When a hotel is in need of a new website, the questions that first come to mind are where to go and who to trust? This can be the most critical decision hotels can make as it will determine their online success in terms of delivering web traffic and ROI. Promoting the hotel, its vision, and values to win guest and build brand loyalty can be an achievable goal, but only with the right partner who can deliver a strategy that’s focused on driving results.
Here are a few things to consider searching and deciding on a hospitality website design agency:
- Industry experience and knowledge – does the agency have significant experience and knowledge in marketing businesses in your industry? Check the agency’s portfolio and see if they specialize in developing and promoting hotel websites or if their client portfolio is all over the place. A business that focuses on your specific industry would know what strategies should be implemented to maximize your ROI.
- Innovation and technology – design is just a fraction of what makes a successful website and digital marketing strategy. It is important to your hotel’s online success that your online marketing agency has vast knowledge in search technology, including but not limited to local search, paid media, social media, content marketing, and email marketing methodologies. Make sure that their strategies adhere to seo guidelines and usability best practices.
- Reputation and credibility – perform research and really get to know the agency’s reputation. Look for client testimonials and connect with several of their customers to get candid feedback on how it is like working with the agency.
- Sustainability – digital marketing is a low-barrier to entry business and you’ll see many digital marketing agencies popping up left and right. Find out how long the company has been in business and how many clients it services.
- Digital marketing strategy and measuring success – understand what are hotel internet marketing strategies that the agency implements and how they measure success. Know the difference between white hat and black hat SEO and find out if the agency’s tactics are as organic as possible or are they implementing tactics that may work in short term but can be harmful to your business in the long run. Furthermore, find out what are the major KPIs they monitor based on their strategies and if these are in line with your overall online business goals.
By performing diligent research about the potential vendors and asking the right questions, you will be able to narrow down your list to find the best digital marketing partner that can help you reach your business goals.
Find out how we can help you reach your hotel website goals. Contact us today!
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Contributed by
Tracy Connors, Business Development Manager – Southeast Region
