Get Ready for the 2024-25 Ski Season: Digital Marketing Tips for Resorts and Hotels Near the Slopes

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November 5, 2024 by

As the 2024-25 ski season approaches, the weather has been unpredictable. However, there's no need to worry; whether it's powder or sunny days, we have ski hotel digital marketing strategies to keep your property top of mind.

If you're a ski resort or a hotel close to the slopes, here’s how to keep your hotel’s digital marketing fresh and effective all ski season long.

1. Make your ski hotel’s content weather-ready

The weather is always changing. One day, it’s snowing, and the next day, it’s sunny. Make sure your hotel’s content is as flexible as the weather. Use videos, social posts, and landing pages highlighting different activities based on conditions: snow days on the slopes, cozy fireside vibes, or winter hikes.

Actionable item: Develop hotel content that showcases your property no matter the weather. Whether it’s powder days at the resort or a warm, sunny afternoon near your hotel, you want to stay relevant.

2. Focus on local and niche search keywords 

Forget the broad search terms like “best ski resorts” or “ski vacations”—they’re highly competitive. Instead, focus on local, long-tail keywords to attract guests searching for nearby experiences.

Actionable item: Use phrases like “ski resorts near Steamboat Springs” or “hotels close to Jackson Hole ski area” to get in front of travelers looking for specific ski destination lodging.

3. Leverage user-generated content and social ads

User-generated content (UGC) is gold. People trust reviews from real guests. Whether you’re a resort or a hotel, showcase testimonials through social ads that highlight real guest experiences.

Actionable item: Run social ads with hotel guest testimonials or reviews. Feature experiences like après-ski fun or cozy lodge stays to build trust and encourage bookings.

4. Optimize for last-minute skiers

Skiers are spontaneous, so your hotel’s mobile-friendly site should be ready to capture those last-minute bookings. Ensure your hotel’s website is fast, easy to navigate, and optimized for mobile visitors planning a trip on a whim.

Actionable item: Offer last-minute hotel deals or special packages for travelers looking for spontaneous ski getaways. Push real-time notifications about snow conditions or exclusive offers to keep them engaged.

5. Personalize your hotel’s emails based on weather

Snow levels vary dramatically from region to region. Personalize your hotel’s email campaigns to reflect local weather conditions so your messages are always relevant.

Actionable item: Send tailored emails based on weather patterns. For example, promote “Fresh Powder Deals” during snowstorms and highlight non-ski activities like spa days or winter hikes on warmer days.

6. Work with flexible influencers

Influencers are great for spreading the word, but with unpredictable weather, you need partners who can promote both epic snow days and other experiences like après-ski or indoor activities around your hotel.

Actionable item: Collaborate with winter sports influencers who can showcase a variety of activities, from skiing to snowshoeing to relaxing at your resort or hotel.

7. Real-time promotions based on snow conditions

Real-time hotel marketing is key. If a big snowstorm hits, you’ll want to be ready with promotions that can go live instantly. Keep your property top-of-mind by capitalizing on current snow conditions.

Actionable Item: Set up automated campaigns that trigger based on weather. Promote last-minute deals during a snowstorm or highlight non-ski activities when conditions are mild.

Final thoughts: Stay agile and make the most of this year’s ski season

The 2024-25 ski season may be unpredictable, but your hotel’s marketing doesn’t have to be. With these strategies, your resort or hotel can stay at the top of your mind, no matter the weather. Whether your guests are skiing or relaxing nearby, stay flexible, creative, and ready to make this season your best yet.

For expert guidance and tailored ski messaging strategies, contact Gcommerce Solutions today.

My 5 Must-Know Lessons from the 2024 Inbound Marketing Conference

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October 23, 2024 by

Inbound 2023 was a bit of a disaster for me. On day one, I learned from 2,161 miles away from home that my beloved dog of 14 years had passed away, which was followed up quickly by a high fever and flu-like cold that had me confined in my hotel room for the rest of the conference (although it was a spacious, beautiful room at The Lenox Hotel, which helped make the situation a bit better). 

One year later, I can’t help but think of how much has happened; we welcomed our new best friend, Cocoa, into the family (although we still miss Rozzi everyday), AI has gone from a concept to actionable agents, and walled gardens of Google/Facebook and more keep eroding away at our ability to drive traffic to our websites. When I look ahead to what’s to come in the next year, I’ve walked away from Inbound 2024 thinking there’s a lot going on in the marketing world that holds onto long established concepts like behavioral science and creative messaging - the “human-ness” of marketing, but now - to the power of AI. 

I left Inbound Marketing Conference 2024 feeling mentally exhausted by the amount of content and ideas I consumed, yet inspired by being surrounded by others looking for ways to keep finding ways to do our jobs better - for our companies, our clients and because of our passion for the field. After digging through what seemed to be endless pages of notes, here are my top 5 takeaways from Inbound Marketing Conference 2024.

Top 5 hotel marketing lessons from Inbound marketing conference 2024

1. Take risks and be nimble - don’t be afraid to back out quickly if something isn’t working.

This one isn’t exactly new, but it was a good reminder and also made me realize we aren’t the only ones trying to navigate the endless onslaught of new products, platforms, and ad types. There are so many places, platforms, campaign types, etc., to allocate the budget for these days. It can be overwhelming and you most likely don’t have enough budget to run on all of them (unless you have Barbie movie kind of funds). It’s important to take risks, test new channels, and be ready to jump ship or pivot quickly when things aren’t working. Just because something is standard in the industry doesn’t mean you should keep on doing it if it doesn’t move the needle for your business. 

2. People desire to connect, so don’t be afraid to use emotion and other creative approaches in your ads to stand out.

Each year I’ve been fortunate to attend sessions at Inbound; LinkedIn always comes in with a fire presentation filled with deep data points and creative examples ripe for testing. This year, Amanda Green’s session on LinkedIn Creative Strategies to Maximize Engagement claimed that “Creative is your biggest lever to drive sales” (more so than targeting) and that currently, “75% of ads are not effective”. I think so often, brands play conservatively with their language and lean away from taking risks by using things like humor. But, regardless of whether you are in B2B or B2C, your ad’s success depends on your brand’s ability to connect with humans. Test ear-catching copy - use puns, alliteration, power words, rhyming, and more. Test creative variations that increase “dwell” time or tie into the psychology of color.

3. It’s easy to be fearful of AI, but don’t forget it’s AI to the power of YOU. It will only elevate your beautiful, unique, and creative self even more.

The CTO of Hubspot, Dharmesh, opened Inbound 2024 talking about AI agents and stating that it’s “AI to the power of YOU”. Really, AI is only going to take your creativity, uniqueness, and inherent you-ness and expand upon them exponentially. Speaking with different people at the conference, there is still a lot of apprehension and a bit of fear around AI - and sometimes an uncertainty about where to even begin with the technology. During his session, Dharmesh introduced the first professional network for AI agents, agent.ai, where you can go right now and hire different AI agents to help with everything from company research to making memes to conversion rate optimization. I think this takes the abstract concept of “AI” and turns it into specific use cases of how AI can work for you and your team. I encourage you to check it out and start playing around with it today. I think you’ll find fear and apprehension replaced with growing excitement around the technology.

4. Just because search traffic is set to decline 25% due to AI doesn’t mean the organic search channel is losing importance.

According to an insight packed session I attended by SEMRush, from 2022 to 2024, click-outs from Google to websites went from 45.1% to 41.5%, and the prediction is that this will keep declining. There have been a few recent studies about this topic, most recently and notably the one from Rand Fishkin. Google will continue to trap users in its own ecosystem, leading to fewer and fewer clicks “out” to other websites. In the hotel marketing world, we already see this in Google’s hotel search and travel planner. Google keeps users searching and researching within Google until they are ready to book - then bam, google hotel ads to the rescue. Even then, the number of Google searches isn’t declining; it is only the number of clicks from the search engine. 

As search marketers, it may be time to re-think the importance of optimizing impressions in organic search while emphasizing the importance of being visible for “click out” transaction searches. Optimization for search engines will continue to be incredibly important, and on top of that, new search engines will also emerge that need to be considered in your strategy moving forward. Yes, Google will most likely maintain market share, but knowing how LLM-based search engines work will continue to increase in importance as they become ingrained in each type of search platform. The top hints I grabbed from this session are that LLM-based search engines (think SearchGPT, Perplexity) love structured content and data. They consume from sources like YouTube and Reddit because of this. Make sure you are optimizing these platforms to be ready for LLM-based search.

5. People do strange things - tap into people’s natural reactions to make your hotel’s marketing work better.

My absolute favorite part of marketing is the psychology around how creative messaging and design works. In the end, we are finding ways to reach the right audience with the right message to encourage them to buy - but ultimately, people are hard-wired to simply react as they try to find decision-making shortcuts. In my first (and possibly favorite) Inbound session this year, Nancy Harhut walked us through 5 Unconventional Messaging Moves for Marketing Mavericks. They included tips like using the BYAF (but you are free) technique - think “the choice is yours” type messaging; stating the obvious - like how Folders calls themselves “mountain grown” when most coffee is mountain grew, or using loss aversion to call out how much money you could lose vs how much you’ll save. 

It’s always better to Inbound with friends

Okay, this is a bonus takeaway, but really part of what made this year more magical. I had the absolute pleasure of sharing the experience of Inbound with colleagues and clients that I get to call friends. After each day, and in-between sessions, we got to discuss our experiences and favorite insights from Inbound over a great meal in Boston. It was energizing and helped fuel our takeaways into more actionable considerations that are going to best help our teams and our clients in the coming year. Special thanks to the Lenox Hotel team for their gracious hospitality. 

Interested in joining us for Inbound 2025? Let us know!

Should You Market Your Hotel as Haunted? Discover the Benefits, Drawbacks, and Year-Round Considerations

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October 22, 2024 by

The allure of haunted hotels is undeniable. From eerie ghost sightings to tales of restless spirits, a haunted reputation can draw in curious guests looking for a unique thrill. But should you embrace the supernatural and promote your hotel as haunted year-round? While many historic properties, such as the Stanley Hotel (famously linked to The Shining), have thrived by embracing their haunted histories, it’s not a decision to take lightly. Here are the pros, cons, and key considerations to help you decide if marketing your hotel’s ghostly side is the right move.

Pros of marketing a hotel as haunted

1. Capitalize on the unique history of your hotel

Many hotels, especially older ones, have intriguing backstories. By promoting ghostly encounters or unexplained phenomena, you can offer guests a deeper, more immersive experience. This can lead to greater interest in your hotel’s history, transforming it from a simple place to stay into a destination for history buffs and paranormal enthusiasts alike.

2. Attract niche markets to your hotel

There’s a dedicated audience for ghost stories and paranormal experiences. People travel from all over to stay in hotels with a haunted reputation. Not only do these guests pay for rooms, but many are also willing to shell out extra for ghost tours, special haunted packages, or even ghost-hunting equipment rentals. Embracing your hotel’s haunted status can unlock a niche market that’s ready to pay more for a memorable (and spooky) stay.

3. Leverage haunted packages as a year-round appeal

While fall is typically associated with all things spooky, hauntings aren’t tied to a particular season. You can leverage your haunted reputation year-round by offering themed experiences, such as winter ghost retreats or summer night tours. This could help you drive traffic during the slow season and keep guests coming back no matter the time of year.

4. Build unique haunted experiences that differentiate your hotel

A haunted hotel opens up a world of possibilities for crafting engaging guest experiences. Whether it's guided ghost tours, paranormal investigations, or interactive storytelling sessions around a fireplace, you can offer unique packages that set your hotel apart from competitors. These experiences could become a regular part of your business, adding value and keeping guests intrigued.

Cons of marketing a hotel as haunted 

1. Haunted experiences are not for everyone

Not all guests are thrilled by the idea of spending the night in a haunted room. Some travelers may find the idea unsettling or be completely turned off by ghost-related themes. It’s essential to know your audience—are they the type who would enjoy a paranormal adventure, or would they be more likely to cancel their reservation if they hear about your haunted history?

2. Dark hotel histories may backfire

Not all hauntings are playful or lighthearted. If your hotel’s ghostly tales stem from violent or tragic events, marketing these stories could be risky. Darker histories may alienate guests or even lead to negative press. It’s essential to strike a balance between sharing intriguing stories and avoiding ones that could be perceived as distasteful or upsetting.

3. The risk of being seen as a gimmick

In some cases, promoting a haunted hotel may come off as nothing more than a gimmick. For skeptics or those uninterested in paranormal activity, the idea could feel forced, leading to frustration or negative reviews. If your haunted reputation doesn’t feel authentic or well-researched, it might backfire.

4. Negative reviews if guests aren’t spooked

Do your hauntings happen often enough to build a sustainable narrative? If ghost sightings or unexplained events are rare, guests may be disappointed if they don’t experience anything during their stay. Managing expectations is key. Guests should feel like they’re getting a legitimate experience rather than being sold on something that rarely happens.

Key considerations before marketing a hotel as haunted

1. Know your hotel’s audience

Understanding your guests is critical. Are they likely to be excited by ghostly tales, or would they prefer a peaceful, relaxing getaway? One option is to survey current or past guests to gauge their interest in paranormal themes. Their feedback can help guide your decision on whether to embrace your haunted reputation.

2. Craft authentic, well-researched stories of your hotel’s hauntings

If you choose to promote hauntings, make sure the stories you share are well-researched and frequently reported. Avoid embellishing too much—guests will appreciate an authentic experience, even if the hauntings are subtle. Dive into the history of the spirits that may linger on your property. Who were they? How often are they "seen" or "heard"? What is the nature of the encounters? Vivid, real stories will be far more engaging than fabricated or over-the-top ones.

3. Consider the year-round appeal of haunted hotel experiences

Hauntings don’t have to be limited to October. Consider building packages or seasonal experiences that capitalize on ghostly themes throughout the year. Winter ghost retreats, spring paranormal investigations, and summer night ghost hunts could help keep guests engaged during different seasons. Flexibility is key to maintaining interest and appealing to a wider audience.

4. Balance hotel guest expectations

If you choose to market your hotel as haunted, be transparent with your guests. Some may want to know exactly what they’re signing up for, while others may prefer not to know the details. Offering different packages or room options—such as “haunted” and “non-haunted” sections—could be a creative way to appeal to both thrill-seekers and those who just want a comfortable stay.

So, to haunt or not to haunt?

In the end, only you know your property and your audience best. Whether or not you choose to embrace your hotel’s haunted history, there’s potential to craft unique experiences that keep guests engaged and coming back. If ghosts aren’t your thing, you can still explore partnerships with local haunted attractions, offering your hotel as a comfortable and safe base for those seeking thrills elsewhere.

Remember, being haunted isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach, but with careful planning and attention to your guests' desires, you can strike the right balance between spooky and serene.

 A collection of our haunted hotel properties

Here is a list of some of our renowned hotels known for being haunted, showcasing how they've woven their ghostly past into their identity—ranging from full immersive experiences and featured in their history to subtle mentions in their FAQs.

Remember, crafting unique experiences with careful planning can strike the right balance between spooky and serene. Let's talk about your next project.

Google Abandons 3rd Party Cookie Depreciation: What’s Next for Your Hotel

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October 13, 2024 by

Updated: Instead of simply pushing the data for 3rd party cookie depreciation again, Google announced that they will no longer phase out third-party cookies in Chrome. While this may seem like a big sigh of relief for advertisers and publishers, it’s important to note that even though they are abandoning this move, Google is proposing a different approach that will also impact your ability to target users and track conversions. Similar to the move Apple made a few years ago, Google’s alternative plan is to give Chrome users a new, informed choice when it comes to their privacy settings.

Chrome users will get new privacy control options. “Users can set their privacy preferences to apply across their web browsing activities”. Although the full impact of this change is unknown, there is an assumption that as users are presented with more control options around their privacy settings, that more will opt-out of cookie tracking, and it will be harder to track and reach these audiences. Google continues to test Privacy Sandbox APIs, and in the long term, many still expect 3rd party cookies to phase out and be replaced by different technology. 

GCommerce recommends clients continue to focus on ways it can prepare for a more privacy centric web experience. As users opt-out of tracking and our ability to retarget and track all conversions continues to grow, it’s important to focus on growth strategies around 1st party data and truly understand where your audience is spending their time online to understand the best channels to buy media and gain awareness to potential guests. 

Here are a few things to consider for your hotel in a more privacy centric web:

1. Focus on 1st party data collection for retargeting - although conversion tracking gets harder as users opt-out of tracking, the larger concern falls around retargeting and getting your ads in front of the right audience. Consider Facebook lead gen campaigns and on-site email capture forms.

2. Dive into your guest CRM data and develop a robust customer profile to help guide your targeting and media placement decisions.

3. Set up a Consent Management Platform on your site - also known as a cookie banner, these ensure you can control how cookies track visitors on your site as they pertain to local privacy law compliance (think GDPR for European visitors and CCPA for California).

Tip: Go with a Google certified CMP like CookieYes or OneTrust to easily enable Google Consent Mode. This helps platforms like Google Ads and GA4 estimate and model conversions even as visitors opt-out.

Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. This means that if you click on the link and make a purchase, GCommerce may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products or services we believe will add value to our audience.

4. Use Keyword targeting intent across platforms on Google Search and beyond - continue to lean on the specific intent that keyword targeting in search provides. But did you know you can also use keyword targeting across other media types? Consider testing contextual targeting in display, and TikTok just rolled out search campaigns using keyword targeting on its platform. 

5. Test new audience targeting partners that generate audiences based on 1st party data, such as Adara, Azira, Navigator, and more.

Need help creating a privacy centric hotel marketing strategy? Reach out to GCommerce Solutions today.

How the iOS 18 Update Will Impact Email Marketing

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October 2, 2024 by

If you haven’t seen by now, Apple is currently releasing their next big software update, iOS 18. The update became available on September 16, 2024, and includes a myriad of enhancements and updates to everyone’s favorite Apple products. Apple boasts that this major update brings in new ways to personalize your iPhone with deeper customizations to the Home Screen, Control Center, and more. The Photos app has been completely redesigned, and soon there will be additional features added to Messages and Mail.

However, the biggest impact to digital marketers comes with the newly introduced Apple Intelligence, set to release in October and November 2024. This personal intelligence system utilizes the power of generative AI models and personal context to provide greater value to iPhone users while also protecting privacy and security.

The Apple Intelligence feature is only rolling out on these types of devices for now:

How will iOS 18 impact digital marketing?

Let’s get down to it–what is Apple Intelligence exactly and how does it impact marketers? In a nutshell, Apple Intelligence is marketed as AI for the rest of us. Through a series of iPhone enhancements, Apple is putting the power of generative AI at our fingertips with easy-to-use integrations such as writing tools, message and email reminders, image editors and creators, updated abilities for Siri, and more privacy protection. While these tools are all exciting and should offer more value and control to the iPhone user, it’s the email updates, in particular that will affect digital marketing moving forward.

Set to release later this fall, Apple Mail will begin doing a couple of things:

  • Removing customized preview text and replacing it with random snippets from the email body. Email marketers will have no control over what text populates in the preview text for any email opened in Apple Mail. Early testing that we’ve seen shows that preview text often has absolutely nothing to do with email content and does nothing but confuse the user.

Image Source: Jay Schwedelson at SubjectLine.com

  • Utilize AI to filter all emails into four new categories: Primary, Updates, Promotions, and Transactions. For an email marketer, the Promotions category will essentially be the kiss of death when it comes to open rates and viewability, as your email will be swimming in a sea filled with other promotional materials. Instead, we want to focus on getting our emails into the Primary and Updates inboxes.

So, why does this matter? 

56% of users utilize the Apple mail app on their iPhone instead of other downloaded apps such as Gmail or Outlook. Because this app comes preloaded on your iPhone and integrates with all Apple products, it tends to be the easiest option. Therefore, how your emails showcase and get filtered really matters when it comes to open rates and, ultimately revenue. 

Tips & ticks to help combat the iOS 18 mail updates

While we can’t stop the iOS 18 mail updates from rolling out, we can add a few new tricks to our marketing toolbox to help get our emails seen, opened, and ultimately clicked on. 

Utilize your “From: Address” as an extension of the subject line

That’s right, the From: [Hotel Title] is valuable real estate and should be used to expand upon the subject line and email content. Instead of keeping that piece generic with your hotel’s name, include extra verbiage, such as announcing a Flash Sale at [Your Hotel] or Fall Getaways at [Hotel Name] to boost your subject line. The best part? You can change your From: Address as many times as you want for every email, and it won’t impact deliverability. So why not give it a try? With preview text going away, this is the perfect way to get more controlled verbiage into your customer’s inboxes.

Pro tip: You don’t even NEED to include your full hotel name as the From: Address. Think outside the box and try something new this year!

Include AI trigger words to email subject lines

Similar to trigger words for the spam filter, early testers have been able to identify trigger words for Apple’s new AI capabilities when it comes to categorizing your emails into Primary, Updates, Transactions, and Promotions. Sourced from the WorldData Research 2024 Performance Report, the following phrases and words have been shown to help Apple’s AI push your emails into the Primary and Updates sections.

Image Source: Jay Schwedelson at SubjectLine.com

While these words and phrases don’t need to be your main focus, they can help bolster your hotel’s email efforts. 


As we stated earlier, the iOS 18 update is now available, but the Apple Intelligence features won’t roll out until October and November, giving us some time to prepare our strategies for the future. If you need help with your email marketing, you can trust the experts at GCommerce.

The Role of Hotel Metasearch in Travel Marketing

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September 23, 2024 by

In the fast-paced landscape of digital marketing, staying ahead of the curve is crucial, especially for businesses in the travel industry. One powerful tool that has transformed the way hotels and resorts attract guests is hotel metasearch. In this blog post, we will focus on the key aspects of metasearch and its pivotal role in shaping effective travel marketing strategies.

Understanding hotel metasearch: Metasearch engines are platforms that aggregate information from various sources to provide users with comprehensive and comparative results. In the realm of travel, popular metasearch booking engines include Google Hotel Ads, TripAdvisor, Trivago, and Kayak. These platforms allow potential guests to compare prices, amenities, and reviews across multiple hotels in real time, simplifying the decision-making process.

Enhancing visibility and direct bookings: For hotels and resorts, appearing on metasearch booking engines is more than just being present; it's about maximizing visibility. Metasearch advertising ensures that your property is showcased to potential guests actively searching for accommodations. By strategically managing hotel metasearch advertising, Metadesk can optimize bids and budgets to enhance visibility and drive direct bookings.

Compliments other marketing channels: Metasearch doesn't operate in isolation; it seamlessly integrates with other essential components of a comprehensive digital marketing strategy. By aligning hotel metasearch efforts with SEO, paid search marketing, and display advertising, a cohesive and impactful online presence is achieved. This integration creates a synergy that reinforces the visibility of hotels and resorts, making them more appealing to potential guests.

Importance of optimizing for metasearch: In the highly competitive travel industry, optimization is key. Digital marketing agencies play a pivotal role in ensuring that hotel and resort clients are not only present on hotel metasearch platforms but are also optimized for maximum impact. This involves strategic keyword targeting, compelling ad copy, and continuous performance monitoring to adapt to changing market dynamics.

Leveraging social media for hotel metasearch success: Social media is a powerful tool for creating brand awareness and engagement. Integrating hotel metasearch efforts with social media management allows hotels and resorts to amplify their presence and connect with potential guests on multiple fronts. By strategically leveraging platforms like Facebook and Instagram, digital marketing agencies can create a unified brand message that resonates with the target audience.

Tracking performance with GA4: Effective hotel metasearch marketing is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is an invaluable tool for tracking performance and understanding user behavior. Digital marketing agencies can harness the insights provided by GA4 to refine hotel metasearch strategies, identify high-performing channels, and make data-driven decisions to continuously optimize campaigns.

Metasearch has become an indispensable component of successful travel marketing strategies. For hotels and resorts, partnering with a digital marketing agency that understands the nuances of hotel metasearch advertising, SEO, display advertising, and other key components is crucial. By navigating the complexities of the digital landscape and staying ahead of emerging trends, businesses can harness the power of hotel metasearch to not only increase visibility but also drive direct bookings and long-term success in the competitive travel industry.

Consider partnering with Metadesk to take your travel marketing through hotel metasearch to the next level.

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