Strategies to Improve your Hotel’s Impact on TripAdvisor

If you work in the travel industry, then chances are you're well-acquainted with TripAdvisor. The review aggregator travel site can directly affect the number of bookings your hotel receives. Because travelers so widely use TripAdvisor, your image on the website can make or break the performance of your hotel property. Research shows that 6 out of 10 people check TripAdvisor before booking a room. Hoteliers should never underestimate the power of their TripAdvisor page, and it is crucial to find ways to improve your TripAdvisor ranking. There are specific steps hoteliers can take that can directly impact the success of their hotel on TripAdvisor.

One of the best ways to increase your TripAdvisor performance is to promote reviews. The reviews on your page act as a form of advertisement for your hotel property. Hoteliers should find ways to influence their guests to leave reviews. Ways to let guests know you want them to leave a review can come in the form of business cards, "Thank You" emails, or a request during check out at the front desk.

Having reviews on your page is only half the work. Once you get reviews, you must respond and interact with travelers who leave them. By being active on your page, you show guests that you care about their needs. It also shows that you are involved with the overall process of their stay at your hotel. A TripAdvisor study shows that hotels that respond to at least 50% of customer reviews are 24% more likely to have a room booked. Hotel management must respond to negative reviews as much as they reply to positive ones. No matter how bad a review is, hoteliers should always respond promptly and politely. Remember that there are millions of travelers from around the world who visit TripAdvisor, so if you come off as rude and defensive, you will create a negative image of your hotel.

The content on your TripAdvisor page can also affect the number of bookings you receive. The most successful content comes in the form of photos and videos. The TripAdvisor study mentioned above states that a hotel with at least one photo on their pages is 225% more likely to receive a booking inquiry. That percentage increases with the number of pictures and videos on your page. You can use photos and videos as a form of advertisement by visually showcasing the great features of your hotel. Guests want to be able to see what your property is like to get a better feel for the environment before they book a room. Be sure that visual content looks professional, and if it is user content, let that be known. Promoting user content will help your hotel appear more engaged with its visitors.

Don't lose the booking war on the TripAdvisor battlefield. Stay current on reviews and responses, add engaging content, and watch your hotel's ranking and bookings rise.