When was the last time you booked a hotel without reading reviews? Chances are, it has been quite some time. Online hotel reviews have become a trusted source of information for travelers looking to make informed choices about their accommodations. As a hotel owner or manager, harnessing the power of these reviews can be a game-changer for your business.
In the world of hospitality, where guest satisfaction reigns supreme! Online hotel reviews have become a vital factor influencing travellers’ decisions. Positive reviews can significantly boost your hotel’s bookings and revenue, while negative reviews can harm your reputation.
As a hotelier, it’s essential to harness the power of online reviews and use them to your advantage. In this blog, we’ll explore the ten best strategies to get more online hotel reviews, ensuring your guests leave glowing feedback that attracts even more guests to your property.
Tips For Getting More Online Hotel Reviews
1. Create an Outstanding Guest Experience
The foundation of receiving excellent reviews starts with providing an outstanding guest experience. From the moment guests step into your hotel to the time they check out, each touchpoint should exude warmth and professionalism. Train your staff to go above and beyond in meeting guest expectations, anticipate their needs, and exceed them whenever possible. Small gestures like a personalized welcome note or a surprise treat in the room can leave a lasting impression.
To achieve this, invest in ongoing training programs that focus not only on technical skills but also on soft skills like communication and empathy. Empower your team to anticipate and address guest needs proactively, creating a memorable and personalized experience for every guest. Encourage staff members to take ownership of guest satisfaction and resolve issues promptly without hesitation. It is essential for hotel professionals to know how to handle hotel guest complaints.
Check out our blog post on 20 Best Ways To Improve Hotel Guest Experience which will add value to your knowledge.
2. Treat Every Guest Like a VIP
Make every guest feel special and valued during their stay. Regardless of whether they are first-time visitors or loyal repeat guests, treating everyone like a VIP creates a positive and lasting impression. Greet guests by name, remember their preferences, and go the extra mile to accommodate their requests. Show genuine interest in their well-being and travel experiences, and be attentive to any special occasions they may be celebrating.
Personalize your guest services by offering tailored recommendations for local attractions and activities based on their interests. Surprise guests with unexpected upgrades or complimentary amenities to make their stay even more memorable. When guests feel like VIPs, they are more likely to share their exceptional experiences through positive online reviews.
3. Train and Empower Your Staff
Your staff members are the heart and soul of your hotel. By investing in their training, you ensure they possess the skills and knowledge to create a memorable experience for every guest. Encourage your team to request reviews politely, emphasizing that guest feedback is crucial to improving services. Additionally, empower your employees to resolve any issues promptly and satisfactorily. Swiftly addressing complaints can turn a negative experience into a positive one and encourage guests to leave favourable reviews.
Implementing a reward system for staff members who receive positive guest feedback can further motivate them to provide exceptional service. Recognizing and celebrating exemplary service publicly within the team can boost employee morale and foster a culture of guest-centricity.
4. Implement a Seamless Review Collection Process
Streamlining the process of collecting reviews is essential to boost your online presence. Integrating review collection into the guest journey ensures you capture feedback while it’s still fresh in their minds. Consider using automated post-stay email surveys that are short and easy to complete. In these surveys, include specific questions about different aspects of their stay, such as room cleanliness, staff friendliness, and overall satisfaction.
While email surveys are effective, don’t limit your review collection efforts to just one method. Explore in-person request strategies that are subtle and non-intrusive. Train your front desk staff to ask guests about their experience during check-out, and provide them with comment cards they can fill out if they prefer not to write an online review.
Asking guests for reviews at checkout is a strategic move that capitalizes on the positive emotions they may be feeling after a pleasant stay. During this time, guests are likely to be more receptive to sharing their experiences and appreciative of your proactive approach to seeking feedback.
5. Automate Review Management
Managing online reviews can be time-consuming, especially as your hotel’s online presence grows. Consider implementing review management software that centralizes all reviews from various platforms in one dashboard. These tools can help you monitor new reviews in real-time, respond promptly, and track review trends over time.
Automation can also streamline the process of sending post-stay review requests to guests, making it easier for them to share their feedback. Automated reminders can be sent to guests who haven’t left a review, gently encouraging them to do so without being intrusive.
6. Offer Incentives for Leaving Reviews
While genuine feedback is the ultimate goal, there’s no harm in offering incentives to encourage guests to leave reviews. Consider creating a loyalty program that rewards guests for their feedback with exclusive perks like room upgrades or discounts on future stays. Promote special offers tied to reviews to further incentivize participation. However, always maintain transparency and authenticity to uphold the credibility of your reviews.
To ensure transparency, clearly state that guests are not obligated to leave a positive review in exchange for incentives. Honesty and authenticity are crucial in building trust with potential guests, and the goal is to encourage genuine feedback that reflects the true guest experience.
7. Optimize Your Online Presence
An updated and engaging online presence is vital in today’s digital landscape. Ensure all your business information, including contact details, amenities, and room descriptions, is accurate and up-to-date on review sites and your hotel website. Manage your listings on multiple platforms, such as TripAdvisor, MakeMyTrip, Trivago, Google My Business, and Booking.com, to increase your visibility and reach.
In addition to written information, utilize appealing visuals to showcase your hotel’s unique features. High-quality photos and videos of your rooms, facilities, and local attractions can make a significant impact on potential guests. Consider investing in professional photography and video production to portray your hotel in the best light possible.
8. Engage with Guests’ Reviews
Engagement is key to building trust and credibility with potential guests. Respond to all reviews, whether positive or negative, in a timely and professional manner. Express gratitude for positive feedback, and address any concerns from negative reviews with empathy and a genuine willingness to improve. Potential guests will see your active engagement as a sign of your dedication to guest satisfaction.
When responding to negative reviews, take a diplomatic approach. Acknowledge the guest’s experience and apologize for any shortcomings they encountered. Provide a resolution to the issue and invite them to reach out directly to discuss the matter further. By handling negative reviews with grace and professionalism, you demonstrate your commitment to guest happiness and your willingness to learn from constructive feedback.
9. Leverage Social Media Platforms
Social media is a powerful tool for amplifying your hotel’s reviews. Promote positive reviews on your social media channels to showcase the excellent experiences your guests have had. User-generated content, such as guest photos and testimonials, adds authenticity and trustworthiness to your brand. Consider collaborating with social media influencers who can reach a wider audience and share their positive experiences with their followers.
Engage with your social media audience regularly by responding to comments, messages, and mentions. Encourage guests to share their experiences on their social media accounts, and consider running contests or giveaways that involve sharing a review or tagging your hotel in a post. These efforts not only boost review visibility but also foster a sense of community around your brand.
10. Utilize Email Marketing
Your hotel’s email list is a valuable asset for review collection and nurturing guest relationships. Incorporate positive reviews in your email campaigns to showcase the value you provide to guests. Create personalized review requests for past guests, expressing your gratitude for their stay and kindly asking them to share their experiences. Additionally, use email marketing to encourage repeat bookings by offering exclusive deals and discounts to your loyal guests.
Segment your email list based on past interactions and stay preferences to deliver more targeted and relevant messages. Personalization makes guests feel valued and appreciated, increasing the likelihood that they will respond to your review request or book another stay.
11. Collaborate with Online Travel Agencies (OTAs)
Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) play a significant role in travelers’ booking decisions. Optimize your hotel listings on popular OTAs to increase your visibility among potential guests. For example, MakeMyTrip, GoIbibo, ClearTrip, Yatra, Ixibo, Agoda, Airbnb, Hotels.com, Booking.com, Expedia.com, Trip.com etc are the most popular OTAs around the world. Respond to reviews on these platforms promptly and professionally. Establish partnerships with OTAs to encourage review collection and improve your overall online reputation.
When optimizing your OTA listings, ensure that your hotel’s description, amenities, and policies are accurately represented. Regularly update your availability and rates to prevent any discrepancies between your official website and the OTA platforms. Offering exclusive deals and packages through OTAs can also incentivize guests to book directly through these channels, increasing your chances of receiving reviews on those platforms.
12. Monitor and Analyze Review Data
Collecting reviews is just the first step; analyzing the data they provide is equally important. Use analytics tools to track review trends, identify recurring themes, and pinpoint strengths and weaknesses in your services. Positive feedback can guide you in amplifying your unique selling points, while negative feedback can help you address areas that need improvement. Implementing changes based on review insights will demonstrate your commitment to guest satisfaction.
Consider creating a centralized database or system to track and categorize reviews. Analyze trends over time, such as seasonal patterns, to identify any areas that may require additional attention during certain periods. Share review data and insights with your staff to foster a culture of continuous improvement and teamwork in delivering exceptional guest experiences.
What Is The Importance of Online Hotel Reviews?
The importance of online hotel reviews cannot be overstated, as they play a crucial role in the success and reputation of a hotel. Here are some key reasons why online hotel reviews are essential:
- Influencing Booking Decisions: Online reviews are a significant factor in travellers’ decision-making process. Potential guests rely heavily on the experiences shared by past visitors to assess the quality of a hotel. Positive reviews can attract more bookings, while negative ones may deter potential customers.
- Building Trust and Credibility: Reviews provide social proof of a hotel’s service quality and overall guest experience. Positive reviews build trust among prospective guests, assuring them that the hotel is reliable and worth considering.
- Guest Feedback and Insights: Reviews offer valuable feedback from guests about their stay, including both positive and negative aspects. This feedback allows hotel management to identify areas for improvement, address issues, and enhance the overall guest experience.
- Search Engine Rankings: Online reviews impact a hotel’s search engine rankings. Positive reviews, especially from authoritative review platforms, can improve the hotel’s visibility and search engine optimization (SEO), making it easier for potential guests to find the property online.
- Competitive Advantage: A hotel with a higher number of positive reviews may gain a competitive advantage over its competitors. Travelers often compare reviews when choosing between multiple accommodation options, and more positive reviews can make a hotel stand out.
- Guest Loyalty and Repeat Business: Satisfied guests who leave positive reviews are more likely to become loyal customers and return for future stays. Their positive feedback can also lead to word-of-mouth recommendations, bringing in new customers.
- Understanding Guest Expectations: Reviews help hotels understand the expectations of their guests better. By analyzing common themes in feedback, hotels can tailor their services to meet the specific needs of their target audience.
- Online Reputation Management: Monitoring and responding to online reviews allow hotels to manage their online reputation effectively. Engaging with guests’ feedback, whether positive or negative, demonstrates the hotel’s commitment to customer satisfaction and guest-centric approach.
- Enhancing Guest Satisfaction: Regularly monitoring and acting upon guest reviews help hotels identify areas of strength and areas that need improvement. This continuous improvement process can lead to an overall increase in guest satisfaction levels.
- Encouraging Employee Engagement: Positive reviews can serve as a morale booster for hotel staff, recognizing their efforts and hard work. This can lead to increased employee engagement and motivation to deliver exceptional service.
However, online hotel reviews are vital in shaping the perception of a hotel, attracting potential guests, and driving business success. Hoteliers should actively encourage and manage guest reviews to leverage their power for improved guest satisfaction and business growth.
Conclusion- Online Hotel Reviews
Congratulations! You’re now equipped with the 12 best strategies to get more online hotel reviews and elevate your hotel’s reputation. Remember that providing an outstanding guest experience is the foundation for receiving glowing reviews. Train and empower your staff to deliver exceptional service, and implement a seamless review collection process to make leaving feedback a breeze for your guests.
Incentivize reviews responsibly, optimize your online presence, and engage with guests through various channels to build trust and credibility. Leverage social media platforms and email marketing to share positive reviews and nurture guest relationships. Collaborate with OTAs to expand your reach, and use review data to make informed decisions that lead to continuous improvement.
By implementing these strategies, you’ll not only attract more guests but also create a loyal base of satisfied customers who will gladly share their positive experiences with the world. Embrace the power of online hotel reviews, and watch your hotel’s success soar to new heights! Happy reviewing!