‘Spring’ Ahead of Marketing Trends in Hospitality

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trends

 

Warm weather is finally upon us, and summer is closer than ever! As hundreds of millions of people start to travel this spring, hotels are ramping up their marketing efforts to attract bookings and optimize revenue. From safety and hygiene communications to hands-free technology, staying on top of hotel marketing trends will play a key role in the upcoming months.

Safety and Communication

One of the most prominent trends hotels are embracing is linked to the increased need to highlight safety and hygiene measures. Updated marketing content and communications will make guests feel at ease. Hygiene measures and safety policies are at the forefront of travelers’ minds when booking. How well hotels communicate the steps they’ve taken can easily be the difference between generating sales and failing to do so. Efforts should be communicated on all marketing platforms, from check-in and in-room materials to digital marketing applications, including email, social and website.

Hands-Free Technology

Minimizing touchpoints will continue to be a primary goal across the travel sector this spring. Hotels, airports and restaurants have turned to mobile apps and QR codes to help reduce the spread of harmful germs. “In 2021, hotels will increase their adoption of technology that reduces the number of touchpoints. Abilities such as online check-ins and check-outs, mobile keys and room settings controlled by the Internet of Things (IoT) technology will become much more commonplace,” says GlobalData Travel & Tourism Analyst Ralph Hollister. “Using IoT to control room settings also allows hotels to gather more data on guests, creating a more personalized experience when they return next.”

More Flexibility

Successful hotels will offer guests added flexibility by adding 100 percent refunds for last-minute cancellations and other risk-reducing policies. “Having a flexible cancellation policy on a hotel website will be vital in ensuring direct bookings, and these relaxed policies will continue in 2021. For example, Marriott International has just extended its 24-hour global cancellation policy,” Hollister stated. Plans change at the drop of a hat, and in a world full of uncertainty, it’s better to be understanding of those changes. Demonstrating an understanding through a flexible cancellation policy can go a long way towards encouraging bookings and also help avoid negative press.

Extended Stays

As guests pursue longer stays, hotels and resorts will promote marketing communications for extended stay programs and packages. “Travelers will be looking to take fewer trips, but those that do travel are expected to also stay for longer,” says Hollister. “Uncertainty is strife and it may lead to people going ‘all out’ on one big trip, rather than risking several smaller ones that could be canceled.” After a year of being locked away, we can emphasize not wanting to leave paradise!

 

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Four Benefits of Having a Well-designed and Well-structured Website for Small Businesses

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Benefits to a New Website

 

It takes about 50 milliseconds (that’s 0.05 seconds) for users to form an opinion about your website. Speed, design and usability quickly determine whether visitors like your site and whether they’ll stay or leave. As typical as it is to say, “don’t judge a book by its cover,” websites are subject to an extreme level of snap judgments that immediately influence credibility and professionalism. A strategic, optimized website can help your brand become a reliable source for your customers. Here are the benefits of having a well-designed and well-structured website.

Improve Business Credibility

There are more than 30 million small businesses in the United States. To set yourself apart from the crowd, make sure your website is thoughtfully designed and structured from start to finish. A strong online presence should be on the top of your marketing to-do list. A professional site legitimizes your business and improves your credibility, making you look reliable and capable to tackle any job.

Improve User Experience Through Mobile

We live in a multi-screen society. Because of this, it’s important for websites to be viewable across as many devices as possible. Websites built with mobile traffic in mind appear higher in search results, increase the time visitors spend on your site, are guaranteed to look more professional and provide an optimal user experience, making it easier for visitors to find information quickly no matter what size screen the site is being viewed on.

Improve SEO Rankings

When you search on Google, Bing or Yahoo, you will see a list of websites with answers to your request. There are SEO (Search Engine Optimization) tactics that you can apply to your company website to improve its rankings. Creating relevant content tailored to your unique audience will set you apart from your competitors. Not having a website or one that ignores best SEO practices makes it difficult for your company to rank and gain free traffic. Strategic SEO helps build brand awareness as search engine users are more likely to trust a site on the first page of search engine results than organizations that are not.

Build Your Email Database

By providing visitors a quick, easy and efficient way to sign up for your email list, you can proactively grow your list and continually capture visitor data. According to Vertical Response, having a healthy email list is essential because every dollar spent on email marketing generates $38 in ROI. It’s one of the best ways to keep in touch with your customers and prospects, including its added benefit of boosting sales.

 

Starting a new business or need to refresh your current website? Our team will help you engage your audience and capture new customers with a modern, user-friendly custom site. Contact us today!

Four Tips to Help Master IG Influencer Marketing

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Influencer Marketing

 

“A picture is worth a thousand words” has never been more accurate in the age of Instagram. With roughly one billion monthly active users, Instagram is one of the most popular social networks worldwide. The photo-sharing app is especially popular in the United States and India, with nearly 140 million Instagram users. Instagram is the most effective platform to engage and influence target audiences. To integrate influencer marketing into your IG strategy, start with these four helpful tips.

Find A Micro-Influencer

Micro-influencers are influencers with 1,000-100,000 followers. Whether it’s highlighting a new pair of yoga pants, snacking on a protein bar or enjoying a hot flapjack at Hutton Hotel’s Mane and Rye breakfast spot, micro-influencers have a unique story to tell, personally creating advertising posts for their followers to listen in. They earn 6.7x more engagement than macro-influencers (influencers with +100,000 followers) and are a trusted source for recommendations. To find your perfect micro-influencer, look at their target audience and check that their follower-engagement ratio compares to the number of likes they receive. Another great way is through word of mouth; explore your local area for influencers that fit your budget, brand and content style.

Promote Contests and Giveaways

People love free stuff! Influencers encourage these partnerships because it helps them engage with followers and be more influential. Even if consumers might not win, giveaway contests create emotional connections. It also stimulates engagement because followers tend to check IG daily to see if they won. It’s an easy way to get everyone involved. To get the most out of the contest or giveaway, ensure followers comment on posts and share to their stories!

Live Streaming

Getting your brand featured on an influencers’ Instagram live feed is a great way to increase engagement, followers and create unique content. Live streaming is one of the best ways to connect with your followers in a direct, transparent and authentic way. Followers can submit comments and questions in real-time, building a stronger relationship between your brand and potential customers.

Instagram Takeovers

IG takeovers have grown exponentially and are now a valuable part of any IG marketing strategy. With Instagram takeovers, brands collaborate with influencers who take over their account and publish content on their behalf. Having an influencer on your company’s Instagram account is a great endorsement for your brand. It’s a mutual 50/50 value exchange between all parties. While your brand benefits from interacting with followers via a trusted voice, influencers can boost their brand awareness and access new audiences.

 

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3 Essential Lessons to Help Marketers in 2021

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3 Essential Lessons to Help Marketers in 2021

 

In 2021, one of the few things that continues to bring everyone together is the entertainment industry. Television and movie viewership rose to new heights as the events of this past year change people’s viewing habits and reshape the industry landscape. In a Facebook-affiliated report, members of the entertainment industry shared their findings that could be useful to marketers regardless of industry.

Cultivating Digital Communities

By giving groups a platform with a powerful set of tools and features, marketing managers will have the means to build and control their own online community. It will also give their users a reason to join, engage and help grow their community. Keeping all news and community-generated content on a single message stream is vital to ensure that your digital community is actively involved in your business’s interworking.

 

The lesson: While building a relationship with your customers is important, making your customers feel like they’re a part of your community is essential.

Utilizing and Offering Original and Exclusive Content

According to a report in 2018, Netflix’s original content makes up approximately 80% of U.S. viewership of media. With almost every major network creating its own service, Netflix gave itself a competitive advantage over the rest as 57% of customers cite Netflix’s original content for the reason for their subscription. With platforms such as Patreon, Podia and Memberful, there are multiple ways to release exclusive content to your most dedicated community.

 

The lesson: While methods and platforms vary by industry, offering original and exclusive content that gives customers a reason to choose your business is essential. 

Giving a Voice to Unrepresented Groups

The entertainment industry has made conscious efforts to include a more diverse and accurate representation of culture in media and entertainment. In a Facebook-commissioned survey, 70% of participants said they want to see more of it in digital advertising. Ensuring that you read up on the key issues in today’s world and being educated on different cultures will go a long way.

 

The lesson: While creative content for marketing campaigns and messages are as unique as brands themselves, making sure voices and messaging of unrepresented groups is included in your strategy is essential.

 

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Zoom Etiquette to Ensure Meeting Success

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Zoom Etiquette to Ensure Success in a Meeting

 

“I’m not a cat,” said Rod Ponton in the now-viral clip of him stuck with a cat filter on during his court Zoom meeting. From school to work and even the courtroom, Zoom meetings are becoming the new normal. So how do face-to-face meetings translate to virtual world etiquette and expectations? Follow these strategies to navigate Zoom meetings in the most professional way possible! Read more