There is a lot to think about when it comes to planning your hotel website and especially so with a boutique hotel. The website needs to be visually appealing and tell a story. At the same time, functionality is key when it comes to driving direct bookings. A pretty shopfront is not enough.
There are a lot of elements that need to be considered. However, if the hotel’s Unique Selling Proposition (USP) has been clearly defined and its positioning and brand identity defined, then this will set the right tone as one goes through the planning process.
Start with the content goal matrix to help you define the goal and target groups of your website.
The content goal matrix is made up of three columns:
- The target groups you wish your website to reach
- The actions you want these target groups to undertake on the website
- The information your website must provide to ensure that the expected actions are performed by the visitor
An example of a simple content goal matrix is below. The more complex your hotel product is the more detail that will be required to be identified and planned for in the content goal matrix.
| CONTENT GOAL | ||
| Key target segment/profile of key customers | What actions do you want visitors to take when on your hotel website? | What information should be presented to this group of potential bookers? |
| Travellers from UK | Book online Join loyalty programme Subscribe to blog | Testimonials of British travellers Information on bird watching |
| Travellers from Germany | Book Online Subscribe to blog Use chat | Testimonials of German travellers Wine tasting opportunities |
| Travellers from China | Book Online | Chinese content Ability to pay with Alipay |