ENGAGE AND RETAIN YOUR BEST GUESTS
CONTENT PERSONALIZATION ON THE HOTEL WEBSITE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction ..………………………………………………………………………………………….……………..….……………....………..……….…..
What Is Content Personalization? ..…….……………..……………….….……………………………....………………….…………….…….
Why Is Personalization Important? ……….………...…….……………………….……………………….……..………………...…………….
The Key Benefits Of Personalization …………….……………………….………………………...……..……………………….………….…
Build Your Brand Equity ..…………….…………..…………………………………..….……………………………..……………………..
Engage Your Website Visitors …………….………………………….…………………….………..….…………….…….…………….
Increase Direct Bookings ……………………………..…………………….……………………………..………………………….….....
How Does Content Personalization Work? .………………………….……………………………..….…….…………..…………………..
Personalize Content Through Every Phase Of The Travel Planning Journey………...….…..…………………………….
What Can Be Personalized? ……….…………………………….……………………………..………………..………………………...……….…
Targeting Metrics ..……….……………………………………………….……………………………..…………………..…………………...….….…..
Personalization In Action: A California Hotel Drove Bookings With Targeted Content Through CPE .......…
Personalization In Action: Hotel Drives Local Guest Conversions With Content Optimization ……….............
About NextGuest Digital …….………...…………………….……………………………..…………………………………………....…….…..…..
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INTRODUCTION
Personalization in the hospitality industry isn’t a new concept. Hotels often provide personalized in-room and
on-property experiences, so why should the website experience be the same for all visitors?
It’s not enough to present potential guests with static website content and expect them to find what they’re looking for
and make a reservation. In fact, a Salesforce study found that by 2020, 51% of consumers will expect brands to
anticipate their needs and make relevant suggestions.
Through personalization, hotels can create a dynamic user experience. Rather than one broad experience that
attempts to reach all possible travelers, hotels have the ability to create unique content that appeals to different
segments in order to achieve specific business needs. In this way, the hotel website can — and should — be the
primary channel for engaging the hotel’s best guests.
CONTENT PERSONALIZATION?WHAT IS
Content personalization is a strategy that relies on visitor data to deliver relevant content, such as images, marketing
messages, and promotions. By segmenting your traffic based on geographic, demographic, and behavioral targeting
metrics, you can show different users unique content that helps them find what they’re looking for more quickly and
easily, which can increase conversion rates among your various customer segments.
#1 #2 #3 #4
91% 44% 60% $280OF CONSUMERS UNSUBSCRIBE
PERSONALIZATION IMPORTANT?WHY IS
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Travelers have more demands than ever before. With so many options on the Internet and
across social media channels, they no longer ask for personalized experiences — they’ve come
to expect them. Without personalized content, you may be missing out on revenue
opportunities. Nearly 80% of consumers say they’re more likely to engage with offers that are
personalized to reflect previous interactions they’ve had with the brand (Marketo).
“Even when you are marketing to your entire audience or customer base, you are still simply
speaking to a single human at any given time.
ANN HANDLEY, DIGITAL MARKETING PIONEER, WRITER AND SPEAKER
PERSONALIZATIONTHE KEY BENEFITS OF
While creating a unique experience for your customers is important, personalization can also help you focus your
marketing efforts. By using findings from content personalization to better understand your website visitors, you can
create new strategies or optimize existing ones to engage visitors throughout the travel planning journey — ultimately
leading to more direct bookings.
Content personalization also helps build your brand equity. Because your hotel website is the first interaction a guest
has with your hotel — long before they set foot on the property and experience it for themselves — a tailored website
experience that mirrors the on-property experience is sure to make a lasting, positive first impression.
On the following pages, we dive deeper into three of the key benefits of content personalization: building your brand
equity, engaging your website visitors, and increasing direct bookings.
Whether it’s a boutique property in a resort destination, a
secluded lodge in the woods, or a global hotel chain in a
bustling city, every hotel has its own unique brand. But long
before a guest sets foot on your property, they land on your
website. This may be the first time they’re hearing your name
and taking a look at your property. And like any first impression,
you don’t get a second chance.
Personalized content goes a long way in making a strong first
impression. Welcome first-time visitors with a personalized
message or deliver a special offer based on their location. This
first interaction can set the tone for the rest of your relationship,
as well as how they perceive your brand.
Of course, personalization shouldn’t stop at the first interaction.
Users visit multiple websites over the course of several days
before booking a hotel. According to Google, more than 40% of
travelers say they bounce back and forth between dreaming
about and planning their next trip. In order to strengthen the
customer relationship, utilize personalization to welcome return
visitors with a custom message. By tailoring messaging and
creating content that resonates, you can help guide customers
through dreaming and planning to the booking phase.
Even if a potential guest is still not quite ready to book, your
hotel is likely to remain top of mind as a brand that offers a
personalized experience.
#1 BUILD YOUR BRAND EQUITY
THE BENEFITS
Personalization is key in order to ensure a dynamic user
experience for your website visitors. By personalizing
content, you can tailor the website experience and engage
your audience by serving unique content in the right place,
at the right time, and to the right users.
Utilizing demographic and behavioral targeting makes it
possible for hotels to serve specific messages to various
customer segments. For example, if mobile users are more
likely to search for same-day stay dates, you can conclude
they’re searching for last-minute accommodations. Appeal
to these users with messaging that conveys urgency, for
example: “Stay Tonight: Receive Free Breakfast & Wi-Fi.”
Or, if a user lands on your website from Google or from one
of your social media accounts, you can deduce that they’re
interested in your brand or destination. Present them with a
destination-focused marketing message, like: “Stay at our
boutique hotel in the heart of Manhattan, near the best
shopping, dining, and entertainment in the city.” According
to a Google study, 67% of travelers are more likely to book
with a travel brand that provides relevant information for the
destinations they’re interested in. Providing this relevant
content can engage visitors and move them further down
the path to purchase.
#2 ENGAGE YOUR WEBSITE VISITORS
THE BENEFITS
More direct bookings is the ultimate goal of content
personalization. The objective of tailoring your website content is
to nurture users through the travel planning journey, from their
first website visit to the moment they click the Reserve Now
button.
Although converting every guest doesn’t happen overnight, with
the right personalization strategy in place, the effects will be seen
in no time. By creating unique content for each of your customer
segments, as well as the various phases throughout the travel
planning journey, you can build brand equity, engage your
website visitors, and finally, win more direct bookings through
your hotel website.
#3 INCREASE DIRECT BOOKINGS
THE BENEFITS
CONTENT PERSONALIZATION WORK?HOW DOES
NextGuest Digital’s content personalization application utilizes more than 64 targeting metrics to help you create custom audiences. Once an audience is defined, it’s easy to serve relevant content, such as hero images and marketing messages, to meet your business needs and goals.
THE SCENARIO
A resort property that receives a number of repeat visitors each year noticed their ADR was dropping. In an effort to boost ADR, they decided to personalize elements of their website to encourage users to book their suites, which typically see a longer length of stay.
Before building their audience, they first identified who their target market was: previous guests with high HHI located in key markets. Taking all this into consideration, the resort built a custom audience with the following targeting parameters:
Median Household Income:
$100k+ (to reach people with higher purchasing power)
Has Visited:
The suites page on the website (to target past visitors with a suite-focused marketing message)
Average Cart Total:
$2,000+ (to target guests who stayed longer or booked suites)
OF THE TRAVEL PLANNING JOURNEYPERSONALIZE CONTENT THROUGH EVERY PHASE
DREAMING
Reaching potential guests in the dreaming phase is just as important as reaching those farther into the travel planning
journey. Capturing these guests with personalized content from the beginning increases the chance that they will
later become a guest of your hotel. What types of personalization can be utilized on the website and through
marketing to reach these visitors?
Targeting Metrics:
● The hour of the day is between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.○ People often dream during work hours.
● The website visitor came from a social media channel.○ More people coming from social media are still in the
dreaming phase.● The website visitor has never been to your website before.
○ Oftentimes these visitors are still in the upper funnel.
Content Example:
Update the homepage hero image to include messaging such as “Near Everything You’d Want & Everything You’d Need.” Show this content to travelers most likely in the dreaming phase by targeting visitors who are on your website between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. (people often dream during work hours), visitors who are coming from social media channels, and visitors who have never visited your website before.
OF THE TRAVEL PLANNING JOURNEYPERSONALIZE CONTENT THROUGH EVERY PHASE
PLANNING
The planning phase begins when someone has decided on a destination and begins to plan the details of their trip. At
this point, consumers are researching transportation, hotel accommodations, and activities.
Targeting Metrics:
● The visitor’s average time on the website is more than 3 minutes.○ People in the planning phase typically spend more time
browsing content on the website.● The visitor landed on the destination information page.
○ They are looking for more information in order to plan their trip.
● The visitor arrived at the website from an SEM ad. ○ These visitors are actively looking on search engines for
more information about your hotel and the destination.
Content Example:
Utilize promo tiles on the homepage that link to special offers or discounts in order to encourage visitors to enter the booking phase. Target those whose average time on the website is more than 3 minutes (these people are planning and spending more time browsing content), visitors who land on the destination information page, and visitors who arrive at the website from SEM ads (they are actively on search engines looking for information about your hotel.
OF THE TRAVEL PLANNING JOURNEYPERSONALIZE CONTENT THROUGH EVERY PHASE
BOOKING
The booking phase happens when consumers have narrowed down their accommodation options and are ready to
commit to one. At this phase it’s important to convey a sense of urgency in order to sway users to choose your hotel.
Targeting Metrics:
● The user abandoned a booking.○ These users are qualified and have shown serious
interest in booking your hotel.● The user’s average time spent on the website is more than five
minutes.○ These users are engaging with your content.
Content Example:
Include a promo tile or marketing message on the home page hero image that urges bookings, such as “Book Before They’re Gone.” To capture travelers in the booking phase, target visitors who have abandoned a booking and have been on the site for over five minutes.
WHAT CAN BE PERSONALIZED?
Hero Image Marketing Messages
Body Copy + URL Redirects
Promo Tiles
Special Offers
Behavioral targeting utilizes data collected from a cookie, which
tracks a website visitor’s online behavior. This includes things
like whether or not the user has visited the website before or
how long they typically stay on the website.
Behavioral targeting metrics include:
● visitor type
● last visited
● total time on site
● current session duration
● average time on site
● booking initiated
● time since last booking
● abandoned a booking
● initiated a booking with children
BEHAVIORAL TARGETINGTARGETING METRICS
Geographic targeting looks at a website visitor’s IP
address to deliver content based on where they’re
located. This can be utilized to target specific feeder
markets for hotels, such as international or in-state
travelers. Date and time targeting can be utilized to
advertise limited-time offers or push day-of bookings.
Content Personalization Engine 2.0 geographic and
date/time targeting metrics include:
● current time
● day of the week
● country
● state or region
● city
● time zone
GEOGRAPHIC, DATE & TIME TARGETING
TARGETING METRICS
Booking and conversion targeting is utilized once a user has
completed a booking. This type of targeting can be used to
promote on-property events, restaurants, and more. Targeting
users who have already booked can help boost ancillary
revenue and increase overall guest satisfaction, which promotes
customer loyalty and repeat guests.
Booking and conversion targeting metrics include:
● completed a booking
● check-in date
● check-out date
● most recent booking cart total
● average cart total across all reservations
● most recent booking length of stay
BOOKING & CONVERSION TARGETING
TARGETING METRICS
By tapping into the hotel’s loyalty metrics, such as RFM
value, membership level, and point balance, you can
address loyalty-specific business needs, such as
increasing the number of members and encouraging
current members to continue to the next level in the
membership program.
Loyalty and CRM targeting metrics include:
● visitor generation
● visitor point balance
● visitor membership level
● account age
● number of bookings
● gender
● RFM Value
LOYALTY & CRM TARGETING
TARGETING METRICS
Other targeting options for hotels include device type, device
model, and operating system. These can be beneficial for hotels
with apps. For example, a personalized marketing message can
prompt a mobile user to download your app if they accessed
your website using their smartphone.
Miscellaneous targeting metrics include:
● median household annual income
● query string parameter
● cookie value
● user agent type
● device type
● device model
● screen resolution
MISCELLANEOUS TARGETING
TARGETING METRICS
GOALS
The client wanted to increase conversions and total booking revenue using targeted content within the hotel website.
EXECUTION
The NextGuest Digital team created targeted messaging for the advanced purchase rate aimed at family travelers and California residents. Utilizing the content personalization engine, the team displayed the content to website visitors coming from California, those who had initiated a booking at least seven days in advance, and those who initiated a booking with children.
A CALIFORNIA HOTEL DROVE BOOKINGS WITH TARGETED CONTENT THROUGH CPE
PERSONALIZATION IN ACTION:
22%INCREASE CVR
123BOOKINGS
$72KREVENUE
RESULTSOver one month the hotel saw a 22% increase in year-over-year conversion rates, a 135% increase in
average revenue per visitor, and a 9.6% increase in average revenue per booking across all website visits.
GOALS
The hotel wanted to increase revenue and total website bookings from California residents by creating and implementing engaging promotional content across the website.
EXECUTION
Utilizing the content personalization engine, the NextGuest Digital team targeted California website visitors with enticing marketing messages, header images, and promotional tiles across top pages on the website.
HOTEL DRIVES LOCAL GUEST CONVERSIONS WITH CONTENT OPTIMIZATION
PERSONALIZATION IN ACTION:
$22KREVENUE INCREASE
8KVISITOR ENGAGEMENT
INCREASE
80%BOOKING INCREASE
RESULTSThe hotel more than doubled revenue year over year for the month of June from this
segment and saw an additional 47 nights from the California audience.
NextGuest provides hoteliers with everything
they need to thrive in the digital world. Through
its subsidiary divisions, the company provides
digital marketing, CRM services, technology
solutions, and high-level consulting to some of
the world’s top hotel brands. Based in New
York City, the company is comprised of
NextGuest Digital, CRM, Labs, and Consulting.
Each arm of the company offers stand-alone
services, while together they provide an
all-encompassing partner that helps hoteliers
acquire, engage, and retain their next guest.
www.nextguest.com
(800) 649-5076
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