Post #4

5 things that can affect direct bookings through your website

It can be difficult to figure out why your website isn’t generating enough direct bookings. When sales sites like Booking.com charge high sales commissions, getting direct bookings is crucial.

So we put together five things that can cause the website not to submit new bookings.

The website is out of date

It is important that the website is relevant and that it contains the correct information. Customers should not get the impression that the website was set up around the turn of the century and nothing is being updated about it and the information on it. Having an old and outdated website can cause customers to conclude that the same is true of the hotel or accommodation, ie. that it is outdated and in need of maintenance.

The website does not accept direct bookings

With direct bookings, commission fees can be bypassed. It is therefore important for all hotels and accommodations to offer direct bookings through their website. It is necessary to make sure that the booking process is easy and accessible so that customers do not cancel and go to booking sites such as, for example, booking.com. It is easy to insert a booking button through a booking system such as GoDo .

The website is not suitable for smart devices

Research results from 2016 show that half of those who booked a hotel room online used a smart device to do so, and it is estimated that this number will increase to 70% by the end of 2019. Therefore, the websites that are not scalable may be losing a lot of direct bookings.

Bad pictures

A website is the face of the business, especially for those located elsewhere in the world. When a potential customer is thinking about booking accommodation in Iceland, photographs are the main sales tool. It is therefore important to cover everything and make sure that the photos are taken well and in good quality, because otherwise it can have a repulsive effect.

No customer reviews

Customers want to know how others experienced the property and the service before they book. The fact is that the majority of travelers trust online and social media reviews as much as personal recommendations.

Most accommodations have already started collecting reviews through sites like TripAdvisor, so it’s easy to link it to the website.

At Ferðavefjum, we have been helping hotels and guesthouses to get their website up and running. Please book a free consultation with us and see if we can help your business.