1、The 2019 Report on Travel Advertising for Hotel MarketersPerspectives from 300+Hotel Marketers Around the WorldIf theres one trend uniting the hotel marketing industry today from small boutique hotels to large multinational brands,its that travelers are researching,planning,and choosing their travel
2、 experiences more actively than ever before.With what feels like an unlimited amount of information at their fingertips,todays travelers are savvy,well-informed,and comfortable with searching out the information they need before making purchasing decisions.As a result,hotel marketers are increasingl
3、y using digital advertising to communicate their value to potential guests.Sojern set out to understand how hotel marketers are using advertising their channels to reach this new type of travel consumer.This report summarizes the digital advertising experiences of more than 300 hotel marketers aroun
4、d the world in six major hotel segments:*International Luxury Hotel Chain International Mid-Tier Hotel Chain Hotel Groups(1-3 Properties)Franchise and Independent Property B&Bs,Inns,and Motels Homeshare and Housing RentalIn this report,youll learn:How todays travel trends are directly impacting the
5、use of digital marketing in the travel industry Which digital advertising channels and formats are being used,and which are most effective,to drive business,from brand-building and awareness to bookings and completed stays How hotel marketers are using data and technology to measure campaign success
6、and influence travelers along the path to purchaseThe digital advertising ecosystem grows increasingly complex for travel marketers.*For abbreviation in this report we refer to the segments as follows:International Luxury Chain,International Mid-Tier Chain,Hotel Group,Independent,Inn,and Homeshare.T
7、he 2019 Report on Travel Advertising for Hotel Marketers3The 2019 Report on Travel Advertising for Hotel Marketers The Complexity of Engaging Todays Guest 4The State of Hotel Advertising Spend 8Successful Digital Advertising Tactics and Channels 18Campaign Measurement Tactics 33Executive Summary 38A
8、bout Sojern 40Methodology 41The 2019 Report on Travel Advertising for Hotel Marketers4The Complexity of Engaging Todays GuestChapter 1The 2019 Report on Travel Advertising for Hotel Marketers5Almost half(48%)of hotel marketers indicated their top challenge in 2018 was keeping up with the fast-paced
9、advertising and technology landscape.This challenge encompasses everything from knowing where your most desired audience is spending time online to mastering the algorithms channels utilized to serve digital ads to prospective travelers.With these algorithms constantly changing and consumer habits s
10、hifting from platform to platform,it can feel like a moving target.Indeed,delivering personalized ads and offers in real time was identified by almost half of hotel marketers as another key challenge in the current marketing landscape.The Complexity of Engaging Todays GuestThe 2019 Report on Travel
11、Advertising for Hotel Marketers6The Complexity of Engaging Todays GuestThe top challenges of digital marketing in the hotel industry are varied and depend on many factors,including market timing,seasonality,travelers online habits,and the specific offerings of a particular hotel or hotel group.Achie
12、ving ROI and profitability targets for my advertising investments55%Delivering personalized ads and offers in real-time52%Driving direct bookings60%Delivering personalized ads and offers in real-time44%Managing integrated campaigns across Google,Facebook,and other media partners64%Targeting traveler
13、s during a specific point along their path to purchase and Managing pricing and profitability across my distribution and marketing partners45%International Luxury ChainIndependentHomeshareInnInternational Mid-Tier ChainHotel GroupThe 2019 Report on Travel Advertising for Hotel Marketers7Top Marketin
14、g ChallengesInternational Luxury ChainInternational Mid-Tier ChainHotel GroupIndependentInnHomeshareAchieving ROI and profitability targets for my advertising investments55%39%37%50%41%43%Proving incrementality53%36%38%36%35%57%Keeping up with the fast-paced advertising and technology landscape52%45
15、%38%52%41%43%Driving direct bookings51%43%34%60%28%43%Understanding how to use my customer data more effectively48%41%41%48%35%29%Managing pricing and profitability across my distribution and marketing partners47%46%30%43%45%36%Managing integrated campaigns across Google,Facebook,and other media par
16、tners46%43%37%38%28%64%Targeting travelers during a specific point along their path to purchase45%39%42%52%45%36%Reaching new travel audiences44%43%35%41%41%43%Ensuring brand safety42%34%32%26%28%50%Delivering personalized ads and offers in real-time38%52%44%45%38%36%How challenging would you descri
17、be each of these common travel marketing challenges?(Percentage of respondents who selected“very/extremely challenging”)Source:Sojern,2019The Complexity of Engaging Todays GuestThe 2019 Report on Travel Advertising for Hotel Marketers8The State of Hotel Advertising SpendChapter 2The 2019 Report on T
18、ravel Advertising for Hotel Marketers9Every marketer knows the key to successful advertising:reaching your consumers where they are,right at the moment when they are most likely to be looking for you.In response to the growing trend of researching travel experiences online,todays travel marketers ac
19、ross all verticals are increasingly moving their campaign budgets to digital channels.The investment in digital marketing also coincides with profound changes in consumer behavior.Travelers are researching options more often,starting far earlier,and piecing together research from a myriad of sources
20、 before booking their trips.Never has there been more information available to the prospective traveler,and it can feel like everyone is an expert.The result is a highly informed consumerone who wants to be reached with the right message,in the right place,at the right time.The downside?The advertis
21、ing landscape can seem like a very noisy and competitive space,requiring targeted strategies and harnessing the power of data,to reach prospective and even your most loyal travelers.Stephen Taylor Chief Revenue Officer“Were at the forefront of seeing users changing behaviors.Searching for and bookin
22、g travel is not linear and travelers are not loyal to specific brandseven if theyre a part of a loyalty program.We often see more than 500 touch points in a travelers path to purchase,across multiple channels and devices,and its only continuing to expand.So how can you scale your marketing campaigns
23、 with the same approach and marketing budget when you need to be everywhere?”The State of Hotel Advertising SpendThe 2019 Report on Travel Advertising for Hotel Marketers102018 Hotel Marketer Ad SpendApproximately what percentage of your digital or your travel clients digital advertising spend was s
24、pent across the following types of advertising in 2018?Source:Sojern,2019Successful marketers understand how to nurture each stage of the funnel,from brand awareness to final booking.Allocating spend across the many available advertising channels based on specific marketing objectives is a key compo
25、nent of a successful digital marketing plan.Sojern asked respondents how they allocated their advertising spend in 2018 across all major channels,in both digital and traditional media.Across all verticals,digital marketing took up nearly half of all travel marketers ad spend(47%)in 2018,with print a
26、ds coming in a very distant second place(16%of budget was devoted to this traditional medium).Television and out of home made up 13%and 12%respectively,while radio commanded just 8%of marketing dollars.Among hotel marketers,digital advertising is even more pronounced,with a full 50%of ad spend devot
27、ed to digital channels in 2018.The State of Hotel Advertising SpendOtherRadioOut ofHomeTelevisionPrintDigital50%16%12%11%8%3%The 2019 Report on Travel Advertising for Hotel Marketers11The State of Hotel Advertising Spend2018 Hotel Marketer Ad Spend,By Digital Channel22%19%12%9%8%8%8%7%5%Paid SearchF
28、acebook andInstagramProgrammaticDisplayVideoPrivateMarketplaceOTAMobileMetasearchOther SocialApproximately what percentage of your digital/travel clients digital advertising spend was spent across the following media channels in 2018?Source:Sojern,2019Of the digital channels utilized by hotel market
29、ers in 2018,Facebook and Instagram received the most budget,with 22%allocated to these social media behemoths.Paid search came in second(19%),followed by private marketplace advertising(12%).Brent Bouldin Vice President of Marketing,Media and Customer Acquisition“Facebook is important because of the
30、 size and scaleyou just cant beat their audience.And because consumers are on the platform to think about and aspire to travel,you have to be there.Our team is testing every aspect of our Facebook campaigns,from photos to call to action,to see where our audiences are interacting with us.”The 2019 Re
31、port on Travel Advertising for Hotel Marketers12Ad Spend In 2018,By Hotel SegmentInternationalMid-Tier ChainInternationalLuxury ChainIndependentHotel GroupInnHomeshare0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%OtherRadioOut of HomeTelevisionPrintDigitalApproximately what percentage of your or your travel clients adv
32、ertising dollars was spent across the following types of advertising in 2018?Source:Sojern,2019Hotel Segment TrendsAcross all six major hotel segments,digital spend was far and away the most popular form of advertising as a percentage of total budget in 2018.The State of Hotel Advertising SpendThe 2
33、019 Report on Travel Advertising for Hotel Marketers13Digital Ad Spend In 2018,By Hotel SegmentInternationalMid-Tier ChainInternationalLuxury ChainIndependentHotel GroupInnHomeshare0%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%40%MetasearchOTAOtherSocialMobilePrivateMarketplaceVideoProgrammaticDisplayPaidSearchFacebookandI
34、nstagramLooking more deeply at digital ad spend by channel for each hotel segment,Facebook and Instagram were the clear winners in a crowded field of digital options.Inns and homeshares spent the largest proportion of their budget on Facebook and Instagram(31%and 37%,respectively).The other four hot
35、el segments devoted between 19%to 23%of their overall ad budget to that channel.Paid search was utilized almost equally across all six segments,attracting an average 19%of total spend.Private marketplace ads showed strength particularly with homeshare owners(22%of overall spend),while OTAs were util
36、ized slightly more often by independent hotels and inns than hotels of all sizes.Homeshares as a group did not utilize OTAs or metasearch in any significant way;metasearch,in fact,was among the least-utilized digital channel for all six major segments.The State of Hotel Advertising SpendAll six segm
37、ents devoted an almost equal percentage of budget(ranging from 18%to 22%)on paid search.Approximately what percentage of your or your travel clients advertising dollars was spent across the following media channels in 2018?Source:Sojern,2019The 2019 Report on Travel Advertising for Hotel Marketers14
38、2019 Percentage Who Plan on Increasing Digital Ad Spend,By Hotel SegmentInternationalMid-Tier ChainInternationalLuxury ChainIndependentHotel GroupInnHomeshare0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%OTAOtherSocialMetasearchMobilePrivateMarketplaceVideoProgrammaticDisplayFacebookandInstagramPaid SearchDigital Marke
39、ting Usage Continues to RiseHow do you anticipate your ad dollars will be allocated in 2019 across the following types of advertising?Source:Sojern,2019Across the board,hotel marketers plan to increase digital advertising budgets in 2019,with more than 6 out of 10(62%)planning to spend more in 2019.
40、The State of Hotel Advertising SpendThe 2019 Report on Travel Advertising for Hotel Marketers15Miguel Barcel General Manager“Digital advertising is not the future,its the present.I think that a hotelier that is not involved in this wave now is out of market.a hotelier now needs to be updated with al
41、l these changes and the new tools that the market has.”Digital is the most-desired advertising channel across all of the large hotel segments,with 72%of international luxury hotel chains expecting to invest in digital advertising this year,followed by international mid-tier chains(69%),hotel groups(
42、65%),and independent properties(53%).Over a third(37%)of inns and 36%of homeshares also expect to invest more in digital advertising this year.Notably,almost half of all respondents indicate they plan to increase their digital ad spend on Facebook and Instagram specifically(ranging from 62%of intern
43、ational mid-tier chains to 45%of inns).The State of Hotel Advertising SpendThe 2019 Report on Travel Advertising for Hotel Marketers162018 Digital Ad Spend,By RegionHotel Marketing:Regional TrendsApproximately what percentage of your digital/travel clients digital advertising spend was spent across
44、the following types of advertising in 2018?Source:Sojern,2019Paid search,Facebook,and Instagram attracted the largest percentage of hotel marketers budgets in 2018 across all global regions.Paid search was slightly less popular in Latin America than in the other major regions,while Latin America spe
45、nt significantly more on Facebook and Instagram(26%)than on other digital ad channels.Programmatic display attracted more budget in the Middle East(13%,versus 9 to 10%for other regions).Asia Pacific(14%)and the Middle East(13%)spent more on OTA ads than other regions.The State of Hotel Advertising S
46、pendLATAMUSAPACMEEU0%5%10%15%20%25%30%Other SocialVideoMetasearchMobileProgrammaticDisplayOTAPrivateMarketplaceFacebookandInstagramPaid SearchThe 2019 Report on Travel Advertising for Hotel Marketers17Hotel Marketing:Trends by Size of Advertising SpendApproximately what percentage of your digital/tr
47、avel clients digital advertising spend was spent across the following types of advertising in 2018?Source:Sojern,2019Its no surprise that advertisers with larger marketing budgets explore digital somewhat differently than advertisers with smaller marketing budgetsat least initially.For example,large
48、r hotel marketers often pave the way with innovation and testing on all channels because they have the budget to do so,while smaller advertisers gain traction through social platforms.However,with improved ad formats and better targeting capabilities,all hotel segments are now spending the biggest p
49、ortion of their budgets on social media.Facebook and Instagrams variety of products enable marketers of all sizes to use the platform to achieve multiple marketing objectives such as branding,direct bookings,and loyalty engagement.Small Advertisers-Annual advertising budget of less than$50,000 Mid-S
50、ize Advertisers-Annual advertising budget between$50,000 to$1 million Large Advertisers-Annual advertising budget of more than$1 millionThe State of Hotel Advertising Spend2018 Digital Ad Spend,By Size of Advertising BudgtetMid-Size AdvertisersSmall AdvertisersLarge Advertisers0%5%10%15%20%25%30%Vid
