14 Killer Resources for Hotel Marketers: Travel Tuesday’s Best of 2014

How is it possible that 2014’s half-over? For most hotel marketers, you’re already looking towards your 2015 budgeting and planning. As you prep for next year, now’s a good time to look back at the trends driving your guests’ behaviors — and how you can use those in your digital marketing, distribution, and e-commerce going forward. With that in mind, I’ve pulled together the 14 most popular posts of 2014 so far for you to review. Here’s what we’ve got:

1. It’s no secret how important mobile is for hotel guests making travel plans, as this post, “Holy Crap! Mobile’s Even Bigger Than You Thought,” clearly illustrates.
2. While coming in at #2, this look at “How to Use Emotion and Storytelling in Digital Marketing” was wildly popular among your fellow hotel and travel marketers.
3. When asked why he robbed banks, Willie Sutton famously said, “That’s where the money is.” The same could be said about affluent travelers, which likely explains the popularity of this next post, “4 Lessons You Need to Know from Google’s Affluent Traveler Report.”
4. Few hotel marketing techniques work as effectively as improving your online review situation. This post, “What’s the State of Hotel Reputation Management?” clearly demonstrates why.
5. Don’t worry if you didn’t get a chance to go to HSMAI’s Digital Marketing Strategy Conference. This round-up of the “10 Essential Lessons Learned From HSMAI’s Digital Marketing Strategy Conference” will let you know what you missed.
6. It looks increasingly like two major intermediaries want to dominate the online travel space. Check out “What in the World are Priceline and TripAdvisor Up To?” to understand what that means for your hotel.
7. Another major post that highlights mobile’s importance is “It’s Time You Take Mobile Seriously. Here’s Why.”
8. Sure, Priceline and TripAdvisor are making some major moves in the travel space. But I wouldn’t count out Expedia. In fact, this look at “What Expedia’s Leaders Can Teach You About Digital Strategy” might just represent required reading for today’s hospitality markers.
9. Interested in making the most of social for your hotel marketing? Then check out “The 4 Rules of Social Marketing for Hotel Marketers.”
10. It seems the OTA landscape is getting more and more complicated every day. This post, “Search? Metasearch? What’s the Difference?” should help eliminate some of the confusion for you.
11. Looking for a set of simple rules as you develop your strategy for 2015? Check out “How to Take Charge of Your Travel Marketing” for some tips and tools that can help you.
12. Yet another look at mobile’s growing importance, “This Week’s Sign That Mobile Rules,” offers still more ideas on how to incorporate mobile into your digital strategy — and why you should.
13. I’m not opposed to OTA’s. They often can help you reach guests you might not reach on your own. But, that doesn’t mean everything they offer is good for your hotel. For instance, this post, “Warning: OTA’s Want to Own Your Guest Every Step of the Way,” uncovers recent changes that could cost you guests and revenue down the road.
14. Finally, “A Fair and Balanced Look at Balancing Direct and OTA Business” explores how to make the most of OTA’s in your overall travel distribution and marketing and is well worth the read.

Interested in learning even more about the future of hospitality e-commerce and marketing via the social, local, mobile web? Register to receive a special report I’ve produced in conjunction with hotel marketing firm Vizergy, “Digital Hotel Marketing in a Multiscreen World.” Developed specifically at hotel and resort marketers, the lessons can help your business adapt to the changing guest environment. You can get your free copy of the report here.

Given the overall popularity of the Travel Tuesday series, you may also want to review the tips in my recent presentation Digital Marketing Directions: Three Trends Shaping 2014 Hospitality Internet Marketing. I’ve presented this talk to a number of hospitality and travel-related organizations and you might find it valuable for your business, too:

Finally, you might also enjoy some of our past coverage of the social, local, mobile web and what it means for your business, including:

• What Your Customers Expect from Mobile and E-commerce in 2014
• The Secrets Behind “It’s All E-commerce” for 2014
• Should Marketers Really Trust Google in 2014?
• The Zen of Digital Marketing Strategy
• 7 Steps to E-Commerce Heaven
• Today and Tomorrow: Mobile and The Changing Customer Journey
• Mobile Makes E-commerce Even More “Frictionless”
• Your 2014 Internet Marketing New Year’s Resolutions – Thinks Out Loud Episode 56