TravelCLICK Social Media Optimization Solution at ITB in Berlin.

TravelCLICK announce that they will launch Social Media Optimization Solution at ITB in Berlin. Good for them. I will be interested if they'll follow some great advice for review sites: By adding Rich Media this has a knock-on affect to conversion: Why is this?

* People want to see what the hotel is like, what they expect and value from their stay.
* Using SMO studies have stated that site visitors tend to go further on a site and stay on their longer offering videos
* A case study by Jetair.be conducted landing page A/B testing. There was a 200% increase in online conversion using video. Additionally site stickiness [people staying on-site] radically increased

So, where is the value in SMO and using Web 2.0? Well, using something like Google streetview to a hotel site adds something? Why is this then?

* Hotels can demonstrate it's closeness to shops or include user generated content of great views show a truthfulness to their claim. For example Marriot did actual views OUTSIDE the windows showing the Eiffel Tower. This adds a show me, don’t tell me and credibility to any website promise.

These easy to miss facits adds credibility and does not lessen the quality or brand value of a site Why addressing reviews on places like TripAdvisor is a good thing?

* In 2008, 75%+ of reviews were good on leading review sites. There's also very goodhotel managers and staff, like those at the Pulitzer in Barcelona Spain as seeen on TripAdvisor . This increases the increase conversion rate as satisfaction post-stay, even a loose to win situation is a good example of smart marketing.
* One can also learn from the comments what are the hotel’s USPs and fall-down points..
* Finally a hotelier can find out about their USPs and benchmark these to trained staff on the phone. Thing is, where TravelCLICK fall down with this, is that the competitive benchmarking vs competitors, I'd be very surprised if they offer a ABC toolkit saying you're better than X hotel coz of this or that! This waits to be seen.

What's going on at present:

* Many hoteliers are arguing with people who had a problem WRONG! Be honest and admit mistakes!
* Stay with core review sites, get your ratings up and then move on elsewhere!
* Larger hotel chains have been known to get lawyers to the publishers of UGC. Wrong, embrace it and move it to your USPS

What Web 2.) can do for you?

* Web 2.0 can add to site stickiness. How about integrating content rom new sources. If you're offering value, don't overstate your brand, compliment it with relative values to yours!

Web 2.0 and UGC adds credibility to a hotelier's website. Your visitors won’t click-away if they feel the site is unbalanced. If they feel the reviews, testimonials sum up the hotel, they tell it on trust if the reviews hit the mark

So what about... video? Man do I cringe at many hotel promo videos. It's like having ice-cream with 29 flakes in it and calling it a diet version... come on get over it already! What should I do?

* Offer a range of videos. Not all your punters are going to be rich or looking for the best rooms... but sell them in their league. As well, if the situation, location and communication is good... showing the options helps with UPSELLING!
* Do you hate it when you go to a myspace page and music you hate blares out. How do you think visitors to your hotel feel? Don’t automatically play videos. Let the user decide.
* Make sure ALL videos are concise and fulfil what they were designed for. Don't take a person on a long journey. They want to see the room godammit! They migh be looking at work and son't want 30 secs of montages. People get disinterested fast, aim at the lowest common demoninator and offer a 30 sec and a 2 minute one. Offer - OPTIONS!
* Ensure that the video clearly supports the conversion goal and is well located on the site. If I can see it and it's well labelled I'll click it....

Anyway.... let's hear from TravelCLICK on what they see as an optimisation strategy using Web 2.0 rich media integration and development of facebook and myspace pages to give a true encompassing taste of hotels, world wide! I for one am very interested!