” innerhtml=”

For modern-day consumers, the decision to book a hotel online comes down to two equally important factors: how desirable a hotel is from a value and quality standpoint and how much they trust the hotel brand.

.

As agency leaders, we can’t necessarily change the quality of our clients’ product — that’s up to them. What we can do, however, is ensure every step is taken to build a trustworthy online brand that makes the buying decision easier for consumers.

.

Based on my agency’s experience within the online hospitality space, here are five ways to do just that:

1. Maintain a healthy online review profile.

.

.

I devoted an entire article to this recently, but I would be remiss not to emphasize it again. The fact of the matter is that 91% of consumers ages 18-34 trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation from a friend. Better yet, 68% form an opinion after reading between one and six reviews.

.

The takeaway is simple: Nothing influences a customer’s trust in a brand like the input of fellow consumers. Make sure that your hotel not only merits positive reviews but maintains a steady stream of new reviews coming in on a weekly basis. This should not be taken lightly; it’s far and away the most important thing you can do to build brand credibility on the internet.

.

.

2. Allay consumer fears about data security and privacy.

.

Marriott’s infamous 2018 data breach, which leaked the personal information of up to 500 million customers, was the ultimate case study in how damaging a data compromise can be for a hotel brand. Not only did the company’s share price drop by 8.7%overnight, it likely gave up thousands, if not millions, of loyal customers who instantly lost trust in the company.

.

The fact that data leaks are becoming more frequent within the hotel industry makes it all the more important for brands to proactively defend against consumer mistrust. On top of becoming PCI compliant, which is required for any American company that processes personal data, I recommend visibly publicizing this certification to consumers as they make a booking. Adding a “PCI certified” badge to your booking engine’s guest information page gives consumers the peace of mind to know that their personal data is being handled in a secure and encrypted manner.

.

3. Prioritize organic search over paid search.

.

.

Please note: By no means am I suggesting hotels should abandon their paid marketing campaigns altogether. Paid search is a critical part of a holistic digital marketing strategy and should be widely used to protect important search terms and supplement organic search efforts.

.

My point is, a paid ad on Google — or anything that is labeled with the word “ad,” for that matter — inherently feels less trustworthy for consumers. If you can prove your worth with high organic rankings, which indicate you have earned your spot at the top of the rankings, you’re instantly assuring your customers of your brand credibility. It’s the ultimate affirmation of your positive reputation, earned through both customer reviews and website engagement.

.

My recommendation is to identify, at most, a dozen strategic, high-performing search terms that are worth putting your paid budget into. Use the rest of your search budget (which should still be the majority) to prioritize organic search engine optimization. Ideally, you will rank well for your target keywords in both paid and organic, supplemented by a bevy of high-traffic organic rankings that boost the trust of your brand.

.

4. Create authentic, relatable content.

.

Authentic content is the low-hanging fruit of building a trustworthy online brand. Instead of generic images (especially stock), use lifestyle photography to showcase the most appealing settings and experiences at your hotel. Instead of advertorial content that promotes hotel packages, use your blog content to provide helpful resources and aspirational storytelling. And instead of paying to get your content sponsored on other websites (common theme: words like “paid,” “ad” or “sponsored” build mistrust), create engaging content on your own blog that then gets organically shared by credible brands and influencers on social media.

.

Another easy trust-builder to consider is partner affiliations. If your brand is associated with a hotel loyalty organization or partnered with well-known brands, make sure to add their logos or badges on a visible location within your website. Doing so allows consumers to associate your brand with other brands that they already have built up a trust for.

.

Lastly, make sure any links or calls to action on your website are transparent enough that customers will know what happens when they click on them. A great way to lose credibility is to direct a customer to a page they didn’t expect, especially if it seems promotional or advertorial.

.

5. Integrate the booking engine into your own website.

.

Speaking of misleading expectations, one of the most unpleasant surprises across modern hotel websites is clicking the “Book Now” button only to get linked away from the hotel website to a new window and domain.

.

For customers who expect to make a seamless transaction à la Amazon, this third-party link can feel both unintuitive and lacking in credibility. Why would a leading hotel brand not be able to take reservations on their own website?

.

The easy fix to this problem is to use your booking engine API to pull inventory and content from your CRS (central reservation system) while creating a custom front-end design that integrates into your hotel’s own website. Not only will you build more credibility; you’ll also fix many UX issues and ultimately generate more direct bookings.

.

Online hotel brands have to earn their trust in the same way the rest of us do: through our actions. The above recommendations are not only easy to implement but can be highly effective in developing long-term trust between your brand and its consumers. Combined with a sound pricing strategy and distinctive product and experience, it’s a proven formula for sustainable e-commerce success.

.

“>
< div _ ngcontent-c14 ="" innerhtml ="

.

For modern-day customers, the decision to schedule a hotel online comes down to two similarly essential aspects: how preferable a hotel is from a worth and quality standpoint and just how much they rely on the hotel brand name.

.

As company leaders, we can’t necessarily change the quality of our clients’ item– that depends on them. What we can do, nevertheless, is make sure every action is required to build a credible online brand name that makes the buying decision much easier for customers.

Based upon my firm’s experience within the online hospitality area, here are five ways to do simply that:

1. Keep a healthy online review profile.

.

I devoted an entire short article to this recently, however I would be remiss not to highlight it once again. The truth of the matter is that 91% of consumers ages 18-34 trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation from a good friend. Even better, 68% form a viewpoint after reading between one and six evaluations.

The takeaway is easy: Nothing affects a client’s trust in a brand like the input of fellow customers. Make sure that your hotel not only merits positive reviews however keeps a consistent stream of brand-new reviews being available in on a weekly basis. This should not be taken gently; it’s far and away the most crucial thing you can do to develop brand trustworthiness on the web.

2. Allay consumer worries about information security and personal privacy.

Marriott’s notorious 2018 information breach, which dripped the individual details of approximately 500 million clients, was the ultimate case study in how harming an information compromise can be for a hotel brand name. Not just did the company’s share price drop by 8.7%overnight, it most likely quit thousands, if not millions, of loyal consumers who instantly lost rely on the company.

The fact that data leakages are ending up being more frequent within the hotel industry makes it all the more essential for brands to proactively prevent customer mistrust. On top of ending up being PCI compliant, which is required for any American company that processes individual information, I advise noticeably publicizing this certification to consumers as they make a reservation. Including a “PCI certified” badge to your booking engine’s guest info page provides consumers the peace of mind to understand that their individual information is being dealt with in a secure and encrypted manner.

3. Prioritize natural search over paid search.

.

Please keep in mind: By no means am I recommending hotels should abandon their paid marketing campaigns entirely. Paid search is an important part of a holistic digital marketing method and ought to be commonly used to secure crucial search terms and supplement natural search efforts.

My point is, a paid ad on Google– or anything that is identified with the word “ad,” for that matter– inherently feels less trustworthy for consumers. If you can prove your worth with high natural rankings, which suggest you have earned your spot at the top of the rankings, you’re quickly guaranteeing your customers of your brand reliability. It’s the supreme affirmation of your positive reputation, made through both client reviews and website engagement.

My recommendation is to identify, at a lot of, a dozen strategic, high-performing search terms that are worth putting your paid spending plan into. Use the rest of your search budget plan (which must still be the majority) to focus on natural seo. Preferably, you will rank well for your target keywords in both paid and organic, supplemented by a bunch of high-traffic organic rankings that boost the trust of your brand name.

4. Develop authentic, relatable material.

Authentic material is the low-hanging fruit of constructing a credible online brand name. Rather of generic images (specifically stock), use way of life photography to display the most enticing settings and experiences at your hotel. Rather of advertorial content that promotes hotel plans, utilize your blog material to provide useful resources and aspirational storytelling. And instead of paying to get your content sponsored on other sites (common theme: words like “paid,” “advertisement” or “sponsored” develop mistrust), produce engaging material on your own blog that then gets naturally shared by reputable brand names and influencers on social media.

Another simple trust-builder to consider is partner affiliations. If your brand name is connected with a hotel loyalty company or partnered with widely known brands, ensure to include their logo designs or badges on a noticeable location within your website. Doing so permits consumers to associate your brand with other brand names that they already have actually developed a trust for.

Last but not least, make sure any links or calls to action on your website are transparent enough that clients will understand what takes place when they click them. A fantastic way to lose reliability is to direct a customer to a page they didn’t anticipate, particularly if it seems promotional or advertorial.

5. Incorporate the reservation engine into your own website.

Speaking of misleading expectations, one of the most unpleasant surprises across contemporary hotel websites is clicking the “Book Now” button only to get connected away from the hotel site to a new window and domain.

For consumers who anticipate to make a smooth deal à la Amazon, this third-party link can feel both unintuitive and lacking in credibility. Why would a leading hotel brand name not be able to take appointments by themselves website?

The simple fix to this issue is to utilize your booking engine API to pull inventory and material from your CRS (central booking system) while developing a custom-made front-end style that integrates into your hotel’s own website. Not only will you build more trustworthiness; you’ll also repair many UX issues and ultimately create more direct bookings.

Online hotel brands have to make their trust in the very same way the rest people do: through our actions. The above suggestions are not just simple to carry out but can be highly efficient in establishing long-lasting trust between your brand and its customers. Combined with a sound prices method and distinct product and experience, it’s a proven formula for sustainable e-commerce success.

” >

For modern-day customers, the decision to reserve a hotel online boils down to two equally essential aspects: how desirable a hotel is from a worth and quality perspective and just how much they trust the hotel brand name.

As agency leaders, we can’t always change the quality of our customers’ item– that depends on them. What we can do, nevertheless, is make sure every step is taken to develop a trustworthy online brand name that makes the purchasing decision easier for customers.

Based on my company’s experience within the online hospitality space, here are 5 methods to do just that:

1. Maintain a healthy online evaluation profile.

I dedicated a whole article to this recently, but I would be remiss not to stress it again. The fact of the matter is that 91 % of customers ages 18 – 34 trust online examines as much as an individual suggestion from a pal. Even better, 68 % form a viewpoint after reading in between one and six evaluations.

The takeaway is simple: Absolutely nothing affects a customer’s trust in a brand name like the input of fellow customers. Make certain that your hotel not only merits favorable evaluations however keeps a steady stream of brand-new reviews being available in on a weekly basis. This must not be taken lightly; it’s far and away the most crucial thing you can do to construct brand reliability on the web.

2. Allay consumer fears about data security and personal privacy.

Marriott’s notorious 2018 information breach, which leaked the individual details of up to 500 million consumers, was the ultimate case study in how harming a data compromise can be for a hotel brand name. Not only did the company’s share cost drop by 8.7 %over night, it most likely quit thousands, if not millions, of devoted clients who quickly lost trust in the business.

The fact that information leaks are ending up being more frequent within the hotel industry makes it even more crucial for brands to proactively protect versus customer mistrust. On top of becoming PCI certified, which is needed for any American company that processes personal data, I suggest noticeably publicizing this certification to customers as they make a reservation. Including a “PCI accredited” badge to your reservation engine’s guest information page offers consumers the peace of mind to understand that their personal information is being handled in a safe and secure and encrypted way.

3. Focus on organic search over paid search.

Please note: By no means am I recommending hotels ought to desert their paid marketing projects completely. Paid search is a crucial part of a holistic digital marketing strategy and ought to be extensively used to safeguard crucial search terms and supplement organic search efforts.

My point is, a paid ad on Google– or anything that is labeled with the word “advertisement,” for that matter– inherently feels less trustworthy for consumers. If you can show your worth with high natural rankings, which suggest you have made your spot at the top of the rankings, you’re immediately ensuring your customers of your brand credibility. It’s the ultimate affirmation of your favorable reputation, made through both client evaluations and website engagement.

My suggestion is to identify, at a lot of, a lots strategic, high-performing search terms that are worth putting your paid budget plan into. Utilize the rest of your search budget (which must still be the majority) to focus on natural search engine optimization. Ideally, you will rank well for your target keywords in both paid and natural, supplemented by a bunch of high-traffic organic rankings that enhance the trust of your brand.

4. Develop genuine, relatable material.

Authentic content is the low-hanging fruit of developing a trustworthy online brand name. Instead of generic images (specifically stock), usage lifestyle photography to showcase the most attractive settings and experiences at your hotel. Rather of advertorial content that promotes hotel bundles, utilize your blog material to provide valuable resources and aspirational storytelling. And rather of paying to get your content sponsored on other sites (common style: words like “paid,” “advertisement” or “sponsored” build skepticism), create engaging material by yourself blog that then gets naturally shared by reputable brands and influencers on social networks.

Another simple trust-builder to consider is partner affiliations. If your brand name is associated with a hotel commitment company or partnered with popular brand names, ensure to include their logo designs or badges on a noticeable location within your website. Doing so permits consumers to associate your brand with other brand names that they currently have developed a trust for.

Finally, ensure any links or contacts us to action on your site are transparent enough that customers will know what occurs when they click them. An excellent method to lose credibility is to direct a client to a page they didn’t anticipate, especially if it seems advertising or advertorial.

5. Incorporate the reservation engine into your own website.

Speaking of misleading expectations, among the most undesirable surprises across modern-day hotel sites is clicking the “Book Now” button only to get connected away from the hotel site to a brand-new window and domain.

For clients who expect to make a seamless transaction à la Amazon, this third-party link can feel both unintuitive and lacking in reliability. Why would a leading hotel brand name not be able to take reservations by themselves website?

The simple fix to this problem is to use your booking engine API to pull inventory and content from your CRS (main booking system) while producing a customized front-end design that incorporates into your hotel’s own website. Not just will you construct more credibility; you’ll also repair lots of UX problems and eventually create more direct reservations.

Online hotel brands have to make their trust in the very same way the rest people do: through our actions. The above suggestions are not just simple to carry out however can be highly reliable in developing long-lasting trust between your brand name and its customers. Combined with a sound pricing technique and distinct product and experience, it’s a tested formula for sustainable e-commerce success.