Customers are now getting wiser with their purchasing. When it comes to making hotel reservations, they first look for information regarding the experience of former guests. Reviews from websites such as Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Facebook ate increasingly important. Your hotel’s search ranking will improve vastly as you get more user reviews.
Jezweb has listed below some of the most effective strategies you can use in your web design to encourage former guests to leave their feedback.
1. Facebook
- People can choose to recommend a place by just clicking ‘yes’ every time they upload a photo of a hotel.
- The review and star rating feature can be set up so that guests can provide star ratings and comments on your Facebook page.
- Incentives such as internet or cocktails can be offered to those who will check-in or tag their location on Facebook. A message will be sent after they check-in, asking them if they want8 to give a review.
2. Google My Business
- Google My Business recently released a new website design that focuses on giving hotel information and reviews. The reviews are displayed in a sleek and easy-to-compare manner.
- Links to third-party review sites can also be found here, so comparisons of reviews can be done on the spot. Feedback from guests can be obtained from every site a hotel is listed which ensures that it stays in a favourable position.
- The contact information of the hotel is always updated to ensure that it is accurate. This greatly affects a hotel’s search engine rank.
- A link for writing reviews can be found on a Google My Business page. This allows emails and communications to be sent to the guests after their stay.
3. Yelp
- Yelp takes a different approach when it comes to web design. It avoids offering incentives to people who give their reviews. They even give penalties to businesses that use this strategy.
- A way to stay within this rule is to promote incentives to guests who will ‘check-in’ to their location. When they do this, they will be encouraged to give their feedback at the Yelp website.
- Review badges can be added to a website like WordPress. Great reviews about your business can also be embedded on a website. This effectively informs other people about your presence in Yelp.
4. TripAdvisor
- An online widget can be included in your web design for free. Clicking the widget will bring the guest directly to the TripAdvisor website to write their review.
- Powerful collection tools such as Review Express allow you to send bulk emails that ask guests for feedback after checking-out. Automatic reminders are also sent to those who haven’t given their reply.
Other useful tips
Wait until the guest has left the property before asking for a review.
Even though you can ask a guest for check-ins on social media, explicitly asking for feedback while the guest is still in the building is a big no-no. Reviews that originate from the hotel’s IP address may alert review sites. There is a chance that these reviews for your property will be taken down. Sending a heartfelt email to show appreciation for the guest and requesting them to give their reviews has been proven to be effective.
Give a parting gift with a note to provide a review
Giving a simple gift, such as a notepad or candy, together with a note requesting a review is a great way to make a lasting impression. This increases the chances of gaining positive feedback about your business.
Combining the influence of the websites listed above can greatly sway the opinion and booking habits of potential clients. Taking into account all the suggestions above, one thing can be concluded: making the review process more convenient for guests reaps higher rewards. Take some time to fully understand how to simplify the review process on your web design, and you’ll surely be on your way to success.