Mobile Marketing Strategies For Hotels to Target and Engage Guests

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Summary

The majority of website traffic comes from smartphones. Mobile devices allow users to search, compare, and purchase with ease at any time of the day. Hoteliers need to take this as an opportunity to improve the guest experience before, during, and after their stay. Learn how you can benefit from mobile marketing and plan your strategy accordingly.


Mobile Marketing Strategies For Hotels

The majority of website traffic comes from smartphones. Mobile devices allow users to search, compare, and purchase with ease at any time of the day. Hoteliers need to take this as an opportunity to improve the guest experience before, during, and after their stay. 

Learn how you can benefit from Hotel Mobile Marketing Strategies and plan your approach accordingly

Many of our day-to-day tasks rely on the internet. Users can easily and conveniently find the information they need. 

Mobile marketing is proliferating. Websites and social platforms are filled with sponsored ads, pop-ups, SMS, and more.

Even though they appear out of nowhere, they seem to know exactly what we were going to search for. 
Read more to learn how your hotel can use mobile marketing to its advantage.

What is Hotel Mobile Marketing?

As a hotelier, marketing is one expense you cannot avoid. Every hotelier wants to establish their brand, regardless of how big or little their business is.

The more recognizable you are in the tourist and travel industry, the more likely you are to expand.

According to Search Engine Watch, mobile usage exceeded PC internet usage for the first time in history. Developing a hotel marketing strategy that's supported on mobile devices is now a crucial aspect of staying relevant.

Businesses must ensure that the user experience is optimized for all devices during all times of the day. 

Smartphones have had a bigger impact than you may think. Mobile technology has been and will continue to change how consumers explore and book their accommodations significantly.

With the help of hotel mobile marketing, businesses can target visitors quickly and directly and give them a cutting-edge customer experience.

Importance of Mobile Marketing for Hotels 

Importance of Hotel Mobile Marketing Strategies

There are many advantages to mobile marketing. It gives you entry into new markets, enables quick consumer contact, and is cost-efficient.

Read more to learn the top 5 advantages of mobile marketing in 2023.

1. Reach your target audience on their preferred platform.

The exploring stage before guests book is one of the most important times for hoteliers. Market to guests on the platform where they spent most of their time browsing.

Catch user’s attention with strategic mobile marketing. Utilize visual graphics, entertaining content, videos, or any other media type. 

For example – Your property is located near many tourist attractions or hidden gems. 

Users search for a convenient place to stay nearby the places they want to visit. Display how you can best accommodate their wants and why your property is the choice for them. Also, showcase special offerings and packages.

Join active FB groups, answer Reddit and quora questions, and check hashtags to reply to comments. There are many opportunities you can take advantage of.

Mobile marketing for hotels is extremely beneficial if done correctly. 

2. Improve the guest experience.

Positive guest experiences build your company's reputation and convert first-time visitors into loyal, returning visitors.

Hotels can use mobile marketing to improve the guest experience in the following few ways:

Easy Check-in and Check-out:

It should be a smooth process for visitors to check in or out at your hotel. Providing guests the ability to check out on their mobile devices is a reliable convenience, especially considering that check-outs in the morning can be hectic.

Allowing guests to use their phones on a kiosk or payment terminal to confirm a reservation or pay for a service is another way technology may help you improve the guest experience. 

Although providing a face-to-face check-in option to customers is still necessary, busy guests will value the shorter wait times. 

Make Restaurant Reservations:

Reminders for dinner reservations are helpful; however, what happens if customers are tardy and need to reschedule their reservation time?

Allow everything to be interconnected. By using an integrated marketing platform, guests can seamlessly communicate a reservation change and you can further accommodate their needs.

Additionally, notifications lessen no-shows, which helps you save money and improve your planning.

Contactless Room Service: 

Hotels are increasingly making efficient use of mobile technology to make it smoother for their guests to use all of their services.

Allow guests to do the following from their mobile devices:

  • Call for room service
  • Make payments
  • Schedule visits to the spa
  • Access a variety of different services that you provide

With their phone or tablet, guests could also control the lighting, temperature, TV, and more. 

The more comfort you provide, the better their stay and review will be.

Send Reminders: 

With INNsight’s immersive platform, you can quickly connect with visitors to send reminders right to their phone or tablet via SMS, push notifications, social media, and more.

Keep them in the loop. 

  • Breakfast times
  • Check-in/check-out timeRoom-ready alerts
  • Request reviews after check-out
  • Special discounts and packages

Make Your Guests Feel Valued: 

By sending simple surveys and review reminders, hotels may use mobile marketing to learn more about their visitors' opinions. For example, you may find out what amenities are most valued by your visitors or what kinds of leisure activities are best for families staying at your hotel.

Allowing guests the opportunity to submit feedback makes them feel their opinions count, and the responses will help inform choices about how your hotel will be run in the future.

Increase Bookings:

First, fill out and optimize your profiles on all relevant websites, including TripAdvisor, Travelocity, and others. Include any information about your facilities and services to make it easier for potential guests to discover your hotel.

You can effortlessly add media using the reliable hotel booking engine and content management system by INNsight.

INNsight’s Hotel Booking Engine simplifies the process for hotels to keep track of reservations.

Utilize maps so visitors can easily find your hotel. They can look up accommodations in a specific location, check prices and availability, or go straight to the website. You need a solid Google Business Profile (GBP) listing to increase your exposure. 

Claim your profile or make one right now, then fill it with all the pertinent information about your hotel. 

To increase interaction and demonstrate your availability to potential visitors, swiftly respond to queries and reviews.

Cost-effective:

Mobile marketing is more affordable than typical marketing strategies. It’s a great option if you want to reach wider audiences for less money. 

Additionally, designing marketing ads for mobile is more straightforward. The smaller screen size of mobile devices drastically reduces the amount of information you can include in some content. 

As a result, the text is clear, concise, and is, therefore, more effective.

The proliferation of social media and mobile marketing, as well as channel interconnection and multi-channel marketing, has made it crucial for hoteliers to monitor the success of their digital marketing campaigns. 

The analytical technology solutions that are currently accessible provide efficient but potent ways to track findings.

Personalization:

One-size-fits-all Internet marketing strategies are no longer effective. 

Your customers are more than just numbers on a spreadsheet or profile statistics.

46% of customers are hesitant to disclose personal information because they do not believe they would receive anything in return.

Focus on providing the value that your target audience is searching for. 

Maintaining the trustworthiness of your business is essential. Create a genuine connection with your customers, make them feel valued with personalized services, and reap the benefits of lasting relationships. 

When it comes to personalization, there are rules you need to follow:

1- Don’t misuse the data. Users trust you with their data.

2- Be clear about what you are offering and make it easy to understand.

3- Don’t neglect the fact that users are just one touch away from another website, so consider smooth UI/UX. 

7 Mobile Marketing Strategies For Hotels

To adapt to changing market demands, you must be flexible to stand out from the competitors. So what are the most effective marketing approaches for hotels? Let's find out.

SMS and MMS messaging  

No hotel wants to be vacant during peak season or off-season.

More than 84% of users carry a smartphone everywhere and make travel arrangements, book hotels, and book flights.

Tip: To ensure that you deliver SMS messages on time, prepare templates for all possible occasions.

Here are some examples of read-to-use template ideas:

Mobile App

Users frequently prefer apps to websites for making reservations. However, visitors occasionally need clarification about which website is reliable and trustworthy.

This method provides benefits for both the hoteliers and the guests:

→ Discounts and promotions for in-app booking.

→ Information about the stay, including check-in and check-out times, breakfast selections, housekeeping schedules, and other specifics.

→ By listing information about your neighborhood, such as surrounding restaurants and other tourist attractions, you can promote the nearby community

INNsight's email marketing system provides the top-tier results and makes all emails mobile-friendly. The best and most well-known mobile marketing for hotels is EMS.

Mobile Web Design 

A mobile-optimized website must be included in your mobile marketing strategy. Ensure your website, booking engine, and information is easy to use and find on all devices, especially mobile. 

Mobile web standards differ from those of typical desktops. Therefore, improve your local SEO by making your hotel visible on mobile SERPs.

Push notifications

Push notifications are brief messages that customers get on their mobile or desktop devices to prompt them to take action.

Remind potential guests about your special deals that they perused the day prior. This can ensure that your brand name remains top-of-mind. 

Push notifications can allow you to time and alter the message as necessary. A reminder notice, for instance, will be sent to a consumer who abandoned their booking journey. 

QR codes and NFC tags

The purpose of QR codes is to simplify and speed up standard operations. 

Consider the following list:

  • Hotel reservations
  • Hotel check-ins with QR code
  • Personalized welcome notes to visitors
  • Hotel room keys using QR codes
  • Customer feedback
  • Guidelines for appliance instructions
  • Amenities are displayed in a gallery 

This approach is effective because it:

  • Reduces the use of paper
  • Shortens the time spent checking in
  • Gives visitors fresh experiences
  • Is cost-efficient

NFC tags make it easier to verify that someone on the team has handled the necessary task.

Are there any critical places in your hotel that must be examined daily? NFC tags that area. This way, you can ensure that all essential requirements are completed and the communication process is streamlined. 

NFC tags, however, are helpful for more than just repeatable operations. These small tools are useful everywhere that daily problems are introduced. 

Location-based marketing

By locating a user, geotargeting can deliver customized messages based on location. For example, if a user grants permission for an app to access their area, they may receive push notifications or in-app messaging based on their proximity to a business.

Location-based digital marketing is one of the newest trends becoming popular among businesses to support their current marketing efforts. 

The use of location data has given many, especially those in hospitality marketing, instant wins by making it simple to target a nearby or incoming audience.

You can:

  • Display more targeted ads
  • Increase customer satisfaction
  • Maintain contact with customers
  • Bring guests to your business

Social media

Utilize social media to boost engagement. Post offers, discounts, benefits, and more. 

For instance, hoteliers could provide incentives like casino bonuses to entice new customers via social media.

Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook are a few social media sites that might increase your exposure. Potential guests will build more trust and feel valued by your business is you are actively engaged. 

For instance, providing answers to visitors' questions and building a trustworthy brand image are examples of outstanding service.

An effective tip to consider is to provide 360 virtual tours of your property on your direct website and YouTube.

You can also utilize social media advertising, including banners, pop-ups, videos, and full-page ads.

And that’s how it is done, folks! 

Should Your Hotel Use Mobile Marketing Startegies? 

The significance of mobile marketing cannot be overemphasized in hotel marketing today! Adding mobile to your marketing mix will help add to your hotel's guest engagement and sales.

Mobile devices are the primary means for travelers searching for and booking accommodations. Studies show that about 60% of all online traffic for hotel bookings comes from mobile devices. This reflects a shift toward mobile convenience among users, which is important news for you! Optimizing mobile marketing efforts is crucial to staying competitive and relevant.

Engaging Guests Through Mobile

To maximize engagement, ensure your mobile marketing strategies create a seamless user experience. Here’s how:

1. Optimize Your Mobile Website

Make sure your hotel’s website and booking engine are mobile-friendly. A responsive design improves usability and reduces bounce rates. This makes it easier for users to complete bookings on their smartphones.

2. Leverage Push Notifications

Use push notifications to inform guests about special offers, promotions, or updates. Personalize these notifications based on user behavior and preferences to enhance their relevance.

3. Enhance Email Marketing

Optimize email campaigns for mobile devices. Ensure emails are responsive and include clear call-to-action to drive engagement and bookings.

4. Utilize Social Media

Engage with guests on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook. Keep them interested and encourage bookings with regular updates, promotions, and interactive content.

5. Mobile-First Loyalty Programs 

Develop a mobile-friendly loyalty program that rewards repeat guests. You can offer perks like discounts or room upgrades to enhance guest retention.

Measuring Success

Metrics such as click-through rates, conversion rates, and user engagement will help gauge your marketing efforts. Use this data to refine your strategies and improve your marketing performance.

It is crucial for today’s hotels to integrate mobile marketing. Understand your mobile guests and ensure efficient multi-channel communication. This will help with a better guest experience, increase conversion, and put your hotel one step ahead of your competitors. Go mobile and prepare your hotel to capture the market and shift to the new realm of marketing.

FAQs for Mobile Marketing Strategies For Hotels

How can I create a mobile-friendly website for my hotel?

A mobile-friendly website can be created by using responsive design techniques, which automatically adjust the website's layout to fit the screen of the device used to view it. This ensures that the website is easily navigable and readable on all devices.

How can I use SMS marketing to promote my hotel?

SMS marketing involves sending text messages to potential guests to promote your hotel, its services, and offers. This can include sending promotional codes, special offers, and reminders about booking deadlines.

How can I use mobile advertising to promote my hotel?

Mobile advertising can be done through various platforms, such as social media platforms, Google Ads, and in-app advertising. This allows you to target specific groups of people with relevant ads, increasing their chances of booking a stay at your hotel.

How can I use a mobile app to improve the guest experience?

A mobile app can improve the guest experience by allowing them to book rooms, check-in and out, and access hotel services like room service. It can also include features like push notifications to keep guests informed about offers, events, and essential information.

How can I use mobile marketing to increase bookings?

Mobile marketing can increase bookings by making it easy for potential guests to find and book your hotel through mobile devices. This can include creating a mobile-friendly website, using SMS and mobile advertising, and offering booking incentives through a mobile app.

What kind of data can I collect through mobile marketing?

Mobile marketing lets you collect data on potential guests' locations, behavior, and preferences. This data can be used to personalize your communications with them and to target them with relevant ads.

How can I use mobile marketing to increase brand awareness?

Using mobile marketing, you can increase brand awareness by promoting your hotel to potential guests. This can include using mobile advertising, creating a mobile-friendly website, and offering special promotions through a mobile app.

How can I use mobile marketing to target specific groups of people?

You can target specific groups of people by using mobile advertising platforms, such as social media platforms, Google Ads, and in-app advertising. This allows you to target particular groups of people with relevant ads, increasing their chances of booking a stay at your hotel.

How often should I send SMS marketing messages?

It's important to strike a balance between sending enough messages to keep your hotel top of mind and not overwhelming potential guests with too many messages. A good rule of thumb is to send up to one weekly piece of news.

How can I measure the success of my mobile marketing campaigns?

You can measure the success of your mobile marketing campaigns by tracking metrics such as website traffic, click-through rates, conversion rates, and bookings. By measuring these metrics, you can understand what works and what doesn't, allowing you to make data-driven decisions about your mobile marketing strategy.

Author
Roshan Patel
CTO & Co-Founder

Meet Roshan Patel, the dynamic force propelling INNsight to new heights. As a co-founder, his pragmatic and cost-focused leadership shapes the company's technical strategy and product architecture, ensuring a seamless hotel digital experience. With a hotel management and technology background, Roshan is a driving force in providing INNkeepers the tools they need to economically showcase their properties to cost-conscious travelers. Roshan's impact goes beyond tech, raising INNsight as a game-changer in hotel digital marketing.

Follow him on LinkedIn - Roshan Patel - INNsight

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