For modern-day consumers, the decision to book a hotel online comes down to two equally important factors: how desirable a hotel is from a value and quality standpoint and how much they trust the hotel brand.
As agency leaders, we can’t necessarily change the quality of our clients’ product — that’s up to them. What we can do, however, is ensure every step is taken to build a trustworthy online brand that makes the buying decision easier for consumers.
Based on my agency’s experience within the online hospitality space, here are five ways to do just that:
1. Maintain a healthy online review profile.
I devoted an entire article to this recently, but I would be remiss not to emphasize it again. The fact of the matter is that 91% of consumers ages 18-34 trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation from a friend. Better yet, 68% form an opinion after reading between one and six reviews.
The takeaway is simple: Nothing influences a customer’s trust in a brand like the input of fellow consumers. Make sure that your hotel not only merits positive reviews but maintains a steady stream of new reviews coming in on a weekly basis. This should not be taken lightly; it’s far and away the most important thing you can do to build brand credibility on the internet.
2. Allay consumer fears about data security and privacy.
Marriott’s infamous 2018 data breach, which leaked the personal information of up to 500 million customers, was the ultimate case study in how damaging a data compromise can be for a hotel brand. Not only did the company’s share price drop by 8.7% overnight, it likely gave up thousands, if not millions, of loyal customers who instantly lost trust in the company.
The fact that data leaks are becoming more frequent within the hotel industry makes it all the more important for brands to proactively defend against consumer mistrust. On top of becoming PCI compliant, which is required for any American company that processes personal data, I recommend visibly publicizing this certification to consumers as they make a booking. Adding a “PCI certified” badge to your booking engine’s guest information page gives consumers the peace of mind to know that their personal data is being handled in a secure and encrypted manner.
3. Prioritize organic search over paid search.
Please note: By no means am I suggesting hotels should abandon their paid marketing campaigns altogether. Paid search is a critical part of a holistic digital marketing strategy and should be widely used to protect important search terms and supplement organic search efforts.
My point is, a paid ad on Google — or anything that is labeled with the word “ad,” for that matter — inherently feels less trustworthy for consumers. If you can prove your worth with high organic rankings, which indicate you have earned your spot at the top of the rankings, you’re instantly assuring your customers of your brand credibility. It’s the ultimate affirmation of your positive reputation, earned through both customer reviews and website engagement.
My recommendation is to identify, at most, a dozen strategic, high-performing search terms that are worth putting your paid budget into. Use the rest of your search budget (which should still be the majority) to prioritize organic search engine optimization. Ideally, you will rank well for your target keywords in both paid and organic, supplemented by a bevy of high-traffic organic rankings that boost the trust of your brand.
4. Create authentic, relatable content.
Authentic content is the low-hanging fruit of building a trustworthy online brand. Instead of generic images (especially stock), use lifestyle photography to showcase the most appealing settings and experiences at your hotel. Instead of advertorial content that promotes hotel packages, use your blog content to provide helpful resources and aspirational storytelling. And instead of paying to get your content sponsored on other websites (common theme: words like “paid,” “ad” or “sponsored” build mistrust), create engaging content on your own blog that then gets organically shared by credible brands and influencers on social media.
Another easy trust-builder to consider is partner affiliations. If your brand is associated with a hotel loyalty organization or partnered with well-known brands, make sure to add their logos or badges on a visible location within your website. Doing so allows consumers to associate your brand with other brands that they already have built up a trust for.
Lastly, make sure any links or calls to action on your website are transparent enough that customers will know what happens when they click on them. A great way to lose credibility is to direct a customer to a page they didn’t expect, especially if it seems promotional or advertorial.
5. Integrate the booking engine into your own website.
Speaking of misleading expectations, one of the most unpleasant surprises across modern hotel websites is clicking the “Book Now” button only to get linked away from the hotel website to a new window and domain.
For customers who expect to make a seamless transaction à la Amazon, this third-party link can feel both unintuitive and lacking in credibility. Why would a leading hotel brand not be able to take reservations on their own website?
The easy fix to this problem is to use your booking engine API to pull inventory and content from your CRS (central reservation system) while creating a custom front-end design that integrates into your hotel’s own website. Not only will you build more credibility; you’ll also fix many UX issues and ultimately generate more direct bookings.
Online hotel brands have to earn their trust in the same way the rest of us do: through our actions. The above recommendations are not only easy to implement but can be highly effective in developing long-term trust between your brand and its consumers. Combined with a sound pricing strategy and distinctive product and experience, it’s a proven formula for sustainable e-commerce success.