Oct 19, 2009 - Comments: 3

Can They Really Say That About My Hotel?

Posted by Heidi Strom Moon under Interactive Marketing , Social Media

Hudson It's a hotel's worst nightmare: an unhappy guest has complained about the property online and now their review is popping up in Google search results.

What is a manager or director of sales to do?

At CDG Interactive, we help our hotel clients manage their reputations online. Based on that experience, we suggest you start by understanding--then implementing--these 3 Tips for Managing Your Hotel's Reputation Online.

1. Listen Up. Don't wait until comments are brought to your attention, or show up in search results. Listen proactively to what's being said about your property or brand. A free, easy way to do this is to set up a Google Alert for the keywords relevant to you: property name, brand, city. For more robust monitoring, consider a tool like Radian6. Regularly check review sites, like TripAdvisor or the new Oyster.

2. Talk Back. When you see a comment being made (positive or negative), respond! Consider it an online comment card and use all the customer service tools available to you. Thank a positive reviewer; offer them a special rate code for a repeat visit. Address the concerns of a negative review, and consider an offer for them, too.

3. Accentuate the Positive. If negative reviews are showing up on the first page of search results for your property, make sure your hotel site ranks highest. Seek out inbound links from respected sites and make sure your site copy is optimized for search. Encourage guests to leave positive reviews after their stays; send a follow-up email or provide a suggestion card at check-out. Offer an incentive for guests who leave reviews, such as a monthly drawing for free stays or upgrades.

With just a little extra time invested on a regular basis, you can stay on top of online chatter about your hotel and make sure your online reputation is managed by you--and not for you.

  • Hotels: What are your biggest concerns about online reviews?
  • Hospitality marketers: What are your best tips for online reputation management?

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