The Impact Of Seasonality On Digital Marketing For The Hotel Industry [2024]

The impact of seasonality on digital marketing for hotel and strategy for adjusting campaigns accordingly.

The effects of seasonality are a formidable force that regularly reshapes the world of digital marketing. For hotels, seasonality is a critical factor that influences their business performance, as changes in demand and pricing have a significant impact on their marketing strategies. The realm of digital marketing is not exempt from these fluctuations. In this blog post, we shall scrutinize the influence of seasonality on digital marketing in the context of hotels. Furthermore, we shall expound on strategies to tailor campaigns to suit the changing seasons.

Understanding Seasonality

When it comes to adjusting digital marketing campaigns in response to seasonal changes, a thorough comprehension of how seasonality affects the hotel industry is paramount. This involves being aware of both peak and off-peak seasons, as well as the various events and holidays that transpire throughout the year. Furthermore, it is crucial to consider the influence of weather patterns on consumer behavior when devising marketing campaigns that align with specific seasons. By attentively monitoring these variables, digital marketing agencies can expertly plan and execute campaigns that effectively cater to the evolving needs and preferences of hotel guests during different seasons.

Use Google Analytics To Identify Seasonal Pattern Of Your Hotel

In digital marketing, data is one of our most priced resources. Digital marketing uses data-driven marketing approaches and has the ability to target specific audiences. This is why digital marketing is arguably more powerful compared to traditional marketing.

By installing Google Analytics on your website, you can leverage a wealth of information to identify seasonal traffic patterns. By using Google Analytics, you can create detailed reports that reveal the number of monthly visitors to your site. It is advisable to examine a minimum of two to three years’ worth of activity when assessing traffic trends over time. Having data allows you to better understand how seasonality affects your hotel’s website traffic, enabling you to make informed decisions about your digital marketing strategy.

For this hotel’s case, April – May brought the most traffic whilst traffic is low around August.

Also Read: Google Analytics: A Must Tools For Your Digital Marketing Strategy

Use Google Trend To Gain More Seasonal Patterns Affecting Your Hotel

Utilizing this platform is a straightforward process: enter a popular search term related to your business, and the service will present a comprehensive graph showing the popularity of that term over a designated time period, organized by month. You can also find information such as interest by region, related topics, and related queries. 

By examining this data, businesses can identify when search volumes are on the rise, and tailor their marketing strategies accordingly to maintain a prominent online presence when customers are most engaged. With this approach, businesses can capitalize on peak periods of customer interest and achieve greater success in their digital marketing campaigns.

Here we decided to enter a very broad query on Google Trends as an example. We are using the keyword ‘hotel in bali’. The Google Trend shows that November – January and Julyhttps://trends.google.com/home – August is the peak season. You can also see how the recent Covid-19 pandemic affected the hospitality industry.

The data above are the interest by region for the same keyword (‘hotel in bali’), you can use this data to help determine your targeting on your advertising campaign.

Adapting Overall Marketing Strategy To Seasonality

There are many approaches to adapting digital marketing strategy based on seasonality. One such approach involves the creation of seasonal promotions, where hotels
can leverage the summer months or dry season to offer family-friendly packages inclusive of discounts on room rates and activities for children. During the winter season or rainy season, holiday-themed promotions like Christmas dinner packages or New Year’s Eve parties can be deployed to pique consumer interest.

Additionally, hotels can modify their pricing strategies to align with the demand cycles. During peak seasons, when there is a surge in demand for rooms, prices can be raised to optimize revenue. Conversely, in low seasons when demand is scant, prices can be adjusted to attract more guests. This can be achieved through dynamic pricing models that respond to changes in supply and demand, or by offering special discounts and deals to entice bookings.

Finally, the ability to segment customers is vital to hotel marketing success. During high seasons, luxury travelers who are willing to pay top dollar for exclusive experiences can be targeted, whereas, during low seasons, budget-conscious travelers who seek value can be zeroed in on. By understanding the requirements and tastes of different customer segments, hotels can customize their marketing messages to suit these groups and boost bookings.

Adapting Digital Marketing Strategy To Seasonality

Retargeting Campaign

Retargeting campaigns offer a powerful way to engage potential guests who have shown interest in your hotel but have not yet booked a stay. These campaigns use cookies to track users who have visited your website and their activities. With this data, we can then display relevant ads on other websites they visit. By doing so, retargeting campaigns can be highly effective in increasing conversions and encouraging guests to book a stay.

During peak season, when demand is high, retargeting campaigns can be used to remind potential guests of your hotel’s offerings and promotions. You can retarget people who visited your website but have not completed a booking with an ad that highlights your hotel’s amenities, special deals, or packages. Such campaigns can help keep your hotel top-of-mind and encourage potential guests to book a stay.

During low season, when demand is lower, retargeting campaigns can be used to build brand awareness and stay top-of-mind with potential guests until they’re ready to book. Retargeting can be particularly effective if you offer exclusive deals or promotions for low-season bookings, as retargeting campaigns can ensure that your hotel is the first one that comes to mind when potential guests are ready to book.

To optimize your retargeting campaigns, it’s crucial to segment your audience based on their behavior and interests. For example, you could create separate campaigns for users who have abandoned their booking cart, users who have viewed specific room types or amenities, or users who have visited your website multiple times. By personalizing your retargeting campaigns to these specific groups, you can create more effective ads that are more likely to convert potential guests into paying customers.

Seasonal Content & Keywords

Hotels looking to engage with their target audience and capture their interest can do so by providing content that is relevant to the current season. Seasonal keywords are a great way to start. By incorporating seasonal keywords such as Ramadhan or Christmas into the content, hotels can increase their visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) when users search for those keywords.

An example of a seasonal keyword: New Years Eve Buffet

Local Events

However, using seasonal keywords alone is not enough. Hotels can create content that highlights local events and activities happening in their area during a particular season. For instance, hotels in Bali could craft blog posts or social media content that highlights the beautiful strarry night during Nyepi. Similarly, a hotel near a beach could develop content that showcases the local beach activities and attractions. By providing valuable and informative content that is relevant to the current season, hotels can attract potential guests to their website and encourage them to book a stay.

Social Media

Leveraging user-generated content is another great way to create seasonally-relevant content. Encouraging guests to share their experiences and photos on social media using a branded hashtag can allow hotels to curate and share the best user-generated content on their website and social media channels. This helps showcase the unique experiences and activities that guests can enjoy during a particular season, creating a sense of community and social proof. Ultimately, this can influence potential guests to book a stay at the hotel.

Email Marketing

A useful tactic for hotels is to create seasonal email campaigns that showcase special deals, packages, or events that are relevant to a particular season. For instance, during the rainy season, you could send an email campaign that highlights your hotel’s cozy accommodations. Similarly, during the summer season, you could focus on your hotel’s pool, beach access, and outdoor activities such as water sports.

Another effective strategy is to offer seasonal promotions that incentivize guests to book a stay during a particular season. For instance, you could offer a discount or a free night’s stay for bookings made during the low season. This not only encourages guests to book a stay but also helps hotels to boost occupancy during periods of lower demand.

In addition to seasonal promotions and messaging, hotels can use email marketing to keep past guests informed about local events and activities happening in their area during a particular season. This not only helps to create a sense of community but also provides guests with valuable information that can influence their decision to book another stay. By incorporating seasonality into your email marketing strategy, you can create a more engaging and effective way to connect with past guests and encourage them to book another stay at your hotel.

Digital Marketing Budget Adjustment

Making adjustments to your advertising budget is a crucial element of successful marketing for hotels. This involves carefully considering the appropriate allocation of resources across various advertising channels in response to seasonal fluctuations in demand.

In high season, when demand is at its peak, it may be necessary to augment your advertising budget to guarantee that your hotel is prominently displayed to prospective guests. For example, increasing your investment in search engine marketing (SEM) or pay-per-click (PPC) advertising can help ensure that your hotel features at the top of search results when potential guests search for accommodation options. Moreover, elevating spending on social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram can improve brand awareness and reach a broader audience during peak periods.

On the other hand, during low season, it may be more effective to reduce your advertising budget and concentrate on other marketing channels that offer a higher return on investment (ROI). Strategies such as email marketing, content marketing, or referral programs may prove more fruitful in generating bookings during periods of reduced demand. By carefully reallocating your advertising budget during low season, you can optimize your marketing expenditures and connect with potential guests in the most efficient manner possible.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the impact of seasonality on digital marketing for the hotel industry is really significant. To effectively reach potential guests and maximize ROI, it is essential to adapt marketing campaigns to align with changes in demand throughout the year. This involves creating seasonal messaging and offers that appeal to guests during specific periods, as well as adjusting advertising budgets to ensure that marketing efforts are focused on the most effective channels.

By incorporating these strategies, hotels can effectively target potential guests and generate more bookings, ultimately driving revenue growth and enhancing their reputation in the industry. However, it is important to remain agile and flexible in your approach, as consumer behavior and market trends can shift rapidly.

Let’s optimize the impact of seasonality on digital marketing for the hotel industry. Increase brand awareness and conversion for your hotel business with an accurate marketing strategy. SATUVISION has years of experience in the Hospitality industry and has succeeded in providing the best digital solutions for the hospitality business. From high-quality hotel video marketing, Social Media Marketing to Website Development, create your digital presence for your hotel brand now with us today!