Case Study: How Hotels can Grow Reservations

Hotels ask us all the time how to grow their business more rapidly. As an actual case study, we were asked this exact question by a hostel in Indonesia this month, “We need your advice on how to increase increase reservation growth more rapidly this year.”

We thought, why not share the answer more widely, so all our hotel and lodging partners can benefit from the same great advice. Well, here is the exact advice we provided:

Yes, we have suggestions for you.

Get more online web links directly to your hotel website. Please log in to your profile at our website, then proceed to the OPPORTUNITIES page to learn more.
Your hotel currently appears on 20 individual websites in our IWB network. Your profile content is currently translated to 3 languages, which means your hostel profile appears on 60 individual pages on these websites. You can increase this to 15 translations, which means your hotel can appear on 20 x 15 actual webpages. That’s 300 webpages in total, which is significant.
Social Media Marketing by IWB – You have a Facebook page with about 3.8K followers and an Instagram account with about 2.3K, good job. But we can boost your social media exposure even more. With our optional Social Media Marketing service, we will handle all your weekly social media posting on 3 social media channels, mainly Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, which are the main ones for the travel market. And, we’ll rapidly grow your follower base much faster. Please let us know if you are interested. Our posting method is highly targeted, and designed to maximize your business’ social media presence. We can multiply your followers by many times in just a short period of time, and grow it from there.
Professional Video Production. Video is a crucial aspect in today’s online marketing for hotels and accommodations. We can produce a custom video for your property. We will then promote your video on all our social media channels. Your video will be featured on your profile page on all 20 IWB sites that you appear on. As mentioned above, your hostel profile information can appear in up to 15 languages, which means your video can appear on 20 x 15 actual webpages. That’s 300 webpages in total, which is significant. You also receive a copy of your video for your own private and commercial use. You get to choose the theme of your video.

To view some demos of custom videos we can produce for accommodations, please see this page:
http://www.instantworldbooking.com/video-marketing-for-hotels-hostels.php

Please let us know if you are interested in these services, which will greatly enhance your marketing efforts, and grow your reservations rapidly.

Of course, this is a just a single case study. At Instant World Booking, we provide consulting and advice to hotel accommodations, hostels, and lodging of all sizes. We also provide custom solutions for growing accommodation businesses. Please contact us to find out how we can be of further assistance to your business.

August 14, 2017August 14, 2017

Increase your Engagement with Customers on Facebook, with Instant World Booking

#IWBMob now enables you to engage your customers on Facebook, directly from your IWB profile page.

A few weeks ago, we announced the introduction of IWB’s new mobile website, called IWBmob. The next phase of this re-branding is now underway. It is a mobile-first design. As an Instant World Booking hotel/hostel/B&B partner, your profile page, and the entire booking process, has already been redesigned. The impact so far has been remarkable. For users of our new booking engine, the experience surpasses almost any modern booking site available today.

In our last announcement, we promised to introduce some innovative methods of integrating your experience with Facebook and IWB. These are brand new innovations that have not yet been used by other booking services. Now, you and your customers can start a Facebook conversation, directly from your profile page on IWB. This is an innovative method of integrating social media with your booking media. Just post the URL of your IWB profile on your Facebook page, inviting your customers to comment and join the conversation. Then, go to the IWB profile, and begin the conversation by directly posting your Facebook comments there. For more specific instructions, continue reading below.

Why is this important?

Worldwide, there are over 2.01 billion monthly active Facebook users as of 2017. If you think Facebook has peaked, consider that this number has grown 17% since last year. With 2.01 billion, Facebook has more monthly active users than WhatsApp, Twitter, and Instagram combined (Source: CNBC). For hotels, hostels, and accommodation, Facebook is very important. It’s so important that Facebook has introduced an API called Dynamic Ads for Travel, specifically for hotels. So, this means that Facebook is a very important audience for you, one that you can’t ignore. You should consider how to increase your involvement in this platform.

This is where Instant World Booking enters. We give you a creative and effective way to increase your engagement on Facebook. There’s no cost. See the instructions below. If you are interested in other ways of advertising on Facebook, or just need help setting up or maintaining an active social media presence, we are now offering these services to our partners. Just contact us for help.

Instructions: How to interact with Facebook on your IWB profile page

Copy the URL of your profile page (assuming you’re a hotel/hostel member of IWB).
Post the URL on your Facebook page. Add a comment like, ‘Dear customers, friends, and fans, we’re partnering with Instant World Booking to start a conversation on Facebook. Please go to this page, and post your best photos of our hotel, share your experiences, and enjoy some dialogue. Let us know what you think.’
Go directly to the IWB profile page. Post the same comment there, perhaps with a new photo that you want to share.

Then, sit back and watch the comments come. When you engage properly with your audience, a lively conversation, with photos, is one of the best ways to increase your popularity on Facebook.

The Bonus

There’s a bonus. Any comments that are shared this way have the possibility of appearing automatically on your Facebook page, your IWB profile page, and IWB’s Facebook page. So, your exposure is tripled.

Don’t forget your Book Now button on Facebook

The most valuable feature you can use on your Facebook page is a Book Now button. This is a feature of Facebook that enables your social media followers to book instantly with you. If you know how this works, just add the URL included in our instructions above (#1) as the target of your button. If you have a custom booking engine with IWB, use that URL. If you need help with this important Facebook feature, we can guide you, or install it for you. Please look for our future emails and blogs, since we will be sharing more ways and instructions to get the most out of your social media
Blog – Hotel and Hostel Marketing Experts

Espanol

#IWBMob ahora le permite involucrar a sus clientes en Facebook, directamente desde su página de perfil de IWB.

Hace unas semanas, anunciamos la introducción del nuevo sitio web móvil de IWB, llamado IWBmob. La próxima fase de esta re-marca está en marcha. Es un diseño móvil primero. Su página de perfil, y todo el proceso de reserva, ya ha sido rediseñado. El impacto hasta ahora ha sido notable. Para los usuarios de nuestro nuevo motor de reservas, la experiencia supera prácticamente cualquier sitio de reservas moderno disponible hoy.

En nuestro último anuncio, prometimos introducir algunos métodos innovadores de integración de su experiencia con Facebook y IWB. Se trata de innovaciones nuevas que aún no han sido utilizadas por otros servicios de reserva. Ahora, usted y sus clientes pueden iniciar una conversación en Facebook directamente desde su página de perfil en IWB. Se trata de un método innovador de integración de medios sociales con sus medios de reserva. Simplemente publique la URL de su perfil de IWB en su página de Facebook, invitando a sus clientes a comentar y unirse a la conversación. A continuación, vaya al perfil de IWB y comience la conversación publicando directamente sus comentarios de Facebook allí. Para obtener instrucciones más específicas, continúe leyendo a continuación.

¿Porque es esto importante?

En todo el mundo, hay más de 2.01 mil millones de usuarios activos de Facebook a partir de 2017. Si usted piensa que Facebook ha alcanzado su punto máximo, considere que este número ha crecido un 17% desde el año pasado. Con 2.01 mil millones, Facebook tiene más usuarios activos mensuales que WhatsApp, Twitter y Instagram combinados (Fuente: CNBC). Para hoteles, albergues y alojamientos, Facebook es muy importante. Es tan importante que Facebook haya introducido una API llamada Dynamic Ads for Travel, específicamente para hoteles. Por lo tanto, esto significa que Facebook es una audiencia muy importante para usted, una que usted no puede ignorar. Usted debe considerar cómo aumentar su participación en esta plataforma.

Aquí es donde entra Instant World Booking. Le ofrecemos una manera creativa y efectiva de aumentar su participación en Facebook. No hay costo. Vea las instrucciones a continuación. Si está interesado en otras formas de publicidad en Facebook, o simplemente necesita ayuda para configurar o mantener una presencia activa de medios sociales, ahora estamos ofreciendo estos servicios a nuestros socios. Sólo póngase en contacto con nosotros para obtener ayuda.

Instrucciones: Cómo interactuar con Facebook en su página de perfil de IWB

Copie la URL de su página de perfil.
Publique la URL en su página de Facebook. Agregue un comentario como, “Queridos clientes, amigos y fans, nos estamos asociando con Instant World Booking para iniciar una conversación en Facebook. Por favor, vaya a esta página, y publique sus mejores fotos de nuestro hotel, comparta sus experiencias y disfrute de algún diálogo. Háganos saber lo que piensas.’
Vaya directamente a la página de perfil de IWB. Publicar el mismo comentario allí, tal vez con una nueva foto que desea compartir.

Luego, siéntese y observe los comentarios. Cuando te involucras correctamente con tu público, una conversación animada, con fotos, es una de las mejores maneras de aumentar tu popularidad en Facebook.

El bono

Hay un bono. Los comentarios que se comparten de esta manera tienen la posibilidad de aparecer automáticamente en su página de Facebook, su página de perfil de IWB y la página de Facebook de IWB. Por lo tanto, su exposición se triplica.

No se olvide de su botón “Reservar ahora” en Facebook

La característica más valiosa que puedes usar en tu página de Facebook es el botón Reservar ahora. Esta es una característica de Facebook que permite a tus seguidores de redes sociales reservar al instante contigo. Si sabe cómo funciona esto, simplemente añada la URL incluida en nuestras instrucciones anteriores (# 1) como el objetivo de su botón. Si tiene un motor de reservas personalizado con IWB, utilice esa URL. Si necesita ayuda con esta importante función de Facebook, le podemos guiar o instalarla para usted. Por favor, busque nuestros futuros correos electrónicos y blogs, ya que estaremos compartiendo más formas e instrucciones para sacar el máximo provecho de sus redes sociales
Blog – Especialistas en Hostelería y Hostelería

March 10, 2014March 7, 2014

Omnibees now Connected to Instant World Booking

We are pleased to announce that Omnibees now connects to Instant World Booking. This means that any hotel listed with Omnibees can manage their calendars just once, and their availability will automatically be updated on Instant World Booking’s (and HostelTraveler’s) network.

Omnibees’ integrated hotel revenue management offer 6 excellent tools in one pack. This includes Mobile, Booking Engine, Social Media, Channel Management, Yield Management, and CRM. These services are designed to be compatible with hotels of all sizes.

Where does Omnibees get their name. Here is how they describe the concept:

We love bees. Not only because if it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t exist, but also because they love their work. They are always working.

Imagine having somebody (or some little things) doing all the not so easy parts of hotel management, especially the online presence…

That’s were Omnibees comes in. That way you can take care of the cool part of hotel management – filling your hotel and giving your guests the best vacation experience they’ve ever had.

For more information, go to:

http://www.omnibees.com/

To list your hotel, hostel, apartment, or bed & breakfast on Instant World Booking, go to:

Add Hotel, Hostel, or Bed and Breakfast

To see other Channel Managers and PMS systems connected to Instant World Booking:

More Channel Managers

December 29, 2009

Email Marketing Basics for your Hotel, Hostel, or B&B

With the explosion of social media marketing in 2009, email still remains a king amongst a court of princes in online marketing tools. No matter what methods you use to market your hotel, hostel, or B&B, building loyal customer relationships is on top of the list of ways to grow your business.

Email marketing is still on top of relationship building. Email creates a private dedicated moment with your customers. People are picky about which emails they read. So, if they open your email, you know you’re going to have their attention.

Email also commands a very high ROI. Recent reports indicate that email can return as much as 45x the amount you spend on it. It’s cheap and effective, and can build loyal customers.

Email is not going anywhere. It is the de facto method of business communication, and will be for years to come. Serious business people use email to communicate, not Tweets or Facebook.

Email complements social media marketing. Good content is more important than frequency of postings. Your email newsletter should be a centerpiece of for your communications, offering practical advice and meaningful insights that your audience finds important. Social media is used to spot customer trends, mine ideas for future newsletter articles, respond to customer concerns, and find new mailing list subscribers.

Two-way communication is key to your business growth. Good communication is more than talking about your hotel or B&B. It includes listening to your guests and inviting them to communicate back with you. Keep track of the temperature of your customers. Smart hotels frequently survey or poll their guests in their email marketing campaigns.

Personal touch is invaluable and very effective. The best performing hotels and hostels of 2009 made genuine connections with their guests, and turned many into repeat visitors. They communicated in a personal voice when they wrote their email newsletters. It always helps to make customers feel like people, not just subscribers.