Marketing
How to increase your hotel’s direct bookings
Seven practical steps to get more bookings from your own website, without damaging your relationship with the OTAs.
Every booking from your website saves the OTA commission and gives you something even more valuable: the relationship with the guest. The goal isn’t to leave Booking.com, but not to depend on it.
1. A booking engine that works on mobile
Most guests search on their phones. If booking on your website takes many steps, loads slowly or doesn’t show price and availability clearly, the guest goes back to the OTA. Try booking on your own phone.
2. A rate equal to or better than the OTAs
Guests compare. If they find the same rate on the OTA with free cancellation and on your website without it, they will book on the OTA. Keep rate parity and give them a reason to book direct.
3. A reason to book direct
It doesn’t always have to be a discount. Breakfast, late check-out, an upgrade when available, a welcome drink or flexible cancellation often work better and cost less.
4. Photos and content that sell the experience
Photos are the first reason a guest stays on your website. Show the rooms, but also the experience: breakfast, the view, the pool at dusk, the people.
5. Advertise on your own hotel name
When someone searches your hotel’s name on Google, OTAs often appear above your website. A small-budget campaign on your own name (a brand campaign) puts you first.
6. Stay in touch with guests who already know you
Past guests are the easiest audience. With their consent, a pre-season newsletter or a returning-guest offer brings commission-free bookings.
7. Measure everything
Set up analytics and conversion tracking on your booking engine, so you know how many bookings each campaign brings and what each one cost. Without measurement, you don’t know what is worth continuing.
What about the OTAs?
OTAs remain important, especially for new markets and guests who don’t know you yet. The right strategy uses OTAs to get discovered and your website to get chosen again.
SV Hospitality’s marketing department works with the sales team, so direct-booking campaigns match your pricing and availability.
Author
Founder and CEO of SV Hospitality, with 20+ years in hotel yield, revenue management and sales: youtravel.com, TUI Hellas, Purple Travel, HotelBrain, Radisson Blu Santorini and Grecotel.
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