Cash in on mobile users
A very significant percentage of guests use mostly their mobile devices to find a hotel. Even if you have a professional, well put together website for your hotel, it won’t amount to much with mobile users if it isn’t properly designed.
When creating your hotel’s website, or perhaps working with an outsourcing agency to build one, always remember to have it optimized for smartphones, as this is where a large portion of your direct bookings will come from.
Hold promotions for guests who book directly
One of the best ways to encourage your guests to make reservations using your own website and not through an online travel agency is to offer them a better deal for doing that. Even though special offers might reduce your revenue, you will still earn more this way than you would after paying commission to the OTAs.
Better rates are not the only thing you can do in this regard. You can offer additional free amenities for guests who book directly or vouchers for free use of various facilities like the spa or room service. By doing that, you will definitely get more direct bookings.
Integrate booking into your social media outlets
If your hotel has a brand Facebook page, you can easily use the available tools to implement booking straight from the page. As your guests share their thoughts about their stay, other people will find their way onto your page. Allowing these guests to create a booking without leaving the page is a great way to optimize your conversion rate.