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Below are our top picks for getting the most actionable insights from your analytics data on a daily or weekly basis. For the full details, view the blog post here: <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/analytics-data-points-hotels-need-to-look-right-now/">https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/analytics-data-points-hotels-need-to-look-right-now/</a>
</div>
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<h2>Critical Analytics From Your Hotel&#8217;s Booking Engine Custom Data:</h2>
You should be tracking some critical data that comes from what website visitors are searching AND what they are booking. If your booking engine doesn’t make this possible, it’s time for a new booking engine. We’ll talk more about best practices for data capture of these items in a bit.
1 &#8211; Searched Arrival Date
2 &#8211; Booked Arrival Date
3 &#8211; Searched Booking Window
4 &#8211; Confirmed Booking Window
5 &#8211; Length of Stay
Other Options:
Depending on exactly how you are using this data, and how important it is, you can also look at things like day of arrival or departure (what day of the week), number of adults, number of children, etc.
How to Collect the Custom Data:
In order to collect the custom data on bookings, the best method in Google Analytics is to use custom dimensions. You would use one dimension for each item you want to report on.
CAUTION: The free version of Google Analytics has just 20 custom dimensions available. You should very carefully plan exactly what information is critical to track here.
Once you have your custom dimensions set up, you’ll need to build custom reports in Google Analytics to see the data within the interface. For booking data, you will choose Transactions, Revenue, and possibly Quantity, as your metrics.
Search data collection method can be more your personal preference. This information can either be stored in a Google Analytics event, or in a custom dimension, as we did with the booking data. Depending on how many custom dimensions you used for the booking data (and any other information you are already collecting there), may dictate whether you use events or the dimensions. One advantage of using events is that you don’t need to build a custom report to see the data&#8230;it’s already there in the events report. However, in terms of implementation, if you are tracking several different dimensions, you’ll need a separate event tag for each one of them vs. firing one tag with all of your custom dimensions.
<h2>Critical Analytics From Your Hotel&#8217;s Standard Data:</h2>
6 &#8211; Landing Pages
Why are landing pages important to look at regularly? You may find some nuggets of information you weren’t aware of before, or that have changed due to consumer behavior. For example, we have been seeing on a very regular basis in the last few months, that pages like hotel policies, FAQs, or COVID-specific information are seeing more entries from natural search than before&#8230;AND they are converting. You’ll want to keep an eye on lower level pages to catch any change in behavior, and make sure your user experience, and content is optimal for those pages that might suddenly be getting attention.
7 &#8211; Location by City
Because various feeder markets are in a constant state of flux in terms of quarantine status, it is important to keep an eye on both who is looking at the site, and who is actually booking. This can help you spend your targeted marketing dollars in the most effective way.&nbsp;
Possible Reporting Techniques:
<ol>
<li>Export the data from Google Analytics to a spreadsheet</li>
<li>Set up an automated email in Google Analytics</li>
<li>Build a spreadsheet template, and copy/paste data into it</li>
<li>Use a data aggregation tool like Supermetrics in a spreadsheet</li>
<li>Build a report in Google DataStudio</li>
</ol>
========================
<h2>In The Newsaroos:&nbsp; &nbsp; </h2>
Hilton Reports Significant Increase in Bookings &amp; Occupancy
<a href="https://www.costar.com/article/1813575645/hilton-reports-%E2%80%98significant-lift%E2%80%99-in-forward-bookings-and-occupancy">https://www.costar.com/article/1813575645/hilton-reports-%E2%80%98significant-lift%E2%80%99-in-forward-bookings-and-occupancy</a>&nbsp;
Surprise, Surprise.. Microsoft Ads Copies Google Yet Again. Rolling BMM into Phrase Match&nbsp; 
<a href="https://searchengineland.com/microsoft-advertising-to-treat-phrase-match-the-same-way-google-ads-does-348411">https://searchengineland.com/microsoft-advertising-to-treat-phrase-match-the-same-way-google-ads-does-348411</a>
<a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-177-secrets-to-optimizing-your-hotel-website-conversion-rate/">We covered this in depth in Episode 177 when Google announced it back in February</a> (minute mark 10:00 &#8211; 20:10)
========================
<h2>Stat Of The Week: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>
<ul>
<li>No stats this week, check back for more in episode 188</li>
</ul>
========================
Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a> or info@travelboommarketing.com.
<a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/downloads/">IN ADDITION TO THE PODCAST WE HAVE A BUNCH OF WHITEPAPERS AND STUDIES YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE</a>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 187 – Are You Missing The Boat With These 7 Data Points?

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The first four months of 2021 have been a whirlwind.  It began as a struggle to find guests to fill hotels and has shifted to a major struggle to find the staff to satisfy the guests now that they have shown up.  The number one conversation in nearly all of our client meetings over the past two months has been how to find new employees and keep the existing ones a hotel has.
</div>
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The COVID pandemic has created a very unusual circumstance, in the US in particular.  Employees who are currently receiving unemployment benefits that often exceed what a position at a hotel might pay. The national average unemployment state benefits are $345.53 per week, plus an additional $300 per week from the federal government.  This equates to $33,568/year income.  This equates to a $16.14 hourly rate.  For a hotel to fully staff, they must first match the value of unemployment benefits and then offer enough to make it worth the employee to lose their benefits.
As unemployment benefits expire, more people will make their way back into the workforce, but how do we staff up in the meantime?  In today’s podcast, we are going to cover six strategies that will help you identify, attract, hire, and keep great employees.
First and foremost, you must look at your employment strategy the same as you would look at your marketing strategy.  You’re selling the opportunity to work for your property by highlighting the benefits, overcoming the objections, creating affinity for your brand, and building a system that makes it easy to do business (or get employed). 
<h2>ONE: First and foremost: Keep your people loyal</h2>
Keeping your staff happy and loyal is the first and most important way to ensure your property is staffed to its fullest potential. This goes beyond just offering a competitive hourly rate or salary, though that is a must.  Properties must also create an environment where the staff feels welcome, is fulfilled, and sees themselves as part of a close-knit team.
<ul>
<li>Employee appreciation events</li>
<li>Property branded apparel (that’s not ugly)</li>
<li>Access to some amenities at free or reduced rates</li>
<li>Create comfortable space to relax while “off the clock”</li>
<li>Make sure your employees have motivation to stay or have skin in the game.</li>
<li>Create a clear path for growth in the organization.</li>
<li>Praise employees for good reviews, service.</li>
</ul>
<h2>TWO: Create a strong referral program</h2>
The best way to grow your staff is to rely on the staff you currently have.  If you have created a great culture and have loyal employees, it will be much more likely that their friends and family will also want to join the team.  However good feelings only go so far, you have to put programs in place to create an incentive.
<ul>
<li>Simple pay bonus for referring new employees</li>
<li>Referral contests and drawings for referring leads</li>
<li>Providing tools to make it easier for staff to refer their friends</li>
</ul>
<h2>THREE: Provide hiring incentives to get and retain new employees</h2>
Hiring incentives have always been a somewhat controversial means of getting employees in the door. If you offer a hiring bonus will you just get a bunch of people in the door that immediately leave?  The obvious solution to this is to offer incentive steps based on achieving specific milestones such as a signing bonus, followed by a 3 month bonus or end of season bonus.
<h2>FOUR: Ensure your jobs are listed everywhere</h2>
This recommendation is basic and hotels are already making good use of hiring services and listing sites.  However, it is important to understand the competition and make your job listing 10x compared to other listings.  Think of your listings as your Google My Business profile and optimize it accordingly.
<ul>
<li>Job sites such as indeed, ziprecruiter, SimplyHired and others</li>
<li>Social channels such as Facebook and Nextdoor</li>
<li>Also, consider paid social strategies to maximize your social reach</li>
<li>https://jobs.google.com/about/</li>
</ul>
<h2>FIVE: Look to the community for assistance</h2>
The community around you is a great resource for finding employees.  Are there organizations that you can tap to help fill your employment needs?  A perfect example of how some destinations think creatively and involve the community is bussing in staff from neighboring areas. This not only serves a great need in the community to provide work and transportation but also solves a portion of staffing problems.
<ul>
<li>Chamber/DMOs</li>
<li>Local unemployment office</li>
<li>Local organizations that could provide staffing such as universities, clubs, etc</li>
</ul>
SIX: Adapt to having a smaller workforce
The one reality that is clear is we have a reduced workforce, at least for the time being. Hoteliers are going to have to adapt to delivering the experience guests demand with a smaller staff.  Therefore, how can we make the most of the staff we have?
<ul>
<li>Cross train your existing staff to the fullest</li>
<li>Automate systems where possible</li>
<li>Outsource services that will alleviate your internal staff, such as laundry</li>
<li>Ask your guests what services they actually need/want.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
The lack of workers is a temporary problem, though one that may last quite a while.  The best strategy possible is to get creative and think of new ways to solve the problem.  A perfect example of getting creative, which goes back to pre-COVID days, is a client that would charter a flight to bring in workers to a destination and house them for the season.
========================
<h2>In The Newsaroos:    </h2>
 Biden Opening Up More H1B and H2B Visas
<ul>
<li><a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-coronavirus-pandemic-immigration-economy-589dc17501502479e3ee57a4b711ca41" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-coronavirus-pandemic-immigration-economy-589dc17501502479e3ee57a4b711ca41</a></li>
<li>The Department of Homeland Security said the U.S. would approve an additional 22,000 H2-B seasonal, non-agricultural worker visas on top of the annual limit of 66,000 set by Congress.</li>
</ul>
Google Offering New Travel Tools
<ul>
<li><a href="https://blog.google/products/flights-hotels/helpful-tools-when-youre-ready-travel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://blog.google/products/flights-hotels/helpful-tools-when-youre-ready-travel/</a></li>
<li>When searching for hotels/flights/things to do Google will let you know about travel restrictions right in the SERP. Things like mandatory quarantine or proof of test results or vaccination record. Can choose to get an email if these change</li>
<li>Filter by type of trip (beaches/skiing/outdoors)</li>
<li>Road Trips &#8211; with a starting point and destination set, you can now see hotels/parks/campgrounds along the way. You can set specific stops. This can be transferred to your Google Maps app on your phone</li>
</ul>
========================
<h2>Stat Of The Week:     </h2>
<ul>
<li>More than two-thirds of people collecting unemployment earn more than they did at their old jobs
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/unemployment-benefits-boosted-economy-cares-act-coronavirus-make-more-jobs-2020-7#:~:text=Markets-,More%20than%20two%2Dthirds%20of%20people%20collecting%20unemployment%20earn%20more,did%20at%20their%20old%20jobs&amp;text=Two%2Dthirds%20of%20workers%20earn,at%20the%20University%20of%20Chicago." target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.businessinsider.com/unemployment-benefits-boosted-economy-cares-act-coronavirus-make-more-jobs-2020-7#:~:text=Markets-,More%20than%20two%2Dthirds%20of%20people%20collecting%20unemployment%20earn%20more,did%20at%20their%20old%20jobs&amp;text=Two%2Dthirds%20of%20workers%20earn,at%20the%20University%20of%20Chicago.</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
========================
Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a> or info@travelboommarketing.com.
<a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/downloads/">IN ADDITION TO THE PODCAST WE HAVE A BUNCH OF WHITEPAPERS AND STUDIES YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE</a>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 186 – Six Strategies To Finding Staff For Your Hotel

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It’s not easy for a hotel to stand out against their competition. At the end of the day, you are providing a place to stay just like your competitor. While we know price is very important to guests, sometimes the perceived value (or actual added value) of the experience can be a deciding factor. This is why you need to offer something a little extra that will make a potential guest pick your hotel over the hotel next door. While many of these options will have some upfront cost associated with them, the additional stays you will get as a result of these offerings will almost always outweigh the cost. 
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Be sure to share your suggestions for future episodes of the Hotel Marketing Podcast at <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/podcastsurvey/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FuelTravel.com/podcastsurvey</a>.
<hr />
<h2>Ideas To Differentiate Your Hotel</h2>
Arcade
<ul>
<li>Buy or rent gaming machines</li>
<li>Create an offer that gives free credits
<ul>
<li>This keeps guests in the arcade spending money. Could end up paying for itself</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Rooftop
<ul>
<li>Do you have a rooftop you can transform and utilize?</li>
<li>We have had clients turn their hotel’s rooftop into a bar area</li>
<li>Typically offers spectacular views and a very unique atmosphere</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Breakfast
<ul>
<li>An inexpensive food option</li>
<li>“Hotels in [city name] with free breakfast” often has a decent amount of search volume</li>
<li>Because we know guests are seeking this they will be more likely to choose your hotel over a hotel that doesn’t offer free breakfast.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Pet-Friendly
<ul>
<li>The entire hotel does not need to be pet-friendly. You could make a select few rooms pet friendly and still label yourself as a pet-friendly hotel. (1st floor. Right, Melissa?)</li>
<li>Fencing a small portion of unused outdoor space as a dog run is an option</li>
<li>Include a trash can and dog waste bags to keep the area clean</li>
<li>Partner with local groomers and specialty pet shops</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Transform Under Utilized Space
<ul>
<li>Turn outdoor space into a fun space with outdoor games.</li>
<li>Service guests using these areas with F&amp;B for incremental revenue</li>
<li>Create new indoor spaces like small offices &amp; conference rooms.</li>
<li>You can even charge to use these spaces (hourly/daily) and also serve these guests F&amp;B</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Valet Parking
<ul>
<li>This is particularly important for hotels in cities with limited parking or paid parking</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Upgraded Fitness Equipment &amp; Experiences
<ul>
<li>Upgrade your hotel’s fitness room or include specialized equipment</li>
<li>We have clients that offer rooms with Peloton bikes &amp; yoga mats and we know that guests have said they chose their hotel based on that</li>
<li>Others have brought in Influencer yoga instructors</li>
<li>This helps with social media exposure as well</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Occasion Based Package Options
<ul>
<li>We have had clients create various packages that draw guests to their hotel for special occasions</li>
<li>Honeymoon packages can include a bottle of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries in the room</li>
<li>Bachelor/Bachelorette packages can include champagne/cigar &amp; free shuttle service</li>
<li>Arena/Stadium packages can include shuttle service and inexpensive licensed team items (flags, foam footballs, coolers), free appetizer at hotel bar</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Partnerships With Local Experiences/Attractions
<ul>
<li>Local hiking guides/bike rental companies/kayak &amp; paddleboards/surf lessons</li>
<li>We even had a client use their pool for beginner SCUBA lessons</li>
<li>Also consider spas/golf courses/museums/etc.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Featuring The Property/Area’s History
<ul>
<li>Guests like to learn about an area when they visit</li>
<li>Offer a tour of the area that covers its history</li>
<li>If the property is older you can talk about famous guests/events/improvements that have happened over the lifetime of the property</li>
</ul>
<h2>Promoting Your Differentiator</h2>
Photography/Videography
<ul>
<li>Step 1 is getting great photography of your new offering to be used both on your website and throughout other channels</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
On Your Website
<ul>
<li>Depending on the differentiator it may deserve its own page</li>
<li>Homepage promo panel</li>
<li>List on amenities page</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Social Media
<ul>
<li>Share your new offering with your followers</li>
<li>Facebook and Instagram tend to be the best platforms</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Paid Advertising
<ul>
<li>List in your paid search ad copy</li>
<li>Include in your amenities Structured Snippet extension
<ul>
<li>If the new differentiator has its own page, you may also want to try a Sitelink extension</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Display ads
<ul>
<li>Test different audiences (remarketing/interest based/in market)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
OTA Listings/Google My Business/Local Listing Sites
<ul>
<li>Be sure your new offering is included in your property description and within the amenities sections</li>
<li>Include your photography of your new offering</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Email Your Past Guests
<ul>
<li>Let previous guests know that you’ve upgraded your property</li>
<li>This should only increase the likelihood of a return stay</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Let us hear what sets your hotel apart from the competition! If you utilize one of these tactics already, or have something else that drives guests to your property rather than your competitor’s property, we’d love to hear all about it. Send us an email at <a href="mailto:info@travelboommarketing.com">info@travelboommarketing.com</a>.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
========================
<h2>In The Newsaroos:     </h2>
<ul>
<li>Google Postpones Page Experience Rollout: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-postpones-page-experience-update-rollout-347862" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://searchengineland.com/google-postpones-page-experience-update-rollout-347862 </a></li>
<li>ADA Clarification: Websites Are Not Public Accommodations: <a href="https://www.retailconsumerproductslaw.com/2021/04/website-wars-eleventh-circuit-rules-in-a-split-decision-that-websites-are-not-public-accommodations-for-purposes-of-the-americans-with-disabilities-act/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.retailconsumerproductslaw.com/2021/04/website-wars-eleventh-circuit-rules-in-a-split-decision-that-websites-are-not-public-accommodations-for-purposes-of-the-americans-with-disabilities-act/ </a></li>
</ul>
========================
&nbsp;
<h2>Stat Of The Week:     </h2>
<ul>
<li>No stat this week, stay tuned for plenty of hotel marketing stats next week.</li>
</ul>
========================
Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a> or info@travelboommarketing.com.
<a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/downloads/">IN ADDITION TO THE PODCAST WE HAVE A BUNCH OF WHITEPAPERS AND STUDIES YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE</a>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 185 – How To Differentiate Your Hotel & Get A Leg Up On The Competition

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The latest edition of the Fuel Customer Sentiment Study (Volume 12) dives in to when customers are going to be ready to travel, what it will take for hotels to win over guests, and how vaccines will impact travel.  <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-covid-19-consumer-sentiment-study-volume-12/">You can see the full results of the study here</a>.
</div>
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In today&#8217;s episode we&#8217;re going to hit the highlights and most surprising findings.  Spoiler alert: Get ready for a booming spring and summer.
<hr />
1: Which best describes you regarding COVID vaccination?
<ul>
<li>Nearly 70% of respondents have either gotten a vaccine or in the process of getting vaccinated.</li>
</ul>
2: What is the first word that you think of when considering travel right now?
<ul>
<li>Safety is still paramount to travelers.</li>
<li>Those not getting a vaccine are all about &#8220;fun.&#8221;</li>
</ul>
3: Have you traveled since March 15, 2020?
<ul>
<li>56% of respondents have traveled since COVID was declared a pandemic.</li>
</ul>
4: How many trips have you taken since March 15, 2020?
<ul>
<li>Of those who traveled, nearly 70% have traveled at least twice since the pandemic began.</li>
</ul>
5: When will you likely begin planning your next trip?
<ul>
<li>40% responded that they are planning their trips right NOW with another 32% are going to start their planning within two months.</li>
</ul>
6: When will you likely book your next trip?
<ul>
<li>39% are in the process of booking their trip now.</li>
</ul>
7: When will you likely travel for your next trip?
<ul>
<li>Answers were quite diverse, with May and June being most popular, and comprising nearly 40% of responses.</li>
</ul>
8: In 2021, do you expect your travel budget to increase, decrease, or remain the same as it was in 2019?
<ul>
<li>33% of your guests are going to be spending more in 2021</li>
</ul>
9: Do you expect to take more, fewer, or the same number of trips than you took in 2019?
<ul>
<li>The audience was split on this with approximately 1/3 answering for each.</li>
</ul>
10: In 2021, do you expect to take more, fewer, or the same number of total vacation days than you took in 2019?
<ul>
<li>45% of respondents say their vacation days will remain the same while 33% are going to be taking more days.</li>
</ul>
11: On a scale of 0-5 how likely will the following vaccination scenarios increase your likely hood of booking a vacation within six months?
<ul>
<li>Once you have been vaccinated</li>
<li>Once all &#8220;at risk&#8221; people have been vaccinated</li>
<li>Once at least 80% of the population has been vaccinated</li>
<li>More than 60% of respondents in all 3 categories said that a vaccine would increase their likelihood of booking a vacation. Those who said being vaccinated, themselves, would have no impact was equal to those who voted that it would dramatically increase their likelihood to book.</li>
</ul>
12: Pick the top 3 reasons that would prevent you from staying at a hotel right now
<ul>
<li>&#8220;Nothing is preventing me&#8221; is finally at the top spot at 44% of all respondents</li>
</ul>
13: How likely are you to book a trip (time range)?
<ul>
<li>67%  responded &#8220;maybe&#8221; or higher within the next 30 days</li>
</ul>
14: How soon will you be willing to make the following trips (drive or fly)?
<ul>
<li>Those willing to drive up to an hour away within the next month is at 71%, 2 hours is 59% and 3 hours is 48%.</li>
<li>Flying is still limited at just 21%, however this is up from 9% a year ago</li>
</ul>
15: Which of the following would most likely persuade yo to book a future vacation?
<ul>
<li>Flexibility and the ability to cancel without penalty is the clear winner at 72%.  Discounts on a stay came in at 65%.</li>
</ul>
16: How would the following hotel protocols increase your confidence in staying at a property?
<ul>
<li>Deep cleaning between guests, and placing the sanitized remote in a sealed bag had the biggest impact, with 63% saying deep cleaning would greatly impact confidence, and 46% for the remote.</li>
</ul>
17: I would like to hear from hotels on the following topics&#8230;
<ul>
<li>Packages and specials are now back at the top of traveler interest.  This is a first since<a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-covid-19-consumer-sentiment-study-volume-3/"> volume 3 of the study</a> on 4/30/20/</li>
</ul>
18: The next time you travel, which of the following would you want the property to communicate to you prior to your stay?
<ul>
<li>Local mask requirements remain a critical communication point prior to a visit, followed closely by the status of local restaurants.</li>
</ul>
19: complete the following sentence: I will travel when&#8230;
<ul>
<li>Travelers are getting more and more comfortable traveling.  The phrase &#8220;feel safe&#8221; has taken the top spot.</li>
</ul>
In conclusion, people are traveling and now is the time to engage and court your guests to pick your property for their next stay.  Need more tools and tips for managing a hotel in a time of crisis? <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/crisis-management-resources-for-hotels-master-list/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CLICK HERE FOR A CRISIS MANAGEMENT RESOURCES FOR HOTELS MASTER LIST</a>
&nbsp;
========================
<h2>In The Newsaroos:     </h2>
<ul>
<li>Nothing this week&#8230; Tune in next week for more</li>
</ul>
========================
<h2>Stat Of The Week:     </h2>
In 2019, US hotel RevPAR (Revenue per Available Room) was $95.22 (+7% YoY) &#8211; the highest for that week on record. Last year, it hit the lowest for any week as far back as I can remember &#8211; $15.22 (-84% YoY)!
========================
Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a> or info@travelboommarketing.com.
<a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/downloads/">IN ADDITION TO THE PODCAST WE HAVE A BUNCH OF WHITEPAPERS AND STUDIES YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE</a>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Marketing Podcast: Episode 184 – Get Ready For A Booming Spring & Summer

Thankfully we are seeing travel coming back in an incredible way.  In fact we’re seeing many examples of hoteliers even breaking their 2019 numbers.  This is great news for everyone who has struggled up to this point.  However, now is not the time to sit back and relax.  Now is the time to look back on COVID and understand what worked and what didn’t work in your communications strategies.  
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I recently presented our recommended strategies for building a Pandemic/Disaster communications plan to members of the Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce, which you can watch here: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/114557979900/videos/736331400417583">https://www.facebook.com/114557979900/videos/736331400417583</a>.  Today, we’re going to discuss these strategies and how they specifically apply to your hotel or resort.  This three-step process will help you identify when we’re entering a disaster, what to communicate, and how to best reach your guests.
<h2>STEP 1: Understand something is changing</h2>
Overnight disasters, such as COVID, rarely actually happen overnight.  There is a lead up to the “big event” and the sooner you are able to identify you’re in the midst of something, the sooner you can begin to put your plan in place and adapt.
A perfect example of realizing something was changing during Covid is how Hilton was able to almost immediately revamp their cancellation policy to serve guests, while some completely missed the mark.
Your disaster communications plan is only effective if you know when to put it into place, therefore the 1st step of any pandemic or disaster is to realize you’re actually in one. 
<h2>STEP 2: Defining the “what” of your messaging</h2>
Step two of your plan should be to ensure you’re passing the right information on to your current and potential guests.  To do this you need to be aware of your audience, accurately and authentically communicate, be proactive, and most importantly be present.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Be Aware of Your Audience: 
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">What do your guests need to know?</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">How can you alleviate their concerns?</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Is your messaging matching the environment?</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Communicate Authentically and Set Expectations:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Communicate clearly and to the point</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Address any deviations between expectations and reality</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Be Proactive:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Reach out to each of your segments with a personalized message as early as possible.  These include your current customers, past customers, and leads.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Communicate frequently, even if it is just to share information.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Always Be Present:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">When customers ask for help… answer and answer FAST</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Engage on your customers platforms of choice</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Ensure your entire organization is on board and trained</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Engage through customer reviews (80% of your guests won’t book without reading reviews)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h2>STEP 3: Defining the “where” and “how” to communicate in times of disaster</h2>
Once you know you’re heading into rough waters, and you know what your guests need to know, now it is time to execute your plan and put it into action.  Each hotel’s plan is going to be unique, however they should all contain some of the following:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">On-Property Messaging:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Visible signage</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Social distancing cues</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Visible cleaning procedures</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Proper staff training</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Website Messaging:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Create prominent promotions front and center</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Dedicate content and sections of your website to address key customer concerns</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Educate and inform your guests about the area </li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Email Communications:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Proactively reach out to customers throughout your purchase journey</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Social Communications:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Create authentic extensions of your in-person experiences</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Engage your customers beyond your profile</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"> Be a trusted, authentic, source of information</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Advertising Adjustments:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Evaluate your current spends and adjust accordingly</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Use all the assets your platforms offer</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Make smart geographic targets</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Minimize campaigns that are not delivering</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">PR, Outreach, &amp; Assets:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Assign a spokesperson</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Proactively reach out to media, chambers, DMOs, etc</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Create content and assets that are truly helpful</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Being Aware of Shifts In Your Guests:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">The changing world may change your typical guest, watch for shifts</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h2>Past Episodes To Help You Plan For Uncertainty:</h2>
<ul>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-95-hotel-marketers-disaster/">Episode 95 &#8211; What Hoteliers Should Do In Times Of Disaster</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-157-how-hotels-can-benefit-from-the-secret-covid-strategies-of-fortune-500-ceos/">Episode 157 &#8211; How Hotels Can Benefit From The Secret COVID Strategies of Fortune 500 CEOs</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-143-smart-hoteliers-have-updated-their-policies-for-covid-19-heres-how-you-can-too/">Episode 143 &#8211; Smart Hoteliers Have Updated Their Policies For COVID. Here’s How You Can Too</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/crisis-management-resources-for-hotels-master-list/">All Crisis Management Tools For Hotels</a></li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
========================
<h2>In The Newsaroos:     </h2>
<ul>
<li>Nothing this week&#8230; Tune in next week for more</li>
</ul>
========================
Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a> or info@travelboommarketing.com.
<a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/downloads/">IN ADDITION TO THE PODCAST WE HAVE A BUNCH OF WHITEPAPERS AND STUDIES YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE</a>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 183 – Three Easy Steps To Build Your Disaster Communications Plan

It’s been a crazy year here at Fuel and we’ve learned a thing or two. In this episode of the Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast, the Fueligans discuss their top 3 lessons learned during the pandemic and give hotels advice on how to move forward with recovery
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&nbsp;
SHOW NOTES:
Stuart
1. Understanding your customers is more important than ever 
Given that everything is changing, we need to make sure we are talking to our guests. It’s the only way for us to know how to drive business moving forward. What are their fears, what do they care about, what will motivate them, why are they traveling, why aren’t they traveling? By engaging your guests, you can reveal the answers to these questions and they can become the core of your ongoing marketing strategy.
In addition, by listening to your guests, you can identify the gaps between the expectations you are setting and the experience the guests are having. If you don’t monitor this brand perception gap and it gets too big, you will suffer severe long-term consequences.
2. Don’t lose sight of the long-term because you’re so focused on the short-term 
There are so many examples where people have created their own shipwrecks by kicking the can down the road or by not thinking through the consequences of their actions. We’re seeing this manifest now with the labor shortage. If you kicked your employees out to save money early in the pandemic, you’re going to struggle to find employees now that demand is picking up. There’s going to be a long-term hangover effect from you tipping your hand and declaring to the world that your people really aren’t as important to you as you always said they were.
Likewise, the properties that are now jacking up their rates due to the unprecedented demand are setting themselves up for a rude awakening down the road. Consumer expectations are at an all-time high and for the first time ever, price is not a primary motivator. People are not flinching at record-level rates, but they sure will be suffering from buyer’s remorse when your property doesn’t live up to expectations. When you’re understaffed and it’s taking longer for people to get into their rooms, or they can’t get those clean towels they need, or the restaurant is slow to serve them, there’s going to be a backlash. It will start with review scores beginning to slide, then the negative word-of-mouth, and the loss of repeat business, culminating in a significant lack of demand or many years to come while you try to rebuild your reputation.
3. You’re only as strong as your community 
As a business, Fuel wouldn’t have been able to navigate the pandemic so well if it weren’t for the relationships we have. From the amazing staff who busted their butts throughout the past 12 months with a smile on their face and a can-do attitude, the the vendors who offered flexibility and compassion when we needed them most, our local businesses and CVB who came together to help our destination get back on its feet,  to the network of people we consider our friends, who were always there to offer support, advice, and words of encouragement during the dark times, we could not have done it without any of them.
On a personal level, the support from fellow hospitality professionals, to those I consider friends and family, I owe my sanity to you all. The guidance I have received throughout the pandemic literally kept me from cracking and spiraling into chaos. Without the pep talks, the therapy sessions, the laughter, and the love, I don’t think I could have survived this. I don’t think I can express to you how much you all mean to me. Thank you!
&nbsp;
Melissa
1. Change is inevitable. 
Whether it is a global pandemic, the fallout from a terrorist attack, a natural disaster, or an economic recession, change happens. It always has. It always will. Those who are able to adapt to change will survive. Those who embrace change will thrive. Those who can’t, or won’t adapt, will die.
2. Some things never change. 
We are in the hospitality industry. Our top priority is ALWAYS to serve our guests in the best way possible. This means understanding that each person is unique, and has unique needs. It means providing timely, and useful information in the most effective way possible for each person. It means setting expectations so that your guests come away from your property with a positive experience, and want to share their experience with their network of friends and family.
3. People will remember how you treated them. 
Did you do the right thing by your guests, making it simple and affordable to change plans, as travel restrictions changed? Did you do the right thing by your employees, giving them a reason to stay with you through the rough times, or come back to you when you reopened? Did you work with your community, giving support to other local businesses, or sharing information with your local competitors? Did you build stronger relationships with your friends and family?
&nbsp;
Pete
1. Have A Plan For Change &amp; Implement It Quickly 
When COVID went from “something overseas” to “something here” and on to “something massive” the people who realized the shift quickly were the ones who were able to weather the storm better (at least early on).  Having a contingency plan for even far-fetched scenarios will help hoteliers make smarter decisions and react more quickly if ever needed.
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Cost-saving plans including government assistance</li>
<li aria-level="1">Operations plans</li>
<li aria-level="1">Communications plan</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
2. Be Nimble &amp; Adaptable 
Even if you’re the smart hotelier who has a plan, you are going to have to be very nimble and ready to adapt to both market changes and marketing strategy changes.  A perfect example of this is how properties, such as Hilton leading the way, adapted their cancellation policy very early in the pandemic.
In addition to how the business of hotels have changed, so have the marketing strategies.  Consider all the new marketing tools that have been developed just since COVID hit. New paid search tools, changes to GHA and Meta, TripAdvisor Plus, targeting changes and so on have all shifted how we find and engage guests.  Smart hoteliers should have learned to keep their eye on emerging trends so they can jump before their competitors.
3. Be A Servant 
Now, more than ever… The company, or people, who step up to help their community and customers will be rewarded with more loyalty and business once things return to normal. Being a servant can have many meanings from helping your community, your staff, and obviously your customers.  It can also have different meanings.  A great example of this is properties that continued to communicate with their guests with virtual tours, recipes from the chef, stories and more.  Find your way to be a servant both now and in times of trouble.
========================
<h2>In The Newsaroos:     </h2>
<ul>
<li>What The FLoC is Google Testing Now?  Federated Learning of Cohorts 
<a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/03/google-testing-its-controversial-new-ad-targeting-tech-millions-browsers-heres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/03/google-testing-its-controversial-new-ad-targeting-tech-millions-browsers-heres</a></li>
</ul>
========================
Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a> or info@travelboommarketing.com.
<a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/downloads/">IN ADDITION TO THE PODCAST WE HAVE A BUNCH OF WHITEPAPERS AND STUDIES YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE</a>

Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 182 – Top 3 Lessons Learned During The Pandemic

This past week, Google quietly rolled out what may end up being a Trojan horse. By opening up Google Hotel Search organic listings, Google aims to gain access to rates and inventory for every accommodation provider on the planet. In this episode, we discuss the facts, the implications, and give advice on how to navigate the changing <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/services/hotel-meta-search/">hotel metasearch</a> landscape.
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SHOW NOTES:
Google’s point of view: They want to offer the best possible experience for searchers. This means offering a more complete set of room booking options. To do this they are no longer limiting themselves to showing rates from providers paying for ads.
Industry point of view: Google is inching closer to taking over the travel industry. They want all hotels to be on their platforms. They have already taken the dominant position in the review space away from TripAdvisor. They now want to have a full breadth of inventory for hotels, flights and destination information.
<h2>What Changed?</h2>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Previously, hotels would have had to pay to participate on Google.com/travel</li>
<li aria-level="1">Now Google is offering a free “organic” version of this offering.</li>
<li aria-level="1">While users will still see the paid advertising slots on the traditional SERP, clicking “View More Rates” will take the searcher into Google.com/travel where the organic listings will show below paid ad slots under “All Options”</li>
<li aria-level="1">Currently, Google is showing 10 organic listings under ads, but there is a “View More Options” link which will expand the list to an unlimited number of providers.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Rate providers will now have a chance to show in both the Ads section as well as the Organic section.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Tracking has changed
<ul>
<li aria-level="2">Participating hotels should update their tracking within the Hotel Center using either campaign-id or if-ad-click parameters.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h2>How Does It Work?</h2>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">The Ads section will continue to operate in the same way it has been.</li>
<li aria-level="1">The organic section will follow along the same lines in terms of rankings
<ul>
<li aria-level="2">Price Accuracy of the rate feed is the most important ranking factor for both paid and organic</li>
<li aria-level="2">Price accuracy is seen as Excellent, Good, Poor, At Risk, and Failed. Providers with “Excellent” Price Accuracy will outrank those with “Good” and “Good” will outrank “Poor”.
<ul>
<li aria-level="3">A “Failed” Price Accuracy will likely not show</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li aria-level="1">Given that the Price Accuracy of two providers is the same, Google will take other factors into account to determine rankings.
<ul>
<li aria-level="2">These factors include
<ul>
<li aria-level="3">Rate &#8211; Is your rate the same or lower than other rate providers</li>
<li aria-level="3">Price Coverage &#8211; Your cached prices for various check-in dates and lengths of stay. Currently supports up to 330 days of advanced booking window and up to 30 days LOS.</li>
<li aria-level="3">Landing Page Experience &#8211; USERS WILL BE LANDING ON YOUR BOOKING ENGINE. Landing pages need to prominently display the room and rate selected. The landing page needs to show the same rate they selected. Last but not least, the page also needs to load in a reasonable time.</li>
<li aria-level="3">Click Through Rate &#8211; How often are users clicking on your listing rather than competitor’s listings?</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li aria-level="2">Much like Google’s traditional search algorithm, we don’t have clear insight into how these factors are weighted</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h2>What Do I Need To Do Right Now?</h2>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">If you are already an existing booking partner with a Hotel Center account (i.e. you’re already participating in GHA) your listings are already eligible to show in the organic section.
<ul>
<li aria-level="2">If you are already participating, ensure your tracking is updated within the Hotel Center to ensure you see the difference between ad clicks and free clicks</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li aria-level="1">If you’re not already participating in GHA:
<ul>
<li aria-level="2">Ensure you Business Profile on Google is verified and your information is up to date
<ul>
<li aria-level="3">Google needs to match your property with the rate feed provided</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li aria-level="2">Get a rate feed
<ul>
<li aria-level="3">There are many providers out there with integrations to the Google Hotel Center and your PMS.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li aria-level="2">Ensure rates are competitive
<ul>
<li aria-level="3">Understand that the person viewing your organic listing on Google.com/travel is already looking to stay at your hotel and they are comparing prices. You need to ensure your rates are the same or lower than the OTAs who are also competing for that guest.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h2>How Might This Change In The Future?</h2>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">#1: It’s possible that the inclusion of more ads on this platform will increase the competition within the “Ads” section. Now that non-participating hotels will see what they were missing they may be more likely to pay to claim one of the top positions.</li>
<li aria-level="1">#B: Google has plans to create a web interface to enable hotels to directly provide rates and availability. There is no known timeline for this yet.</li>
<li aria-level="1">#Yellow: Google will likely provide the option to combine flights and accommodations.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Helpful Resources</h2>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdelxME3YNovtwHx9AvX8INN3Y2TzXDWn5MATRfYMSFKOZ4UQ/viewform?gxids=7826&amp;fbzx=-6413367068209885167">Hotel booking links interest form</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://support.google.com/hotelprices/answer/10472993?hl=en">Google’s best practices for free booking links</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://ads.google.com/hotels/partners/">Hotel Ads integration partners</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://wiki.lesswrong.com/wiki/Roko%27s_basilisk">Roko’s Basilisk</a></li>
</ul>
========================
<h2>In The Newsaroos:     </h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://koddi.com/google-shifts-focus-to-amenities-in-new-test-ui-for-hotel-search/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://koddi.com/google-shifts-focus-to-amenities-in-new-test-ui-for-hotel-search/</a></li>
<li>Latest occupancy data shows hotels making comeback 
<a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Hotel-News/STR-hotel-occupancy-data?ct=hotels" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Hotel-News/STR-hotel-occupancy-data</a></li>
</ul>
========================
Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a> or info@travelboommarketing.com.
<a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/downloads/">IN ADDITION TO THE PODCAST WE HAVE A BUNCH OF WHITEPAPERS AND STUDIES YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE</a>

Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 181 – Everything You Need To Know About Google’s Metasearch Changes

TripAdvisor is sending a ripple of concern, and potentially opportunity, through the hotel industry. Back in December 2020, TripAdvisor Plus launched on a very limited scale in the US but is in the process of being rolled out to the rest of the states as well as international markets. Today we are going to look at the new program, understand what it is, and discuss ways hotels can adapt to ensure this is a positive tool for independent hoteliers.
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SHOW NOTES: 
<h3>What Is TripAdvisor Plus &amp; Why are They Doing This To You?</h3>
Think of TripAdvisor Plus as a travel membership club.&nbsp; With a $99 annual membership, travelers unlock exclusive pricing on hotels and resorts, as well as other travel benefits. TA Plus rates are not shown to customers unless they are logged-in paying members.
Plus members can unlock pricing that is at a minimum of 10% below the best available rate AND will receive some type of value-added perk for their stay.&nbsp; For example, TripAdvisor suggests a welcome gift, early check-in/late check-out, resort credit, etc. Basically, they are asking for many of the perks savvy hoteliers are giving their guests when booking direct.
This program may become very popular among travelers, simple math suggests it could be a big success.&nbsp; As an example, someone taking a 5-day vacation and staying at a $150/night property will immediately save $75 and get a perk by signing up for the program. Toss in one more trip and the program begins paying for itself.
What is clear is TripAdvisor is going to be putting a full-court press getting Plus adopted for several reasons:
<ol>
<li aria-level="1">Google is actively marching into the OTA battlespace, eliminating 3rd party cookies, and overtaking many properties in both total reviews and velocity of new reviews.</li>
<li aria-level="1">For TripAdvisor to survive in general, they must find a way to better “own” their customer and a paid membership of loyal bookers is a great way to make it happen.</li>
<li aria-level="1">TripAdvisor has seen its stock double ($26 in December, $59 today) since they began to soft launch the program.&nbsp; While there are many factors, investors are clearly interested in this new revenue stream.</li>
<li aria-level="1">TripAdvisor lost their way. So much so that they’re not even trying to circle back to their review-based roots.&nbsp; They’re looking for an entirely new model, the travel club…</li>
</ol>
&nbsp;
<h3>What Hotels Need To Know To Participate In TripAdvisor Plus</h3>
Any hotel can participate and become a Plus partner, however in order to do so, you have to have a rate and special “perk” that is exclusive to the program.
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Minimum 10% discount on your best available rate, though TripAdvisor “recommends” 15%.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Requirement to offer a value-added perk, such as free breakfast, gift, late check-out, etc.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Properties can come on and off the program as they like and as their occupancy demands.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Pricing is “currently” free. Longer term they are heading toward a cost-per-conversion model, similar to InstantBook though with a reduced rate, making it more affordable from a marketing standpoint.&nbsp; However the cost of the commission plus the discounted rate will likely be a greater total investment.</li>
<li aria-level="1">There is no requirement related to flags, independents, big or small properties.</li>
<li aria-level="1">As you would expect, you must have a rate interface with TripAdvisor.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Most importantly, like all bookings made directly on TripAdvisor through a property, hotels will still get all the necessary guest contact information.&nbsp; This is important to note because, unlike other OTAs, the data will not be cloaked to the hotelier.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
The Good, Bad, &amp; Ugly of Plus:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Good: you’re going to only be paying for performance so your ROAS will be guaranteed.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Bad: Your property will very likely be a “product” of the Plus program.&nbsp; Meaning the guest’s loyalty is to the program, not necessarily your property.&nbsp; Similar to what properties have seen through the use of Groupon and other couponing systems, you may get a guest but can you keep them for subsequent visits?</li>
<li aria-level="1">Ugly: Like any TripAdvisor booking, you do get the full guest folio for your guest history, triggered sends, and other marketing strategies.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Good: The program is new which means you have an early-adopter advantage. Like most opportunities that present themselves, it may make great sense early, but have waning performance over time.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Bad: While you are bringing in new guests, you’re also anchoring them with a lower rate.&nbsp; Would those guests be willing to come back for a return stay at your normal BAR?</li>
<li aria-level="1">Ugly: You are letting go of your direct control of your booking.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Good: Because you are able to come on and off the program as needed and only for specific time periods you can use this as an opportunity to fill occupancy holes.&nbsp; Consider Plus in the same way you would consider an OTA and ONLY use it to address specific occupancy issues.&nbsp; Also, like an OTA, use this as a new business tool.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Bad: Should Plus take off, and it very well may do so, you are going to be nearly required to participate since all the avid travelers will be looking for Plus deals. This may end up meaning the industry as a whole will take a 10% haircut.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Ugly: While not necessarily “bad” but you want to be careful not to get addicted to third parties to drive your bookings.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Good: TripAdvisor Plus members have already dropped $99 and will be traveling.&nbsp; Getting access to this group will undoubtedly lead to improved conversion rates.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Bad: Are you starting to feel like a pawn in the game and seeing your profitability shrink?&nbsp; 10-15% discounts, plus costs of perks, can be a significant stumbling block for many independents.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Ugly: This puts the OTAs on TripAdvisor in a very tight spot. Will they be able to compete with Plus rates?</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<h3>So, What Are You Supposed to Do?</h3>
First of all, this should be one of the many reminders of why you must be putting your efforts into creating a meaningful book-direct strategy with your guests.&nbsp; By creating loyalty, through great value, guests will continue to book directly.&nbsp; Make sure you’re doing the following:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Building a strong CRM and communications plan</li>
<li aria-level="1">Implement your own “perks” for booking directly</li>
<li aria-level="1">Absolutely, positively, get a mobile app.&nbsp; We’re consistently seeing thousands in revenue booked directly from mobile apps&#8230;&nbsp; Bookings by guests who never had to go to the web to make it happen.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Continue to diversify your marketing mix so you do not become reliant on any one “magic bullet.”</li>
<li aria-level="1">Be agile and give it a shot, like any tool it’s neither good nor bad, it’s how you use it.</li>
</ul>
You can learn more about TripAdvisor Plus and sign up for the program at <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/business/plus">https://www.tripadvisor.com/business/plus</a>.
========================
<h2>In The Newsaroos: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>
<ul>
<li>https://www.phocuswire.com/google-eliminates-fees-for-hotel-booking-links</li>
</ul>
========================
Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a> or info@travelboommarketing.com.
<a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/downloads/">IN ADDITION TO THE PODCAST WE HAVE A BUNCH OF WHITEPAPERS AND STUDIES YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE</a>

Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 180 – Will TripAdvisor Plus Destroy Your Hotel’s Direct Bookings?

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In this episode of the Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast, the Fueligans discuss all things Clubhouse. If you’re not on this new audio-only social platform yet, you may be missing out. We breakdown what it is, how you can sign up, and why you should pay attention to it.
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<h2><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/crisis-management-resources-for-hotels-master-list/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Click Here For A Crisis Management Resources For Hotels Master List</a></h2>
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SHOW NOTES: 
<h3>What is Clubhouse?</h3>
Clubhouse is an audio-only social network where people can share information on a wide range of topics. The members can simply listen in or have the ability to start their own conversations. Currently, the platform is invite-only and is only available on IOS devices.
&nbsp;
<h3>How does the invite system work in Clubhouse?</h3>
When someone sends you an invite, they tie the invitation to your mobile phone number. As soon as you log in, you are assigned 2 invites to share with anyone. As you use the app, you earn more invites.
&nbsp;
<h3>How does Clubhouse work?</h3>
When you first log in to Clubhouse, you can follow people by searching your contacts and you can indicate your interests,you will see active rooms where people are having conversations. You can simply click on a room to join the audience and listen in. If you wish to contribute to the room, you may raise your hand and the moderator can invite you on-stage. People are not able to see you. You are represented by your profile picture and your name. People can click on your name to read your profile and they can choose to follow you if they want to be notified when you are active on the platform.
When creating a room, you can make it public, meaning anyone can see and join the room, or you can make it private to people you admit or to anyone within a specific club. A club is an umbrella topic. Examples in the hotel space include “Hospitality Professionals” and “Hospitality and more”.
Over time, as you join clubs and follow people who interest you, the rooms that you see on your home screen will reflect your interests. In addition to active rooms, you will also be able to see schedule rooms that will open at a future date.
&nbsp;
<h3>How is Clubhouse different from other social platforms?</h3>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Clubhouse is audio-only</li>
<li aria-level="1">Clubhouse is currently invite-only</li>
<li aria-level="1">Clubhouse is real-time (nothing is recorded)</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<h3>Fuel’s Top 7 Observations Of Clubhouse</h3>
<h2>1. The platform is extremely diverse</h2>
Clubhouse is bringing people together from across the globe and from all walks of life. There don’t seem to be any social barriers or echo-chambers on the platform yet.
&nbsp;
<h2>2. There’s little-to-no noise</h2>
Having used the platform for several weeks, we’ve yet to experience any trolling or shameless behavior. The community is regulating itself really well. The lack of comments and non-personal feedback seems to eliminate the faceless anarchy that occurs on other platforms.
&nbsp;
<h2>3. It’s very intimate</h2>
There’s a level of connection on this social network that is similar to that of Podcasting. Within a few days, you&#8217;ll begin to feel like you know the people you’re listening to. Better yet, you can actually develop real relationships because, unlike podcasting, you can have two-way conversations.
&nbsp;
<h2>4. You get out what you put in</h2>
This is a platform, much like twitter, where people will dismiss it as a waste of time. It’s easy to jump into a couple of rooms and think you understand the platform. Give it time and put the hours in and you will see something very unique about this platform. You will be able to share knowledge with people whom you would ordinarily never meet. You will find connections and build relationships and even business partnerships within a very short period. There’s an inherent trust within Clubhouse, and authenticity, and a sense of community that we’ve not seen in other social platforms.
&nbsp;
<h2>5. Plan to invest the time to understand and engage on Clubhouse</h2>
The platform does require a significant time commitment, even if you are passively listening while doing other tasks.  This is partly the draw in that you are forming relationships that are much more personal than any other network.  However this time commitment may prove to become an issue for the platform if users pull back due to a lack of time or commitment.
&nbsp;
<h2>6. Have a charger nearby, your battery is about to get drained</h2>
The platform, only available on iOS devices for now, is a massive battery drain.  Just know you’ll need a charger nearby.  Hopefully, a desktop/browser version will be available soon.
&nbsp;
<h2>7. There’s a fragility to the platform that can’t be overlooked</h2>
The ethereal nature of the platform is both its strength and its weakness. The value it provides through the serendipity of stumbling into interesting conversations with interesting people will only last as long as people find value on the platform. There are two major threats to the success of Clubhouse that are looming like a shadow. One is the inevitable competition that is coming from Facebook and Twitter. Both companies have indicated that they are developing similar features for their platforms. The second, and perhaps bigger threat, is how they will monetize the platform without losing its soul. Currently, brands cannot sign up with accounts and there’s no sponsored content. If and when that changes, the organic content will inevitably get deprioritized and the value of the platform will decrease.
&nbsp;
THE VERDICT:
<h3>Should I get involved in Clubhouse?</h3>
The short answer is, Yes. If you’re looking to learn new things and expand your network, Clubhouse is a great resource for any professional looking to further their career or any enthusiast looking to broaden and diversify their information sources.
========================
<h2>In The Newsaroos:     </h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/3/22310332/google-privacy-replacing-third-party-cookies-privacy-sandbox" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/3/22310332/google-privacy-replacing-third-party-cookies-privacy-sandbox</a></li>
</ul>
========================
Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a> or info@travelboommarketing.com.
<a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/downloads/">IN ADDITION TO THE PODCAST WE HAVE A BUNCH OF WHITEPAPERS AND STUDIES YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE</a>

Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 179 – What The Heck Is Clubhouse And Why Should I Care?

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While the ultimate goal on a hotel website is to drive bookings, there is more behavioral data available in Google Analytics that can help a hotelier make better marketing decisions than looking at just that one item. In this episode, the Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast discusses their top 3 GA goals and explains why you should be paying attention to them too.
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<h2><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/crisis-management-resources-for-hotels-master-list/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Click Here For A Crisis Management Resources For Hotels Master List</a></h2>
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SHOW NOTES: 
ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="OWtzQemlCv"><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/3-most-important-google-analytics-goals-for-hotel-websites/">The 3 Most Important Google Analytics Goals for Hotel Websites</a></blockquote>
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Here are our top 3 Google Analytics goal suggestions:
<h2>1 &#8211; Bookings</h2>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Even though you are (hopefully) recording ecommerce transactions, setting up a goal for those transactions allows you to create a funnel visualization that can show you the steps from room search through confirmation.</li>
<li aria-level="1">See set up instructions in the full blog post here: <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/3-most-important-google-analytics-goals-for-hotel-websites">https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/3-most-important-google-analytics-goals-for-hotel-websites</a></li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<h2>2 &#8211; Entrances to the booking engine</h2>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Why would you want to set up a “conversion” as entrances to the booking engine? It’s because not all traffic is created equally. By using a booking engine entry goal, you can quickly assess what traffic sources/entry pages/device type/geo location, etc. are at least getting visitors to the engine.</li>
<li aria-level="1">This goal setup would be similar to how you set up the booking goal, using the “Destination” goal, and determining the page URL that is being passed to Google Analytics when you enter the engine.</li>
<li aria-level="1">I recommend coupling this data with a segment of these same people. Once the segment is applied, you can then see by sources/entry pages, which ones convert best and worst IN the engine. Using both parts of the funnel can give you insight as to the visitors’ journeys.</li>
<li aria-level="1">See images and analysis information in <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/3-most-important-google-analytics-goals-for-hotel-websites">the full blog post</a></li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<h2>3 &#8211; All form submissions</h2>
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Whether it’s email sign-ups, contact forms, group/events RFPs, or any other form you have on the website, you’ll want to track it as a goal. Setting up these goals can be tricky. Sometimes using the “Destination” setup makes sense and is simple, and other times you may want to use the “Event” setup. In an ideal world (I have yet to see a single client do this), you should assign a real value to the goal completion.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Depending on how these forms are built, you may or may not end up at a “thank you” page when a submission is complete.</li>
<li aria-level="1">See full details of how to set up these different scenarios in <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/3-most-important-google-analytics-goals-for-hotel-websites">the full blog post</a>.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<h2>CAVEATS</h2>
1 &#8211; In all goal scenarios, your numbers may not be exactly accurate. A goal conversion will count only once per session. Therefore, if one person makes 2 transactions in the same session, you would see 2 transactions in your ecommerce data, but 1 booking goal conversion.
&nbsp;
2 &#8211; If you are reading this in 2023, all of this is probably out of date, and you should look for another article on conversion goals in GA4.
&nbsp;
<h2>Wrapping it up</h2>
Goals should not be overlooked as a critical part of your Google Analytics data and website analysis. However, don’t fall into the “the more, the merrier” trap. Instead, determine what is truly an important conversion on the site, vs. a behavior you’re interested in tracking.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
========================
<h2>In The Newsaroos:     </h2>
<ul>
<li>Google Fined In France Over Hotel Star Rankings 
<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2021/02/15/google-slapped-in-france-over-misleading-hotel-star-ratings/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://techcrunch.com/2021/02/15/google-slapped-in-france-over-misleading-hotel-star-ratings/</a></li>
</ul>
========================
Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a> or info@travelboommarketing.com.
<a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/downloads/">IN ADDITION TO THE PODCAST WE HAVE A BUNCH OF WHITEPAPERS AND STUDIES YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE</a>

Hotel Marketing Podcast

Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 187 – Are You Missing The Boat With These 7 Data Points?

Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 186 – Six Strategies To Finding Staff For Your Hotel

Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 186 – Six Strategies To Finding Staff For Your Hotel

Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 185 – How To Differentiate Your Hotel & Get A Leg Up On The Competition

Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 185 – How To Differentiate Your Hotel & Get A Leg Up On The Competition

Marketing Podcast: Episode 184 – Get Ready For A Booming Spring & Summer

Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 183 – Three Easy Steps To Build Your Disaster Communications Plan

Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 182 – Top 3 Lessons Learned During The Pandemic

Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 181 – Everything You Need To Know About Google’s Metasearch Changes

Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 180 – Will TripAdvisor Plus Destroy Your Hotel’s Direct Bookings?

Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 179 – What The Heck Is Clubhouse And Why Should I Care?

Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 178 – Top 3 Google Analytics Goals For Hotel Websites

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