2023-10-17
Have you been wondering how to give your hotel’s website a new look? The idea of a complete revamp can seem overwhelming, considering the complexity of web design and development.
This article is to break down the essential aspects of hotel website revamp by addressing crucial questions like what, when, why, and how of this total process.
What is a Hotel Website redesign/ revamp?
Hotel website redesign/revamp is the process of improving your hotel's website design, functionality, and user experience. This may involve updating the look and feel of your website, adding new features, or improving the overall usability of your site.
Your website is the face of your business online, it’s the virtual ambassador of your establishment and it’s important to make sure that it’s up to date, looks professional, trustworthy and user-friendly.
Now you may have asked yourself,
“When is the right time to revamp my hotel website?”
Here is a list of key instances that you should consider redesigning your hotel website:
- When your website has remained the same for three years, it's time to consider a redesign. Websites can age rapidly, much like supercars, due to evolving technology and emerging trends
- When your website is not mobile-friendly to the level it should be. TripAdvisor's 2023 Global Travel Trends Report & Google's very own "Travel Trends Report 2023" show statistics that may surprise you,
- 45% of travellers use mobile apps to book hotels and tours
- 85% of travellers book activities on their mobile devices.
- 1 out of 3 travellers use a specific mobile app to research an upcoming trip.
This goes to show that today More and more people are using their smartphones and tablets to book travel, so it's important to make sure that your websites are mobile-friendly
- When your website is not converting visitors into guests.
- If you're not seeing the results you want from your website,
it may be time for a redesign.
Here are a few things to look out for, which you can track using Google Analytics or another analytics platform such as SEMrush.
- Low conversion rate: Your conversion rate is the percentage of visitors to your website who take a desired action, such as booking a room. If your conversion rate is low, it means that your website is not convincing visitors to book.
- High bounce rate: Your bounce rate is the percentage of visitors who leave your website after viewing only one page. A high bounce rate could indicate that your website is not engaging visitors or that it is difficult to navigate.
- Low average session duration: Your average session duration is the average amount of time that visitors spend on your website. A low average session duration could indicate that visitors are not finding the information they are looking for or that your website is not interesting to them.
- Negative feedback from visitors: If you are receiving negative feedback from visitors, such as comments that your website is difficult to use or that it is not informative, this could be a sign that your website is not converting visitors into guests.
Revamping your hotel website should be done every two to three years. This ensures that you’re aligned with industry standards, benign ahead with your competitors and taking advantage of new features and functionality. Waiting longer than three years could impact your bottom line.
Now we get to the 2 most important questions: Why and How.
A redesign is essential because it's the first impression potential guests have of your brand online. Your hotel's website is like your digital storefront, and making a positive impact is vital. Just as you maintain your physical property, your website also needs regular improvement and maintenance. It's a digital extension of your hotel, not a one-time creation for external use. There are several reasons why it is recommended to update your hotel website every two to three years;
- Technology changes rapidly:
- The internet is always changing, with new technologies and trends constantly emerging. Regularly updating your website ensures it stays current with the latest technologies and trends.
- User expectations change:
- User expectations for websites evolve with time. Today, users demand mobile-friendliness and fast loading times. Regularly updating your website helps ensure it meets these changing user expectations.
- Your hotel changes:
- Your hotel is constantly evolving, and you may add new amenities, services, or room types. By updating your website regularly, you can ensure that it accurately reflects your hotel's current offerings.
- Your competitors are updating their websites:
- One thing you can be sure of is in this competitive world that your competitors are updating their websites regularly, so it is important to do the same to stay competitive. A well-designed and informative website can help you attract more visitors and book more guests.
- Increased traffic:
- A well-designed and informative website is more likely to attract visitors and that will increase the website's traffic and generate more leads for your business.
- Boosted sales:
- An effective website can help you to book more guests. It can help Make it easy for visitors to book a room, write persuasive copy, and use a clear call to action.
- Improved brand awareness:
- A well-designed website can help to improve your hotel's brand awareness, which creates a more consistent and unified brand image across all of your marketing materials.
Now to the most important question: How can a website redesign be a great way to improve your conversion rate? However, it is important to note that simply redesigning your website will not guarantee increased conversions. Several factors contribute to a website's conversion rate, which includes not just the design but the content as we call the content king, and the user experience that is a must.
If you are considering a website redesign, it is best to start by understanding why your current website is not converting visitors into guests. Here are several reasons why Your website may not be mobile-friendly
- Your website may take a long time to load
- Your website may be harder to navigate
- Your website can be visually outdated as such not appealing
- Your website may not have clear calls to action
- Your website is not informative enough about your hotel or its offerings.
Once you have identified the areas where your current website is falling behind, you can start to develop a plan for a redesign that can address all those issues.
When designing your new website, there are a couple of things that one must keep in the back of their mind:
- Information: The “Content is truly the hero” website should provide visitors with all the information they need and push them to make a booking decision. This information may include your hotel's location, amenities, and rates and include testimonials from past guests.
- Mobile friendliness: According to a 2023 study by StatCounter, mobile devices account for over 50% of global web traffic. This goes to show that more and more people use mobile devices to book hotels, your website should be easy to read and navigate a variety of screen sizes.
- Page loading speed: Visitors are more likely to abandon a website if it takes too long to load. According to a 2022 study by Google, 53% of mobile users abandon a website if it takes longer than 3 seconds to load. The study also found that the average load time for mobile websites is 19 seconds on a 3G connection and 14 seconds on a 4G connection. your website is optimised for speed by using a fast web hosting provider and by optimising your images and code.
- Easy navigation: Visitors should be able to find the information they are looking for quickly and easily. Since a shallow click depth is generally considered to be better for usability and this is because users are more likely to abandon a website if they have to click through too many pages to find the information, the solution here is to use clear and concise menus and labels whenever possible.
- Visual appeal: Your website should be visually appealing. Use high-quality images and videos and choose a design that is both professional and inviting.
- Calls to action: A well-written CTA can encourage users to book a room, sign up for your newsletter, or learn more about your hotel. It can also help you to track the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns.
- Use high-quality images and videos. Visual content is very effective at engaging visitors and persuading them to book. Studies show that Visual content is 43% more likely to be shared than text content so make sure to use high-quality images and videos that showcase your hotel in the best possible light.
- Write persuasive copy.n Your website copy should be clear, concise, and persuasive. They should highlight the benefits of staying at your hotel while at the same time pervading visitors to buy your services e.g.: book a room
- Make it easy to book a room. Your website booking process should be simple. Visitors should be able to book a room with just a few clicks so never make it more complicated than necessary.
- Test and optimise your website. Once your new website is launched, it is important to test and optimise it regularly and this is where you will hear companies talk about terms like Maintenance and continuous growth support This is where you will need to identify any areas where your website can be improved.
While redesigning may look like a lot of work with the right kind of support, maybe forming a professional web design company can turn the entire process into a thrilling and dynamic endeavour.
