Websites, when considered as a marketing tool, are of utmost importance for any hotel regardless of their scale or concept. Being an indispensable part of marketing activities focusing on a properly defined goal and target group, websites offer not only awareness but also direct sales opportunities. For the website of an accommodation facility, as it would be for any kind of website, it is the the smartest strategy to give particular importance to the customer expectations starting from the planning process, and proceeding accordingly during the entire process.
In order to achieve this, it is required to have an in-depth understanding of what visitors might expect from the hotel website. We are certain that you have quite a few ideas for your website. You, probably, must have had the chance to examine closely your target group’s expectations and preferences during their accommodation at your property.
On the Internet, though, things tend to work out a bit differently than they normally do. So, it might as well be surprising to hear what visitors expect from hotel websites…
We have compiled and analyzed for you the results of a study conducted in 2013 by MMGY. Please note that the study was conducted on a general group of participants, thus revealing the profile of an average group of hotel customers. Therefore, some of the points analyzed below may vary depending on your specific target group. They would, however, still provide an overview for you to have an understanding of the expectations of the visitors from hotel websites.
Price options and the lowest price
83% of the participants would like to see, when they visit a hotel’s website, the lowest price offered by the hotel. So, it might be a good idea to place on your home page a catching line like “prices from X USD” should draw the visitors’ attention. Visitors would also like to have the option to see all the price rates offered together.
Photos of your property
“A photograph can tell more than a thousands words do”, which 78% of your website’s visitors agree with. Photos boasting diverse facilities of your property are among the top-rank features potential customers look for on a website. Let us also remind you that 73% of the visitors would like to see photographs of the region where your property is located.
Online reservation
If a visitor feels satisfied with what s/he has seen on your pages after accessing your website, s/he would probably complete the reservation on the spot, rather than consulting a travel agency for booking procedures. 74% of the visitors consider an easy online booking module as an essential feature of a hotel’s website.
Transport
Transport to/from your property is a critical point which your potential guests would like to see on your website. 62% of the website visitors seek details on a web site as to how they could get to your hotel by plane or on land. Some also feel more comfortable when they find details about rent-a-car facilities or opportunities in the destination where your hotel is located.
And beyond…
Visitors might have other expectations, as well, which may not always show up as important as the ones above. 30% prefer to download a mobile application of the property; 14% would like to receive e-mail notifications about discounts and campaigns; and 10% would like to see videos of the property on the website.
We believe that these tips would be quite beneficial for you to convince your potential customers to stay at your property after they visit your website. If you wish to increase your direct sales by allowing online reservations on your website, do not waste your time anymore. Sign up for HotelRunner today…
