10 hotel digital marketing trends to capitalize the holiday season
TRANSCRIPT
Milestone ConfidentialMilestone Confidential
Top 10 Holiday Marketing
Strategies for HotelsNovember 2014 | Webisode #1
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The Panel
TERESA VILLARUZ
Sr. Marketing Manager
KRISTA MALCHOW
Business Development
Manager
ZULEMA ROMERO
Director of Client
Services
SELIN MAURICE
Sr. Manager of
Corporate Training
Speakers Moderator
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For most…
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For hoteliers…
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About travelers
+=
Capture their
attention now!
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1. Start with a holiday marketing plan
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1. Start with a holiday marketing plan
1. Create your holiday
strategy
2. Build holiday
content on your
website
3. Implement your off-
page strategies
4. Promote with
ongoing content
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2. Create a holiday page on your
website
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10Milestone Confidential
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2. Create a holiday page on your
website
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2. Create a holiday page on your
website
What to do
Where to eat
Where to shop
…and more!
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3. Run (or repurpose) a holiday-themed
package or special
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3. Run (or repurpose) a holiday-themed
package or special
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4. Tell them about it… promote that
holiday special
Update your special offer listed on TripAdvisor with this holiday
special
Why?
1. Compelling
2. Timely
3. And converts!
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15Milestone Confidential
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4. Tell them about it… promote that
holiday special
Create Google+ posts around this new page, as this drives high
SEO value and shows in Google’s SERP
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4. Tell them about it… promote that holiday
special
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5. Blog all about it
Create holiday-related
blog posts
Use as an opportunity to
recognize and thank
your customers
Create goodwill by sharing across all your
social networks
Make your business
about the customers, not
about you
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6. “Decorate" your social channels
Cover images
are the first thing
users see on your
social channels
Add some winter
or holiday elements to
cover and
profile images
Give visitors a
reason to
remember you
• 851x315 px
Facebook Cover
• 1500x500 px
Twitter Cover
• 2120x1192 max & 480x270 min
Google+ Cover
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7. In the spirit of giving, have a
giveaway!
Host a sweepstakes that
relates to your services
Appeal to holiday shoppers
Travelers
Staycation-ers
Collect email addresses as part of the entry
Increase social fans/followers
Increase qualified traffic to
your website
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8. Be your area’s holiday-expert on
social and hyperlocal channels!
Update your hyperlocal channels with tips for your market this
holiday season!
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8. Be your area’s holiday-expert on
social and hyperlocal channels!
Add business tips
on Foursquare on
what to do, where
to eat, and what is
fun this holiday
season!
For example, is this
the best place to
shop within
walking distance
of your hotel? Let
them know!
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8. Be your area’s holiday-expert on
social and hyperlocal channels!
Create holiday-themed boards on your Pinterest account
Visuals are always a great way to catch
the attention of a browsing guest
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9. Get paid by getting into ‘paid’ this
holiday season!
Create holiday/seasonal specific banners for remarketing, display campaigns,
etc. to dress it up for the holidays
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10. Bring your offline holiday fun, online!
Encourage guests to showcase your holiday decorations
Create a “selfie booth”
Put a sign in front of your decorations
Encourage users to snap a photo & use a hashtag that promotes your property
Example: #happyholidays or #milestoneholidays
Why encourage selfies?
86% of Americans take at least 1 selfie per week
33% of Americans take 3 or more selfies per week
55% of selfies are taken on vacation
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Conclusion
(Pre-Step 1): Ensure you have established a strong, consistent
off-page online presence.
Step 1: Devise a holiday marketing strategy – of the 10 tips
provided here, prioritize and decide which you’ll be focusing on this season.
Step 2: Create all of the holiday content on your website – build
out the holiday page, special, and blog post.
Step 3: Implement your off-page strategies – upload those holiday images, create tips, load specials, create your PPC
campaign, and more.
Step 4: Craft a content & promotion schedule, and implement
it.
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Thank you to our sponsor:
EyeforTravel is a community where the world’s top online travel brands
meet to drive forward growth and innovation in the travel and
hospitality industry. They provide a diverse product portfolio including
industry analysis, insights, research papers, webinars, reports, and also
hosts several educational conferences worldwide. Please check them
out at www.eyefortravel.com.
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Thank You & Happy Holidays from the
Milestone Team!
More digital marketing tips at http://blog.milestoneinternet.com
December webinar: Your Hotel’s Digital Marketing Snapshot and How
to Plan for the New Year