In today’s digital age, the hospitality industry faces fierce competition in attracting and retaining customers. With the rise of technology and social media, businesses need to stay ahead of the curve to stand out from the crowd. Therefore, it is essential to have a strong digital marketing strategy in place to acquire new customers and retain existing ones. So we asked digital advertising agency, SOMO, to give us their four “must-dos” for digital marketing within the hospitality industry.
Paid media channels such as Google Ads and Facebook Ads are great tools to drive traffic to your website and acquire new customers. With Google Ads, businesses can bid on specific keywords related to their services, and their ads will appear at the top of the search engine results page when people search for those keywords. Facebook Ads, on the other hand, offer a more targeted approach where businesses can create ads based on demographics, interests, and behaviours.
Remarketing is also a powerful strategy to keep your brand top of mind for previous customers who have shown interest in your services. Remarketing allows businesses to target users who have already visited their website or engaged with their social media accounts. By showing relevant ads to these users, businesses can increase the likelihood of them returning and completing an order.
Retention channels such as email, SMS, and push notifications are crucial for maximising customer lifetime value. Once a customer has made an order, it is important to stay in touch with them to encourage repeat business. Email marketing is a cost-effective way to communicate with customers and keep them informed about upcoming events and promotions. SMS and push notifications are also effective channels for sending personalised messages to customers.
Creating a sense of urgency and FOMO (fear of missing out) is a powerful technique to encourage customers to make a booking. Hooks such as seasonal events and limited-time promotions can drive traffic to your website and increase the likelihood of bookings. For example, a restaurant could create a special Valentine’s Day deal, to attract couples looking for a romantic dinner option.
Creating a sense of exclusivity can also be a powerful hook. For example, a restaurant could create a limited-time menu featuring rare and exotic ingredients.
Your website is your online shopfront, and it is essential that it is optimised to convert visitors into customers. Basic conversion rate optimisation (CRO) practices include clear calls-to-action (CTAs), easy navigation, and fast page loading times.
Overall, digital marketing is a vital component of any successful hospitality business. By using paid media channels to acquire and re market to customers, retention channels to maximise customer lifetime value, creating a sense of urgency and exclusivity, and implementing basic conversion rate optimisation practices on your website, businesses can stay ahead of the competition and achieve their marketing goals. By leveraging the power of digital marketing, businesses can reach a wider audience, create a strong brand image, and ultimately increase revenue and profitability.