns who want to stand out in the market.
About Kaizen
Kaizen is a full-service digital agency focused on each client's goals. With over 20 years of experience in the digital market, we have a team specialized in creating online strategies to generate positive results. Our main services include lead generation, inbound marketing, and performance management for retail, industry, and services.
We are pioneers in the Brazilian market with our own lead generation and monitoring system, SEO, easy-to-access media management, and implementation of the KAIZEN Method of continuous improvement. In addition to this philosophy across all areas of operation, our team applies the Lean Canvas and Growth Hacking processes to enable data analysis to create experiments and achieve the desired results.
If you are a business owner and want to know how to apply digital marketing in practice, contact and talk to our team of experts.
