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The founder of TripAdvisor, Ben Walsh, has a background in marketing, technology, and strategy. Previously, he led business development for vacation rentals at Expedia, where he was responsible for inventory growth and brand acquisitions. Before that, he worked as a strategy consultant for Deloitte.
While TripAdvisor’s reputation relies on genuine consumer reviews, it’s also vulnerable to fake reviews. Some businesses have gotten very clever in how they sabotage legitimate reviews. In 2016, one of Australia’s largest property developers was fined $3 million for suppressing negative reviews. As such, it’s important for hoteliers to protect themselves by posting reviews that are real and authentic.
For hotels, one of the best ways to increase exposure is to advertise on TripAdvisor. By listing on TripAdvisor, potential customers can see live rates and availability. But for these listings to be seen, a business must be listed on the site for a full 12-month period. And since a certificate is valid for one year, it’s important to ensure that your listing is relevant and up-to-date.
TripAdvisor has launched TripAdvisor Plus, a subscription-based service for travellers. Through this service, hotels can offer additional benefits and services to guests. This allows them to sell more rooms and attract new customers. However, a downside to this service is that it’s not yet ideal for booking hotels.
It’s crucial to make sure your hotel has a quality profile on TripAdvisor. This is because it can affect your hotel’s popularity rating. This means that hoteliers should respond to reviews in a genuine manner. The more responses a hotel receives, the more likely it will rise in the rankings.
While TripAdvisor’s reputation for accurate information is unquestionable, the company has struggled to reconcile its virtual and physical worlds. This is particularly true when it comes to travel. One of the most popular features of the site is the “Certificate of Excellence,” which is awarded to businesses with consistently excellent service. However, only 10% of businesses receive this award. And it’s important to note that there’s no formal application process for this badge.
Having a good TripAdvisor presence is vital for the success of a hotel’s marketing. Using a free widget to display your TripAdvisor rating is a great way to increase conversions and get more reviews. It’s also a great way to show your business’s social proof.
Using TripAdvisor as a marketing tool is free, and it can have an enormous impact on your hotel’s reputation. A good hotel’s presence on the site can help customers find you when they are looking for a hotel. So, don’t ignore this powerful marketing tool and take the time to nurture a positive presence on the site.
In 2014, the website launched its Instant Booking feature, which allows users to book hotel stays directly on the website. In return for a commission on each booking, TripAdvisor signed up Expedia, Hilton, and IHG to use its inventory. However, this initiative wasn’t successful because it caused rate parity problems and didn’t attract many users. After a year, the platform reverted to a traditional meta-search model where users would be directed to a partner site to book a hotel.
