Has anyone got any hotel (small) web marketing tips or tricks

[ZATIVA2000]

I have a client who ranks well for his boutique hotel both in Google search and Google places. The problem now is he needs to fill his rooms next week (type of thing).

We are down the Google Adwords route already. But clicks are super expensive (competing against the big hotels).

We have also been trying to get his social media rolling and have started a light ad campaign on FB but I can't see clicks translating into our Google analytics account. (so not sold on it but is a lot cheaper than Google adwords)

Next on the list is email marketing which we be getting ready for next week to his existing database.

And we have been thinking about paid Press Releases but not sure if its worth it. (PRWEB or Prnewswire)

One big bonus is he got a number 1 award on Tripadvisor a few months back (which radically spiked hits on site). So, a more long term solution is to approach media directly with a follow up story to the award but that's going to take a bit of time.

Anyone had any experience with hotel marketing?

Any insights would be great.

Thanks

[AndyMacLean]

In the Google Places listing the 'categories' are mega important but under-used. If they arent using all 5 available categories they are missing out on serious traffic.

Most hotels will just have 'hotels' or 'self catering' (i forget the exact default options). Use ALL the categories to rank for more terms. If they need traffic pronto add 'spring break', 'mothers day' 'weekend break' 'last minute break' categories - you get the idea. This is an awesome trick I use for a holiday cottage client e.g. I use 'christmas break' 'easter break' 'dog friendly' and other out of the box terms as categories to keep pace with seasonal demand.

Note: Google will not always listings for ALL category entries, you'll have to try it and see.

[MassivePrime]

Hi a very big percentage of my client base is in the hotel business; you said that your adwords costs are very high and I was wondering why that is. Are you trying to achieve the very top spot? That's unnecessary because in the hotel business people don't choose the first hotel they come across they shop around so even if you are floating around 6th place your're still going to receive a high number of clicks, but on the plus side they won't cost so much.

If your client needs to fill rooms quickly (a request I get from my clients on a regular basis) we tend to change the wording of the advertising to attract last minute travellers; people who go bargain hunting by signing up to a last minute offer for hotel rooms and flights.

I don't know if your client is willing to go down this route of attracting the last minute traveller but if he wants clients by next week that's the only way he's going to do that.

Hope this helps

[ZATIVA2000]

Hi Andy, I shall be looking into your suggestion today. Thanks for that. Much appreciated.

[ZATIVA2000]

To be honest we aren't even going for top spot. The clicks just work out super expensive.He is competing with major hotels, whereas he has a styling 8 bedroom boutique hotel in a major tourist destination. But I'm going to change up the adwords ads a bit as you said. Thanks for the input.