12 Nov 2010 by ReviewPro in Best Practices
Two weeks ago, we wrote about the pros and cons of a hotel or chain establishing its own blog. We mentioned it takes commitment and a streak of creativity to come up with new content on a regular basis. For anyone who doesn’t consider themselves a writer this can be daunting. But it doesn’t have to be. The tone of a blog can be casual and inviting even as the content is informative and driving your marketing and sales goals. One good tip to remember is to write as if you, or the person voicing the blog is speaking. This way, your guests will feel that your blog is talking directly to them. It is a place for them to go, a more insider destination than your main, corporate website.
As for topics, you only have to step back and think about all your hotel provides as a business to see the depth of what you can write about it. A hotel is many things to many people, and you know better than anyone all it takes to keep that business ticking. A blog is a way to pull back the curtains, and show your guests a little of the personality behind the service. And to provide them with the added extras that will make them feel special.
As a starting point, here are 10 Top Things To Write About In Your Blog:
1. New services/facilities:
As Josiah Mackenzie in his Blogging For Guests Guide (Blogforguests.com) says, “breaking news is a great way to build readership.” Making announcements to your guests before you distribute a press release or add the details to your formal marketing literature will make your audience feel privileged–and encourage them to return to the blog. This is also a good place to share small details that may not warrant a press release of their own.
2. Interviews with staff members
This is a perfect way to personalize your hotel experience for your guests. Instead of just being “the guy at the front desk” or “the chef”, hotel staff are allowed to express their own personalities in an appropriate forum. Learning that they have something in common with the star mixologist at the hotel bar, may entice a blog reader/guest to sidle up to the bar and strike up a conversation. If there are special interests among staff members, exploit them. At the Hotel Palomar in Chicago, the assistant general manager is a keen runner. She leads guests also interested in running on guided jogs through her city. This would make a fantastic blog post.
3. Pictures from special events
Having a glimpse into parties, business events and even weddings will make blog readers feel like VIPs. Perhaps a celebrity attended a press event at your hotel. If you can promote this after the fact, it may encourage new bookings. Likewise, your blog audience will no doubt include brides-to-be. If they see photos from a wedding on your hotel grounds, they could be inspired to find out more about hosting their own wedding at the property. Pictures are worth a thousand words, and a slideshow makes an easy blog post that makes readers feel special.
4. Latest guest reviews
Ideally, guest reviews should already have a presence on your website. This could be a widget displayed on the main page, or a page unto itself. But including reviews is key. It demonstrates that the hotel is listening to its guests and cares about what they have to say. Transparency about sharing these reviews–and knowing some may include negative or neutral opinions about the hotel–engenders trust with the audience. You are not just showing them the good side. You are being upfront. Once you have reviews on the site, you can incorporate them into blog posts as well. You can use examples of recent reviews and respond to them on the blog to show how the property reacts to feedback. Or you can simply share some of the reviews that best convey your hotel’s goals.
5. Special offers for Twitter and Facebook followers
Guests like to feel that they’ve gotten a deal. Creating special packages, add-ons–or contests–for a community you have already worked to create will help encourage loyalty from that group. It will also assist in growing your Facebook and Twitter communities, as followers forward details of the deals and contests you offer them to their friends–who in turn will join your social media networks. It is also wise to offer some deals exclusively to readers of your blog. Encourage them to come back.
6. Local recommendations
Having your hotel staff share their local recommendations and favorites on your blog is the online equivalent of rolling out the welcome mat before your guests have even reached the front desk. Just as the concierge and front-desk staff should be brimming with local knowledge and helpful suggestions for guests, your blog should share the highlights of your destination. Give guests a reason to not only visit your hotel but continue to return. Draw them into the physical community by showing them local restaurants, landmark attractions, shopping and other sights. As Niki Leondakis, president and chief operating officer at Kimpton Hotels says, “Life is Suite [the company’s just-launched blog] is a collection of our favorite things that you’ll find in our communities, hotels and restaurants.”
Also remember that local suggestions do not always have to adhere to the common perception of a hotel’s location. Look, for example, at the way the Home Hotel in Buenos Aires puts a spin on the city’s well-known reputation for being all about steak, in their blog post, “Top 5 Vegetarian Restaurants a Few Steps Away From Home Hotel”: Did you think that all we ate in BA is beef? Well, almost, but not quite. A very thriving and tasty vegetarian scene is only a few steps away from Home Hotel. Showing your readers and guests that you can go beyond the stereotypes and status quo will encourage new and loyal business.
7. What You Learned From Online Reviews
It is not enough to read your online guest reviews, give them a home on your website and even quote them on your blog. Hotels must react to reviews. They must demonstrate that they care about their guests and will adapt to their needs. So if you notice specific concerns in online reviews and have taken steps to address them, share this with your blog audience. By raising these examples yourself — rather than only replying, say, on TripAdvisor, shows a wider number of guests that you are listening. Perhaps guests complained about the outdoor pool being too cold. If your hotel decided to invest in a heated pool, post this on your blog–and let readers know it will be ready by a certain date. This is a great way to gain a competitive edge–in this example, you can tell readers “Now we can start the pool season this year earlier than any other hotel in our area”.
8. Recipes and Drink Specials
Food and Beverage may be a huge part of your hotel’s business. Promote it to the average guest by giving them behind-the-scenes access to your bars and restaurants. The Home Hotel again offers a good example — their post “We like it hot” gives bartender Daniel Biber a platform to introduce his concoction, a Sweet & Spicy Scotch. Readers are enticed by the description of the drink and may also wish to seek out Biber’s company at the hotel bar.
9. Recommended Blogs
Suggest other blogs about your hotel’s destination — to show your guest that you want them to experience the community at large, outside of your hotel. This is not only valuable to potential customers, it engenders good will in your community and may encourage interest from those other blogs you are recommending. When they see that you are linking to them, they may return the favor, driving even more traffic to your blog, and spreading awareness of your hotel.
10. General Travel Tips
Your guests may or may not be frequent fliers, but travel tips are always welcome. Why not have one of your well-traveled staff members share their packing tips or ways they stay healthy while on the road? This will engender camaraderie with your readers by saying, “We travel a lot just like you. Here’s how we do it.” You can then open up the blog comments to readers by inviting them to share their own travel tips. For an example of this in action, see the “How to Make a Flight Spa-Like” post by Kimpton President and COO Niki Leondakis.
Whatever your topic, remember that the overall goal of your hotel blog should be to share exclusive, insider information with your guests. Give them a reason to return and a reason to develop a relationship with your property. The harder you work at creating a unique online community, the more likely readers are to share it with their friends—expanding your blog audience even further.
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