I need assistance with Creating an Internet Marketing plan to generate new bookings for a Local Hotel in my area. Who can help me with a call?

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Looking for strategies for OTA management, Email Marketing, Local / Meta Search, Re-Targetting, and any other areas that I need to include to bring more Bookings to this Hotel.

Hospitality

Chris Larmore, GBA, CRM, CIC, CISC, PHR answered

Happy to help with this and can probably bring lots of ideas to the table. Also, since LOCAL is the focus, you can't just use digital. Most of your bookings are going to come from local non digital marketing, but they will coincide with the digital marketing you do. The efforts need to be combined for effectiveness. If you are interested in a call please send me link to hotel's site so I can research before hand. OTA might not be the way to go. Happy to hop on a 10 minute free call to discuss further to see if there is a fit.

Joseph Peterson answered

Before you start marketing, take a hard look at what you're marketing.

On a scale of Junk to Ideal, how professional is the hotel website's domain name?

With many marketing channels – Google, Radio, TV, word-of-mouth – you're actually drawing attention to the URL / domain. So you're depending on it creating a better-than-average impression, remaining memorable, and leading toward ambiguity-free direct navigation.

So if the domain is inferior, any marketing efforts are likely to underperform relative to what they might have accomplished. Many businesses fail to account for this long-term effect, and they achieve success by compensating with extra marketing expenses in other areas.

Maybe the hotel already built their website on the ideal domain and also controls adjacent domain properties for lead generation and brand positioning.

Most companies don't.

If there's room for doubt, then it's worth a 10-15 minute call to make sense of options, set priorities, etc.

Sushant Bharti answered

Let me know if I could be of any help. As a consulting organization we come with more than a decade of experience helping companies plan, design strategy, and execute the plan. As a technology company we help companies leverage cloud to create future ready organization.

Michael Metcalfe | Hoteliyo answered

Good question. We always suggest firstly defining the outcomes you're seeking for the hotel asset ie. Are you currently focused on ADR or OCC growth? Are you a new hotel seeking to build awareness? Start with your goals.

Here's one of our hotel tutorials on this exact topic:
www.hoteliyo.com/hotel-internet-marketing-strategy/.

Once you've defined your goals, there's a range of free and paid channels we recommend independent hotels utilise to increase direct bookings. From OTA trademark protection, clever retargeting to minimise PPC loss, in-hotel guest data capture and automated utilisation, online loyalty tactics and much more. Normally, the result needs to be a 12-month marketing plan with channels, budgets, activity timing and who's responsible, formatted into a easy to use hotel internet marketing plan.

Solomon Owolabi Alabi answered

Here's a comprehensive Internet Marketing plan to generate new bookings for a local hotel:

*Objective:*

- Increase direct bookings by 20% within the next 6 months
- Improve online visibility and reputation
- Target local and regional customers

*Target Audience:*

- Demographics: Business travelers, leisure travelers, families, couples
- Geographic location: Local and regional areas (within 100-mile radius)
- Interests: Tourism, travel, hospitality, local attractions

*Strategies:*

*1. Website Optimization*

- Update website design and content for user-friendliness and mobile responsiveness
- Ensure secure booking engine (HTTPS)
- Integrate clear call-to-actions (CTAs) for bookings
- Add customer testimonials and reviews

*2. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)*

- Conduct keyword research (e.g., "hotels in [city]")
- Optimize website content, meta tags, and titles
- Build high-quality local citations and directory listings
- Monitor and adjust for better search engine rankings

*3. Content Marketing*

- Create engaging content (blog posts, videos, social media posts) highlighting:
- Local attractions and events
- Hotel amenities and services
- Special offers and packages
- Customer experiences and testimonials
- Utilize relevant hashtags and tagging

*4. Social Media Marketing*

- Establish presence on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn
- Share content, offers, and events
- Engage with customers, respond to reviews and comments
- Run targeted social media ads (Facebook, Instagram)

*5. Email Marketing*

- Build an email list through website opt-ins and customer interactions
- Send regular newsletters with:
- Exclusive offers and packages
- Event announcements
- Hotel updates and news
- Use email marketing automation tools

*6. Online Advertising*

- Google Ads (Search, Display, and Hotel Ads)
- Facebook Ads (targeted demographics, interests, and behaviors)
- Instagram Ads (visual storytelling)
- Local online directories and travel websites

*7. Reputation Management*

- Monitor online reviews (Google, TripAdvisor, Yelp)
- Respond promptly to positive and negative reviews
- Implement review collection and management tools

*8. Partnerships and Collaborations*

- Local tourism boards, event planners, and travel agencies
- Partner with local businesses for joint promotions
- Offer special packages and discounts for loyalty programs

*9. Measurement and Analysis*

- Track website analytics (Google Analytics)
- Monitor social media engagement metrics
- Analyze email marketing metrics (open rates, click-through rates)
- Regularly review and adjust marketing strategies

*Budget Allocation:*

- Website optimization and maintenance (20%)
- SEO and content creation (25%)
- Social media marketing and advertising (20%)
- Email marketing and automation (15%)
- Online advertising (10%)
- Reputation management and partnerships (10%)

*Timeline:*

- Month 1-3: Website optimization, SEO, and content creation
- Month 4-6: Social media marketing, email marketing, and online advertising
- Month 7-12: Continue and refine strategies, analyze results, and adjust budget allocation

*Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):*

- Website traffic and engagement metrics
- Social media engagement and follower growth
- Email open rates and conversion rates
- Booking revenue and occupancy rates
- Online review ratings and quantity

By implementing this comprehensive Internet Marketing plan, the local hotel can increase online visibility, drive direct bookings, and improve its reputation.