Strategies for Small Hotels to Improve Online Distribution
When potential guests search for hotels in particular locations they look for various sources of travel-related information. That is why Small Hotels should not depend only on their website and OTAs to catch the eyes of guests but also create an effective network of online distribution systems.
It is important for independent hotels to improve online distribution to increase their brand value and online presence. Small hotels need to implement these strategies to improve their online distribution:
1. Have a Mobile-Friendly Website
If a website isn’t mobile-friendly then it will definitely miss a huge amount of traffic. According to research by eMarketer, there are almost more than 2 billion smartphone users in the world. Therefore a maximum number of travelers prefer using mobiles over desktops to browse any website. This shows that mobile technology has a great impact on the online distribution of hotels and it will keep rising every year.
The Hotels need to have a mobile-friendly website so that it is easy for smartphone users to easily access and navigate. So by improving their websites, hotels will have a good opportunity to drive more traffic.
2. Add new distribution channels to your network
It is natural for hotels to rely on their current channels. But in order to attract more travelers and consistently grow themselves, hotels need to add new distribution channels. Thus, hotels must keep looking for effective distribution channels and select the ones they feel are beneficial to them.
3. Use Metasearch sites
Metasearch websites like Trivago, Kayak, etc are famous among travelers as they provide real-time prices and allow them to quickly compare hotel deals. Due to these reasons millions of users visit these sites on daily basis. Hotels can use these sites to extend their distribution network by posting room prices and real-time occupancy status to avail direct bookings.
4. Google Hotel Ads to drive direct bookings
Google is the world’s largest search engine and travelers around the globe use it to find hotels, apartments, and B&Bs while planning their vacations. Basically, Google provides a list of hotels in the search results whenever a user searches for hotels in a location. Through Google Ads, a hotel can be included in the list and Google Maps. When a user clicks a hotel in the list, a map appears on one side showing the hotel location, and on the other side, user is able to view all the available rooms and prices. Once a user clicks on a room he is redirected to the hotel website to complete the reservation.
Therefore, Google hotel Ads is one more online distribution channel a hotel can’t afford to miss.
Conclusion
The hospitality industry is a very competitive sector and to stand out from the crowd hotels need to evaluate and improve their online distribution. These strategies will allow small hotels to grow their presence and attract a wide range of potential guests.
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