SMS Marketing for Hotels

Offers and promotions remain some of the most reliable methods for hotels to increase bookings, but the effectiveness of the marketing channels for relaying promotional messaging and converting into actual paying guests continues to change. While social media app usage ebbs and flows and the traditional advertising market proves competitive, one way to stand out from your competition is to develop and manage direct channels to reach prospective guests. Email is one example, but the increase in marketing emails over the last decade has lowered engagement on the emails to below 20%. Since 85% of international tourists have a mobile device with them while travelling, SMS marketing for hotels is raising the standard for both promotional communications and streamlined booking processes.

The global prevalence of smartphone ownership, plus the entrenched usage of native text messaging apps, means that travelers all over the world are not just glued to their mobile phones but to their SMS messages. In fact, as contactless check-in and digital self-service processes gain momentum in the hospitality industry, we’re also seeing the effect of COVID on screen time: Over 60% of consumers say that the time they spend texting each day has increased, or significantly increased, in 2021. All of this indicates that the best way to communicate with hotel guests is via text messaging — but remember, guests must first agree to receive hotel text messaging, an option which you can build into your booking flow.

Whether a travel or hospitality business is looking to promote a new hotel or rebound from a tough year, there isn’t one right or wrong way to promote a hotel. In fact, most businesses find success using a mix of marketing channels with strong, consistent messaging along with enticing limited-time discounts and booking incentives. For instance, a new hotel can launch a vacation giveaway via social and display ads, but use SMS software so people can register by texting a Keyword like VACATION. An autoreply text and automated Drip Campaign can then introduce them to further details about the hotel and promotional discounts. Consider the types of travelers that would be the most likely guests at your hotel — holidaymakers or businesspeople for instance — and ensure that your marketing lands where that audience is looking. Then pick a few channels that you know have a strong ROI, like text message marketing and hotel booking site promotions, and develop a promotional campaign that you can track and measure based on channel performance and cost per acquisition.

Since research shows that people respond to SMS within 90 seconds compared with the 90 minutes for emails, the best way to communicate with hotel employees is through text message. In fact, a hotel can use SMS software not just for text message marketing and hotel booking confirmations but also to manage hotel staff, streamline internal communications, and recruit and onboard new employees.