3 Reasons Your Hotel Needs PR

October 15, 2022

In Hotel Marketing, Hotels, Public Relations

With the advent of social media, the line between Public Relations (PR) and marketing is becoming blurry. To the purist, marketing is focused on measurable activities that affect the bottom line such as advertising, whereas PR is concerned with the reputation of a hotel. In reality, they complement each other and should operate hand in hand but many hotels still rely heavily on traditional marketing.

Who Controls Your Reputation?

TripAdvisor studies reveal that 93% of people are influenced by reviews when choosing a hotel. This shows that people rely more on information found on social media than in advertisements. The same studies show that 53% would not book a hotel that has no guest review. Without an active PR strategy, a hotel’s reputation is in the hands of third parties and may be swayed unjustly. No hotel should accept such a risk – and yet many do, especially in the following critical areas.

Brand Management

Branding is how one hotel differentiates itself from others in the area. A PR strategy will use magazines, publicity events, social media, and a host of other ways to promote the brand. Public relations can stimulate interest in a hotel by linking it to an event or an interesting aspect about its location. This will raise awareness without overtly selling the hotel itself.

All successful businesses have unique selling points (USPs). Advertisements can publicize them but do little more due to the limited control of their reception by the public. Adjusting a marketing campaign can be expensive and time consuming. PR provides the ability to monitor the awareness of the USPs by interacting with the guests. Acceptance of the USPs can even be molded through social media, something impossible with marketing.

PR can also smooth the way for rebranding or innovations. The Marriott Hotel has traditionally been associated with business travelers but recognized the need to attract Millennials. The Travel Brilliantly PR campaign was designed to appeal to this digitally enabled younger generation by interacting with them on social media. In this way the hotel chain was able to change the perception of its brand to that of an innovative hotel interested in the traveler, not just in selling rooms.

By engaging the public and managing the brand perception carefully, Marriott enjoyed a huge PR success. They have had over two million visits to their website and collected over 160 million impressions across all social media.

Guests Need To Be Heard

Whether they like it or not, the chances are every hotel will appear on social media at some point. With 97% of Millennials sharing experiences as they travel, the opportunities to engage with them are better than ever before. Besides the traditional PR routes, it is now possible to communicate directly with potential guests and manage their expectations. This ability is the second reason why hotels need PR and it can be a powerful force when skillfully used.

DoubleTree by Hilton organized a PR campaign called ‘Little Things’ to drive its Twitter and Facebook positioning. The hotel asked people to tell them what little things could be done to make travel easier. This was followed up by inventive public relations events to deliver what was asked for. The hotel received 41 million Twitter and 47 million Facebook page impressions, garnering 7,000 new Twitter and 24,500 new Facebook followers as part of this hugely successful campaign.

Smaller hotels may not need or be able to generate that level of following but the lesson is clear. People want to engage and should be encouraged to do so.

A hotel using PR to the full will have a presence on the major social media outlets. If a follower makes a comment, they will expect and should receive a response.
Hotels will already have an email list of past and potential guests. There may be seasonal events related to festivals, weather or the location. By alerting those on the mailing list to such attractions they might be enticed to stay. This can be especially effective when relevant information about a guest is held, such as when they last stayed.

For example, an email highlighting upcoming ski-related activities and expected snow conditions will catch the attention of an avid skier from the previous season. Their particular interest is targeted rather than the rooms for sale, emphasizing engagement rather than selling.

Turning Bad To Good

Bad reviews can hurt a business but they also offer a chance to show positive, caring management. Surveys suggest that 70% of all online complainers are hoping for a response. Sadly, barely 38% get one. With online reviews becoming so important to a client’s decision process, ignoring a complaint is madness. It is not just the reviewer who is affected but all those who see the lack of interest when making their decision on where to stay. This is the third reason for a good PR strategy.

By responding quickly to all reviews, good and bad, a hotel’s reputation is protected. The satisfactory manner in which a complaint is handled adds proof to advertising claims about the quality of a hotel’s guest service. A positive and proactive response creates a good impression.

Handled well, the response can turn a potential disaster into a media bonanza. For example, Katie Price complained in 2013 about the way that the exclusive Sandals Royal Bahamian resort and spa ruined her wedding. They responded by addressing her issues, not necessarily agreeing with her version of events, and offering her a full refund. On one condition: she never stayed with them again! Their response generated a wealth of media traffic.

Protect and Project

A hotel’s reputation is one of its most valuable assets. Whether the establishment is large or small, public perception can build or break its business. More than ever before, PR is an essential part of not only protecting but also projecting a hotel’s image. Through storytelling in the media, public engagement, and review management, a hotel can harness a willing, and often vocal, online community to work in its favor.

With few hotels actively using PR to its full potential, now is the time to explore its many possibilities. Are you ready?