An Ultimate Guide to Hotel Reputation Management

The hospitality industry is highly vulnerable to the impact of reputation management. Today’s travelers are empowered with technology to make lodging decisions based on a hotel’s online reputation. So, it comes as no surprise that hotel online reputation management has been gaining popularity because more and more people are relying on hotel online reviews and social media to make a booking decision.

Research shows that hotel reputation is one of the most powerful drivers of the hotel’s revenue and growth. The study conducted by Cornell University revealed that positive hotel reviews could boost the hotel occupancy rate by 0.54% and increase the revenue per available room by 1.42%.
A recent TripAdvisor study has given incredible insight; when given an option to choose between two identical properties, 79% of people chose the property with a higher rating. Moreover, the study also found that 81% of travelers read reviews before booking a stay.

Another online review survey says that 40% of travelers are more likely to write a positive review if they had a great experience at a hotel.
If you are a hotelier or own a property that accommodates guests, you need to manage your online hotel reviews. It is critical because your guests are going to share their experience online for others to see. By integrating your hotel revenue management software with online hotel reputation management software, you can easily stay updated on what’s being said about you on multiple review platforms, including social media. You can also communicate with your guests, earn the trust of the prospective guests, and increase your bookings and revenue.

Hotel reputation management involves managing, monitoring, tracking, and responding to all hotel reviews across various platforms to influence how the hotel is perceived on the web and in the minds of potential customers.

For hoteliers, hotel reputation managementis an attempt to bridge the gap between how the hotel perceives itself and how others view it. It allows you to engage with your existing, new, and potential customers, earn their trust, have an appealing online presence, and influence their booking decision. Hotels can also use the data fetched from online sources to study customer behaviors, perform sentimental analysis, and explore the possibilities of overall business growth.

If done correctly, practicing hotel reviews management can enhance brand value, increase repeat guests, and give a boost to hotel revenue.
For customers, the hotel reviews help them have a clear idea of the services and the amenities provided by the hotel so that they can make an informed booking decision.

Hotel reviews directly impact your hotel’s reputation, demand, and revenue because a guest’s journey doesn’t end when the guest leaves the hotel; it continues even after. When they share their opinions on various online platforms, they leave an open judgment of their experience at your hotel while influencing others toying with the idea of booking your hotel.

If the review is positive, you tend to gain a lot; it builds trust and confirms better customer experience, thus increasing your chances of a potential customer booking a stay with you.
If the review is negative, and if it is ignored or not managed well, it can lead to a poor online reputation causing serious losses to your business.

Hotel’s reputation online has to be strategically managed, and that’s why you need to make it a part of your business strategy. Below are a few tactics that can help you navigate this tricky landscape easily. 
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