This is a user generated content for MyStory, a YourStory initiative to enable its community to contribute and have their voices heard. The views and writings here reflect that of the author and not of YourStory.
Proven ways to improve your hotel UX web design
As we know, UX (User Experience) is fundamental to a website’s design within the hospitality industry.
This is a user generated content for MyStory, a YourStory initiative to enable its community to contribute and have their voices heard. The views and writings here reflect that of the author and not of YourStory.
The first thing that travelers do today is to turn on the search engine and look for various things while planning their vacations:
1. They will look for special offers or packages for specific dates.
2. They will compare the price with your website versus online travel agencies.
3. Also, they will go through photos and videos and learn about the extra services of your hotel.
Your website plays a vital role in establishing a promising relationship with a visitor, conversions along with the overall customer experience. So, we will discuss the following topic today/
Methods for improving any hotel UX web design
1. Mobile optimization.
2. Strong Visuals
3. Help visitors make informed decisions
4. Emphasize important information
1. Mobile optimization:
Do you know? According to a research, it has been estimated that till the year 2019, approx. 70% of the total hotel online travel bookings will be made on mobile devices. Talking about the today’s perspective only, most people are browsing – and booking, from a mobile device rather than following the traditional method of turning your PCs and laptop on for booking. So it is mandatory to have a responsive and mobile friendly device. Else this will reflect negatively on your brand and will turn people away.
2. Strong Visuals:
In order to entice your potential customer’s imagination and evoke a positive emotional response, your website should include all the pictures to let the travelers know an idea of what a stay at your hotel would be like. In order to grasp your visitors' attention and trust, you should include all the features of your establishment.
It would be much attractive if you would use your website to tell a story. But yes, avoid overplaying it and leaving room for distrust. Honesty and naturalness are the only two things that matter in the brand’s storytelling. Also, do not forget to use high-quality pictures to present the facility of your hotel. The customers need to be wholeheartedly impressed with what they see from the moment visitors enter your website.
Apart from adding typography and iconography to your website, it is also very important to add a telephone number, email, live chat and instant messaging to satisfy every customer preference.
3. Help visitors make informed decisions:
You will be amazed after knowing that according to a Google study from 2014, on average around 60% of travelers rely on search engines first when planning trips online. That means people have done their research already before visiting your website.
They are reaching out your website get more in-depth information, look for special deals, compare prices or seek to book directly. The chance of direct booking depends upon the how confirmed customers feel about your website. As mentioned previously, providing them with the visuals is one of the important keys to making an informed decision.
But adding more to it, you should include features which allow them to compare room types and rates effectively. To achieve this, you need to find reliable website development agencies that can develop the most effective and user-friendly features for comparing options. Also, you'll need to do some research at your end too.
4. Emphasize important information:
Your website should be capable enough allows visitors to scan and navigate the website without confusion or hesitation, providing a clean and uncluttered user interface. Also, your website should provide relevant information and steer their navigation by guiding the user’s vision.
The very first thing that you need to consider is what actually your potential customers are looking for? Either it is luxury, entertainment or family-friendly options, you need to find that. Better categorize the features and emphasize your unique offers rather than throwing all your features without any hierarchy or focus.
Furthermore, your call to action button, that is Book Now button should be clearly visible and consistently featured throughout the website but yes take care of the thing that overall website design should not get affected.
Also, add widgets such as Tripadvisor to lead your customers down the path of conversion. It would be fruitful for overall UX. Always requests guest to leave hotel reviews as trust is an important factor when helping visitors make informed decisions.
Time to sum up:
So, these were some of the methods that one needs to involve to improve Hotel UX design. You have to keep an eye on the changing trends and customers' expectations as we know hotel UX design is a thing that can always be improved on.
It not only requires extensive user testing but also constant analysis too. It’s not an easy task to achieve with universal instructions. One must have a good team of professionals who can guide and work properly.