A Global Pandemic, economic crisis and extreme weather conditions have all caused their fair share of problems for hoteliers up and down the country - including glamping site owners. Serious drops in occupancy and demand make this industry one of the most competitive in the country, and it can be hard to break out onto the scene and make yourself known. However, it's become clear that throughout this storm there are one group that have managed to come out on top; those that continued to invest in digital marketing. They have been able to successfully drive direct bookings through a combination of bold branding, a fully functional website and easy-to-use booking engine. To help you drive more direct bookings, here are four things to consider:
Have a Well-Optimised Website
Optimisation focuses on the loading performance, interactivity, and visual stability of your webpage(s). One of the most important things you can do to hit prime optimisation is by investing in software such as Wordpress, Hubspot or Hootsuite; this allows you to analyse and improve your search engine rankings on Google. In short, you will know what pages are getting the most amount of traffic and, if they don't seem to be, how you can edit your pages to do so. Whether you like it or not, adhering to these standards is something you will need to consider in your budget.
Creating your website should be exciting! You want to show off what is special about your glamping site. Think about how you want your guests to feel when they're exploring what you have to offer. As a guest- what would you want to know? Think safety measures, flexible cancellation policies and best rate guarantee details. Additionally, there should be multiple opportunities for your potential customers to interact with your booking engine, signup for your newsletter, or join one of your social media platforms.
Enhance the Booking Process
The traditional way of capturing direct bookings will be down to your website; it should host eye-catching and well-developed calls-to-action (CTA). The 'book here' button needs to be regularly worked into your content and visible on every page. You don't have to be extravagant with this, however you should ensure you are consistent in where your CTAs are placed to remove thinking and work when people are ready to book.
To ensure you're not confusing your potential guests have a member of your staff test the booking process - at least once a month. The interaction from your website to reservation on your booking engine should be a seamless process.
Finally, a top priority for you as an employer is to make sure all staff are trained in the booking method. There is always a visitor who will prefer a phone call and assistance when making a booking online. Take them seriously, and make sure that your front desk staff are trained to encourage guests who are inquiring to book direct rather than over the phone or from a reseller.
Use Exit-Intent Technology
Exit-intent technology, or pop-ups, are a powerful way to capture more reservations, email signups, or to share important information and special offers. These must be implemented on your website as standard. You could opt for a more advanced method by having them on the booking engine or being triggered by a specific webpage that someone visits.
Most marketing agencies you work with will offer these tools to help you drive more revenue. However, if you find yourself needing to do this in-house, we recommend you use paid tools like Optin Monster, Wise Pops, or PopUp Domination.
Leverage Social Media
Facebook and Instagram can be a great tool to use for glamp sites. Boosting posts on Meta (the new blended business suite of Instagram and Facebook) can perfectly capture a potential guest’s imagination. Sell not just your accommodation, but its location and experience, through your posts. To truly maximize this platform, make sure to set up both pages with the chat feature turned on. Make sure that you respond to messages in a timely manner. This is something your front of house staff can do during downtime, so make sure that they are trained to check the site regularly and answer questions politely and honestly!
