We recently published an article that highlighted the tremendous potential of using a mobile-friendly booking engine. In it, we discussed the fact that many hoteliers focus so much attention on their desktop booking experience and they overlook the mobile engine all together. This got us thinking about the mistakes that are often made when it comes to the booking engine on a hotel’s website. In this episode, we discuss some of the common mistakes and offer advice on how to avoid them.
If you like what you hear, please leave a comment below, share it with your friends, and also leave a review.
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Show Notes:
- The search widget is buried
- Outdated or not enough photography
- No Room Diagrams
- Boring room descriptions
- Unclear call-to-actions
- Different look and feel from the rest of the site
- No progress bar
- Only showing one rate OR showing way too many rates for the same unit (10% off, 15% off, etc)
- Not monitoring availability restrictions
- Using confusing language when there is no availability
- Not offering alternate dates/room types if there is no availability
- Not using basic psychology such as FOMO, reassurance and social proof.
- Ads, pop ups, or any other element on the engine that could distract the guest from booking
- Showing a promo code on the checkout page
- Missing upsell opportunities
- Not having the best price compared to the OTAs
- Not mobile friendly
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Online Bookings Trends: Understanding Traveler Behavior for Smarter Hotel Marketing
May 9 at 11am ET
Presented by Fuel. TrustYou and Travel Tripper.
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In The News
The GTMC Says Hotels Need to Leave B2B Sales to the OTAs
http://hotelmarketing.com/index.php/content/article/gtmc_says_hotels_need_to_leave_b2b_sales_marketing_to_online_travel_agents
TripAdvisor Reaches 500 Million Reviews
http://travolution.com/articles/102456/tripadvisor-reaches-500-million-reviews-milestone
Google To Include Ad Blocker In Chrome
https://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-include-built-ad-blocker-chrome-browser/195251/
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Download the Fuel & Flip.to Website Behavior Study at www.fueltravel.com/websitestudy/
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