What does it take to create a perfect hotel website that would help in branding? How can a hotel create a perfect marketing strategy using a website? Read this post to find out.

Over the last few posts, I’ve written a considerable number of ideas about hotel online marketing strategies and advertising strategies. For those of you who’d like to understand more about hotel marketing and branding ideas, here’s a list of my earlier posts that could help you understand almost all the most important internet marketing strategies that can be used to turn your new hotel into an internet marketing savvy ka-ching machine!

Introduction: Custom Media Marketing Strategies for Hotels and Hospitality Businesses

Successful Marketing Strategies Checklist: Internet Marketing Strategies for Hotels

Successful Hotel Marketing Strategies Part 1 of 4: Inhouse Hotel Magazines and Brochures

Successful Hotel Marketing Strategies Part 2 of 4: Social Media Networking for Hotels

Successful Hotel Marketing Strategies Part 3 of 4: Hotel Marketing Ideas with User Reviews and Feedback

Successful Hotel Marketing Strategies Part 4 of 4: Branding and Marketing with the Best Hotel Websites

In this fourth part, I’ll be telling you almost all there is to know about marketing hotels using websites as a promotional tool.

Marketing your Hotel using the Company Website

I’ve seen a lot of hotel websites over the years, and most of them don’t leave me happy. When you’re one of the frequent travellers, calling friends and asking for hotel recommendations isn’t really the most comfortable thing to do. And spending more than an hour on hotel reviews, especially if you’re only going to spend a night as a business traveller isn’t the most time-efficient way to go about checking into a hotel. For a casual traveller or if you intend to spend a vacation, it pays to spend time looking for the best options. But for a quick decision, nothing beats the hotel website.

But most hotel websites just suck! It’s just terrible to see swanky hotels with glittering stars using basic free website templates and descriptive words in their website content that could make a well read person barf to death. One basic piece of advice from me as an editor, skip the big words unless you really need it. And when you use it, use it well! Don’t go hiring a team that assumes that big words which are copied straight out a thesaurus will make the hotel seem more sophisticated and rich. It really doesn’t work that way. Most people and customers can see right through the idiocy of overstuffed, meaningless sentences.

Here’s a great example of “overstuffed meaningless content” that I came across at one of the really good hotels that I stayed in, based on a recommendation. Of course, I told them, and those stupid words left the hotel forever, along with their thesaurus-loving agency!

“Come, enjoy your holiday with in our abode. Swim through the rich, luxurious satin sheets that adorn our gargantuan, lush beds. Awake to the mind-calming chatter of the morning flora and fauna, and bask in the soft caress of our well trained staff and hospitality. Live life blissfully, in high spirits. Stay at The xxxxxxxx Hotel for the best and most glorious days of your life…”

To tell you the truth, had I come across that line myself in their hotel website, I would never have set foot in that hotel. And that’s how most people see hotels. People are critical when it comes to hotels and hospitality. You’ve read about that in my introductory post on hotel marketing strategies. And that’s the harsh truth. Unless you’re blessed with luck and a flawless marketing and editorial agency, chances are, you’ll find yourself being the butt of jokes by customers and potential customers. And all the riches and Italian marbles can’t stop your hotel guests from having a good laugh, and spreading the funny word. And funny words aren’t really going to help your hotel’s image and branding campaign.

Continue Reading Here: The 8 Most Important Requirements of  a Hotel Website