In the hospitality industry, data-driven online marketing has become essential. It provides hoteliers with clear benefits such as increased revenue, more direct bookings and greater success in hotel marketing. In addition, the right guests can be targeted and persuaded by reaching the hotel's desired guests in a targeted manner.
With professional, data-driven online marketing methods, marketing costs and time can be reduced. The target group feels better addressed by the personalized, targeted communication and is more inclined to choose the hotel.
Data-driven online marketing in the hotel industry offers so many opportunities for the hotel because it makes good use of existing and current data (existing guest information). Marketing efforts are targeted and personalized to the right guest, significantly increasing the success of the conversion or booking. All these measures are aimed at a sustainable increase in ROI.
Next, it is important to be able to analyze and interpret the data. While automation or tools can take care of much of this, it is still important that the interpretation of the collected data is guided by experts. Hoteliers can train marketing staff or hire a hotel marketing agency for data analysis.
With a homogeneous target group with similar interests, the same advertising messages on the appropriate channels can certainly achieve marketing success. This is because special offers from the hotel, such as special promotions, events or innovations at the hotel, motivate the target group to make a hotel reservation during the seasons of interest (skiing in winter or hiking in summer).
In the case of non-homogeneous target groups, the hotel should not generalize the advertising message, but rather address the individual target groups in a targeted and personalized manner. This approach may seem a bit more elaborate at first, but it is much more likely to have lasting success than general advertising messages, which are now heard too often and lead to high wastage. Delivering the right message to the right guest at the right time is becoming increasingly important.
The combination of rational analysis of guest data and creative implementation of subsequent advertising campaigns for the hotel makes the difference to conventional marketing methods and speaks for its success.
In particular, the following guest information is considered relevant:
Comprehensive data analysis is relevant both at the beginning and on an ongoing basis for advertising. This includes Facebook and Instagram data, which can also be used for customer and lookalike audiences. With this data, the algorithms of the social media advertising platforms can reach new target groups that might be interested in the hotel's offer in a similar way.
With professional, data-driven online marketing methods, marketing costs and time can be reduced. The target group feels better addressed by the personalized, targeted communication and is more inclined to choose the hotel.
Data-driven online marketing in the hotel industry offers so many opportunities for the hotel because it makes good use of existing and current data (existing guest information). Marketing efforts are targeted and personalized to the right guest, significantly increasing the success of the conversion or booking. All these measures are aimed at a sustainable increase in ROI.
Getting Started with Data-Driven Hotel Marketing
In most cases, the basic requirements for data-driven marketing in hotels are already in place. However, many hoteliers are not fully aware of this or are unaware of the treasure trove of data that exists in the industry. An online marketing agency that specializes in the hotel industry can help.1. Prerequisite: The right software to implement online marketing.
Hoteliers need the right interface to their CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system and their PMS (Property Management System). This interface makes it easy to use hotel data without the need for manual uploads. This is where marketing automation software for the hotel comes in, as it allows all data to be synchronized and used efficiently.Next, it is important to be able to analyze and interpret the data. While automation or tools can take care of much of this, it is still important that the interpretation of the collected data is guided by experts. Hoteliers can train marketing staff or hire a hotel marketing agency for data analysis.
2. Prerequisite: Existing Guest Data
Guest data is one of the most important aspects of data-driven online marketing for hotels. Guest data can be used to target specific groups for further marketing efforts, as well as to personalize communications to repeat guests.With a homogeneous target group with similar interests, the same advertising messages on the appropriate channels can certainly achieve marketing success. This is because special offers from the hotel, such as special promotions, events or innovations at the hotel, motivate the target group to make a hotel reservation during the seasons of interest (skiing in winter or hiking in summer).
In the case of non-homogeneous target groups, the hotel should not generalize the advertising message, but rather address the individual target groups in a targeted and personalized manner. This approach may seem a bit more elaborate at first, but it is much more likely to have lasting success than general advertising messages, which are now heard too often and lead to high wastage. Delivering the right message to the right guest at the right time is becoming increasingly important.
The combination of rational analysis of guest data and creative implementation of subsequent advertising campaigns for the hotel makes the difference to conventional marketing methods and speaks for its success.
In particular, the following guest information is considered relevant:
- The size of the travel group (e.g. singles, couples, families or larger groups).
- The interests of the guests (environment, hiking, wellness, winter sports, culinary, etc.)
- The purpose of the visit (business or leisure, for a few days or several weeks?)
- Demographics (what country do most guests come from, what language do they speak, and what is their age range?)
- Degree of guest loyalty (are guests coming to the hotel for the first time, are they inactive but have been there before, or are they the regulars to whom the hotel's promotional efforts are directed?)
3. Prerequisite: The ability to control the hotel's promotional activities.
Once the complete system of data-driven online marketing is in place in the hotel industry, the ongoing advertising efforts need to be continually reviewed and improved. Once again, hoteliers will want to consult with experts to make ongoing tweaks and adjustments to get the most out of the ads placed.The Importance of Data Analysis for Marketing Success
Obviously, there is a lot of data available in the hotel before marketing activities begin. However, the correct input and allocation of data plays a major role in success. For example, personalized, data-driven online marketing in the hotel should be continuously reviewed, as should tracking on the hotel's website and any landing pages. Only with sufficient analysis can online visitor behavior be interpreted in a targeted manner and measures optimized on this basis.Comprehensive data analysis is relevant both at the beginning and on an ongoing basis for advertising. This includes Facebook and Instagram data, which can also be used for customer and lookalike audiences. With this data, the algorithms of the social media advertising platforms can reach new target groups that might be interested in the hotel's offer in a similar way.
