How To Start Writing Your Own Hotel Website Content
Lately, we’ve been talking about hotel website content. We covered how to get more traffic and how to improve your conversion rate, but there’s one piece still missing here — how to actually write the damn thing.
Since hotel copywriting is my bread and butter, I’ve got plenty to say on the subject, don’t you worry. 😅
I’ve also got a brand spanking new resource to share with you to make writing your own hotel website way easier — and, dare I say, downright fun.
So pull out that pen and notebook, settle in with a cuppa, and let’s dive into exactly how to start writing your own hotel website content.
How do you write content for a hotel website?
Before you go anywhere near your CMS of choice, you need a plan.
There’s a little bit of homework that needs to happen before you write a single word on your hotel website.
To write content for your hotel website, start here:
Get clear on your brand — know your voice and your audience.
Understand your business priorities — what are your main revenue streams and what does the customer journey look like for each?
Brush up on a few hotel copywriting basics — I’m talking about structure, grammar, and my fave, SEO.
Let’s dig a little deeper into all three.
1. Get clear on your brand
You don’t talk to your mom the same way you talk to your best friend, right? Or the hiring manager at your dream job? Or a cute stranger you’ve just met in line for coffee at Starbucks?
Most of us adopt a different speaking style depending on who we’re talking to.
Why?
It’s because we know (or think we know) what will resonate most with that person. We want to connect with them, in that moment.
When you’re DIYing your own hotel website content, though, you might be tempted to go as generic as possible, trying to please anyone and everyone.
Unfortunately, this is the quickest way to appeal to no one, my friend.
Choose ONE tone of voice you want to speak in — and stick with it.
Your hotel’s “voice” should consistently speak to the ideal guest profile you’re trying to attract.
Are you a cool boutique hotel in the center of the city, catering to creatives and young professionals? Or are you a laidback country lodge with an emphasis on wellness and nature experiences?
Hotels with a personality stand out from the pack.
One of the best places to start is with a one-page brand voice guide for your property.
Many hotel brands do this — they spend hours and hours of corporate manpower researching their market, developing personas, and crafting a unique voice to create consistency across the brand’s multiple properties.
If you don’t have access to something like this, consider creating your own.
Start by coming up with the following:
What attributes describe you? (Examples: Fun, Connected, Creative, Authentic)
How do you bring each attribute to life at your property? (Examples: What makes you so much fun? How are you more connected than the competition? Go deeper. What are you connected TO and what makes that special?)
How do you want the guest to feel? (Examples: Delighted, Welcomed, Inspired)
You can (and should) build on this even further, of course.
When I wrote about my own process as a hotel copywriter, I mentioned that I like to do a “brain dump” to collect lots of ideas, both good and bad.
(Doesn’t sound elegant, I know, but hey — it’s effective!)
Practice writing a few words, phrases, or short taglines that evoke those brand attributes.
Then, read them out loud. Ask yourself whether what you wrote really aligns with those attributes. Read them to another person and ask them the same question.
You may also want to think about words or phrases you DON’T want to use! 🙅♀️🙅♂️
Pull out any words or phrases that you see and immediately think, “Yikes, that ain’t it.” At the same time, you may notice a few that jump out and make you think, “Yesss! That’s so us.”
When you’re creating a unique brand voice, there’s value in understanding both what you DO want to sound like — and what you don’t.
Read Next: Hotel Branding: How To Craft A Memorable Hotel Brand Identity
2. Understand your business priorities
What’s the objective of your hotel website?
For most properties, the goal is to drive direct bookings. I know, I’m a broken record on this… and I also know that some of you reading this blog have a different setup and different goals. That’s OK!
There’s a reason I suggest doing this before you start writing.
Like I mentioned in last week’s article on improving your hotel website conversion rate, your pages need to have purpose.
Writing a Dining page is not the same as your Weddings page, for example. The customer is looking for something different on each page — you need to keep that in mind as you write content for your hotel website.
So… What should a hotel website include?
First, ask yourself: What pages do YOU actually NEED?
At an absolute, bare-bones minimum, most hotels will have at least a:
Home page
Rooms page
…
Wait, that’s all?
Usually, no. But it’s hard to generalize, given that every hotel has a different mix of offerings!
Maybe you have an About Us page, maybe you have a standalone Offers & Packages page, maybe you even have a full Destination Guide… There’s no one right answer.
There’s no one “right” way to set up your hotel website. It will always depend on your unique business priorities.
3. Brush up on a few hotel copywriting basics
If you’ve read this blog before, you might already know some of my best writing tips. 😉
Either way, a few reminders:
Always write for people first, search engines second. (Thankfully, that’s what Google wants anyway!)
Be mindful of spelling and grammar. (My favorite spell-checker is Grammarly)
Vary your sentence length; use white space and bulleted lists to let copy “breathe.”
Use active voice instead of passive voice.
Avoid using overly-complex words. Often, a simpler alternative will do just fine! (Hemingway helps you with these last three points.)
Show, don’t tell. Show the reader the value behind what you have to offer instead of telling them basic details. How will you make their life easier? How will someone experience your property? Paint a picture!
OK, some of that ☝️ might sound easier said than done, I get it.
(No, really… I get it. Hotel copywriting is kinda my main thing.)
Not every marketer or hotelier likes to write — or feels confident in their copywriting skills. That’s why I created a brand-new hotel copywriting resource…
Introducing the Hotel Website Workbook
Soooo… I made a thing! 😍
If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you might remember me mentioning back in January that I wanted to create more hotel marketing templates and resources this year.
Welp, I’ve been a busy bee. This was my most-requested resource and now it’s here!
If you’ve ever caught yourself wondering…
How do I create a unique hotel brand voice?
What goes on a hotel website homepage?
How do I attract local diners to my Dining outlet pages?
What content do I need to appeal to Event Planners in the new normal?
The Hotel Website Workbook was created with you in mind.
It’s a 60+ page fillable (or printable!) workbook that helps you write your own hotel website with fun and ease. There’s step-by-step instructions, plus sample content for hotel website pages you’re most likely to need.
If you’re DIY-ing your hotel website content, this is for you.
Click the banner below or get more details right this way!