TripAdvisor claims it has found a link between how engaged hoteliers are with travellers and the "performance" of a property on the website.
Atmosphere Research Group was brought in by TripAdvisor to examine the relationship between hotelier engagement and if it then had any impact on the success of a property's presence.
Inevitably the answer was yes, drawing on data from 12,000 hotel properties in the top 25 markets on TripAdvisor and interviews with executives from four global hotel chains.
Here are some of the findings...
1. Highly engaged hotels perform better on TripAdvisor
The research found that hotels receive nearly four times more page views, with the average popularity ranking 63% higher than non-engaged properties.
In other words, highly engaged hotels are seen by two out of every three travellers searching a particular market.
So how does TripAdvisor define "high-engaged"?
It advises hoteliers to publish at least ten management photos of a property, as well as respond to at least 25% of user reviews.
2. Behold the "virtuous circle" of guest engagement
This element takes a little more work, but TripAdvisor claims it pays off eventually.
For example, hotels should commit to always encouraging guests to leave TripAdvisor reviews after they have completed a stay at a property.
Properties should then monitor, analyse and then ensure they make improvements based on suggestions from guests.
Improvements obviously then lead to generally better reviews and higher visibility on TripAdvisor, in terms of overall ratings.
3. Review collection services boost overall results
Actively encouraging guests to leave a review via an automatic, post-stay system has a significant effect, the research suggests.
Those using a collection system saw an increase in average numbers of reviews to 80% of guests.
This in turn leads to 40% more page views on TripAdvisor than those not using such a service.
Similarly, hotels then also saw a 25% increase in activity to a hotel's extended services through their Business Listings and a 32% increase in CPC activity, when compared to non-users of a system.
Other stuff
TripAdvisor claims the hotel execs questioned in the study are firmly advocating the use of third party reviews within the booking path on a hotel's website, primarily to illustrate "transparency and credibility".
Some execs also gave examples of where reviews have triggered a reasonably substantial change in strategy, including ones which have an associated cost.
For example, NH Hotel Group SVP for operations and quality, Javier Carazo, claims the group decided to alter its policy of charging for wifi in its properties as a direct result of public reviews on TripAdvisor that such as service should be a "basic demand" from guests.
NB:Hotel image via Shutterstock.