If photos speak more than words then what would a video’s impact be? Videos give hotels a chance to connect to potential guests in highly dynamic and engaging way.
According to Forrester Research, “Video has become so popular within the hotel industry that 45% of leisure travellers and more than 70% of business travellers said they were more likely to book as a result of viewing video.”
In such a visually driven industry, it is vital to give guests a compelling look at your property. While good photographs may have increased bookings in the past, the sands are beginning to shift. It is still extremely important that potential guests get an accurate view of what your property has in store for them, but still photos are no longer enough. Instead, videos have become the new standard of excellence. Hotels that want to stay ahead of the curve should be implementing this trend on their website.
Here are some of the advantages of videos:
Videos attract travelers: The best way to keep your guests engrossed on your webpage is by having a virtual tour arranged for your audience. Landing pages with professional videos generate 4 to 7 times more engagement and response rates than those without video. This simply means your guests end up staying 2-3 minutes longer on your website than those without videos.
Videos boost SEO: If you wish to rank higher on Google then video is one of the easiest ways. Having a video on your website will improve the chances of your hotel websites performance on Google and your hotel will be easily searched by potential customers. Online search is number one source for leisure travelers and number three source for business travelers.
Videos increase bookings: Videos are the easiest way to increase your hotel’s conversions and bookings. Leisure travelers are more likely to book a room on seeing a video. According to a research, 45% of leisure travelers and 72% of business travelers were encouraged to make reservations upon seeing a video.
Bookings are 67 percent more likely to happen when a video tour is available, according to research conducted by HotelMarketing.com. That is a large number that cannot be ignored. If your property is struggling to bring in bookings, take the next step and add videos to your website and booking entities. Guests do not want surprises when they arrive at a property, so giving them a sneak peek at what you offer will increase your site’s conversion rates and your engagement with customers.
As people have short attention spans, videos should be short and crisp. Consider breaking up the tour into segments so you don’t have to show the entire property in one video. Make separate video options for guest rooms, the restaurant and other amenities like the gym or pool. Guests will be able to quickly pick and choose the areas that are most important to them and see what they can expect.
It is difficult to communicate emotion with a photograph of a hotel room, but with video, you’ll have the option to add music and other emotional cues. Hoteliers can paint a picture of what their hotel looks like and what it feels like to stay there, too. That can be a huge selling point all on its own.
