Consumers looking for a product or service today have the benefit of the entire internet at their fingertips to help them search, even when they’re on the go. That means if businesses including hotels want to succeed and help their brand stand out, they need to refocus their efforts on consumer-centric marketing.
Increasingly, this is being done by producing interesting, relevant content that will be read by travellers and hopefully remembered the next time they need to book a stay in a hotel. It’s well-known that brands continually producing content that’s relevant to their audience generate more interest and a higher number of conversions than their competitors.But how do you make the most of this modern way of capturing new bookings? Essentially, content creation requires a three-pronged approach if it is to result in messages that stand out. Let’s take a look at the basics.
Content strategy In order to regularly produce well-targeted content that is fit for the target audience and best-placed to generate a response, there has to be a strategy. You’ll need to draw up a calendar that incorporates videos, blog posts, newsletters and a host of other features, all well-timed for their respective publication.It mustn’t be overly promotional, though; the focus should be on helping the target audience solve a problem. Ask what you can do for them that will also fit into your hotel’s short or long-term goals. This might be writing a top ten list of best museums in your area, or an article on successful conferences if you’re a hub for business events. A lifestyle blog might work well if you’re a spa destination.
Distribution: getting it out there Once you’ve got your content, you have to get it out there in front of your audience – and that means a cross-channel strategy for distribution. It isn’t just about your website; you need emails to be sent out and you should pay attention to social media.When choosing your platforms, consider what will give you the best results for the smallest costs and look for communities that incorporate large numbers of your would-be guests. Then, provide them with value by getting involved in relevant discussions and giving answers to their questions (if you can, link to your recent content too).Your aim is to become familiar and recognisable from your activities on your content channels.Manage your relationships
Finally, once you have established your presence and got your brand name out there, you need to nurture the relationships you have built so it is more likely that readers will become customers through conversions.Share your posts and then engage with the people who have shared it or commented on your efforts, thanking them if you can. You should find that making people feel special and valued is a great way of turning them into brand ambassadors, which in turn puts your hotel’s name in front of more of their friends and family and gives you free exposure.It may take some time and a change in your existing marketing strategy, but content generation is one of the most valuable methods of promoting your hotel that you can get.
Also, apart from the time it takes you or a member of staff to write it, it’s free and helps you in organic search results.Why not give it a try for 2017?
