6 hotels doing blogging right

Adding a blog to your hotel website can have a lot of benefits. For one thing, it gives your hotel a human voice, so your guests feel like they’re connecting with you before they even set foot in the door.

For another thing, you can show off your concierge skills by recommending events, festivals and restaurants in your area.

Google also prioritises new content. If you blog on a regular basis (even if it’s just once a week), your website will show up more frequently in search results.

Here are 6 hotels doing blogging right.

1. Loews Hotels

Loews uses its blog as an insider’s guide to the neighbourhood, highlighting particular local attractions and activities around town.

Why it works: The blog offers guests a readymade itinerary, so they know what they’re in for before they make a booking.

2. Kimpton Hotels

Kimpton is a prestige hotel chain in the US, and it’s obvious there’s a team of professional writers behind this blog. But the site is very neatly categorised. Posts cover DIY tips, recipes, behind the scenes gossip and travel tips, which all enrich the guest experience.

Why it works: The content is diverse, lighthearted and visually appealing. It also showcases different locations, which tempts tourists to visit more than one hotel in the franchise.

3. Castle in the Country

The owners of this Michigan Bed and Breakfast are pretty savvy. They post a combination of promotional blogs and local recommendations, so they seem both helpful and authoritative about the area.

Why it works: Castle in the Country zeroes in on its target audience by focusing on wedding topics, like perfect proposal spots and romantic on-site activities.

4. Jazz Hostels

This minimalist blog celebrates all things travel and New York. It styles itself like Buzzfeed by focusing on topics that young people share with their friends, like pop culture, funny photos and lists.

Why it works: Jazz Hostels tailors its posts around what young backpackers want – unique experiences on a budget.

5. Hartstone Inn and Hideaway

The Hartstone Inn blog offers guests practical resources, like schedules for the town’s upcoming winter festival, and the inn’s special Valentine’s Day menu.

Why it works: The constant updates distract visitors from the fact that the B&B is located in a very small village. Instead, it gives the impression that there’s always something going on.

6. Art Series Hotels

This Australian hotel group provides luxury accommodation in Melbourne, Bendigo and Adelaide. The blog reiterates the group’s main purpose – to highlight local artists and cultural events.

Why it works: Not only is it visually stunning (a must when your guests are art lovers), but it also focuses on topics perfectly suited to its audience, like wine, exhibitions and fashion.

Things to blog about

• Hotel news
• New packages or special room deals
• Changes and improvements you’re making
• Answers to frequently asked questions
• Recent hotel awards or nominations
• New dishes on your menu
• Local events/festivals/concerts/sports games
• The best restaurants in town
• The best pubs in town
• Where to go off the beaten track
• Activities to do around town with kids
• Odd local news stories (who knows, maybe your town just set the record for the largest game of leapfrog)
• Profiles of your staff
  
  

What you should do on your hotel blog

• Show off your personality.
• Write short, punchy posts (350-500 words is the average).
• Be patient. You won’t have a following right away, but if you post consistently, readers will come.
  
  

What you shouldn’t do on your hotel blog

• Promote your hotel in every post. Mix it up with some helpful travel tips or recommendations about your local area.
• Criticise other businesses – especially your competition. The worst thing you can do is set off an internet war.
• Post multiple articles in your first week. Most bloggers burn out after their first 3 months. It’s better to measure your posts out evenly (once a week or once a fortnight), instead of tiring yourself out too quickly.