Increase Direct Bookings
If you manage any type of accommodation, your primary goal is to achieve the highest occupancy rate. This is why listing your properties on online sales channels (such as Booking.com, Expedia.com, Hotelworlds.com, etc.) has become essential. My first recommendation is to continue utilizing these platforms.
As a secondary objective, it is crucial to increase the volume of direct bookings, meaning those for which no commission is paid. Therefore, we will aim to “convince” all clients who have previously booked through marketplaces to choose to do so via the establishment’s website.
Why Have Direct Bookings Decreased?
Most of our clients report receiving more bookings through OTAs than through their own website, with Booking.com and HostelWorld being the most successful channels.
According to a ComScore report, in 2018, the proportion of direct web bookings fell to 66%, while marketplace bookings increased by 9.1%.
This is due to hoteliers not investing resources in improving their own websites and in marketing strategies that support their brand and, in turn, increase bookings.
Step-by-Step
I have divided the information into points I consider most important to help you increase direct bookings.
For each point, I briefly explain the type of action you could implement.
1. The Website
Before you begin: if you do not know how to achieve these points or simply do not have enough time, I recommend hiring an agency or a specialist to assist you with your website.
It is essential to have a fast website with a clear design that is also responsive.
Responsive: this means it is viewable on any device. We must not forget that it should also be accessible to people with different abilities.
– Images and Text
Provide all possible information about the rooms/apartments. Titles and texts must be easy to read and understand.
Use high-resolution images; if you can hire a photographer for this task, that would be ideal.
– Contact Information
It must be possible to find various ways to contact the accommodation, either in the footer or in a “contact” section.
If you use forms, they must include the necessary fields for you to communicate with potential guests.
– Date Picker / Booking Engine
If the website has a date picker, place it on pages where you believe people might select dates to search for availability. It is important to have a booking engine that supports various payment methods.
– 24/7 Assistance
Most web traffic occurs outside business hours. Having an intelligent robot capable of answering questions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week will significantly increase visitor confidence.
Many users have questions about certain services your accommodation offers, or simply about how to reach the complex’s location.
The Chatbot will help you stay connected with the client 24/7 and will also help increase website bookings.
– Good Experience = + Bookings
If users have a good experience on the website, the probability of them booking will increase. This will also help generate more visitor trust.
Here are screenshots of 2 sites I like for their design and functionality.
2. Promotions and/or Discounts in the Booking Engine
Although it may seem obvious, many accommodations do not have active promotions or discounts in their website’s booking engine.
This is also a key point, as many visitors compare website prices with those on portals.
For this, I recommend always offering a lower rate than what appears on OTAs.
Remember that all bookings made through your website do not incur any commission.
Wait a second: you don’t have a booking engine?
Stop losing money on commissions. Mini Hotel, in addition to offering an Integrated PMS, includes a booking engine for integration into your establishment’s website.
3. Generate a Database
Having a database is very important, as it allows you to gain deeper insight into each guest’s details, such as booking reasons, number of guests, room type requested, email, phone number, and much more.
This information will help you devise a marketing strategy to attract new clients.
If you have a hotel system capable of generating databases, such as the Mini Hotel PMS, you can export them and send them to an email marketing platform.
4. Have a Marketing Strategy
A good marketing strategy will help you increase bookings and retain clients who have previously booked through Booking.com, for example.
The strategy should focus on the guest’s needs and how to ensure an excellent experience from the moment of booking until check-out day.
A good tactic to start with would be to email all clients in your database who booked through OTAs a discount coupon to use on your website.
In addition to building loyalty, you will encourage those interested in returning to book directly with the establishment.
Conclusion
If you use online sales channels, you should continue publishing your offers, as the daily traffic generated by these portals will help your accommodation continue to sell.
The intention is to increase direct bookings without paying commissions. With an optimized website, well-distributed content, prices differentiated from OTAs, and a marketing strategy, you will receive more website bookings.
Note: if you do not know how to achieve these points or simply do not have enough time, I recommend hiring a marketing agency to help you boost direct bookings.
I hope my article helps you achieve your goal.
Thank you for reading!
