Introduction
This article will give you tips on how to attract more customers to your guesthouse, the techniques described are suitable for websites on the WordPress platform. The article will look at how to maximise the potential of your website to increase bookings and improve the guest experience. If you would like to learn more about why a modern website is essential for a guesthouse business, please read our article: "Website - the foundation for attracting customers.“
Below you will find 9 effective customer acquisition techniques. These will give you the best results when combined. For example, a video advertising campaign will be much more effective if you combine it with email marketing and social media ads.
1. Customer flow and registration analysis
Google Analytics
The primary tool for tracking flows is Google Analytics via Site Kit WordPress integration on your website, it allows you to measure customer traffic to specific sections of your website, understand what keywords people are using to find you on Google and which websites people are coming to your website from the most.
People flow analysisA: With the Google Site Kit plugin, you can monitor traffic to your website, analyse where it's coming from (organic search, social, paid ads, etc.) and which channels are most effective.
Target trackingA: Create goals in Google Analytics, such as completing a booking form or visiting a contact page. This will help you understand the paths visitors take to make a booking.
First, a mechanism needs to be set up to track customer traffic so that future marketing activities can be measured. This will allow you to effectively control your marketing budget and invest time and resources in the most effective strategies tailored to your business needs.
UTM parameters
For example a web address https://bezkomisijas.lv we can add the parameters utm_source; utm_medium; utm_campaign; utm_id; giving the full link
https://bezkomisijas.lv?utm_source=apgut.lv&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=viesunami-2024&utm_id=viesunami
Both links will lead to the same page, but the second will contain some information about where the link was left and what advertising campaign the link belongs to. This coded information can be used both directly on your website and with the google analytics tool, it allows you to effectively track from which website, advertisement or referral link the customer comes.
UTM can also be linked to other activities, such as bookings, so that you can understand not only where your website visitors are coming from, but also where specific customers who have made a booking are coming from.
Use UTM parameters to track specific campaigns and ads. This will help you see which campaigns are attracting the most visitors and leads.
2. Booking form and customer tracking
Smart booking formA: The booking form should be intuitive and easy to fill in. To avoid spam we recommend linking the form to reCAPTCHA functionality that limits the activity of automated spam bots on the website.
Appearance and speedA: Make sure your booking form loads quickly and looks professional, as this can have a direct impact on user experience and completion rates. Don't ask customers for unnecessary information, a booking form that is too complicated can scare customers away from booking.
Sending messages automaticallyA: When the customer completes the booking form, send an automated email with the booking confirmation and additional information about the guest house. It is best to prepare a nice visual design for this email in advance, you can also add additional information and questions here.
3. portals where your customers are already circulating
Once you have created customer analytics and developed communication with the customer through the registration form and other applications, it's time to promote your website where your target audience is already circulating.
You can use the following websites for online advertising:
- https://www.precos.lv/
- http://www.atputasbazes.lv/
- https://kurpes.lv/
- https://ligavam.lv/
- https://viesunamiem.lv/
It is also worth considering social networking groups dedicated to guesthouses as a place for publications, and placing information about the entire guesthouse in the physical locations where your target audience circulates.
Remember to add UTM parameters to your website when linking to it, this will allow you to track the source of your traffic.
4. Paid ads on Google and social networks
If you spend the first €300 on Google Ads, Google is now offering a bonus of €300 for further ads. Google Ads is best left to professionals, as the right keywords and focus can be extremely important. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of an ad, it is not only important how many clicks led to your website, but also how many of them actually converted into a guesthouse booking.
For social media advertising, it is important to (1) create an eye-catching and relevant visual design and (2) position the ad to the right target audience.
5. SEO and Content Optimisation
Keyword research: Do keyword research on Google Trends to find out what terms and phrases potential customers use when searching for guesthouses in your area. Integrate these keywords into your website content, meta tags and image alt tags.
Quality content: Publish news articles about local activities, attractions, events and other topics of interest to your target audience. This can attract visitors looking for information about the area.
Local SEO: Make sure your guesthouse is listed on Google My Business, Bing Places and other local directories. Include accurate location, opening hours and contact details.
6. Social networks
Social networking buttons: Add share buttons to your website that allow visitors to quickly and easily share your content on social networks, increasing visibility.
Social media campaigns: Create content and advertising campaigns that lead to specific sections or offers on your website. Use UTM parameters to track the effectiveness of these campaigns.
If you already have an Instagram account, for example, consider posting the same content on Facebook, X, LinkedIn or TikTok. Often, republishing ready-made content can help you reach new audiences with minimal investment.
7. Integration of feedback and ratings
Good reviews are probably the best way of establishing credibility with potential customers. Collect both positive and negative feedback - you can learn something from both about what really matters to customers, and you can highlight the good feedback to boost the credibility of your guesthouse.
Feedback section: Send customers who have stayed in your guest house a link to the feedback page. When a customer gives you the maximum positive rating, automatically ask them to give you a review on other portals.
Reviews from other websitesA: You can include reviews from TripAdvisor, Booking.com and other platforms on your website.
8. Video advertising
Video is one of the most effective ways to capture people's attention in the digital environment. It can be used on your website or posted on social networks. A catchy video with the right music and text can hold the attention of viewers for longer. If people stay longer on your website, it has a positive impact on your website's ranking in Google search results.
9. Promotion of events
If your guesthouse is used for public events such as concerts, retreats, training and other events, you can also advertise these events on your website and social networks. People who get to know your guesthouse as visitors may later become organisers of new events and thus become your regular customers. In addition, by advertising the event, you will increase attendance, which may encourage organisers to organise similar events with you again.
