Black Friday 2023: A game-changer for hotel marketing

In the highly competitive accommodation industry, where every opportunity to attract guests and increase revenue matters, there’s a pivotal moment that stands out: Black Friday.

The annual shopping extravaganza has become an integral part of the travel sector, reshaping booking patterns and influencing consumer behavior. Now that Black Friday 2023 is over, AccomNews dives into a study conducted by The Hotels Network (THN) that sheds light on its impact and unveils essential takeaways for hoteliers.

THN’s comprehensive analysis examined data from over 6500 hotels worldwide, all of whom are clients of THN. The study compared the performance of hotel websites during the peak of the Black Friday period (November 13th-27th, 2023) with a similar timeframe from the previous month (October 17th-31st, 2023). This comparison aimed to isolate the effect of seasonality and differentiate between hotels that ran dedicated Black Friday campaigns and those that did not.

1. Increased Engagement and Searches

One of the most striking findings was the surge in hotel website visitors during the Black Friday period. This uptick in traffic was more pronounced for hotels that actively implemented Black Friday campaigns. On average, these hotels experienced a 9 percent growth in the number of visitors compared to just over 5% for hotels without campaigns. Even more interestingly, hotels with dedicated Black Friday campaigns witnessed a substantial 22 percent increase in the number of visitors completing searches on their booking engines, while the control group only saw a 6 percent increase. This suggests that proactively promoting Black Friday deals on their websites effectively engaged more travelers in the booking process.

2. Impressive 43 percent Increase in Website Conversion Rates

THN’s study highlighted a significant contrast in website conversion rates. Hotels that actively promoted special Black Friday offers experienced an average surge of 43 percent in website conversion rates, whereas hotels in the control group saw only a marginal 2 percent increase during the same period. Additionally, hotels with Black Friday campaigns achieved a remarkable 28 percent increase in Booking Engine conversion rates, far surpassing properties without campaigns, which saw only a 0.8 percent increase.

These findings underscore the substantial impact of crafting an effective marketing strategy around Black Friday. Promoting enticing deals on the hotel’s homepage and within the booking engine can lead to a significant increase in direct bookings.

3. Maintaining Revenue and Increasing Booking Value

A common misconception among hoteliers is that offering Black Friday deals might lead to a decrease in average booking value. However, THN’s research contradicts this belief. Hotels that strategically promoted enticing Black Friday deals not only boosted their conversion rates but also increased their average booking value more than hotels that offered rooms at normal rates during the Black Friday period. Effective website messaging engaged visitors, encouraging them to spend more to access exclusive offers, resulting in an average revenue per booking increase of almost 18 percent, surpassing the 12 percent uplift observed in the control group.

4. Effective Marketing Strategies

The study also unveiled some effective marketing strategies for Black Friday campaigns:

• Launch a Pre-Sale: Start your campaign early to capture the attention of potential guests ahead of the Black Friday rush. A countdown clock can create a sense of urgency, tapping into the fear of missing out.

• Collect User Emails: Collecting user emails ahead of your campaign can be a smart tactic. Offer exclusive discounts to newsletter subscribers to expand your marketing database and increase future bookings.

• Optimise Discounts: Offer extended stays, unique perks, or upsell higher room categories as part of your Black Friday deals. Implement a minimum Length of Stay (LOS) as a condition to access the discount to maintain revenue.

In conclusion

THN’s study reveals a significant opportunity for hoteliers to enhance their direct channel performance through Black Friday initiatives. From increasing overall web traffic to improving conversion rates and revenue, Black Friday is a sales event that hotel marketers should not underestimate. With pre-sale campaigns, email collection, and strategic deal optimization, hoteliers can capitalize on rising demand during the busiest time of the holiday season.