No matter where your boutique hotel or resort is located, chances are that during your journey in the hospitality and tourism industry, someone has told you how important it is to blog on your website. Especially if you’ve been focused on marketing and advertising lately.
But if you’ve ever tried to start a successful hotel blog, then you’ve also probably realized just how difficult it is.
Simply put, an interesting blog takes a LOT of time. Generating topics, keyword research, writing, editing, optimizing for SEO, formatting, sourcing photos, distributing the article around the web… it’s enough to make anyone’s head spin.
So does your boutique hotel or resort really need a blog?
My first answer is ABSOLUTELY—and we’ll go more into the financial and booking benefits, like getting consistent bookings all year round, that an inviting blog can bring to your destination below. But before we do, there might actually be a few reasons why your hotel shouldn’t blog.
The Experience Experts know you’re a busy vacation destination dedicated to over-delivering on value and experience to your guests, but if you want your blog to be successful AND improve your resort’s bottom line, then you absolutely must remain consistent—no matter how busy the hotel and your workload becomes.
It takes time to generate potential guests from your blog, and it can be frustrating to patiently wait. This post from Fevered Mutterings says that some 95% of bloggers give up, and I’m willing to bet it’s because they don’t see any immediate ROI. Especially in tourism, we are fixated on the fastest ROIs.
Don’t be the majority. Be the 5% that gets more and more traffic, guests, bookings, and MONEY from a strategic blogging strategy.
What’s more, your readers will eventually begin to expect informative and interesting blog content from your hotel on a regular basis. And if you aren’t showing up reliably on your website, then it’s likely they won’t trust your hotel destination, either.
If you know you can’t commit to consistent blogging right now, then consider outsourcing the job to someone else who can. Begin the journey from simple single location to magnetic success story.
In many ways, your blog is only as successful as your distribution plan.
As much as we want to believe that we can create epic content that everyone will organically find, great marketing just doesn’t work that way. We’re simply too inundated with content on a daily basis. If you want your ideal guests to find your hotel’s blog posts, then you have to be willing to be seen by the world. Promote your blog posts all over your social media and any connections regionally – like tourism boards, nearby tour operators, etc. Make relationships with other noteworthy bloggers in any niche industries that your boutique hotel serves (like Wellness, Adventure, Active, Family, etc.) or travel influencers. It can be daunting in the beginning, but blog distribution is the only way you will get the most impact from your hotel or resort blog.
Kiss Metrics has a great post on getting started with a distribution strategy if you don’t know where to begin with this. It’s about getting a.s many eyes on your content as possible to attract more attention towards your hotel or resort
I firmly believe that every boutique hotel has a unique story that needs to be told. And on-the-ground, local tips about traveling to your special area of the world.
Each and every luxury destination has special features and amenities that make them stand out—a unique experience that is truly only yours. Don’t be afraid to SHARE this expertise. Tune-in to your ideal guests desires, and then connect deeply by demonstrating your particular hotel experience and why it is a perfect fit. There is no point in blogging if you are just going to add to all the other meaningless white noise out there. Be intentional and focused about it.
Share stories of your happy or returning guests stories. Showcase your beautiful location and your unforgettable views & style. Lead them through a tour of your lobby, spa or restaurant. Do entire blogs about your delicious breakfast menu. Create photography posts for all of the special artistic details in your suites or special areas for romantic meals or proposals. Feature a typical day staying at your boutique hotel, and how pampered a guest will feel. Lead them through what a transformational retreat looks like in your sacred space. Showcase the possibilities of your property for weddings and meetings groups to book more special events.
Your readers want to delve deeper into why they need to book a stay at your hotel or resort, so let them in.
While every boutique hotel can and will benefit from the power of a great blog, it’s important to consider if you fall into any of the three categories above before diving in. If you do, then re-evaluate your motives for creating a blog, or find the blogging support that you need. The Experience Experts is here to help you stay consistent.
All that said, I 100% believe that blogging is one of the most powerful organic ways to get new website traffic to your site. And fresh, targeted traffic means more gusts, more bookings, and more MONEY. And that’s still not all.
Certain guests want to explore through your website and learn everything they can before booking a vacation (or to help them plan the rest of their vacation!). They want to learn about all of your amenities, excursions, experiences, and food offerings, as well as the local area. The more information you can put on your website as a blog, the more it will support their booking.
Sharing your blogs on social also brings traffic to your website in the form of potential guests, travel agents, or wedding and event planners. You never know who is going to reach after reading your hotel’s blog, so write it!
These days, search engines like Google and Bing put websites to the top of search pages that have new fresh text on them. Adding an SEO rich blog post once a week can be the difference between you being on the top of search results or on the dreaded second page or even much, much further away. This new weekly writing shows the algorithm that your website is alive & thriving, and so is your boutique hotel or resort.
When most people land on your website for the first time, they aren’t ready to make a booking right away. That’s why having an epic email opt-in is so valuable to capture that potential lead for the future. And by regularly blogging, your followers will begin to understand what your property is all about, and begin dreaming about a luxurious stay at your hotel or resort.
If your hotel goes above and beyond by blogging about topics that resonate with your ideal guests, then you’ll soon go from virtually unknown to a highly-coveted, trusted and likable destination. And you can bet that if your guests are choosing to book at your destination or a resort they’ve never heard of, then they are going to choose you every time.
Take care of your blog readers and potential guests with the amazing articles you write, and, in turn, your readers will rely on you for the transformational experiences and unforgettable vacations that only your destination can offer.
In addition to writing on your blog consistently, it’s important to do so frequently. If you can provide incredible content more than once a week on a regular basis, then go for it. But I advise blogging AT LEAST once a week if you want to develop strong and meaningful relationships with your readers and convert them to heads in beds. Worst case scenario, aim for AT LEAST once per month consistently.
If you’re still not sure if blogging is right for your boutique hotel or resort, here are a few more income-generating benefits to consider. Blogging:
No more hiding and hoarding your unique experience away from the travel world. Connect deeply with your ideal guests, differentiate yourself from the competition and showcase your gorgeous destination through the power of a inviting hotel blog.
Blogging might not be as quick and easy as it appears on the surface, but it is one of the most valuable long-term marketing strategies you have—as long as you’re willing to be consistent, distribute your content and write from your unique perspective about your property & surrounding experiences. Be unique and showcase your boutique hotel’s style and personality through writing.
What lessons have you learned about blogging from this article? If you have any tips for hotels or retreat properties that have worked for you, comment below.
If you have questions or want to get your own hotel blog going or revitalized, speak to an expert. We have brilliant and experienced writers on-staff ready to create amazing, inviting blog posts by doing content extractions with you today. SEO rich content for your hotel’s website is only a strategy call away.
Schedule a discovery with The Experience Experts to discuss your blog!
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