Hotels have invested heavily in building their brand. It is not surprising that both independent hotels and hotel groups are protective of their respective brand identities. The brand is what represents the reputation of the property in the marketplace. Warren Buffet once said: “It takes twenty years to build up a reputation, and five minutes for it to be destroyed.”
After the disruption in the travel and hotel industry during the last few years, the value of top hotel brands around the world is rising once more. A report Brand Finance, a brand valuation consultancy in 2022, valued the Hilton brand at $12bn. The value is up 58% from 2021. This reflects the group’s recovery after the COVID pandemic. Brand Finance reported Hilton’s brand value at $11.6bn by 2024.
Hilton has now surpassed the value of the second and third hotel brands. Hyatt’s brand value in 2024 was $6bn. Hampton Inn had a $4.2bn brand value.
Not every hotel group or property has the budget to turbocharge its brand like Hilton – but every hotel does have an opportunity to build its brand and earn the trust of its guests. Hotel operators and marketers need to first identify their ideal customers. Then they must identify the messages that resonate most with these guests. It is then time to deliver these messages using technology. Brands need to have strong roots in order to grow, no matter how big or valuable they are.
The guest and technology
Hotel marketing aims to create awareness, increase online traffic, and boost direct bookings. However, there are other objectives for hotel marketers – including competing with OTAs; retaining loyal guests; maintaining a consistent cross-channel brand identity that cultivates a strong branding and improves recognition; and developing a better understanding of guests to provide personalization.
What technology features will help maximize the return on investment for hotels?
It all comes down to the customer in the hotel business. The relationship between your brand and your guests.
Spending on marketing should be aimed at building the brand on a more personal level. This means focusing on technology and ensuring that the right tools are used at each stage of the customer journey. From search to booking, pre-arrival, check-in, stay, check-out, and post-stay – your branding must be clear and consistent, integrated and seamless, personal and positive.
It is important to let your brand shine by offering a digital experience that is fully tailored for your guests. The software is there – and an increasing number of hotels are investing in it.
It is important to create a symbiotic, or virtuous, relationship between the two. This will allow the branding to support the guest experience, which then provides data that can be used, which enhances the brand and supports the journey of the guest.
Visual customization
Consistent visual branding builds trust, loyalty, and reassurance. Every element of your guest journey – from browsing and booking on your website, to pre-stay emails, online check-in and check-out, post-stay emails, loyalty programs – should be consistent in look and feel.
By maintaining the visual connection with the main site through important brand identifiers such as logos or colors, fonts and web page headers/footers, you can show your guests that they’re still at the same location. Your booking engine, and any other digital experience will be more credible. Trust is crucial if the customer has to use their credit card. Credibility and trust are damaged if your booking engine’s branding is poor or non-existent.
The guest can see himself or herself in the hotel with image personalization. When a guest books a holiday for their family, they will want to see images of children in the pool and families having breakfast. A corporate guest holding a briefcase is not relatable to them because they cannot visualize themselves.
It is important to speak your guests’ language
The tone of your voice can have an impact on the impression your customers form of your brand and their willingness for them to recommend it. There isn’t a one-size-fits all solution. Your customers, your message and your brand will determine the tone of your content. Make sure that your copy conveys what you intend.
Online check-in can be informal: “Hello Stephen, We’re guessing you don’t like to wait in lines. Use our online check-in service to avoid the lines when you arrive and get your business done quickly. You could also use a formal greeting: “Dear Mr. Smith.” Please complete our online check in service before your arrival. “To customize your stay and avoid waiting at the reception, please let us know about your preferences.”
Include reassuring copies throughout your guest journey. For instance, at the point where customers enter their card information. Don’t worry! Your card will only be used to guarantee your room. It won’t get charged!”
Along with visuals and tone of voice, language and other elements of communication will help to build trust among end users.
Functionality that meets guest expectations
Your brand should be reflected in the functionality that you include or exclude from your booking engine. If your brand identity is cheap and cheerful, and you know your guests appreciate a good deal, then larger strikethrough pricing and urgent messages such as ‘One room remaining’ might be the way to go.
A luxury brand of a higher price range may be more concerned with the product than the price. You could choose to make the price less prominent in favor of larger room photos and more captivating descriptions.
Booking interconnecting room options and including images of leisure amenities would help a hotel demonstrate their family credentials.
In the same way, those booking in groups would consider a hotel that offers split billing during online checkout to be a helpful brand.
It shows that you value your guests and that you are transparent and honest.
Learn to embrace learning
Understanding why guests choose your hotel is the first step to creating a digital experience for them. Price, location or service? Convenience, loyalty, price, or something completely different? You can find out if you don’t by using the methods described here.
The more you collect information, the better your understanding of guests and brand will be. Use these learnings to improve the digital and physical aspects as well. Ensure the reasons guests stay with you on your website or booking engine are prominent, to ensure the symbiotic link between branding and guest experience.
