Website Design For Hotels

Website Design For HotelsCompare Quotes On Web Design For UK Hotels

Website design for hotels is something that needs to be approached with care when considering your a new one (or a re-design).  

The reason is because you only have a few seconds to grab the visitors attention and get them engaging, before they leave for one of your competitors.

Web design for hotels really does need to be handled by an experienced designer; someone that has done hotel website design in the past.  As a hospitality company, whether you are the Ritz, Hilton Hotels or a small beachfront hotel in Blackpool.

Just fill in the form to talk with local experts that are local to you and have done web design for hotels in the past.

Do You Have A Website Brief?

Do you have a website brief to send to a few local web designers for your hotel?

A website brief is not telling agencies what you want, but it is an outline of what you are looking for.

If anything it saves you having to repeat yourself 5 times when talking to 5 agencies.

Here are a few things to include in your website brief:

  • Which web platform is best for hotels
  • How many pages do you need
  • Do you need guest to be able to make payments
  • Do you have a photographer to supply images of the rooms and outside
  • Where will the website be hosted

Depending on what kind of hotel you are will affect the style of the website you need, in order to attract the kind of guests you want to attract.  Are you a budget hotel, or a high end hotel?

The Importance Of  Websites

Of course in today’s culture, it is essential for you to have one in place.  Not just a website, but a great looking and functional one. There are a number of reasons why you should take care considering who produces it:

  • Marketing – It should attract new customers appearing high on search engines
  • Booking – Customers can book rooms and upgrades.
  • Showcasing – people can see what your rooms are like before the visit by having pictures or MMI (multimedia imaging)
  • Information – it will provide details about the USP’s of the hotel and local area

Most these days do have one set up, certainly this is the case for the larger ones; some are good, some not so good.  

What the site portrays will play a major role in whether potential guests will decide to contact you to make a reservation, or go to another of your competitors.

Hotel booking sites like booking.com have taken over the industry; something that is a double edged sword.

Key Features Of Your Website

They do serve a practical purpose other than just giving information and some nice pictures. They need to have a number of specific features that allow them to be useful:

  • Showing room availability
  • Showing catering facilities and dining room
  • Have multi media showing public and guest rooms
  • Simple enough for guests of all backgrounds to navigate
  • Lots of pictures
  • Booking service/contact details

Many people will visit your site, yet may be put off by the most trivial things, such as the colour, music, lack of information or pictures; therefore it is essential that you do consider all these points.  You have to get it right, otherwise people will just leave and go somewhere else.

Websites for hotels have changed a lot over the last decade.  Now people are using the internet, they are essential.

Choosing A Web Design Agency

From the many thousands of designers that there are around the country, it is good to work with one who already has experience of working in the sector.  

Have they done any marketing for hotels before, or in the hospitality sector?    Your website is your shop window for bookings, it has to look right in order for it to be effective.

They will have a better understanding of your needs and requirements, but also of what will work.

Website design for hotels is unique, as you are competing with price comparison websites (such as Booking.com) and also larger hotel groups such as Hilton or Holiday Inn.

One helpful idea is to get some MMI (multi media images) made of the key rooms in your hotel, such as the dining room, drawing room, morning room, reception, gardens and master suite, in order to show visitors the best parts.

Once The Website Is Live

Another thing to consider once the site is up and running, is encouraging visitors to come to the site. 

They can look great and can have a lot of money spent on it; but if no-one sees it, then it is useless. Getting visitors to your site can be tricky, but there are a few routes that can be taken.

  • PPC Advertising – paid advertising on page 1 of search engines
  • SEO – getting a website onto the main pages of search engines
  • Networking – linking with other hotels
  • Social Media Marketing – On platforms like Facebook and Linkedin
  • Inclusion on price comparison sites

There are many internet marketing techniques that can be used in order to direct more traffic to a hotel website; some are quick but costly, some are cheap but take time.

Have you considered using a social media influencer, to get you known to their thousands of followers?  Many people now have a full time career as a social media influencer.

Price comparison websites like booking.com, lastminute.com, and travelsupermarket.com are comparison sites that can list you, and forward visitors to see you to hopefully make a booking.

Get Multiple Quotes

Web design prices vary significantly, so we advise shopping around and getting quotes to compare.

The cheapest prices is not necessarly the best, however the most expensive does not mean the best website with the best results.

It is wise to compare different design agencies, to receive a few different proposals from them and to compare prices.  Website design for hotels does not need to be expensive, just fill in the form to see.

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