Hospitality marketers already face myriad choices in how to reach their guests and targeted travel shoppers, whether through search, social media, display media, or email marketing. And recent changes in how consumers access information only serve to compound this challenge.

1. DIGITAL MARKETING FOR
HOTELS AND RESORTS IN A MULTISCREEN WORLD
Produced by Tim Peter, President & Founder of Tim Peter & Associates, LLC
in conjunction with Joe Hyman, President & CEO of Vizergy
Travel shoppers and guests constantly research and book rooms on multiple screens and devices, often shifting from
screen to screen without even thinking about it. The opportunities available to hospitality marketers due to this
“anytime, anywhere” access to information far outweighs the downsides — so long as you take advantage of them.

2. 2 / Digital Marketing for Hotels and
Resorts in a Multiscreen World
The Multiscreen Environment
Hospitality marketers already face myriad choices in how
to reach their guests and targeted travel shoppers, whether
through search, social media, display media, or email market-
ing. And recent changes in how consumers access information
only serve to compound this challenge. These changes have
been driven by the emergence of new devices that allow con-
sumers to access media and services where and when they
want, using one — or more — of four key screens:
• Television
• PC (desktop or laptop)
• Mobile (specifically 3G, 4G, and
Wifi-enabled smartphones)
• Tablet computers (such as the iPad,
Nexus, Galaxy Note, or Kindle Fire )
This “4 screen” landscape offers a variety of challenges for
hospitality marketers. However, the opportunities avail-
able to marketers due to this “anytime, anywhere” access to
information far outweighs the downsides — so long as you
take advantage of them. According to recent research, nearly
90% of all media consumption every day occurs across these
4 screens. Televisions, PCs, mobile devices like smart phones,
andtabletshavereplacednewspapersandmagazinesasmany
consumers’ go-to source for information and entertainment.
Your ability to reach your customers going forward depends
on your ability to reach across these 4 screens at the right
time to engage and attract potential guests. This paper seeks
to help you adapt your efforts to do just that.
Core Questions
Because of the growth of multiple screens and mobile
technology, the digital travel lifecycle now encompasses all
steps in your customer’s journey, including:
1. Research. Guests discover options for where to stay.
2. Booking. Guests choose the property that meets
their needs and reserve their stay.
3. Experience. Guests arrive on-property. Mobile
and multiscreen allow effective marketers to
reach guests on-property in ways that haven’t
existed before.
4. Relive. Guests post photographs and share stories
with friends and family on social networks, reliving
their experience again and again.
5. Return. Guests engage with the property post-stay,
increasing the likelihood of a return visit.
Throughout the aforementioned digital travel lifecycle, provide the right content
in the right screens to nurture and grow travel shoppers into return guests.

3. 3 / Digital Marketing for Hotels and
Resorts in a Multiscreen World
The most effective marketers going forward will be those
who adapt their efforts to reach their customers at each
step in the process and on each screen. While this may seem
a daunting task, you can meet and exceed customer expecta-
tions in the multiscreen world by continually asking these
three key questions:
1. What screens and devices do my guests use?
2. How do my guests use that device?
3. How can I support my guests and deliver
my message on that device?
The following sections seek to answer these questions and
provide a framework you can use to continue answering them
in your hotel every day.
Overall Multiscreen Activity
Thanks to the growth of the multiscreen world, your guests
can access information about travel when and where they
want. Television still represents the king of media-consump-
tion devices, with consumers logging more than 43 minutes
per day in front of the tube across 114.1 million households.
But, TV is no longer “the idiot box” it once was. eMarketer
research suggests almost 25% of all US households use
Internet-connected TVs regularly and projects that number
to increase to roughly 53% within 4 years.
In addition, due to multiscreen shopping behavior, guests
don’t need a “smart” TV to connect with the information they
want. Today, many consumers use 2, 3 or all 4 screens at some
time during their travel planning experience. According to
Google, 77% of consumers use another device while watching
TV,withsmartphonesrepresentingthemostcommon“second
screen” and tablets close behind. One notable effect of this is
that TV often drives search activity (whether on smartphone
or tablet), based on what consumers see on-screen. As the
IAB states, “...[d]igital dominates product research; 72% of [4
screen] respondents’ sources are online.”
Over time, both the actual screens your guests use and the
total number of screens used may shift. In fact, according to
Nielsen, TV ownership has declined by over a million homes
in the last two years as consumers watch more video online,
and smartphone use now trails TV by only a small margin.
Additionally, just as television ownership has declined slightly,
PC sales have fallen over the last several years due to the
introduction of inexpensive but powerful tablet computers
(and, in some cases, mobile phones).
By contrast, it’s possible that Google’s Project Glass and its
competitors — computing devices worn like eyeglasses or wrist-
watches — may take the place of a consumer’s smartphone. In
any case, the following data from Pew Research illustrates how
common Internet-connected devices have become:
i Device
Mobile Phone
Smart Phone
Tablet computer (iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, etc.)
Desktop computer
Laptop computer
% Of American Adults Who Own i
85%
45%
25%
58%
61%

4. 4 / Digital Marketing for Hotels and
Resorts in a Multiscreen World
This all adds up to tens of millions of consumers in millions
of households that are using multiple devices and screens to
research and book travel.
Your Guests' Multiscreen Activity
Of course, none of this data matters if it doesn’t reflect your
guests’ activity. Fortunately, many tools exist to help you
understand and react to that activity. We recommend the
following steps to find and reach your multiscreen customer:
1. Review your website data to drive your digital marketing
decisions. Industry statistics may be helpful at times, but
nothing is more relevant than your customers’ actual activ-
ity. Your web analytics provide actionable insights into the
devices your customers use both today and in the future. To-
day, mobile often accounts for 10% to 20% of website traffic.
Work with your agency to review your data for the past 6-9
months and note both the total amount of mobile traffic and
the growth in that traffic. While no growth curve continues
indefinitely, the data outlined previously suggests mobile
volume will likely continue to increase over the next several
years. Ultimately, marketers achieving the greatest success
with multiscreen guests do so by letting the data drive their
decisions. As the market continues to change and as guests
adopt an increasingly diverse set of devices, you can no lon-
ger rely on instinct or feel to know what’s most appropriate.
Monitor your site’s data regularly and use that data to drive
your digital marketing decisions.
2. Target your actions to your guests’ most common devices —
and their expected outcomes. Research from Google shows
that guests use the device most appropriate to their goals at a
given time. Additionally, 90% of consumers move across sev-
eral screens to accomplish those goals, starting on one device
and moving to others as location, available time, and desired
goals shift . For example, roughly 75% of travel shoppers use
tablet computers in their home, as opposed to the almost two-
thirds of smartphone shoppers who use their device outside
the home, with the single greatest percentage of that time
(28%) spent in their car. These different contexts lead to very
different consumer behaviors. Among “true” mobile users (as
opposed to those using tablets), 33% look to purchase within
the same day, reflecting the “on-the-go” reality these travelers
face. Leading brands in mobile marketing across such diverse
industries as hospitality, travel, publishing, entertainment,
and financial services have learned that success comes
from using the best screen available to the consumer at a
given time and tailoring your message to that situation. First,
review what information these guests are searching for and
on which screen (again, your website analytics can help you
understand this information). Then ask, “How can I enable
guests to accomplish their specific goal (research, booking,
loyalty, mapping, calling, etc.), given their conditions (avail-
able time, location, etc.)?” For instance, some hotel chains
offer “Hotels Near Me” search functionality on mobile devices,
allowing guests to find hotels quickly without entering infor-
mation already available to the device. Others have removed
their requirement for guests to provide a credit card during
Additionally, 90% of consumers move across several screens
to accomplish those goals, starting on one device and moving
to others as location, available time, and desired goals shift .
”
”

5. Digital Screens Content Development
Travel
Shoppers
Digital
Landscape
Content
Multiple
Devices
Screens
Segments
Time Travel LIFE
CYCLE
What
information
are different
groups
searching for?
When and how is
content accessed?
Hotel Internet marketing is complex to say the least. Marketers need to be experts on the
various digital devices/screens, the proper content to serve on said screens, and the consumer
behavior of travel shoppers, which all converge in the ever-changing digital landscape.
When in
the cycle is
information
accessed?
 RESEARCH
 BOOKING
 EXPERIENCE
 RELIVE
 RETURN
Target
Market
Which screen are
they are using, and
what are they doing?
GOOGLE GLASS
Image Credit: Google
5 / Digital Marketing for Hotels and
Resorts in a Multiscreen World
booking process on mobile devices, streamlining consumers’
ability to book when in a time-constrained environment. It’s
also important to put yourselves in travel shoppers’ shoes
from time to time. Evaluate your Web presence across each
screen to make sure you’re providing seamless transitions
and the information needed.
3. Ensure consistent messages across channels. In a world
with consumers accessing information on 2, 3, or 4 screens,
“offline” rarely exists any longer. In fact, according to one study,
44% of cell phone owners sleep with their phones to ensure
they’ve got access to the information they want, when they
want it. This “always on” behavior explains why guests shift
devicesasneededtoaccomplishtheirgoals.Forexample,while
one-third of mobile users book within the same day, that still
leaves two-thirds not ready to book who will continue to seek
additional information at a later time and, often, on another de-
vice. Providing clear, consistent messaging across experiences
helps potential guests retain valuable information and “pick up
where they left off” as they shift devices.
Check out the following infographic that breaks down the
digital screens and content development considerations.

6. 6 / Digital Marketing for Hotels and
Resorts in a Multiscreen World
4. Leverage email marketing. Email offers an excellent
tool to ensure consistent messaging across devices, and
also dramatically increases the likelihood to book, literally
putting your brand in your hands. Along with accessing the
Internet, reading and sending email remains one of guests’
primary activities across all screens. Additionally, guests
opting to receive email communication from hotels and
resorts frequently convert at a higher ratio relative to other
marketing channels. Delivering timely, relevant and mobile
optimized email offers ensures your hotel remains in front of
your guests when they’re ready to research, shop, and book
regardless of the screen they use to connect with your hotel.
Having data with a high level of integrity in your property
management system or eCRM system enables you to send
targeted and personalized emails.
5. Explore cross-device functionality. Guests frequently
access your hotel’s information on several devices across
multiple sessions prior to booking. Explore ways to aid them
in saving and sharing information across those devices, for
example through loyalty programs or customer logins. Make
it easy for guests to move across devices and you will increase
their likelihood to be engaged and make a purchase. You
should also encourage guests at the property level to post,
tweet and pin their own user generated content, as mobile
devices have made this such an easy task. This way, guests
become brand advocates, and their sharing becomes viral,
spreading across their social networks like wildfire.
6. Responsive design or separate mobile website? You may
have read about or already be using responsive design, where
your website morphs and changes to fit any screen in the mar-
ket. Responsive design works well in most instances, but can
also be complex. Many times, a separate mobile website, in
addition to your traditional website, is just as effective. Read
more about this topic here “Responsive Website Design for
Hotels — Is it Your Only Option?”
Future Trends
Guest activity across multiple screens continues to evolve. For
instance, Nielsen notes, “...the smartphone is not just a tool
meant for quick, impulse info and decision making, but that
it’s also utilized as part of a longer and more informed mobile
path to purchase.“ One mobile use exhibiting surprising growth
is video consumption. According to BI Intelligence analysis of
Nielsen data, the US mobile video audience increased 77% to
36 million viewers over last two years.” The Nielsen data also
shows, “...almost half of videos watched on smartphone screens
are 10 minutes or longer.” Recent data from VFM Leonardo
supportsthatconclusion,withthecompanynotingguestsusing
tablets and smartphone viewed 40% and 50% more video con-
tent, respectively, than those on desktop or laptop computers.
Additionally, data suggests that “...almost half of mobile travel
users go on to make a purchase related to the activities they
completed via their mobile device — with 29% completing the
purchase on the smartphone itself.” However, for those not
purchasing on their mobile device, moving to another screen
as part of their shopping experience may mean starting the
process over again. This trend may shift over time as screen
sizes change and guests become more comfortable booking
on mobile devices.
Hospitalitymarketersmustcontinuetoexplorewaysforguests
to collect information as they move across devices. But, by
monitoring your hotel’s website data and targeting your activi-
tiestotheneedsandgoalsthatdatasuggestsaboutyourguests,
you put yourself in a strong position to meet your guests’ needs,
regardless of which screen they choose today or in the future.

7. 7 / Digital Marketing for Hotels and
Resorts in a Multiscreen World
Conclusion
Serving guests across 4 screens is not simple.
As a result, making the transition from a
“single screen” marketer will not happen over-
night. Guest behavior will continue to evolve
as guests themselves grow more comfortable
with multiple screens, retire some, and adopt
others. Your marketing activities will likely
need to evolve with those changing behaviors.
But, great hoteliers already know how to
listen to their guests and accommodate their
needs at any given time. In a multiscreen
world,“listening”and“accommodating”simply
translate to:
• Using your data to drive your
digital marketing decisions
• Targeting your activities to your
guests’ chosen devices and goals
• Ensuring consistent messaging
across devices, including email,
SMS and exploring cross-device
functionality.
While no one can predict whether guests will
use their television, PC, smartphone, tablet, or
a combination of devices to find and research
their next stay, this framework enables you to
find customers and accommodate their needs
no matter how, where, and when they choose
to connect, today, tomorrow, and in the future.
This means to increase engagement and rev-
enue for your property.
Tim Peter is President and Founder at Tim Peter Associates,
LLC, a full-service e-commerce and digital marketing
consulting firm. Tim Peter Associates focuses on the
growthofthesocial,local,mobilewebanditsimpactonboth
consumer behavior and business results. Previously Tim
served as Managing Director for the premier independent
luxury hotel representation firm and led e-commerce and
digital marketing for the world’s largest hotel franchisor.
Joe Hyman, President CEO of Vizergy, is an experienced
entrepreneur with an extensive background in sales,
marketing and management, with over 18 years of
hospitality experience. Joe started Vizergy, a leading hotel
Internet marketing company that works with management
companies, branded properties and independent properties,
in 1998. He was named one of HSMAI’s Top 25 Most
Extraordinary Minds in Sales and Marketing in 2009.
Tim Peter
PRESIDENT FOUNDER
Tim Peter Associates, LLC
Joe Hyman
PRESIDENT CEO
Vizergy

8. Endnotes
g Open Parachute Blog, http://openmarketing.com/blog/the-importance-of-all-4-screens/, Retrieved December 2012
g Google, “The New Multi-screen World: Understanding Cross-platform Consumer Behavior,” August 2012
g Vizergy SEO Super Reporter®
Portfolio Stats and Trends, 2012-13
g Number of TV households declines for second year, Nielsen reports. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/tv-column/post/number-of-tv-
households-declines-for-second-year-nielsen-reports/2012/05/03/gIQAdNDyzT_blog.html, February 2013
g eMarketer, “A Quarter of US Households Now Have a TV Connected to the Internet,” Retrieved from http://www.emarketer.com/newsroom/index.php/
emarketer-quarter-households-tv-connected-internet/#wUtjKLfSB4bdKB3Y.99, January 2013
g Pew Internet, Mobile data, Retrieved from http://pewinternet.org/Commentary/2012/February/Pew-Internet-Mobile.aspx, December 2012
g Google, “The New Multi-screen World: Understanding Cross-platform Consumer Behavior,” August 2012
g xAd, Telmetrics, Nielsen “Mobile Path to Purchase Study,” August 2012
g xAd, Telmetrics, Nielsen “Mobile Path to Purchase Study,” August 2012
8 / Digital Marketing for Hotels and
Resorts in a Multiscreen World
About Vizergy®
Vizergy is an award-winning digital travel marketing company
that empowers hoteliers to know more, do more and achieve
more — with the ultimate goal of delivering maximum online
revenue. The company uses best practices and data driven
decisions to provide strategic guidance in the evolving world
of online marketing. Online marketing services include search
engineoptimization,pay-per-clickanddisplayadvertising,local
marketing, website and mobile website design and develop-
ment,reservationsoftwareandadvancedanalytics.Since1998,
Vizergy has propelled thousands of branded and independent
hotels, resorts and hotel management companies to success.
For more information on Vizergy and its services, please visit
vizergy.com, call William Bellis at 904.389.1130 Ext. 171 or
william.b@vizergy.com. Join us on Facebook, LinkedIn and
Twitter.
Do you have any other burning questions that we did not
cover? Feel free to write on our Facebook Timeline at
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