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If you’ve been running a small accommodation site or a bed and breakfast for a while now, then chances are you already know that the international tourism industry is at an all-time high— all because of the internet and social media.
At one point or another, the advent of social media and its impact on the way people travel today has probably led you to capitalize on the opportunity by rolling out a few social media posts, getting in touch with influencers, and the like. Out of all the different parts of your digital strategy that can help you get more guests and scale much more effectively, however, there’s one aspect you should definitely prioritize: your website.
The importance of having a website for smaller accommodations
One of the biggest misconceptions that most small accommodation owners hold near and dear is that they don’t need a website for their property simply because they don’t have the resources or time to create one of their own. Well, not quite.
Regardless of whether you’re a small-time establishment in the heart of the city or a family-owned cottage by the beach, having a website is essential if you’re keen on growing your business in the long run. The main reason why you should have a website for your smaller accommodation establishment is that travelers are more likely to book accomodations with an online presence.
Fortunately, having an effective website for a small establishment nowadays doesn’t entail spending a fortune on an expert’s service or waiting on pure luck. In fact, taking the right steps towards building your website’s design can suffice for success.
Three features for a properly-designed small accommodation website
Now that we’ve gotten all the excuses out of the way and established that a website is a key to success, let’s go over every design feature you’ll need to attract customers and increase direct online bookings:
Responsive web design
Commonly known as mobile-friendly web design, responsive web design has been recognized as essential for every accommodation’s website because more and more consumers are turning to their phones for making bookings.
Responsive web design, to put it simply, is a tool that allows your website to look great and function as it should across all platforms— making it especially apt for today’s aesthetic-conscious consumer landscape.
Although it may not seem like much at first, responsive web design is essential for success simply because a poorly-displayed website can be quite off-putting, robbing your establishment of potential sales records. With more and more bookings and searches for prime stays done on mobile phones, taking the initiative to outfit your website with responsive web design can easily make your website more suitable for conducting more sales.
Integrated booking system
Most business owners overlook the fact that potential guests don’t just need information about the accomodation, they also need a convenient way to book a room should they find the information satisfactory. What better way to capitalize on this opportunity than with an integrated booking system?
With the use of an integrated booking system, you’re making it much easier for your potential customers to check for the availability of their chosen dates and pay upfront for a few nights. Instead of having to force visitors to go out of their way to find third-party booking sites, using an integrated booking system can shorten the customer journey by bringing all the pertinent information to them instead!
High-quality images, videos, and content
Last, but definitely not the least: the images and the written content that you use for your website’s design can make a significant impact on its overall performance and ability to attract profit.
If you’re looking to improve the performance of your website’s design and make it more suitable for the scaling and growth of your business, then it’s safe to say that the images, videos, and content you use can make a difference. By using professionally-made photos and videos, informative articles, and engaging content, you can easily convert lurkers and lookers into immediate customers— even more so if you refine your content with every release!
Final Words
Taking the initiative to improve your accommodation’s website design is a project that can pay off handsomely in the long run. With a better website, you’ll have more opportunities for success and greater sales rates. If you’re looking to improve your website’s design with relative ease for more bookings and profit, incorporate the aforementioned features right away!
