Advertising on platforms such as Google, Facebook and Instagram is an important online marketing tool for hotels to increase occupancy and generate revenue. However, new privacy guidelines are forcing hotels to rethink their approach.
Internet giants like Google and Facebook collect a lot of data from their users. These platforms allow hotels to advertise to their target audiences with minimal wastage to generate inquiries and reservations. New privacy rules are now limiting the ability to collect this data and use it for advertising. In the medium term, this will make advertising on Google & Co. more expensive and less attractive. Finally, highly effective remarketing, i.e. the multiple targeting of potential guests with ads, will no longer be as efficient.
A very efficient and cost-effective way to market hotel services independently of Facebook & Co. is to send out regular newsletters. This is because they can be designed specifically for the target group and are also more personal, as they arrive directly in the inbox of the potential guest and, unlike advertisements, allow for an individual approach. For these reasons, email marketing continues to grow in importance. The prerequisite for this is a well-maintained guest database.
Collect email addresses of potential guests on the hotel's website and landing pages by having them sign up for the newsletter via a short form. This gets extra attention if it appears as a teaser or pop-up.
Invite potential guests to sign up for the hotel newsletter through lead ads on Facebook.
The marketing automation software ADDITIVE+ MARKETING AUTOMATION supports hotels in this strategy with important functions.
With these features, hotels are already succeeding in strengthening their marketing and reducing their dependence on Facebook & Co. Those who rely on the advertising functions of the large Internet platforms for too long and do not systematically build up their own database in good time will have to bear higher costs and expenses as soon as the new data protection guidelines come into force. Therefore, it is worthwhile for hotels to make the change now in order to successfully fill the house with desired guests independently.
Internet giants like Google and Facebook collect a lot of data from their users. These platforms allow hotels to advertise to their target audiences with minimal wastage to generate inquiries and reservations. New privacy rules are now limiting the ability to collect this data and use it for advertising. In the medium term, this will make advertising on Google & Co. more expensive and less attractive. Finally, highly effective remarketing, i.e. the multiple targeting of potential guests with ads, will no longer be as efficient.
Rethinking Online Hotel Marketing
The higher advertising costs resulting from the new regulations, coupled with declining prospects for success, are already making it necessary to rethink online marketing. In order to reduce the dependency on the platforms and to exploit the potential of online marketing, it is necessary to make better use of the hotel's own guest data. This means expanding the marketing database and improving the quality of the data.A very efficient and cost-effective way to market hotel services independently of Facebook & Co. is to send out regular newsletters. This is because they can be designed specifically for the target group and are also more personal, as they arrive directly in the inbox of the potential guest and, unlike advertisements, allow for an individual approach. For these reasons, email marketing continues to grow in importance. The prerequisite for this is a well-maintained guest database.
1. CAPTURE NEW GUEST DATA
In order to continuously expand and improve this, and thus increase the hotel's booking revenue, there are a number of ways to do this:Collect email addresses of potential guests on the hotel's website and landing pages by having them sign up for the newsletter via a short form. This gets extra attention if it appears as a teaser or pop-up.
Invite potential guests to sign up for the hotel newsletter through lead ads on Facebook.
2. BUILD INTEREST
To keep the user's attention and build further interest in the hotel after the newsletter sign-up, send an automated email series. This involves greeting each new contact with a series of enthusiastic emails. The potential guest then receives regular newsletters with content and messages that provide value. In this way, the recipient is accompanied step by step.3. GET A RESERVATION
Through continuous communication, the hotel builds a relationship with the potential guest and is present in his mind when he books his vacation. In this way, the hotel succeeds in getting a new guest to make a reservation.4. MOTIVATE THEM TO RETURN
After the stay, your own marketing database helps to retain guests. This requires professional and ongoing email marketing communication. After all, it is worthwhile for the hotel to stay in touch with the guest through newsletters or remarketing ads in order to motivate him or her to return for another vacation and eventually become a regular guest.The marketing automation software ADDITIVE+ MARKETING AUTOMATION supports hotels in this strategy with important functions.
- The software helps hotels to automatically acquire new contact data and to continuously communicate with existing and potential guests. An interface to Facebook allows lead ads to be placed directly in the ADDITIVE+ MARKETING AUTOMATION and the guest data received to be stored in the ADDITIVE+ CRM.
- Automated email series ensure ongoing communication that excites the potential guest. They increase his interest in the hotel and thus the likelihood of a reservation. After all, by submitting their contact information, they have already actively expressed their interest in the hotel.
With these features, hotels are already succeeding in strengthening their marketing and reducing their dependence on Facebook & Co. Those who rely on the advertising functions of the large Internet platforms for too long and do not systematically build up their own database in good time will have to bear higher costs and expenses as soon as the new data protection guidelines come into force. Therefore, it is worthwhile for hotels to make the change now in order to successfully fill the house with desired guests independently.
