With the increasing popularity of online travel booking, guests often make their hotel selections from a distance, unable to physically inspect the property beforehand. As a hotel business owner, you understand the importance of attracting guests and how important are hotel reviews for your business. Since the rise of online travel booking and increased competition, a solid online presence and reputation have become essential.
We've rounded up the top six websites guest-favored for hotel reviews. By leveraging these platforms, you can gather valuable feedback from your guests, improve your marketing efforts, and increase your online visibility. Whether you're looking to improve your hotel's reputation, drive bookings, or reach new customers, these review websites offer a cost-effective solution to achieve your marketing goals.
The Importance of Hotel Reviews for Businesses
Hotel reviews play a crucial role in shaping the perception of potential guests and influencing their booking decisions. In today's digital age, potential guests often turn to online platforms for information and recommendations when booking travel. With so many options available, hotel reviews provide a valuable source of information that can help guests make the best decision to ease their trip and find the comfort they're seeking during travel.
Your hotel's guest reviews are a powerful marketing tool, creating a sense of trust and credibility with potential visitors and repeat bookings. With positive reviews from real guests, your hotel is more likely to attract bookings and fill vacancies faster. Even luxury hotels can benefit from the endorsement of guest reviews, showing the value of the investment.
Additionally, good and bad reviews allow you to improve guest satisfaction. Thank reviewers for their positive comments and use the feedback received to address any negative experiences. For example, if guests consistently mention difficulties reaching the front desk via the hotel phones, you can take steps to investigate and make necessary improvements.
By actively managing and responding to your hotel reviews, you can enhance the guest experience and stand out in a competitive market. Taking charge of your hotel's reputation, whether a small bed and breakfast or a large hotel, could help attract new guests, increase online visibility, and invite bookings.
Top 6 Websites Guests Visit for Hotel Reviews
Staying ahead of the game in the hotel industry requires paying attention to your target consumers' most relevant review websites. While general review platforms like Facebook or other social media platforms can reach a broader audience, hotel-specific review sites connect you with a higher concentration of potential guests actively searching for your unique services and availability.
You and your team can make the most of your online presence by focusing on the most impactful review websites. Here is a list of the top review sites that your team should be utilizing.
1.TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor is a leading player in the hospitality industry, with over 1.3 million hotel listings and 730 million user reviews and opinions on record as of 2018. With such high daily traffic, your hotel can benefit from the significant attention of potential guests who are ready to make a booking and looking to experience the delights of your hotel offerings.
By claiming your hotel listing or investing in creating a TripAdvisor business account, you can maintain updated information about your property and engage with positive and negative reviews that come your way. This includes any existing reviews posted before an established account, helping you develop credibility over the years.
Based on TripAdvisor data, 87% of travelers have a more favorable view of a hotel when the management responds thoughtfully to their negative reviews. This makes your guests feel heard and demonstrates to potential visitors that you take their concerns seriously and are proactive in addressing them. A pro tip is to remember to keep the conversation going and remain polite to solidify your brand.
2. Yelp
Yelp is a website and mobile app that allows users to search and rate local businesses such as restaurants, bars, and shops. Users can search by category, keyword, and location, with filters for price, rating, and other criteria. Reviews include ratings for specific aspects of the business, and overall ratings are based on the average of all reviews.
Hotel business owners can benefit from Yelp's online presence and exposure to potential customers. They can also engage with customers by responding to reviews, receiving valuable feedback, identifying improvement areas, and promoting positive word-of-mouth marketing, which can increase bookings and revenue.
While Yelp is a more diverse platform that helps users find many businesses within a location, it can help your guests plan out meals, activities, and things to do in proximity to their stay at your hotel. This platform could place your business on the map and easily integrate into travel accommodations.
3. Booking.com
Booking.com is a leading global online accommodation reservation platform that offers hotels, apartments, homes, and resorts. It was founded in 1996 in the Netherlands and is headquartered in Amsterdam. The platform allows travelers to compare prices and book rooms at more than 28 million properties in 227 countries and territories.
By joining Booking.com, you can expect guests to leave reviews after their verified stays in your hotel property. Actively maintaining your listing on this platform can still help you earn extra revenue despite being limited in your ability to respond to reviews. The platform takes a 15% commission on bookings. This company takes pride in offering a high level of customer service and aims to provide a seamless and stress-free booking experience for all its users.
As you reply to online reviews through Booking.com, you can use positive reviews to highlight your property's strengths. It's also important to remain objective and polite, especially when responding to negative reviews. You can thank your guests and mention your commitment to providing a welcoming resort experience.
4. Google
Google is a well-known search engine that provides extensive information and access to local happenings at the click of a button. Google's primary product is its search engine, which billions of people use daily to find information on the Internet. In addition to its search engine, Google offers a wide range of other products and services, such as web browsing (Google Chrome), maps (Google Maps), and business accounts for companies to track metrics and other valuable data.
While not specifically focused on hospitality, Google is the top general review website across industries, and travelers use its hotel search tool to compare properties based on location, price, and reviews. By creating or claiming a free Google My Business listing and adding their hotel to Google Maps, owners can respond to guest reviews, even those posted before claiming the page.
Hotel owners should also maintain their Google listings as many potential guests use them for location-based searches, increasing their chance of choosing the hotel as their base during travel. Interacting with visitors and reviews on your listings also helps boost business credibility and could invite future guests.
5. Hotels.com
Hotels.com is a travel website that provides a platform for booking hotels, resorts, and other accommodations. While it's a company of the Expedia Group, this platform deserves a spotlight because it's a popular resource for those looking to book hotels or resorts for their travels. The name and brand attract travelers searching for places to stay and with trustworthy accommodations.
In addition to offering a straightforward booking process, Hotels.com also provides a loyalty program where customers can earn rewards for their stays and access special deals and promotions. As of 2016, Hotels.com holds the fourth largest market share in the online travel booking industry, trailing only Booking.com and Expedia.com, making it a highly influential brand among consumers.
Its review management occurs through Expedia's Partner Central, making it easy to maintain your reputation across both large websites. However, it's essential to remember that when managing reviews on Hotels.com, you can reach millions of extra visitors with your response and gain visibility for your business.
6. Expedia
Expedia is an online travel booking company founded in 1996. It is one of the largest online travel companies in the world and provides a range of services for travelers, including flight bookings, hotel bookings, car rentals, and vacation packages. The company operates several websites, including Expedia.com, its flagship site, and is used by millions of travelers to book travel arrangements.
Ranking first on the list of preferred travel agencies in the United States, Expedia, and its sister platforms receive over 675 million monthly visits. By listing your property on Expedia, you will have access to over 200 websites owned by Expedia Group, giving you a broader reach to potential guests and increasing your visibility. Expedia platforms such as Travelocity and Orbitz allow for hotel reviews and could help provide customers additional resources to book itineraries, including your hotel property.
Listing your hotel on Expedia is free and allows you to interact with upcoming guests through Expedia's Partner Central. This will enhance their overall experience and increase their likelihood of leaving a positive review after their stay. Partner Central also allows you to respond to positive and negative reviews efficiently, ensuring you can view and respond to reviews without missing a beat.
Alternative Platforms Your Hotel Guests May Visit to Book a Hotel
When it comes to booking a hotel, there are a variety of platforms that guests may use to find and reserve a room. While many hotels rely on major booking websites such as Expedia or Booking.com, there are a few alternative platforms that hotel owners should keep in mind. Here’s an additional look into vital platforms for hotel companies.
Travelocity
Travelocity is an online travel agency that offers various travel services like booking flights, hotels, rental cars, and vacation packages. It was one of the first websites to provide online Booking of travel services when it was founded in 1996. Today, users can easily search for travel options based on their preferences, like destination, travel dates, and the number of travelers.
The platform offers user-friendly tools and resources to help users plan and book trips. It also has a rewards program called "Travelocity Rewards" that allows users to earn points for their bookings, which can be redeemed for discounts and free travel. For hotel businesses, getting listed on Travelocity can place you on the map and within the suggested offerings for travel accommodations. This helps boost visibility, share your brand, and give guests a chance to leave reviews about their hotel stay. This platform is another way to increase your website's chances of getting more bookings and backlinks.
Trivago
Trivago is a well-known online search engine and price comparison website specializing in hotels and lodgings. Users can easily compare prices from various booking websites, such as Expedia and Booking.com, in one place. It allows users to search for accommodations, including hotels and vacation rentals, based on specific criteria like location, dates, and amenities.
This platform offers additional resources such as travel blog articles, destination guides, and search and comparison features. One of Trivago's key features is its "Best Price Guarantee," which aims to help users find reassurance that they will find the lowest prices on the site.
Orbitz
Orbitz can be useful for hotel companies as it provides a platform for travelers to search and book their accommodations, including hotels, through the website. With a listing on Orbitz, hotel companies can gain exposure to a broader audience and increase their bookings. The platform integrates various tools and resources to help users make solid choices about their travel plans, including user reviews, recommendations, and travel guides, which can help promote the hotels listed on the platform.
Orbitz Rewards can also incentivize travelers to book with specific hotels or chains by offering rewards such as discounts and free nights. Overall, this platform can be a valuable asset for hotel companies to reach more customers and increase their bookings. Guests can leave reviews and comments, giving visitors and travelers an idea of what it's like to stay at your hotel and enjoy the comfort of your offerings. Posting updated images, services, and other elements to invite guests can also help boost your success with an Orbitz listing.
Drive Bookings and Gather Hotel Feedback With Zidy’s One-click Review Tool
Zidy's SMS One-click Review tool can be a valuable asset for hotels looking to increase their bookings and gather guest feedback year-round. Regardless of the season, you’ll want to partner with the best system that helps establish your hotel’s valuable offerings on digital platforms. With its user-friendly interface and simple, one-click review process, guests can easily share their thoughts and opinions about their stay, which can help hotels improve their offerings and attract more guests.
Our review tool's integration capabilities can also help drive bookings and increase visibility for the hotel website and online platforms. By utilizing Zidy's One-click Review Tool, hotels can enhance their guest experience and gain valuable insights that can increase revenue and customer loyalty. Call Zidy today to learn more and get started.
Originally published by Zidy. View original article.