Understanding traveler behavior for smarter hotel marketing. Part of the webinar hosted on May 9, 2017 by TrustYou, Travel Tripper, and Fuel Travel.

1. ONLINE BOOKINGS
RESEARCH
Understanding
Traveler Behavior
for Smarter Hotel
Marketing

2. Recent research from TrustYou, Fuel Travel, and Travel Tripper will uncover:
● Importance of Google and how to influence your hotel’s ranking
● Impact of hotel ratings on your bookings
● Using search marketing to your hotel's benefit
● PPC vs SEO: Both are instrumental to your hotel marketing strategy
● Optimizing your hotel’s website to travelers’ desires
● Beat direct competitors and OTAs
2
We’re glad you’ve joined today’s webinar:

3. 3
VALERIE CASTILLO
Senior Director of Marketing
STUART BUTLER
Chief Operating Officer
TRISTAN HEAWORD
Director of Digital Marketing
Today’s speakers:

4. 23%
Baby boomers
We asked 900+ active travelers in the US if they were actively booking
accommodations online
4
A Profile of Today’s Traveler
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
140k+
65%35%
37%
Millennials
40%
Generation X
120-139k
100-119k
80-99k
60-79k
40-59k
20-39k
- 19k
65+
70K

5. 5
A Profile of Today’s Traveler
HOTELS
MOTELS RESORTS B&Bs APARTMENT
RENTALS
86%
34% 14% 13%34%
Travelers are most likely to book hotels over other accommodation types

6. 6
The Guest Journey
Choice Evaluation Booking DecisionInitial Search

7. Most travelers frequently turn to search engines when asked which online sources
they use for travel inspiration
Choice Evaluation Booking DecisionInitial Search
BOOKING
ENGINES
GOOGLE
SEARCH
FACEBOOK
48%
43%
42%
7

8. ● 91% of travelers turn to search engines, and
● 81% prefer to use Google
Choice Evaluation Booking DecisionInitial Search
8

9. Choice Evaluation Booking DecisionInitial Search
9
61% use Google’s hotel
finder in search
results

10. Choice Evaluation Booking DecisionInitial Search
10
60% 32%
8%

11. Choice Evaluation Booking DecisionInitial Search
11
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
Nightly Rate
Review Score
Hotel Class
Hotel Image
Brand
3 - STAR $
33% will only see hotels
with excellent review
scores
88% will sort out hotels
with poor review scores

12. Choice Evaluation Booking DecisionInitial Search
12
The top 5 sites where travelers book accommodations:
42%
42%
32%
30%
28%
bookingchannel
% used as a

13. Choice Evaluation Booking DecisionInitial Search
13
The majority of travelers still prefer to make booking decisions on desktop
Booking
18% 16%
Desktop Mobile Tablet
66%

14. 14
Key Takeaways
Choice Evaluation Booking DecisionInitial Search
BE PRESENT
ON GOOGLE
MARKET AND
MONITOR YOUR
REVIEW SCORE
KNOW MORE
ABOUT YOUR
GUESTS
1 2 3

15. Using Search Marketing To Your Hotel’s Benefit
15

16. Google Eye tracking: Why the old rules don’t apply
16

17. Historical Survey Results
17

18. Travel Tripper’s 2017 Test Results
18

19. Travel Tripper’s 2017 Test Results
19

20. Travel Tripper’s 2017 Test Results
20

21. Travel Tripper’s 2017 Test Results
21
10secs
3.3secs
2.8secs 1.9secs
2.0secs

22. Travel Tripper’s 2017 Test Results
22
28%
43%

23. Travel Tripper’s 2017 Test Results
23
32% 24%
44%
20%
13% 65%

24. Travel Tripper’s 2017 Test Results
24
55%
10%
28%

25. Travel Tripper’s 2017 Test Results
25

26. 26
Key Takeaways
PAID SEARCH
IS CORE TO
DIGITAL
MARKETING
KEEP AN UPDATED
GOOGLE BUSINESS
LISTING
DON’T
DISCOUNT SEO
AS PART OF
YOUR STRATEGY
1 2 3

27. 27
2017 Website Behavior Study by Fuel Travel & Flip.to
● Self reporting survey of more
than 2,300 leisure travellers
from North America.
● All had taken at least one 5
day vacation within the past
12 months.
Available at
www.fueltravel.com/websitestudy

28. 28
Study Participant Breakdown

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They Aren’t Shopping Around As Much As You Think
In 2016
4.6
In 2017
4.4
86
%
Average # of Sites Visited

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But They Are Taking Their Time
Avg number of visits to
website before booking
3.4visits
Average number of
minutes spent on a hotel
website before booking
29.8mins
How many seconds it
takes to form an opinion
of the hotel
15.9secs
Research time from first
search to booking
26days

31. Top Write-Ins
31
What Content Do They Read On A Hotel Website?
Property & room info
95% Will not book without
first reading a review
85%Area information
70%
● Pet-Friendly
● Disabled Access
● Kids Programs

32. 32
What’s Influencing Their Decision?
87% 77%
User Generated Content70%
Photos Videos

33. 33
What Factors Do They Consider?

34. 34
What Will They Do If They Have A Question?

35. 35
Loyalty Programs Are Important (If done correctly)
Do want a Loyalty Program52%
1. Early Check-In
2. Discounted F&B
3. Free Breakfast
4. Faster Wi-Fi
5. Discounts On
Future Stay.

36. 36
This Is Your Competition
52%Creating Forward Pressure By:
● Fear of missing out
● Social proof
● Reassurance
● Deliberate design
● Flexibility
● Answering ALL the
questions

37. 37
The Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast
Ep 44 - What OTAs Are Doing Right And Your Hotel Is Doing Wrong
Ep 46 - What You Need To Know About The 2017 Website Behavior Study
Available at
www.fueltravel.com/podcast

38. 38
Key Takeaways
Be Helpful Seal the DealStand Out
YOU ARE COMPETING
AGAINST THE HOTEL
DOWN THE STREET &
THE OTAS AS WELL
ANTICIPATE THE GUEST’S
NEEDS AND ANSWER THEIR
QUESTIONS BEFORE THEY
EVEN ASK.
CREATE A BOOKING
EXPERIENCE THAT IS
FRICTIONLESS & APPLIES
FORWARD PRESSURE
1 2 3

39. 39
VALERIE CASTILLO
Senior Director of Marketing
STUART BUTLER
Chief Operating Officer
TRISTAN HEAWORD
Director of Digital Marketing
Questions?