Many ryokan and small accommodations face the challenge of receiving bookings through OTAs like Booking.com and Agoda, yet seeing little increase in traffic to their own websites.
While OTAs are often viewed as competitors to direct booking sites, they actually serve different purposes. OTAs are powerful gateways for discovery, while your own website is a place for understanding, trust, and booking. In this article, we will discuss how to leverage both to enhance overall customer acquisition without pitting them against each other.
Why Relying Solely on OTAs is Risky
Bookings through OTAs incur fees (typically around 15-20%). As bookings increase, profit margins can be squeezed, making reliance on OTAs for customer acquisition unsustainable in the long run. Additionally, guests are treated as "platform guests" on OTAs, limiting opportunities to build direct relationships with repeat customers.
However, completely ignoring OTAs is not realistic either. Many international travelers begin their search for accommodations on OTAs to compare options in unfamiliar locations. The key is to intentionally design a pathway where guests can discover you on OTAs and then choose to book through your own website.
Viewing OTAs as "Discovery" and Your Website as "Decision" Making
The typical behavior pattern of international travelers often follows these steps:
- Compare multiple accommodations on OTAs or Google Maps.
- Search for the names of accommodations that catch their interest and check the official websites.
- Review information on the official site (photos, pricing breakdown, reviews, FAQs) to make a final decision.
- Decide to book via OTA or directly.
This means that after being discovered on OTAs, whether your website appears prominently and attractively when searched by name can significantly influence direct bookings. If your website's international SEO is weak, even if you pique interest on OTAs, guests may end up booking through OTAs, incurring fees.
Specific Strategies to Strengthen Both
1. Maintain Consistency in Presentation, Photos, and Descriptions Across Platforms
Inconsistencies in how your accommodation's name, room types, and photo quality are presented on OTAs versus your own site can create distrust among potential guests. Ensure that the same information is reflected with the same quality on both platforms.
2. Offer Unique Information and Benefits on Your Website
By providing exclusive information such as "direct booking only perks," detailed facility guides, and messages from staff, you can make your website more appealing and encourage guests who search for your name to book directly.
3. Prioritize Your Website's Visibility in Name Searches
It is crucial to ensure that when guests search for terms like "accommodation name + booking" or "accommodation name + review," your website appears at the top with an attractive title and description. This is a fundamental strategy to prevent losing potential direct bookings to OTA pages.
4. Utilize OTA Reviews as Content on Your Website
By quoting impressive comments from English reviews collected on OTAs (with permission), you can build trust on your website. Be sure to check the poster's permission and OTA guidelines before quoting.
5. Introduce Your Website to Guests Booking Through OTAs
During check-in or their stay, guide guests to your official website or social media, creating touchpoints for future direct bookings. Simple tactics, such as placing cards with QR codes in guest rooms, can be effective.
Consequences of Weak SEO on Your Website
If your website's international SEO is not well-optimized, even with high ratings on OTAs, you may face the following missed opportunities:
- OTA pages may appear before your website in name searches.
- Even if your site appears in search results, outdated information may lead to guest drop-off.
- You will continue to pay fees for every booking that could have been direct.
Conclusion: Use OTAs as an Entry Point and Your Website as the Deciding Factor
OTAs and your own website are not mutually exclusive. Cultivating the ability to be discovered on OTAs and the trust to be chosen on your own site is essential for sustainable customer acquisition that doesn't overly rely on fees.
Studio HAKO's HAKO Scan offers a free assessment to see how well your website is prepared for international and name searches. If you're looking to step away from dependence on OTAs for bookings, start by evaluating your website's current status.