Explore the secrets of a successful digital strategy driving direct bookings. Learn to optimize your hotel website, convert visitors into bookings, and elevate revenue. Gain insights into crafting a winning digital strategy for enhanced conversions and revenue growth.
2. AGENDA
About the Speaker
About rezStream
Advanced Digital Marketing Efforts for
Revenue Maximization
Case Study
Session Recap
Special Offer
rezStream Hospitality Webinar 2
3. A little bit about myself:
Mom to June and Will
Enjoys experiencing new places and
things with my family
I love taking walks with my dog,
Teddy
Been with rezStream since 2010
Loves helping properties succeed
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
LIZ BROWN | VP OF CUSTOMER DELIVERY
4. Suite of Lodging Solutions
Software, booking engine, marketing,
and website design.
Superior Customer Service
Ease of Use
Great Value
ABOUT REZSTREAM
TEAM | CARE | KNOWLEDGE | PASSION | TRUST
5. Are you a member of
rezStream Rewards?
www.rezStream.com/rewards
8. rezStream Hospitality Webinar 8
THE CURRENT STATE
• Occupancy rates and travel demand have stabilized.
• Average daily rates grew in 2023 driving room
revenue (but were adjusted for inflation).
• Increase revenue by offering more food and
beverage options, parking services, non-refundable
rates, and other extras.
• People are feeling more confident about planning
their trips in advance.
14. rezStream Hospitality Webinar 14
ONLINE REPUTATION
• 93% of travelers worldwide say online reviews impact their booking
decisions. (Source: TripAdvisor)
• 57% of travelers say they will not book a hotel that has no reviews.
(Source: TrustYou)
16. rezStream Hospitality Webinar 16
BEST PRACTICES
• Respond to reviews in a timely manner, ideally within 24 hours.
• Avoid generic or canned responses.
• Start your response by thanking the reviewer for their feedback.
• Avoid engaging in arguments or becoming defensive.
• Thank them for their kind words.
24. rezStream Hospitality Webinar 24
GOOGLE HOTELS
• Google Hotels gather rates and availability
from different places so travelers can see
all their options.
• Travelers can compare prices from
different places, like booking sites and
property websites.
28. rezStream Hospitality Webinar 28
PERFORMANCE MAX CAMPAIGNS
In just 30 days, a
rezstream property
was able to acquire
close to $10,000 while
only spending $263
utilizing Performance
Max.
30. rezStream Hospitality Webinar 30
SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION
• Keyword Research
• On-Page Optimization
• Content Creation
• Link Building
• Technical SEO
• Local SEO
• User Experience (UX)
Optimization
• Monitoring and
Analysis
33. rezStream Hospitality Webinar 33
AI
• Website content
• Email marketing
• Google Ads
• Image editing
• Blogging
• Social media *More to come during next month’s webinar
• Online reputation
• Live chat
35. rezStream Hospitality Webinar 35
MAKE YOUR SITE THE GO-TO PLACE
• Amenities
• Videos
• Images
• Property map
• Detailed descriptions
• Search filters
• Special offers
• Reviews
• Local events, attractions and activities
41. rezStream Hospitality Webinar 41
• UNDERSTAND YOUR OTA DEPENDENCY
• INVEST IN DIRECT BOOKING EFFORTS
• LEAN ON PROFESSIONALS TO DO THE HEAVY LIFTING
SESSION RECAP
3 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
42. rezStream Hospitality Webinar 42
🚨 WEBINAR SPECIALS
A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
CURRENT CUSTOMERS
Google Hotels - 30-day free trial for Cloud
PMS customers.
Google Hotel Ads – 25% off for the first
year.
GA4 Account Setup – $99 GA4 setup and/or
audit. Includes free Digital
Marketing analysis.
Additional Digital Marketing Services – 20%
off
NEW CUSTOMERS
GA4 Account Setup – $99 GA4 setup and/or audit.
Includes free Digital Marketing analysis.
Monthly Digital Marketing Program – 20% off
Offers End April 30, 2024
43. THANKS FOR ATTENDING
JOIN US AGAIN NEXT TIME!
Please forward all questions
regarding this webinars to:
• Sales@rezStream.com
• (303) 872-0220
Schedule a Demo
Editor's Notes
Before I jump into the topic, let me get you all checked-in with a quick rundown of our agenda for today’s webinar.
Our current team of 30 caring and passionate individuals consider ourselves an extension of your team. Our goal is to work WITH YOU to create easier ways for you to manage your business and improve your ability to increase revenue all while keeping your guest's satisfaction top of mind.
Out slogan is “Better Lodging Simplified” and since 2005 we’ve partner with small to medium sized independent lodging properties in the US to ensure our technology solutions and team empower them achieve their goals.
What sets us apart from the rest?
Our 4 uniques:
Suite of Lodging Solutions: Known for our cloud-based reservation software and booking engine services.
Superior Customer Service
Easy to Use
Great Value
whose sole desire is to help you improve and grow your business.
Before we jump into the webinar, I have one last announcement.
rezStream has recently launched a loyalty program for our customers and industry peers.
So, if you want to earn some quick cash from rezStream, please scan the QR Code or visit our website to learn more.
Receive instant gratification and cash!
Whether it's referring a friend, sharing your feedback, or engaging with us on social media, each action you take will earn you immediate cash.
One big advantage of direct bookings is that they lessen your dependence on third-party booking websites. When you skip the middleman, you can save on commission fees and make more money. Plus, direct bookings give you better control over your prices and how many rooms you have available. This helps you manage your revenue better.
Another good thing about direct bookings is that they let you connect directly with your customers. This personal connection can make customers more loyal to your hotel, give you helpful feedback, and help you offer services that suit their needs better.
https://prenohq.com/blog/strategies-for-reducing-dependency-on-otas-in-your-hotel-business-model/
Occupancy rates and travel demand have stabilized.
Average daily rates grew in 2023 driving room revenue (but were adjusted for inflation).
Properties should focus on increasing revenue by offering more food and beverage options, parking services, non-refundable rates, and other extras.
More people are feeling more confident about planning their trips in advance, which means they're booking their stays further ahead of time.
While there will still be some people who book at the last minute, it's a good idea for hotels to encourage guests to book earlier. Offering early bird discounts is a great way to motivate people to book ahead of time.
North America is the only region where direct bookings surpassed OTAs.
Cost Savings: When guests book directly with your property, you don’t have to pay commission fees to third-party booking platforms.
Better Guest Experience: When guests book directly, they often get a more personalized and easy booking experience. Properties can offer them special deals, rewards, and other perks to keep them happy and coming back.
Better Data: Direct bookings give properties valuable information about their guests, like what they like and when they book. This helps make better marketing decisions, improve guest satisfaction, and get more bookings in the future.
Brand Loyalty: When guests book directly with your property, they feel more connected to the brand. This makes them more likely to come back and tell their friends about their great experience, helping the business grow in the long run.
Better Guest: Something we’ve heard over the years is that OTAs do not provide the quality of guest you’re wanting more of.
Booking Distribution: Examine the breakdown of bookings across various channels, such as OTAs, direct bookings, and other platforms. Determine the percentage of bookings originating from OTAs compared to direct channels.
You want to be getting 50%+ revenue from your direct channel.
Revenue Analysis: Assess your property's overall revenue and determine the portion generated from OTA bookings versus direct bookings. This analysis provides insight into the extent to which your revenue depends on OTA channels.
Commission Payments: Calculate the total commissions paid to OTAs for facilitating bookings. Compare these payments to your total revenue to gauge the financial impact of OTA commissions on your property's profitability.
It's crucial for properties to actively manage their online reputation by monitoring reviews, responding promptly to feedback, and striving for continuous improvement in guest experiences.
It’s also something Google is evaluating when determining who they’re going to rank first vs. last.
Regularly monitor reviews across various platforms and respond to them consistently.
Hotels that respond to reviews receive 12% more reviews and see a 0.12% increase in their review scores. (Source: ReviewPro)
Aim to respond to reviews in a timely manner, ideally within 24 hours.
Avoid generic or canned responses, as they can come across as insincere.
Start your response by thanking the reviewer for their feedback, regardless of whether it's positive or negative.
Avoid engaging in arguments or becoming defensive, as this can escalate the situation and reflect poorly on your brand.
Thank them for their kind words and let them know that you look forward to welcoming them back in the future.
A 1-point increase in a hotel's review score on a 5-point scale can lead to a 9% increase in price. (Source: TripAdvisor)
Utilize a guest messaging platform like Akia to encourage positive
Create a post-stay email to automatically be sent .
Rate parity means keeping the same prices for rooms everywhere they're listed, like on your website and other booking sites.
Make sure all your room prices are the same on every website.
Rate parity means keeping the same prices for rooms everywhere they're listed, like on your website and other booking sites.
Make sure all your room prices are the same on every website.
Use a tool to check and fix any differences in prices across different places where your rooms are listed.
Tell people on your website that your prices are the cheapest and mention it in all your ads.
Meta search platforms gather hotel prices and availability from different places so travelers can see all their options. Putting your hotel on sites like Google Hotel Ads or TripAdvisor helps more people find out about it when they're looking for a place to stay.
Some meta search engines let travelers book directly with your hotel. This can get you more direct bookings, which means you don't have to rely on other booking sites as much and save money on their fees.
Meta search platforms let travelers compare prices from different places, like booking sites and hotel websites. By offering competitive prices, you can attract travelers who care about getting a good deal and increase your chances of getting booked.
Using meta search for advertising can be cheaper than other ways of getting the word out. Hotels can decide how much money to spend and how much to bid, so they have more control over their ads.
Google's Performance Max campaigns are a comprehensive advertising solution designed to help properties reach a wider audience and increase online bookings.
These campaigns utilize advanced machine learning and automation to optimize bidding strategies, ensuring advertisers get the most out of their budget.
This campaign type supports a variety of ad formats, including responsive search ads and multimedia options, to engage potential guests effectively.
With dynamic ad creation and precise audience targeting, Performance Max campaigns enable properties to showcase their offerings to the right people at the right time.
If your property’s direct booking website isn’t on the first pages of the search engine results, you risk losing bookings to the OTAs.
To improve your website’s visibility, you need a solid search engine optimization (SEO) strategy. This means using the right keywords, links, and other SEO techniques to outperform OTA sites and maintain a top position for your hotel website.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/5-ways-reduce-your-reliance-otas-increase-bookings-steven-crissien