The age of social media has given us an array of tools to establish connections and capture business. None is more powerful than a well-positioned and informative blog. Boutique travel PR firms recommend committing to a program of regular blog posts as a way to continually add fresh content to your site. Blogs are indexed by the search engines, thereby elevating your rankings. The key is frequency and consistency in creating fresh and compelling content.
A blog provides a platform to communicate pertinent insights on trends and news about your company or property as well as news that are affecting the hotel and travel field. Although the idea of starting a blog can be daunting at first, once you get into the discipline and learn the ropes on how to post them, you will find it an excellent marketing tool to improve your SEO, build your mailing list and solidify your reputation.
Here are three reasons why blogging is such an important piece of the marketing mix.
Develop Relationships
Blogging provides a way to deepen relationships with existing customers, as well as forge new ones. Social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram can accomplish this as well, but a blog is a more personal expression. By giving a personal voice and a platform, your blog gives potential customers insight into features at your property and what distinguishes you from your competition.
It is a vital way to continually provide a source of information directed to your target market and communicate your insights into trends and news affecting the industry. Make sure to monitor and respond to people’s comments so you are continually interacting with your readers, engaging them to build connections.
Generates Traffic to Your Website
This is one of the key marketing benefits blogging can yield. People may view your social media pages, but blogging will bring more traffic to your official website. Once they are drawn, they will find often wander to information elsewhere on your site that piques their interest, whether it is general descriptions of your offerings, pictures of your facilities or information about rates and special packages.
You should aim to post two to three times a week to consistently offering a fresh source of information. Posting often is an ideal way to build a following. Write about what is going on at the hotel, as well as the travel industry on a larger scale. Since blogs are searchable by Google, Bing and the other search engines, it is vital to strategically integrate your keywords to gain traction.
Become an Industry Leader
Blogs are an ideal way to position yourself as authority in your field. Blog about topics such as the best times to travel to your destination, healthy and innovative dining at your property, and the treasures of your area’s surroundings. Content of this nature will resonate with many different types of travelers and you can become a well-trusted source for your target audience.
Since having a powerful presence online is imperative, blogging is a must. The proof will be in the pudding when you see more and more people visiting your website each month, which will ultimately lead to an increase in reservations.
For more specific advice about blogging for your property, public relations firms that are well versed in the discipline can show you how to tailor this highly influential tool to you.