As we’ve reported in previous blog posts, Hyperlocalization has become Hyper-Important in marketing. This shift is a result of increased mobile usage, and a consumer push for more targeted, authentic search results. And it makes sense for marketers too – since it allows us to funnel our dollars into the strategies that work, providing individuals with the messaging that is aligned with their needs.
How does Hyperlocalization play out in the hospitality industry? Does it matter? Oh yeah. It absolutely matters, as hospitality industry customers are more invested in location than any other industry. And recent statistics prove that this local focus [fueled by the 2014 Pigeon algorithm update by Google] is benefitting the hospitality industry at a higher rate than any other.
Let’s look at strategies based on the 2 areas where Hyperlocalization is most important for hoteliers:
- Online
- In Your Lobby
Get Hyperlocal Online
1. SEO has always been about location terms – incorporating your hotel’s city/state into your keywords and content in a strategic and helpful way. Long-tailed keywords provide an even better opportunity to pack in location terms relevant to your guests’ in-town experience. Push SEO location terms a step further – think neighborhood, landmarks, hot spots, locations only an insider would know.
2. Take advantage of opportunities tocreate new, unique, local-focused content for your hotel. Think new landing pages, filled with specific information about your town and community. Looking for ideas? You can’t help but focus on local when writing Staff Bios, Customer Service Stories, Testimonials, and Community Work.
3. It may also be time to consider a Wise Content Creation Plan, that focuses on the Buyer Personas associated with your target market. Do you know who your customers are? Where they live? What they care about, and what triggers their purchases? The development of a Buyer Persona helps internalize the customer you are trying to attract, and is critical to driving content creation. Once you know who they are and WHERE they are, you can begin talking to them in a meaningful way.
4. Be sure your Social Media Strategy includes rich connections and conversations with community members. Make sure you’re connecting with local businesses, Chambers of Commerce, Convention & Visitors Bureaus, restaurants, festivals, museums [the list is endless!] online. Sure, you want to attract out-of-town heads to your beds. But utilize your local connections to provide native tips to your customers, and prove your authenticity in your neighborhood.
5. And don’t forget the ever-important local listings. Confirm [and then confirm again] that your NAP [business name, address, phone number] is consistent across the web. List your business on all relevant directories, such as Google My Business, Google+, YahooLocal Listing, Yelp, and Bing Places.
Get Hyperlocal In Your Lobby
6. Do you maintain that same level of local authenticity within your hotel? Does your lobby feel integrated with the community, or just like every other hotel in the franchise?
Red Lion Hotels is just one example of a hotel chain doing it right. By responding to industry findings showing that today’s travelers are more interested in creating memories than receiving discounts, Red Lion pushed itself into the hyperlocal space.
Red Lion’s initiative includes local “microsites” for each of the company’s hotel properties, along with localized menus, new transportation signage, and even employee nametags that offer localized tips for guests. Red Lion admits that their hotel staffers were integral to the campaign, participating in training and the development of the microsites [by providing local recommendations].
What efforts is your hotel taking to respond to the Hyper-Importance of Hyperlocal? Anything that you’ve seen work great… or not so much?