19 ways to strengthen your hotel's website copy
Before diving into these 19 copywriting tips, let's first ask ourselves: Why should we take a second look at hotel's website copy, anyway?
I mean, you already have something there, right?...
Well, here's why…
I'm sure you'll agree that your website is the center of your entire direct booking strategy. Well, if you're spending $5 or $10K in PPC, per month, and those visitors aren't converting… but they end up booking on an OTA... well, then you just got a double whammy. You paid for traffic and you paid for commissions. That's why you should make sure your website is working as hard as it possibly can.
Unfortunately, not everyone thinks this way…
A lot of people ascribe to the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' school of thought. But that's like saying, 'If my car's dirty, but it still runs, then don't wash it.'
Yes, you can still use your car to pick up 'that girl you finally asked out on a date', but when you roll up, she's not going to be very impressed, is she?
In the exact same way, if you want to stop your website visitors from bouncing away… so you can finally start reducing our acquisition costs – then you've got to make sure your website's is doing everything it can to hold people's attention and prove that booking direct is the only way to go.
To do that, just follow the tips in these simple hotel copywriting tips, below. Onwards!
Here are my favorite hotel website optimization tips, as explained by some of the hospitality copywriting team members.
Lisa says your opening paragraph should be written as if the reader is already at your property. For example, instead of saying, "Our hotel was built in 1987... it has really good service... it has a luxury experience..." i.e. Instead of talking 'about' your hotel, start with the most dramatic moment of your story. "For example," she says, "you could begin your first paragraph like this. "As you enter our lobby, you step back into a time when high-society ladies would gather in elaborate ballroom gowns to celebrate the new year.""
If your first paragraph isn't interesting in the first 3 seconds, most people will start skimming. And when they start skimming, they stop reading – and you have much less of a chance of converting their attention into interest. So, open with your 'big guns' first!
Holly says that you can get really personal with your messaging by creating secondary pages for each of your best-guest segments. That lets you know who you're talking to, so you can appeal to different audiences in different ways. And, if you create specific offers for different audiences, those pages let you position your offers in a way that lets your readers know it's 'just for them'. This creates a certain sense of intimacy which the OTAs can't possibly compete with.
Sandy says you need to carry on a conversation with people that shows you understand their needs, wants and desires. This is a friendly way to help them make informed decisions. For example, if somebody has wheelchair issues... well, then there needs to be something in your website that shows how you take care of people that need help getting around, and answers all their concerns; just like you would if a family member was visiting your home for the weekend.
People know how to 'read between the lines', after all. They know if you're really there to help them. So, by showing you really care, throughout your website, you'll start attracting more people not just because of what you offer, but because of who you are.
Lyn commented on a similar point as Sandy, but she adds a nice twist, which I think you'll like.
She says that a lot of people want to talk with someone before making up their minds. I completely agree. That's why your FAQ page should give people a way to funnel their questions into an email or chat conversation. For example, if somebody is traveling with a baby... you could have an email sequence that reaches out to them and says, "Hey, thanks for requesting more information about traveling with infants. Are you interested in knowing how to get a crib? If so, just click – here – and tell us when you are arriving. Etc."
By engage visitors in personal conversations you're showing them you provide an exceptional level of service at your hotel, and that helps you stand out in the market.
Kimberly writes that, "every feature should tell a story of why guests should want it. Even if it's just a Krueger coffee maker... Take the time to show how it benefits each, individual guest."
She recommends doing this by using images of people enjoying the benefit, not just pictures of empty rooms. For example, if you have a pool, then you should also have a picture of somebody coming out of the pool, drying their hair and laughing with their friends. That tells a story. That shows how much fun they're having. And that makes people base their booking decision on the experiences you offer at your property, not just the price.
Thanks to everyone for sharing these great points!
Here are some more of my favorite optimization tips from the AWAI copywriting method.
- Use testimonials that tell stories
Every hotel has testimonials that say, "It was a great hotel... They had great food... They had great service..." Well that's great. But flattery doesn't motivate people to book because it doesn't capture the imagination. Instead, look for testimonials that say things like, "I came to stay with my wife for our anniversary. She was really delighted by the service. And she was so surprised by the flowers you left in our room..." This is the kind of testimonial that leads people into a story. And that gives it 10 times the selling power of a simple review.
- Offer extra 'bonus' perks
Make it really, really obvious on your home page that people who book direct get something special. This doesn't always have to be in the form of discounts. In fact, in some studies, things such as late checkout or greater flexibility in choosing which room they're staying in have ranked high on travelers' 'reasons to book'. As well, if you have dead-end pages anywhere on your website, this 'extra little push' can keep people from looking elsewhere.
- Create authority
There's authority from ranking well on TripAdvisor and Booking.com, etc.… and then there's traditional media authority. If you've been awarded anything by your local chamber of commerce, for example... if you've been in magazines... if you've had famous people stay with you... if you had any type of positive press for your social responsibility – then show that. Raise that flag high. Because people are much more impressed by that kind of media than they might realize. This type of media shows you're more than a business… you're more than just another building – you have a history. You have a track record. You have a culture. And all these points help build your value in your prospective guests' eyes.
- Tell prospective guests what they stand to miss if they don't stay with you
It's important to use the word, 'only' when you talk about your hotel. But to do that you have to get a really good hold of your USP (Unique Selling Proposition), and make sure this is always at the core of your message. By doing that, whenever people visit your website, they should come away with the realization that, "Hey, honey, if we want to have a great time, this is the only place with this unique feature." Whatever that is, it doesn't have to be a big thing, however. Remember M&M's USP? "Melts in your mouth, not in your hands." It's not earth shaking but it's something that separates them from all competition. That's all you have to do.
- Give people more than one reason to take action
Limited time offers; perks; upcoming events; special service offerings... all these things are great reasons for people to take action. Remember, your guests are not just looking to book a room, they're looking for a nice time, so show a lot of reasons they'll have that when they stay with you. You never know what really pushes somebody's buttons, after all. So, push a bunch of them, right!
- Dazzle people with the benefits
'Dazzling' people with benefits means you're not just showing pictures of your rooms, you're showing people dressed up beautifully leaving their room on the way down to an exclusive event. You're using all the details at your disposal to paint a rich picture. Because when you do that, your guests will see your hotel, less as 'inventory', and more as 'a lifestyle'.
If you take look at your website, right now, and you don't start dreaming… if you're not at least a little dazzled, it's probably because you aren't telling your story using rich details.
- Maintain the same voice throughout
It can be easy to slip into a 'news reporters' tone when you're talking about features, but that's a bad thing. Use the "bar stool test" to avoid this mistake. Here's how it works. If you were talking to your friend at a bar and he asked you, "How's your hotel? Good?" you wouldn't start by listing off all the amenities, would you? Instead, you'd give him a real reason why you liked your room (or not) and you'd make some kind of honest recommendation. That's what your website's "rooms" pages should do, as well. So, after you've finished re-working your website, go through and make sure you have a consistent and friendly voice, throughout.
- Use a 'P.S.'
Copywriters know that people often read the P.S. right after they read the headline. That makes this the second most valuable piece of Real Estate you've got. And since the P.S. kind of says, "Hey, this is what our message is all about," it's also a great place to shout out your USP or add an extra, hidden benefit. Either way, the P.S. is a great place to hook people and get them to read more. And, on a personal note, it also helps your website look less like a brochure and more like a personal letter. So that's nice, too.
Now, there are a lot more ways you can improve your hotel's website copywriting... but I'm not going to go through everything, here…
That's why I've made numbers 12-19 downloadable in my new hotel copywriting guide, "How to optimize your website for guest experience AND hotel features".
Download my guide at this link: www.moredirectbooking.com/hotel-copywriting-guide/
Now, why didn't I give you 20 points in this hotel copywriting guide?
Why not end with a nice round number?
That's because the most important piece of advice for creating results is to act. But that shouldn't be a piece of advice… it should be obvious, right?!
That's why I decided to end on 19… and you can decide whether you'd like to 'take your own advice' and turn these ideas into your competitive advantage, on your own.
Just remember, if you don't take action, metaphorically, you're still 'roll up in that dingy car every time someone visits your website'… and that's not very impressive, is it?
Jeremiah Magone
Consulting Copywriter
Hospitality Copywriting
