How to Leverage OTAs as Marketing Billboards To Drive Direct Bookings

OTAs as a Marketing Billboard 

Think of OTAs as massive billboards for your hotel, placing you in front of a global audience. They invest heavily in search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, ensuring that your hotel gets visibility on a scale that may be difficult to achieve through your own marketing efforts alone. This can be a powerful tool, especially for new or smaller hotels that need exposure.

Listing your hotel on OTAs makes you discoverable to a wide range of potential guests who might otherwise never know your property exists. These platforms allow you to showcase your hotel’s unique features with professional photos, detailed descriptions, and guest reviews. However, the key to success lies in what you do after your hotel is discovered.

Optimizing your OTA Listing to Showcase your Brand

Your OTA listing should give guests a glimpse into your hotel’s unique personality. Use high-quality images, clear descriptions, and strong branding to entice potential guests. Ensure that your hotel’s core values and unique features are front and center. Even though guests may be booking through an OTA initially, the goal is to have your property stand out in a way that makes them consider a future direct booking.

Don’t forget to keep your information up-to-date. Special promotions, seasonal changes, or newly renovated rooms should all be reflected in your OTA profiles. A strong, well-branded presence on OTAs will make a lasting impression, even if the initial booking happens through a third party.

Improve Your Direct Booking Channels

Your direct booking website needs to be optimized to handle traffic effectively once guests visit it. Here’s how to ensure you don’t lose them after they’ve seen your hotel on an OTA:

- User Experience (UX): Your website should be easy to navigate, mobile-friendly, and load quickly. Make the booking process as simple and straightforward as possible.

- Clear Pricing and Perks: Ensure that your pricing is transparent and competitive with OTAs. Highlight the advantages of booking direct—such as better rates, no hidden fees, or special inclusions like late check-out or complimentary amenities.

- Best Rate Guarantees: Prominently feature a "Best Rate Guarantee" on your website to assure guests that they’ll always get the lowest price by booking directly with you. This eliminates any reason for them to return to an OTA to book.

Pricing Across Channels

Ensure that you are always offering the cheapest rate for bookings made through your website. The majority of prospective guests price shop for the cheapest channel, often leveraging Google Hotels.  

Leverage Retargeting and Paid Search  

One of the most effective ways to pull OTA visitors back to your direct booking site is through retargeting ads and paid search campaigns. Here’s how:

- Retargeting Ads: Guests who found your hotel on an OTA and visited your website can be retargeted with ads on social media or Google Ads. These ads remind them of your property and encourage them to complete their booking directly.

- Branded Paid Search: Bid on your hotel’s name in paid search campaigns to ensure that when potential guests search for your hotel online, your direct website is the first link they see. Even if they initially discovered your property on an OTA, they’re more likely to click your direct link in search results and avoid the commission-heavy OTAs.

Conclusion:  

OTAs are invaluable tools for increasing visibility, especially for new or small hotels, but they don’t have to be the final step in the booking process. By treating OTAs as marketing billboards and strategically driving guests to book directly, you can reduce reliance on third-party channels while building long-term, direct relationships with guests.

At Autumn, our all-in-one system simplifies your marketing and revenue management efforts by integrating OTA distribution, direct booking strategies, and digital marketing tools to help you maximize your revenue and brand reach. With the right tools and strategy, you can leverage OTAs to your advantage while building a sustainable direct booking pipeline.