As every hotelier concerned with their online reputation knows, there is no site more powerful- and potentially damaging- than TripAdvisor. Now more than 16 years old, the platform has become the number one source of firsthand hotel, resort and attraction reviews for travellers all over the world.
It’s no overstatement to say that your guest feedback on TripAdvisor can make or break your online booking rates, so what can be done to put your property’s best face forward on the internet’s leading travel review platform?
These 5 tips are a great place to start.
Respond Politely and Promptly. Every Time.
A prompt and courteous response to new reviews is your first priority. Whether the review in question is glowing or negative, replying swiftly demonstrates how attentive and receptive you are to guest feedback. To avoid late responses – or worse, no responses- make sure there’s a specific member of the team whose role it is to track and respond to reviews.
Drive Reviews with TripAdvisor Comment Cards
Sometimes you may feel your hotel is just not getting the feedback it deserves on TripAdvisor. You know that you have plenty of very happy, repeat guests – but for some reason, you just don’t seem to be gathering lots of new glowing reviews on the platform.
In times like these, you need to up your drive for reviews. Ordering a batch of TripAdvisor Comment Cards is a good starting point. These personalised business cards can be handed out at check-out to politely encourage your guests to publish their thoughts on their stay online. Best of all, your first order of 250 cards is free and can be arranged from your hotel’s TripAdvisor Management Centre page.
Get Familiar with the Popularity Index
TripAdvisor’s algorithm organically ranks businesses weekly in a system called the Popularity Index. The algorithm takes into account the quantity, quality and freshness of the reviews written about your property within the previous seven days. So, the more positive reviews you can generate for your hotel, and the more recent they are, the better your overall rating. With this in mind, we recommend you begin monitoring your property’s Popularity Index regularly, so you can pinpoint the main issues that are impacting your rating and work on building buzz around your page.
Show Off Your TripAdvisor Award
Top rated and regularly well reviewed businesses on TripAdvisor are often rewarded with awards such as the Travellers’ Choice badge and Certificate of Excellence. If your hotel receives one of these honours, don’t be afraid to spread the word about it. Installing a TripAdvisor widget is the perfect way to show off your reviews and awards on your hotel’s website.
Distribute a Press Release
Distributing a short press release to local newspapers, magazines and other relevant industry publications is another great way to ensure your TripAdvisor awards don’t go unnoticed. Doing so will connect your social media and digital platforms with traditional press publications and could potentially result in a welcome boost to your booking rates.
Want to get started? TripAdvisor has made it easy by creating a number of press release templates which can be easily customised to suit your needs – just visit your hotel’s TripAdvisor Management Centre to find them.
How does your hotel generate and manage reviews on TripAdvisor? Let us know in the comments below!
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- 5 Smart Ways to Drive More Online Reviews
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