Jun 30 2012

Why Hotels Need User-Centric Search Engine Optimized Sites

Only last week HKHotels announced a total overhaul of their brand, becoming Library Hotel Collection. In the process, they redesigned all their online properties, to be consistent with their real-life core value: always putting the customer first.

A first look at these new websites triggers a wealth of emotions. They were built on a simple formula, that worked for decades: visually striking elements, large high definition images that show all the high-caliber elements that placed the Library Hotel Collection properties among the best examples of eclectic New York City hospitality. The first impression – the one that matters the most – is of utter luxury. This is what the Library Hotel Collection wanted to convey, to position its new brand up there at the top, with New York City’s most luxurious and exclusive boutique hotels.

Each Library Hotel Collection website is now a virtual tour, showcasing everything there is to see for guests to make an educated decision. Room details are in plain view, inviting and elegant, radiating sheer beauty, also addressing the customer’s main concern: to see clearly what is offered before booking a room. This approach to hotel website design is the most effective in creating the emotional impact that drives to the buying decision.

But with full-screen HD imagery, is there room for search engine optimization? Aren’t large images among the enemies of SEO, slowing down website load speed? Not with WIHP’s Convert hotel site builder, the ITB Berlin sensation, and already media acclaimed CMS-booking engine. Convert websites are hosted on multiple servers around the world, and to ensure that they load at record speeds, the sites are served by multiple levels of image distribution.

Even the text content is optimized: unnecessary text, that no one reads, is eliminated. The information is offered in clear terms, straight to the point, saving time for visitors, who find their way around the site fast due to the user-centric streamlined navigation. With SEO-ready HTML structure, manually optimized page titles and meta tags, good internal linking architecture, and UI-integrated analytics, Convert enables hotels to create and manage user-centric websites that… covert visitors into customers.

On most hotel sites, guests sped an average of 25 minutes to book, with 11 wasted by a booking engine. Convert eliminates the wasted time, as the first hotel website building platform in the industry that integrates the SynXis booking engine, which reduces booking time for consumers by over 40%. And what matters most, Convert sites are optimized for all supported media, including desktops and all portable devices (iPhone, iPad, smartphones).

The mere features of Convert answer the title question: guests need to see what the hotel really has to offer before buying; they need quick access to information; and they want a fast, uncomplicated and reliable way to book. On the other hand, search engines like websites built for people, that deliver a great user experience, loading fast and retaining visitors through usability.

One Response to “Why Hotels Need User-Centric Search Engine Optimized Sites”

  1. Marty Russell says:
    July 3, 2012 at 7:27 pm

    Good points, I didn’t realize it then I went back and checked some hotel sites and your right. They definitely need an SEO overhaul. Thanks for the read.