It is a good exercise to take a look at current online guest reviews for your property. Ideally, you should be aware of every review made, and know how to respond to both positive and negative reviews. Here is why it is an important part of online housekeeping.
Reviews used to exist only on platforms built specifically for it – like TripAdvisor. Now, so many platforms also include the opinions of previous guests. Guests may review you on your Facebook page, on the channel they booked through or even on Google.
A lot of people dreaming about a holiday will start their search on Google. This means that Google reviews can give your business credibility. To get your reviews started, a great option is to send your previous guests a link in a follow-up mail after their stay to ask them to share their opinions on Google.
Reviews also have a lot of added benefits:
Better online exposure.
Studies show reviews carry significant weight in increasing exposure to your property, as well as helping guests make booking decisions. More reviews boost your ranking on Google, for instance. And more visibility hopefully leads to more bookings.
Know what to fix.
Reviews can also help you know what to improve on. You might not have been aware of smaller issues in service or operations, and the guest might have not brought it up while there. You can do something about the issue when it is pointed out.
Show off your customer service.
By replying to reviews you show a potential guest that you care about your business. You are on top of your online presence, and you are there to listen and take action if needed.
Getting back to someone with an opinion on your property also builds a relationship with them. They will quite possibly be willing to return if you manage your response well.
Change perceptions.
Bad reviews might happen. In most cases, they can not be altered or deleted. But, you can put a positive spin on a negative review by responding to it correctly. What you say and the actions you promise to take will mean more to the reader than any damage you feel the initial review might have done.
Think about it – would an owner or manager’s transparent response and dedication to solving problems do not make you feel like you will be looked after if you should visit?
Help guests make the decision.
The decision to book at a property is hugely affected by reviews:
93% of people check hotel reviews before booking a room, and 53% would not book a hotel without reviews.
It turns out other’s opinions matter a lot. It’s time to go see what is said and plan how to react to future reviews.
Whose opinion do you trust most? Your friends and family, of course. And if you can’t ask a friend, you want to hear from somebody with first-hand experience. Online reviews are the new “word-of-mouth”. That’s why TripAdvisor is so popular. Here’s how to make the most of this inside knowledge.
If you’ve enjoyed a busy season, it’s important to make time to encourage and manage reviews from your guests. Make this a priority during the following months and you will be sure to reap the fruit of your hard work before heading into the season again.
How to climb the ranks on TripAdvisor:
Word-of-mouth is the most effective part of getting new business and getting your name out there. This is why you need reviews and a listing on TripAdvisor.
TripAdvisor tracks three things to determine your rank:
Quality: The actual average score out of 5 your guest gives you with the written review. A property with an average score of 4 or 5 will be ranked higher than a property with a score of 3 or 2.
Quantity: The total number of reviews you have received. A property with 20 reviews will be ranked higher than a property with only 3 reviews.
Frequency: How often you receive reviews and how recently you got a review. A property that receives reviews weekly will be ranked higher than a property that hasn’t received a review in the last year.
Encourage your guests to review your property:
On NightsBridge, we assist clients by automating the review collection process for them. This helps with the quantity and frequency of reviews, which in turn helps your TripAdvisor ranking.
Display your reviews:
To help with your online “word-of-mouth” visibility, add your reviews to your direct booking engine and website. On your booking engine, NightsBridge offers an integrated widget with your TripAdvisor reviews.