5 Steps to Improve Hotels’ Reviews

5 Steps I Use to Improve Small Hotels’ Reviews on Google & TripAdvisor

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟭: 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺 𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴

My first step was claiming the right to manage the hotel on the platform. If the hotels haven’t claimed their listing on Google and TripAdvisor yet, I’ll help them claim it.

If it’s a new hotel, create it in Google Maps & TripAdvisor by filling in all the required information. The verification process will take around 1 week.

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟮: 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴

Fill in all missing information and make sure existing data is updated.

Try check:

• Hotel phone number
• Location on the map
• URL link to the hotel’s website

Most importantly, upload high-quality and updated photos for the hotels.

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟯: 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗚𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴

I will need to encourage travelers to leave good reviews so that the listing will be improved.

There are several things I did to help increase the chance of more positive reviews:

• Print Google & TripAdvisor QR codes and set them in guest rooms
• Remind and offer incentives during the check-out process
• Setup email sequence 2-3 days after check-out to ask for review (automated with PMS)
• Send emails to guests who had previously stayed at the hotel before

The more approach I adopted, the more surface area of luck for more reviews.

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟰: 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀

Responding to reviews quickly helps guests feel their feedback is important.

I turn on email notifications for every new review and this is my process for responding to reviews:

1. Address guests name

2. Thank them for leaving a review

3. Mention the positive and negative points mentioned in the review (this can be location, service, cleanliness, etc.)

4. Appreciate the positives and apologize for the negatives

5. Invite them to stay with us next time (positive reviews) or promise to improve next time (negative reviews)

6. Sign off with my name or the hotel’s name

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟱: 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁 & 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘇𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀

I made sure to collect guests' feedback in Google Sheets after they left a review.

I use the Sheets to find patterns for good and bad reviews.

We can learn from feedback and find our strengths and weaknesses.

Inform the good feedback to the team to help encourage them to stay consistent.

Inform the bad feedback to the team to help them recognize their area of improvement.

𝗕𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘀: 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗴𝗹𝗲 & 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗽𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗿

Some PMS and booking engine providers allow hotels to integrate their prices and availability onto Google & TripAdvisor easily.

This increases the opportunity for guests to book directly with small hotels.

P.S. Make sure that the direct booking offers are more competitive than OTAs (cheaper or with free add-ons).

When I follow all 5 steps, I help small hotels create trust, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and improve their online reviews.