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Optimizing Your Website for Direct Bookings

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Speakers

Carrie EllMarket Director

The Hotels Network

Cat Origitano, PhDDirector, Go to Market

Sojern

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$13BBookings

10,000Global Customers

350MIn-MarketTravelers

Sojern works for hotels, attractions,

tourism, and more.

We know travelers—and move them

from dream to destination.

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Drive Travelers to Your Website

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Inspire Dreamers on Social Media

Source: Various news sources (links in blue)

User-generated content Show customers ‘behind the scenes’

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of travelers are believed to use Metasearch engines in their search process

~75%Source: Phocuswright, 2019. How metasearch became the most important marketing channel in travel

Use Metasearch to Get in Front of Travel Planners

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Kayak

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Rate Parity Control your own destiny and drive direct bookings.

Increase direct bookings on your

website

Decrease OTA dependency

Give you control over pricing

Rate parity can:

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Search Engine Optimization (SEO) helps your business appear in top search results organically without paying for advertising. The content you put on your website helps determine your SEO

ranking.

Search Engine Marketing (SEM) uses paid ads to rank highly on search engine results.

Improve Your Search Strategy

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Optimize Your Website

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Planning Your Website to Increase Conversions

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The Importance of Content, Design, and Images

This example of a hotel homepage is simple, readable, and well-branded:

● The ‘Menu’ is easy to find, read, and navigate

● The photo showcases their offerings and amenities in a way that inspires booking

● Where to book is easily identified

● The content is succinct, clear, and on brand

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Evaluate Your Booking Process & Website Speed

Source: Various sources (listed in notes)

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The Hotels NetworkTips to get people to book once they land on your

website

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In normal times, showcasing hand-picked reviews from trusted sources will keep people from leaving your site.

In CURRENT times they’re essential. Travelers want to know you take cleanliness seriously.

Showcase Your Positive Reviews

Reviews Summary

Create Excitement Around Your Reopening or Offers

Show a clock counting down the days and even seconds until your reopening.

When you’re ready to showcase limited-time offers again, use this same feature to create urgency.

Countdown Clock

Launch an integrated Email Capture Layer to collect email addresses, allowing you to send visitors updates about the current situation as well as newsletters or other marketing campaigns in the future.

Offer Timely Email Updates

Email Capture

In this example, the property is selling Hotel Vouchers to thank Healthcare workers for their efforts during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Hotels also use Vouchers to:- Discount future stays - Issue refunds- Grant rewards

Become a Source of Inspiration While Generating Immediate Revenue

Vouchers

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When OTAs Undercut Your Rates, Match Them

Price MatchWhen an OTA offers a better rate, match the price using opaque promo codes.

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Please use the questions box to submit your questions to the presenters.

Additional Resourceshttps://www.sojern.com/blog/category/covid-19-travel-industry

ANY QUESTIONS?