6 Super Summer Hotel Marketing and Distribution Tips: Hospitality Marketing Link Digest

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Hey, Big Thinkers! Hope you’re enjoying a spectacular summer day out there, so I won’t make you wade through a huge setup this week. But make sure you check out this round-up of 6 super summer hotel marketing and distribution tips from the past week. Enjoy:

1. TTG Media said that “OTAs outperform market thanks to mobile,” which is almost certainly true. Note that in a recent article on Retail Customer Experience, Priceline Group claimed, “We Are a Platform for Experience.” And that focus on customer experience — guest experience — provides OTA’s a significant edge in the marketplace.
2. Of course, just because the OTA”s have an edge doesn’t mean you’re in big trouble. For instance, these “6 Key Hotel E-commerce Tips: A Cheat Sheet to Drive Direct Business” will help point you in the right direction. You’ll also want to review this post that asks “Is Social a Waste of Time for Hotel Marketers?” The short answer is “no,” but be sure to read the whole thing to see why… and what you should do about it.
3. While we’re on the topic of OTA’s, by the way, you might also want to review this pair of posts about “OTA’s vs. Chain Brands: Expedia Comes Out Swinging” and “Are Hotel Brands Doomed?” Good stuff.
4. Buying Business Travel looked at “How Personalization Is Affecting Business Travel.” This is a topic near and dear to my heart, given that we’ve looked at “Why Hotel Marketing Depends on Personalization” and the fact that “Personalization Starts With a Person” in the recent past. Be sure to check out all of the articles to see why this trend will play an increasingly important role in your hotel marketing over the next year.
5. Another great post you won’t want to miss this week is this look at the “Four Key Elements of Modern Hospitality Marketing.”
6. Finally, Tnooz wrote this post, “Listen up, Grandad, messaging is the new talking” that, among other things, helps illustrate “Why I’m Bullish on Mobile Payments and Messaging.” Good reading to get your week off on the right foot.

If you’re looking to learn even more about how changing guest behavior shapes hospitality marketing, e-commerce, and distribution, be sure an register to receive a special report I’ve produced in conjunction with hotel marketing firm Vizergy, “Digital Hotel Marketing in a Multiscreen World.” While it’s targeted specifically at hotel and resort marketers, the lessons apply to just about any business. You can get your free copy of the report here.

You might also want to take a moment to review the slides from my recent seminar, “Digital Marketing Directions 2016: The Key Trends Driving Your Hotel Marketing Next Year” here:

Finally, you will definitely want to check out some of our past coverage of the mobile, local, social web and how to make it work for your hotel, including:

• Is Social a Waste of Time for Hotel Marketers?
• 5 Fantastic Insights Into 2016 Travel Marketing Trends: Hospitality Marketing Link Digest
• 6 Key Hotel E-commerce Tips: A Cheat Sheet to Drive Direct Business
• 5 Hospitality Marketing Trends You’ll Want to Keep in Mind: Hospitality Marketing Link Digest
• Expedia’s Accelerator Program: A Wolf in Wolf’s Clothing
• For Travel Marketers, Content is Still King
• Trends in Hospitality Digital Marketing for 2016
• 8 Great Posts About 2016’s Top Trends: Hospitality Marketing Link Digest
• 5 Key Facts About Mobile, Millennials, and Hotel Marketing
• How Safe Are Independent Hotels from Airbnb?