do's and don'ts of otas
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DO’S AND DON’TS OF HOTEL STORYTELLING ON ONLINE TRAVEL AGENCIES / 1
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Do:Take advantage of
the sheer amount of traffic on OTAs.
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Don’t:Ignore OTAs and hope
they will go away.
Travelocity and Expedia are household names, and they show up near the top of most travel-related Google searches. They’re here to stay. Be present and put your best foot forward.
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Do:Understand the
importance of OTAs in the travel industry.
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02Even with a top-notch website and a strong
social media presence, you can use your presence on OTAs to drive visitors to book with
you by offering a consistent visual story.
Don’t:Assume your visitors
will find you without the help of OTAs.
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Do:Include as many photos as you need to in order to tell your hotel’s story.
Travel shoppers researching your hotel want to see multiple, current photos.
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Don’t:Withhold images on
OTAs.
You might think it’s wise to hold some “good stuff” back on your site, rather than use it on an OTA. But the truth is, people are landing on OTAs earlier in the shopping journey – if you hold images back, there’s a chance prospects won’t ever see them.
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Do:Include OTAs as part of your hotel
marketing strategy.
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04Even with a top-notch website and
a strong social media presence, you can use your presence on OTAs to
drive visitors to book with you by offering a consistent visual story.
Don’t:Turn a blind eye to these valuable
channels.
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Do:Keep your
content fresh and consistent.
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Don’t:Upload your photos
and walk away.
Shoppers want to see that you’re up-to-date. If it’s summer, display summertime attractions; in winter, show local ski hills. Visitors will appreciate, and remember, that your property is current and connected to what’s going on around it.
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Do:Understand that travel
shoppers are all different and have varied priorities when choosing a hotel.
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06Some travel shoppers use OTAs to research
hotels; others use them to scan for deals, comparison shop or even daydream.
Recognize that consumers on OTAs are at different stages of the shopping journey.
Don’t:Assume all online traffic
is the same.
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Do:Cater your message to your target audience on
OTAs.
Travel shoppers researching your hotel want to see multiple, current photos.
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Don’t:Send an irrelevant
message on a channel it’s not intended for.
Some channels, such as Concur, are specific for corporate travelers. Take advantage of specialized OTAs by providing information that appeals to that customer target.
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Do:Use multi-media.
Use virtual tours and videos – in addition to photos – to showcase the experience of visiting your property.
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08Photos on their own aren’t enough – it’s how you
use them that will make your OTA presence stand out from the competition. Make your story known
by including engaging videos and virtual tours along with your photos.
Don’t:Add a gallery
of random photos to your OTA site.
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Stand out from the competitionby telling a unique, targeted hotel story
across the OTA channels.
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