Top Mobile Marketing Strategies for Hotels

3 effective hotel mobile marketing strategies to boost bookings

Are your hotel’s marketing methods leaving mobile travelers out in the cold? Mobile marketing strategies have become the most effective way for hotels to reach potential guests. Travelers now use smartphones and tablets during every phase of their trip planning process, from initial inspiration to booking and beyond. When you consider that 77% of affluent travelers use their smartphone for travel inspiration, and 55% of these travelers then use a mobile device to book their stay (according to Google), it’s clear why most successful hotels have shifted their marketing spend to mobile.  If you haven’t switched your hotel marketing strategies to embrace mobile, you’re essentially sending a large percentage of your prospective guests to your competitors. Can your hotel afford to do that? To help you develop the strong mobile presence that today’s travelers expect, we’ve identified the top mobile marketing strategies for hotels. Upgrading to these mobile-centric strategies is the best way to extend your hotel’s marketing reach so you can achieve a higher booking rate and realize your revenue and reservation goals.

Mobile-friendly responsive hotel website

The number one top mobile marketing strategy for hotels is a responsive hotel website. Responsive hotel web designs automatically adjust to deliver a great user experience no matter how they are accessed, so travelers can switch between their smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop without a snag. That’s an important feature, as 87% of business travelers switch between devices to complete travel-related activities.

A responsive hotel website will also help your hotel gain a higher visibility and better position in search results. Google now includes mobile-friendliness as a ranking factor, and recommends responsive web design as its preferred format.  That means that by simply switching to a responsive web design, your hotel marketing will reach more potential guests than ever before!

Branded hotel mobile app

Developing a branded mobile app for your hotel is a great way to narrow the sales funnel and increase bookings. By persuading travelers to use your app to book their stay, you reduce the possibility that they will seek elsewhere for better rates or features.

To entice travelers into making the switch, offer special app-only benefits to make their stay more enjoyable and convenient.  Include a robust suite of online concierge services including check in/check out functionality, room service ordering, etc., as well as exclusive discounts and mobile-only deals and you’ll be able to create the strong customer loyalty your hotel needs to succeed.

PPC ads for mobile search engines

It’s time to start thinking mobile-first when it comes to promoting your last-minute deals. The majority of travelers now make their last minute bookings using a mobile device, according to Criteo’s 2015 Travel Report. The study found that smartphones and tablets account for a whopping 58% of last-minute hotel bookings. By investing in mobile PPC campaigns that target travelers who make same-day reservations, you can significantly increase the overall ROI of your hotel marketing strategies.

You can capture the business of these last-minute bookers with a carefully targeted PPC ad campaign on mobile search. Offer last-minute room discounts and deals, with landing pages that take travelers directly to your hotel’s mobile booking engine.  If you’re near an airport, offer deals that target stranded travelers – even though TSA is working to lessen delays, many analysts believe long lines and extended waits will resurface to plague travelers again, particularly during the busy summer months.

When you’re ready to add mobile strategies to your hotel marketing plan, Travel Tech Strategies can help. We can develop a comprehensive mobile marketing strategy for your hotel that includes a responsive hotel web design, a dynamic branded hotel app that includes a virtual concierge, and more. Since we’re dedicated hotel marketing agency, we have the expertise to devise highly effective mobile search PPC campaigns for your hotel, using Big Travel Data from your guests to determine the most effective keywords, times, and options to maximize your bids.

Contact us at Travel Tech Strategies today at 954-779-2801 to upgrade to the top hotel mobile marketing strategies and improve your bottom line!