Hotel websites don't generate as many bookings as they could do. This is often due to missing information and poor provision for customer needs. Lack of updates or site audits are also a reason sites don't perform as well as possible.
At the same time, customers are becoming increasingly internet savvy and will go wherever they can get what they want, whether that's a hotel room or a new TV: shopping around is part of the buying process. Working to meet your customer needs is the best way to stand out from your competitors online.
So with this in mind, I've put together five themes that cause customers problems when they use hotel websites. These themes have grown out of my experience moderating usability tests for travel and hotel websites, and are based on real user feedback.
Photography
Stock photography like this does not tell users enough about your hotel
Images are the most powerful tool you can use to sell your hotel because people don't like the unknown. They also don't trust details they can't see any evidence of. So if all your rooms have their own en-suite with a bath and shower, then you need to show, not just state it in room descriptions
And don't patronise your customers with stock photography, it won't fool them. Use real photos of your hotel that show features and amenities clearly. You undermine your offering if you use photos of chocolates on pillows.
Language
Don't expect your guests to learn hotelier speak, you need to talk to them using plain English. Avoid superfluous branding that says nothing about your rooms or your services.
Acronyms can be a particular problem: during user testing I've seen participants struggle to know what 'FAQ' means let alone 'HSIA' (scroll down to see a translation...).
Customer engagement
Potential customers won't just look at hotel(s) using your site and Trip Advisor, they will go all over the place to get information if you don't give it to them when they need it. I have seen participants during user tests going to Flickr to see if there are any real room photos when they have been dissatisfied with images provided on a hotel's website.
You can choose to allow other websites to handle these tasks, and allow your potential customers to view other (competitor) hotels, or you can give them the details they need, as they need them.
Facebook is increasingly being used for travel research, and having your own Facebook page gives you a valuable tool with which to engage customers, allowing them to ask questions and give feedback. Responding to comments in a helpful way demonstrates that you are conscientious and care about your customers.
The Hotel Lucia in Portland, Oregon have mastered the art of engaging with their Facebook fans, supporting their customer service
Location
As a general sweeping statement, I'd say the most important component during the user booking process is finding a hotel in the right location, close to where they want to be. Problems arise if users are in any doubt about where exactly your hotel is located.
Use photography to show the context of the hotel. Where is it in relation to other buildings? What about recognisable landmarks? Showing the exterior like this is also a reassurance for travellers who feel safer if they know what a hotel looks like before they arrive.
You can also use maps to show exactly where your hotel is. Just make sure to back this up with a clearly visible address so that Google and other search engines know and understand where your hotel is located and they see you as the authority for that location.
Content organisation
Last but not least is content structure. You should ensure your content is arranged into easy-to-read chunks, making sure key details are pulled out in bullet points so they are scan-able and comparable with other hotels. If you make your copy easy to read and understand, users will warm to your offering and won't dread using your site again. Although this may not directly make you more sales, it certainly won't lose you any.
If you have multiple hotels or room types, make sure all their details are formatted consistently so that users can understand and compare the differences between them.
Adding it all up
Giving your customers what they need is not rocket science. Most of the time it's just plain common sense, however many websites have not got this sorted yet.
The five themes I've covered are not exhaustive, but they are a good place to start when you come to do a site audit. If you can only fix one thing, please make it the photos! Better, bigger, photos make the internet a much better place!
HSIA: High Speed Internet Access. Not surprisingly I recommended renaming this 'broadband internet'.