There is not a day that goes by that we don't go on the Internet and, consequently, that we don't visit a website, is there? In a context as technological and trendy as the one we live in, with so many tools at our fingertips, it is important not to lose sight of such an essential aspect (and so often forgotten by the hotel sector) as the image that a hotel offers through its website.
Advances that allow us to browse a website quickly and smoothly should not be at odds with style and design. If not, just ask Apple as the great benchmark in both aspects transferred to its products, shops, etc. For this reason, below we describe some of the recommendations necessary for the functionality of a hotel's website to improve both its performance and customer service:
- A picture is worth a thousand words: the website must contain large, quality photos from the outset, not just an option, but a must. The potential of the hotel must be reflected in the first impact of the client when visiting the website and it must be clear what it looks like inside and out, what facilities and services it has, among others.
- Navigation for children: if a de facto website should be as simple and intuitive as possible, in the case of a hotel website, much more so. So simple, even entertaining, that it aborts any intention, on the part of the user, to leave the page due to incomprehension of its contents.
- Responsive design: the website must adapt to the screen of any computer as well as mobile and devices such as, for example, tablets. In fact, the trend in recent years is that users are increasingly using smartphones not only to consult, but also to buy. Moreover, Google will progressively stop showing those sites that are not optimised for mobile devices in searches on this type of device.
- Real information: a website is not a painting that can be left to gather dust over time, it must be updated regularly to keep it alive and at the same time generate SEO benefits. But remember, not telling the truth is something that generates a very bad reputation, online and offline.
- You have to pamper the blog: it is not about writing great novel paragraphs likely to become a trend but, if you are planning to have one, it is one of the best ways to update the information on the website constantly. The key is to tell the hotel's day-to-day, the latest news, from a personalised and close point of view. The ideal: publish at least one post per week.
- Integrated booking engine: direct bookings should be the most appreciated of all those received by a hotel for one fundamental reason: they have no commissions and offer instant confirmation, both for the guest and for the PMS.
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