6 min read

8 Tools to Help Your Hotel Convert More Direct Bookings

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Adam Hollander in Marketing

Last updated August 24, 2023

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Driving more direct bookings is important for hotels because it helps them to increase their profits and reduce their reliance on third-party booking sites. Direct bookings allow hotels to keep more of the revenue they generate, as they don’t have to pay commissions to third-party sites. Additionally, direct bookings give hotels more control over their pricing and availability, allowing them to better manage their inventory and maximize their profits. Finally, direct bookings provide hotels with more customer data, which can be used to better understand their guests and improve their services.

Hotel marketing software helps hotels drive more direct bookings by providing a comprehensive suite of tools to manage their online presence, optimize their website for search engine optimization (SEO), and create targeted campaigns to reach potential customers. It also helps hotels track and analyze their performance, allowing them to make data-driven decisions to improve their marketing efforts. Additionally, hotel marketing software can help hotels create personalized offers and discounts to encourage direct bookings.

 

 

 

1. Direct Booking Tools

Widgets and tools to increase website conversion and drive more direct bookings

Direct booking tools help hotels drive more direct bookings by providing a streamlined booking process for guests. These tools allow guests to book directly on the hotel's website, eliminating the need to go through a third-party booking site. This helps hotels save on commissions and fees associated with third-party sites, while also providing a more personalized experience for guests. Additionally, direct booking tools can help hotels increase their visibility online, as well as provide more detailed analytics on their guests' booking habits.

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THE PITCH
RATINGS BEST FOR
100 HT Score
Hotel Tech Score is a composite ranking comprising of key signals such as: user satisfaction, review quantity, review recency, and vendor submitted information to help buyers better understand their products.
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Growth for your Hotel's Direct Channel
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The Hotels Network (Personalization) Direct Booking Tools
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100 HT Score
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THE PITCH
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83 HT Score
Hotel Tech Score is a composite ranking comprising of key signals such as: user satisfaction, review quantity, review recency, and vendor submitted information to help buyers better understand their products.
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Tailor your hotel website to your guests. Show them why they should book with you and convert them on your direct channel. Designed for ease of use while giving you in-depth customisation and personalisation options.
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Hotelchamp Convert Direct Booking Tools
THE PITCH
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83 HT Score
Tailor your hotel website to your guests. Show them why they should book with you and convert them on your direct channel. Designed for ease of use while giving you in-depth customisation and personalisation options.
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THE PITCH
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97 HT Score
Hotel Tech Score is a composite ranking comprising of key signals such as: user satisfaction, review quantity, review recency, and vendor submitted information to help buyers better understand their products.
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A collection of growth driving enhancements to help boost direct bookings and increase your net revenue.
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The Guestbook: Cash Rewards Suite Direct Booking Tools
THE PITCH
RATINGS
97 HT Score
A collection of growth driving enhancements to help boost direct bookings and increase your net revenue.
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2. Hotel Marketing Agencies

Top Agencies Help You Succeed in Hotel Marketing, Digital Advertising and Website Design

Hotel marketing agencies can help hotels drive more direct bookings by creating and executing a comprehensive marketing strategy. This strategy should include a mix of digital marketing tactics such as SEO, PPC, email marketing, social media, content marketing, and more. Additionally, hotel marketing agencies can help hotels create and optimize their website to ensure it is optimized for conversions, as well as create and manage campaigns to drive direct bookings. Finally, hotel marketing agencies can help hotels track and analyze their performance to ensure they are getting the most out of their marketing efforts.

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THE PITCH
RATINGS BEST FOR
97 HT Score
Hotel Tech Score is a composite ranking comprising of key signals such as: user satisfaction, review quantity, review recency, and vendor submitted information to help buyers better understand their products.
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Profitroom® WebAssistant an intuitive hotel website creator. Automatically updates the website and converts visitors into guests.
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Profitroom Websites Website Design
THE PITCH
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97 HT Score
Profitroom® WebAssistant an intuitive hotel website creator. Automatically updates the website and converts visitors into guests.
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THE PITCH
RATINGS BEST FOR
90 HT Score
Hotel Tech Score is a composite ranking comprising of key signals such as: user satisfaction, review quantity, review recency, and vendor submitted information to help buyers better understand their products.
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Build your digital brand. Create demand, capture web and mobile sales, tap into metasearch, analyze and optimize digital advertising.
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Bookassist Digital Marketing and Web Design Digital Marketing Agencies
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90 HT Score
Build your digital brand. Create demand, capture web and mobile sales, tap into metasearch, analyze and optimize digital advertising.
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3. Metasearch Management Software

Orchestrate your visibility on meta-search channels to drive more demand

Metasearch management software helps hotels drive more direct bookings by optimizing their visibility on metasearch engines such as TripAdvisor, Google, and Kayak. This software allows hotels to manage their listings on these sites, ensuring that their rates and availability are up-to-date and accurate. Additionally, the software can help hotels track their performance on metasearch engines, allowing them to adjust their strategies to maximize their visibility and drive more direct bookings.

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THE PITCH
RATINGS BEST FOR
100 HT Score
Hotel Tech Score is a composite ranking comprising of key signals such as: user satisfaction, review quantity, review recency, and vendor submitted information to help buyers better understand their products.
Learn More
Did you know around 75% of travellers use metasearch engines to find hotels and book online? How can you get a slice of the pie? Demand Plus brings these travellers to your direct channels.
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SiteMinder Demand Plus Hotel Metasearch Management Software
THE PITCH
RATINGS
100 HT Score
Did you know around 75% of travellers use metasearch engines to find hotels and book online? How can you get a slice of the pie? Demand Plus brings these travellers to your direct channels.
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THE PITCH
RATINGS BEST FOR
96 HT Score
Hotel Tech Score is a composite ranking comprising of key signals such as: user satisfaction, review quantity, review recency, and vendor submitted information to help buyers better understand their products.
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Metasearch drives an average ROI of 13:1 to Avvio customers. Opting in for meta search grants your brand increased visibility across Google Hotel Price Ads, Trivago, TripAdvisor, Bing Ads, Skyscanner, Kayak & Wego. Due to its prominent position in the Google Search Engine Results Page (SERP), Google HPA drives the majority of hotel metasearch revenue.
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SHR Meta Search Hotel Metasearch Management Software
THE PITCH
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96 HT Score
Metasearch drives an average ROI of 13:1 to Avvio customers. Opting in for meta search grants your brand increased visibility across Google Hotel Price Ads, Trivago, TripAdvisor, Bing Ads, Skyscanner, Kayak & Wego. Due to its prominent position in the Google Search Engine Results Page (SERP), Google HPA drives the majority of hotel metasearch revenue.
Learn More

 

 

 

4. Channel Management Software

Optimize visibility and inventory across channels in real time

Channel management software helps hotels drive more direct bookings by automating the process of managing and updating rates and availability across multiple online travel agencies (OTAs). This helps hotels ensure that their rates and availability are always up-to-date and competitive, which encourages customers to book directly with the hotel instead of going through an OTA. Additionally, channel management software can help hotels track and analyze customer data, allowing them to better understand their target market and tailor their marketing efforts accordingly.

Image
THE PITCH
RATINGS BEST FOR
100 HT Score
Hotel Tech Score is a composite ranking comprising of key signals such as: user satisfaction, review quantity, review recency, and vendor submitted information to help buyers better understand their products.
Learn More
SiteMinder is the world’s leading open hotel commerce platform, ranked among technology pioneers for opening up every hotel’s access to online commerce. It’s this central role that has earned SiteMinder the trust of tens of thousands of hotels, across 150 countries, to sell, market, manage and grow their business. The global company, headquartered in Sydney with offices in Bangkok, Berlin, Dallas, Galway, London and Manila, generated more than 100 million reservations worth over US$35 billion in revenue for hotels in the last year prior to the start of the pandemic.
Product logo
SiteMinder (The Channel Manager) Channel Managers
THE PITCH
RATINGS
100 HT Score
SiteMinder is the world’s leading open hotel commerce platform, ranked among technology pioneers for opening up every hotel’s access to online commerce. It’s this central role that has earned SiteMinder the trust of tens of thousands of hotels, across 150 countries, to sell, market, manage and grow their business. The global company, headquartered in Sydney with offices in Bangkok, Berlin, Dallas, Galway, London and Manila, generated more than 100 million reservations worth over US$35 billion in revenue for hotels in the last year prior to the start of the pandemic.
Learn More
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THE PITCH
RATINGS BEST FOR
87 HT Score
Hotel Tech Score is a composite ranking comprising of key signals such as: user satisfaction, review quantity, review recency, and vendor submitted information to help buyers better understand their products.
Learn More
Profitroom Channel Manager is a powerful revenue management tool, synchronizing your availability and rates across all channels in real-time.
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Profitroom Channel Manager Channel Managers
THE PITCH
RATINGS
87 HT Score
Profitroom Channel Manager is a powerful revenue management tool, synchronizing your availability and rates across all channels in real-time.
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THE PITCH
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77 HT Score
Hotel Tech Score is a composite ranking comprising of key signals such as: user satisfaction, review quantity, review recency, and vendor submitted information to help buyers better understand their products.
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By leveraging Wix’s platform, business owners will be able to construct a website, manage their property, receive direct reservations and connect to online sales channels and travel agencies like Expedia and Airbnb. This will aid in driving revenues for the business owners.
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Channel Manager by HotelRunner Channel Managers
THE PITCH
RATINGS
77 HT Score
By leveraging Wix’s platform, business owners will be able to construct a website, manage their property, receive direct reservations and connect to online sales channels and travel agencies like Expedia and Airbnb. This will aid in driving revenues for the business owners.
Learn More

 

 

 

5. Website Chatbots

Convert more web traffic and give guests easy access to answers with website chatbots.

Website chatbots can help hotels drive more direct bookings by providing customers with a more personalized and efficient booking experience. Chatbots can provide customers with quick answers to their questions, help them find the best deals, and even complete the booking process for them. Additionally, chatbots can be used to upsell customers on additional services or amenities, helping to increase the average booking value.

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THE PITCH
RATINGS BEST FOR
100 HT Score
Hotel Tech Score is a composite ranking comprising of key signals such as: user satisfaction, review quantity, review recency, and vendor submitted information to help buyers better understand their products.
Learn More
World leader in smart service platform for hotels and resorts focused on doubling direct bookings.
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Asksuite Hotel Chatbot Hotel Chatbots
THE PITCH
RATINGS
100 HT Score
World leader in smart service platform for hotels and resorts focused on doubling direct bookings.
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THE PITCH
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89 HT Score
Hotel Tech Score is a composite ranking comprising of key signals such as: user satisfaction, review quantity, review recency, and vendor submitted information to help buyers better understand their products.
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Never miss a direct booking again.
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Quicktext Hotel Chatbots
THE PITCH
RATINGS
89 HT Score
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THE PITCH
RATINGS BEST FOR
93 HT Score
Hotel Tech Score is a composite ranking comprising of key signals such as: user satisfaction, review quantity, review recency, and vendor submitted information to help buyers better understand their products.
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The #1 Guest Communications Hub to boost revenue, tackle staff shortage and improve the customer experience.
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HiJiffy Hotel Chatbot Hotel Chatbots
THE PITCH
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93 HT Score
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6. Independent Loyalty Programs

Tools to drive repeat visits and customer loyalty

Independent loyalty programs can help hotels drive more direct bookings by offering exclusive rewards and discounts to guests who book directly through the hotel's website or app. These rewards can include discounts on future stays, free upgrades, complimentary meals, and other exclusive offers. By offering these rewards, hotels can encourage guests to book directly with them instead of through a third-party website. Additionally, loyalty programs can help hotels build relationships with their guests, which can lead to more direct bookings in the future.

Image
THE PITCH
RATINGS BEST FOR
97 HT Score
Hotel Tech Score is a composite ranking comprising of key signals such as: user satisfaction, review quantity, review recency, and vendor submitted information to help buyers better understand their products.
Learn More
A collection of growth driving enhancements to help boost direct bookings and increase your net revenue.
Product logo
The Guestbook: Cash Rewards Suite Direct Booking Tools
THE PITCH
RATINGS
97 HT Score
A collection of growth driving enhancements to help boost direct bookings and increase your net revenue.
Learn More

 

 

7. Booking Engines

Hotel Booking Software: The eCommerce Shopping Cart For Hotel Websites

Booking engines help hotels improve their online presence by providing a convenient and efficient way for customers to book rooms online. This helps hotels increase their visibility and reach more potential customers. Additionally, booking engines can help hotels track customer data, such as preferences and past bookings, which can be used to personalize offers and promotions. Finally, booking engines can help hotels streamline their operations by automating the booking process and reducing manual labor.

Image
THE PITCH
RATINGS BEST FOR
96 HT Score
Hotel Tech Score is a composite ranking comprising of key signals such as: user satisfaction, review quantity, review recency, and vendor submitted information to help buyers better understand their products.
Learn More
The premium booking platform for leisure hotels and resorts.
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Profitroom Booking Engine 360 Booking Engine
THE PITCH
RATINGS
96 HT Score
The premium booking platform for leisure hotels and resorts.
Learn More
Image
THE PITCH
RATINGS BEST FOR
100 HT Score
Hotel Tech Score is a composite ranking comprising of key signals such as: user satisfaction, review quantity, review recency, and vendor submitted information to help buyers better understand their products.
Learn More
Increase your direct bookings to grow your revenue and take control of your guest experiences with SiteMinder’s high-converting booking engine.
Product logo
SiteMinder Booking Engine Booking Engine
THE PITCH
RATINGS
100 HT Score
Increase your direct bookings to grow your revenue and take control of your guest experiences with SiteMinder’s high-converting booking engine.
Learn More
Image
THE PITCH
RATINGS BEST FOR
93 HT Score
Hotel Tech Score is a composite ranking comprising of key signals such as: user satisfaction, review quantity, review recency, and vendor submitted information to help buyers better understand their products.
Learn More
Avvio ranks #3 in the Booking Engine category on Hotel Tech Report and was amongst the 'Best Hotel Booking Engines of 2022'. 95% of 332 hoteliers from 13 countries highly recommend Avvio to their peers.
Product logo
SHR Booking Engine (BE) Booking Engine
THE PITCH
RATINGS
93 HT Score
Avvio ranks #3 in the Booking Engine category on Hotel Tech Report and was amongst the 'Best Hotel Booking Engines of 2022'. 95% of 332 hoteliers from 13 countries highly recommend Avvio to their peers.
Learn More

 

 

 

8. Hotel Websites

Build a stunning website to showcase your property and convert more bookings

Hotel websites can help hotels improve their online presence by providing a platform for them to showcase their services, amenities, and offerings. They can also use the website to promote special offers, discounts, and packages, as well as provide information about the hotel’s location, history, and staff. Additionally, hotel websites can be used to create a community of loyal customers by providing a forum for guests to share their experiences and reviews. Finally, hotel websites can be used to increase visibility and reach by optimizing for search engines and utilizing social media platforms.

Hotels that drive more direct bookings will outperform those who do not in the coming years by providing a better customer experience. Hotels that focus on providing a seamless booking process, personalized customer service, and a comprehensive loyalty program will be able to attract more customers and retain them for longer. Additionally, hotels that invest in digital marketing strategies such as SEO, PPC, and social media will be able to reach more potential customers and drive more direct bookings. Finally, hotels that invest in technology such as mobile apps and chatbots will be able to provide a more efficient and convenient booking experience for their customers.