No matter where you live, your hotel’s reputation is incredibly important. Before the internet, people read reviews in publications and newspapers. Getting information this way left businesses with their reputation for long periods. In the technologically advanced world we live in today, the internet is all-knowing.
If someone has had a long trip and needs to rest, they’re going to look online for the best rates and ratings. If those ratings are subpar, you can bet guests are going to skip that establishment as a choice for a comfortable place to rest. As a matter of fact, 80% of your potential guests will only be bothered by your presence if your hotel has a 4-star review and above.
This is where hotel reputation management comes in. This kind of system helps you oversee everything that could be influencing your hotel’s reputation. With an increased population, you can get the most out of your guest’s experience (and their wallets).
When it comes to managing your hotel, you want tracking and monitoring your reputation to be as easy and streamlined as possible. Let’s look at the best ways to use your hotel reputation management software effectively.
What is hotel reputation management?
Hotel reputation management encompasses all the processes of monitoring and managing a hotel’s reputation based on guest reviews. It entails taking a deep dive into the factors that could be weighing down on your hotel’s ability to bring in more guests. Essentially, it’s a way to prevent bad reviews from impacting your hotel’s reputation and to collect positive reviews that will attract future business.
It oversees a broad look at your online reputation. It can show you where people are talking about you, what they’re talking about, and whether it’s damaging to your reputation. Most software like this can not only see this data but also do something about it. This means it can help you engage with these guests through various channels. Even better, you can see what kind of people are visiting your hotel so you can target them for future marketing campaigns.
Hotel reputation management software is designed to make all this look easy. It takes the tasks away from humans and perfects them so that you can get the most out of your hotel business. This is a consistent process that takes plenty of attention to detail. What you do with this information is what can drive your hotel to be as successful as possible.
Tips to Optimize Hotel Performance Across Online Platforms to Positively Influence Travelers
It isn’t always enough to just have a great hotel reputation management system. It counts to know the best ways to make it help you maximize your earnings and visibility. The entire goal of a hotel reputation management system is to make marketing, tracking, monitoring, and repairing data as simple, easy, and constant as possible. Here are a few ways you can gain better online credibility, attraction, and guest retention.
Maintain an active social media presence
Social media is a beacon for online engagement. There are billions of people on social media, and over 50% of them are there to read reviews. Social media can be a great place to respond to customer reviews, as well as to collect feedback from potential guests.
You can also keep your social media accounts consistent with your brand voice and image. For example, you may want to keep your social media accounts focused on a specific audience. Always remember your brand when trying to advertise your destination, nearby attractions, or other points of interest.
You may also want to create different social media accounts for your different locations. The more saturated your presence is on social media, the more noticed you will be. Many people just hang out on social media platforms. So, if your existence is consistent, you are much more likely to gain new consumers.
Engage with audiences in real-time
Another great asset to your social media presence is the ability to build relationships online and foster better guest relations. Your profiles and web pages can be tailored specifically to respond to customers as soon as an issue arises. The more active you are in this department, the better.
People are watching how your business handles customer complaints and mishaps. The more accountable you make your business, the humbler and more trustworthy your brand becomes. Plus, the quicker you are at resolving the issue matters as well. We like to get what we want exactly when we want it to see the value. Being careful and expedient helps you build more credibility associated with your hotel.
Being able to listen to feedback immediately helps you stay on top of what is going on within the walls of your hotel. Knowing about their cheers and jeers now can help you promptly facilitate a better hotel before it sincerely damages your reputation.
Website optimization for search results
When you’re collecting reviews, select specific search terms that describe your hotel’s features and amenities. For example, if one of your best features is your exquisite day spa, you may want to select keywords that include the word “spa”, such as “hotels with a spa.” You can also choose to include specific language that describes your hotel’s amenities, including phrases like “all-inclusive” or “free Wi-Fi.”
You want your hotel to be the first one that pops up when someone searches for these keywords in your area. That is where search engine optimization comes in.
Hotel management software can “teach” search engines that your hotel is the one that everyone is looking for. Once Google notices how often your hotel is getting noticed, it will put your advertisements on the front page of a Google search for your keywords. Hotel management software can help you find what these keywords are and find resources for original and engaging content to back up your claims.
Apply methods of collecting reviews from guests
The more reviews you have, the more you can leverage the market with results. Good or bad, your reviews are what can help point your hotel in the right direction. You can find reviews on social media, through surveys, or email campaigns. You can also partner with online travel agencies, websites that receive ratings, and travel blogs to create a guide to hotels that are shared across social media.
The trick is to find the sites that your specific guests visit the most and track down their activity regarding your business. You can look at your website analytics or integrate your hotel reputation management software with a system that allows guests to leave reviews after leaving a tip for your employees.
Use digital marketing to create a favorable brand image
You can use your hotel reputation management software to create a pleasant brand image for your hotel. The digital marketplace for advertising and marketing is unfathomably huge and can easily be tamed with the right tools and content strategies.
Content marketing and digital advertising are keys to a successful marketing tactic. They each boost the visibility and awareness of your brand and highlight the best parts of your hotel. Being able to get your message across in a sound way can mean the difference between a caring brand and an assertive brand.
Is your hotel luxurious, or more eccentric? Do you find that your amenities are more important, or is it your superior service? Whatever your brand image is, the right digital marketing strategies can help you reach the right audience at the right time with the right content.
Replace negative reviews with positive feedback
It’s no secret that hotels want to avoid negative reviews like the plague. You can’t please everyone, but you certainly want to try. Connecting with guests at every turn, helping them with the simplest tasks, and doing so with ease are great starts to a fantastic relationship with your guests. Initiating a caring environment for your guest is the beginning of a beautiful thing and can help bolster a negative review. In this case, you want to go above and beyond for your guests in exchange for not only their money but their review as well.
If a negative review is unavoidable for whatever reason, it’s better to use this as a sign to mend something that is broken. Many reviews can be supercilious, but none of them are superficial. They all have something you can take from them.
If someone leaves a negative review about the condition of a room, pay attention to it. Respond to their review, thank them for their contribution, and make them aware that you are in the process of handling the situation for them and anyone else who plans to visit.
Conclusion
Reputation management is vital for a hotel’s business. With hotel reputation management software, you can harness the market and have an upper hand in the competition.
The benefits for hotel owners and managers include keeping track of your brand’s popularity, tracking the online conversation about your business, and responding to customers who leave unsightly reviews. With this type of power, you can begin to revolutionize the presence of your hotel and make a statement in the hospitality industry.