Myths About Online Reputation Management For Hotels

There are many misconceptions about hotel online reputation management, and believing some of the myths you’ve heard can cause more harm than good.

Hotel businesses are criticized even if they strive to give the best customer experience. No matter how efficient your hotel runs, someone will always complain about your service and property online.

This is why it is crucial to have a strategy for your online reputation management.

A large percentage of customers search for hotel reviews online even before booking.

Feedback, reviews, ratings, and your response to negative comments influence their decision.

It helps them to select your hotel over competitors.

What is Online Reputation For Hotels?

Online reputation management is managing online reviews and monitoring your brand mentions on various online platforms.

Online reputation management comes into the picture to keep the negative comments at par.

Your hotel's online reputation is the image you want to create in the eyes of potential guests searching online for places to stay.

Try to understand what is being talked about your brand online. Then, make improvements based on your customer's suggestions.

Consumers can now see the hotel's reputation before using its services. With ORM, you can control online conversations about your brand. Providing positive responses to comments will build credibility and drive revenue and growth.

You never know when the crisis can hit up, causing severe business damage. You need online reputation management to take action against false or negative claims. A good reputation offers many opportunities in the long run.

Do not hold back your business because of some misconception about online reputation.

Myths About Online Reputation Management For Hotels

Myth 1. Online Reviews Are Not Worth Bothering About

When customers find your hotels online, reviews are the first thing that customers will check. Reviews act as social proof of the existence of your business online. It has grown to become a norm now.

There are so many choices an individual has in selecting the best hotels at a reasonable rate. Through reviews, customers might know about previous guest experiences.

In the era of smartphones, customers conduct extensive research before booking a hotel. They are influenced by what their peers say, and next is the reviews and ratings which convince them.

You do need positive reviews to build your online reputation. However, negative reviews give your hotel an opportunity.

Negative reviews allow you to correct false claims and respond to customers' bad experiences.

Myth 2. Deleting Negative Reviews Will Help Get Rid Of The Problems

As per the survey conducted by Trip Advisor, reviews make 86% of travelers more confident before making a booking decision or planning a trip.

It is not as simple as deleting all the negative reviews. Follow proper guidelines as per every OTA platform.

Hoteliers can report the review for removal if there is doubt about the authenticity of the review being false or fraudulent. Review sites take time to look into the issue due to the high volume of feedback received.

Until then, you cannot risk leaving the negative reviews as it is. It might affect the impression of your hotel in front of other visitors.

In case the indecent language is used, the information provided is irrelevant or due to rude words. Then, the negative reviews can be removed. Except for these cases, it is not possible to delete the reviews without providing a valid reason for the same.

Myth 3. ORM Does Not Generate Sales

ORM exposes the reality of the business in the online world. ORM acts as an integral part of improving search engine rankings.

Customers are more likely to be attracted if they read more positive reviews about your hotels online.

Hotels that do not reply to the feedback or have a lack of reviews tend to miss out on opportunities online.

Use positive reviews of your business as leverage to generate sales.

Reviews act as word of mouth in the online world.

If you reap the benefits of Online reputation management, it will increase brand awareness.

Individual responses add value to your business that helps increase online visibility.

Google always rewards fresh and unique pieces of content on search results. Hence more positive reviews than negative ones will increase your sales.

Myth 4. It Is OK To Write Generic Replies

A happy customer might tell their story to 10 fans, but a dissatisfied customer says to 20.

When the replies are generic, your business does not value their feedback. It portrays a negative impact on people who are searching for hotels.

Make sure when you respond to the bad reviews to provide a solution to customer problems and take responsibility for your action.

There is no harm in apologizing to the customers for the inconvenience they faced while staying in your hotel.

The swift response to the angry reviews of the customers is where you will succeed. The tone of response should reflect that their opinions matter.

For example, if the customer complains about the room being noisy or not cleaned, stains, etc.

Please take this opportunity to highlight the problem and resolve it. Provide them with a complimentary service to make up for your mistakes.

Myth 5. Getting Guests to Write Reviews Is Difficult

Google ranks the hotels based on the quality of the reviews. A lack of reviews can bring your rankings down by Google.

The front desk and personnel should be well-trained to ask guests to write a review.

Make the process of getting feedback from customers easy by enabling a quick response code.

An online feedback form will let you filter out negative and positive reviews and allow you to track your guests' experiences.

Provide a QR code to the front desk office and ask customers for a review of their stay.

Through QR codes, sharing details of their stay is effortless work for travelers.

Also, it gives valuable consumer insight.

Ask them for some genuine suggestions and make improvements.

Appreciate the feedback received.

A small interaction with guests builds trust and increases the chances of recommendations.

Myth 6. It's Not Necessary For Every Hotel Business

Your hotel's reputation takes years to build.

Any negative feedback or harmful content can break the image of brands in a few minutes.

Every big or small hotel should perform an online reputation to reap the benefits. In today's digital world, travelers depend on reviews published on OTA platforms.

So, it becomes necessary for the small hotel to have a deep look into their reviews.

Reviews on the OTA platform tend to influence travelers. Most small hotels do not use this opportunity or understand the significance of ORM.

Hoteliers should welcome feedback, especially the small hotels or newly open ones. Negative feedback will give insight into improving the quality of the hotel.

A hotel's brand image depends upon people's perceptions and how they see your brand.

Create a compelling brand story that depicts your hotel brand's culture and values—creating a positive impact.

Myths 7. OTAs Listing Results Are Unstable

Managing online reputation is a continuous process which means

• The reviews should be frequent.
• The response replied to, and
• The images should represent your products.

Convey your brand story in the description.

Ensure that images represent all those amenities as described.

People will tend to trust hotels more if you add a personal touch to your commutation in online reviews.

To get your hotels, visible online hoteliers should focus attention on:

• Image,
• Location,
• Reasonable rates and
• The ratings received

Images are essential when it comes to OTA listings.

You can communicate your brand story through images. Show unique features that set you apart from competitors.

OTA reviews let the customer make an informed decision. It gives them an understanding of the hotel.

Visitors are more likely to select a hotel with a rating of 3.5 or 4.5 or 4.7.

Following the correct procedure, online visibility increases most through OTA platforms.

Myth 8. The Tone While Answering The Reviews Doesn't Matter

The tone in which you convey the messages to guests can be conversational or informative.

In cases where a customer is unhappy about hotel services not being up to their expectations, do not try to confront your hotel or reply rudely.

Be patient in solving the problems of dissatisfied customers.

The negative review is bound to happen; it all depends on how you handle negative comments.

Though you cannot control what customers write about your business online, you always have control over your response by being upfront about negative reviews.

The more hoteliers exceed customer expectations, leading to customer delight.

Hence, they are more likely to recommend it.

Myth 9. ORM Success Is Difficult To Measure

Once it's set, all you have to do is determine the metrics by which you will measure your success.

Following are some metrics to keep your eye on:

1. Increased Online Visibility:
   
   Keep track of your overall star ratings on each channel which helps boost you higher in searches.
    
2. Increasing Social Media Engagement:
   
   If your social media platforms have started showing more likes, comments, or shares, ORM deems to be a success.
   
   Track the social platform which shows the most engagement while focusing on improving.
    
3. Google Analytics:
   
   It provides data on the number of visitors and your traffic source.
   
   Reputation management works for your business if the website traffic has increased.
   
   Track the site from where visitors come to your landing page. Focus on giving value to your visitors.

Myth 10. It's Too Expensive

Hoteliers need to build and manage their online reputation.

Using smart software can add up to managing your business reputation online.

ORM is not time-consuming or expensive. Correct software provides a one-stop solution.

Without proper ORM strategies, your hotel can deal with negative reviews if services are not up to mark.

Your task as a hotelier should be to work with management companies. That can provide a team to manage your online reputation.

Providing quality ORM services gives visitors a good user experience online.

It is an excellent investment for hotels to improve their search ranking and visibility and strengthen their online reputation.

Reputation management services vary from $200 to $2000 depending on the type and quality of services provided in the package.

INNsight offers a full range of online Reputation Manager services starting from $159 a month! 

Concluding Thought

Online reputation is integral to any business's digital marketing and growth strategy.

Subscribe to INNsight Reputation Management today to control online conversations about your business and improve your Online Reputation.