In this blog series, we’re debunking some of the biggest marketing myths that hospitality marketers encounter today.
Starting With The Myth
Common practice was once to create one large, comprehensive strategy and push it out to all properties. Yet every property and market are different, and your strategy has to accommodate all of the distinctions.
Seemingly small details such as neighborhoods and attraction anchors can significantly impact the content necessary for optimized SEO and SEM strategy. Even under the same flag, amenities, event and banquet services, and F&B offerings can vary. These are factors unique to the hospitality industry.
In place of one all-encompassing strategy, we look to customize our plans for each digital channel.
Assessing Each Area of Your Digital Strategy
SEO
SEO is no longer about link building, and instead requires quality content that speaks to your key topics. Keyword usage varies throughout the year and how long you’ve been around does affect your performance. This content needs to keep up with ever-changing interests. For example, “South Loop” (not to be confused with “The Loop”) was not a Chicago attraction 5 years ago, yet is a helpful keyword today. The ways your guests find your content is also changing. Voice search is becoming a key player in the search arena. Content is more than keywords and blog posts, and continues to evolve every day.
Programmatic
Programmatic efforts have similarly developed considerably over the years. We no longer just buy impressions on a “travel theme” site, and haven’t for quite a while. Display ads should be based on actions, and from here you should follower high-value users and prospect new guests of the highest possible value.
Paid Social
Like paid search, paid social channels such as Facebook are constantly refining algorithms for their limited ad space. The unique benefit of paid social is that you’re able to proactively reach users.
Email has potential to feed and nurture the users you’ve collected from all areas. Use the distinct benefit of having a hyper-engaged audience to your advantage! Email should be a foundational part of your overall digital strategy.
The Importance Of Good Data
All of these channels rely on digital intelligence. If you have unclean data, you will make faulty decisions. Considering all of the changes we’ve discussed above, you know just how important it is to be able to accurately measure each area of your digital plan.
Learn more about the best marketing practices over at the Wpromote University.