If you’re struggling to generate direct bookings through your hostel’s website, you’re not alone. As a hostelier, you already know how important your website is. But what you might not know is that there are a number of ways your website could actually be putting guests off booking with you. Improve your hostel website and check out the 6 potential turn offs…
1. YOUR SITE IS DIFFICULT TO USE
First impressions count. If your site is poorly designed, slow to load or difficult to navigate, chances are you are losing bookings. If it’s not mobile friendly, then it’s time for an upgrade. Travellers are increasingly booking directly through their mobiles or tablets – if users have to constantly zoom in and out of your site because it’s built only for desktop, they’re going to give up and book through another site. Catering for different languages and currencies is also a must.
A good starting point is to take a scroll through your website with fresh eyes – pretend you are a potential guest and see how you find the site to navigate. This will help you to identify any issues that might be driving users away from your site and preventing potential guests from booking with you.
2. IT’S HARD TO BOOK
Your on site booking process needs to be quick, easy and secure. A clear ‘Book Now’ button towards the top of your homepage ensures that potential guests are motivated to make a reservation as soon as they land on the site. But it’s not just about the homepage – you should also prompt users to search availability at different places throughout your site.
If you’re a chain, then location-based features are super important – a responsive search bar and map makes it easy for users to quickly find your hostel in their chosen destination.
Once users are taken through to your reservation page, it should be clearly set out, making it easy to browse, check availability and book. The last thing you want is to lose users who have already decided to book because your booking process is frustrating. It’s also worth listing various upgrades and packages here if you have them.
What about those who make it part way through the booking service and then abandon? Set up a pop-up on your site to ask these users if they want to save their accommodation search for a later date – this is a clever way to collect data and retarget potential guests.
3. YOUR SITE DOESN’T LOOK THE PART
The design of your site should reflect your brand and appeal to your target audience. It needs to be slick, modern and professional while still showing your hostel’s personality.
Low quality images and video are a huge turn off for potential guests. This is definitely an area to invest in to ensure you will be showing your hostel in the best possible light. For the best results, think outside of the box – pictures of your rooms are great, but you need to show what makes your hostel unique. Do you have a great view, a busy bar or a chill out area where guests love to hang out? How about highlighting the most Instagrammable features of your hostel, like this inspiring quote wall at Happy Nest hostel (pictured below) or the famous outdoor cliff-edge bath at Away with the Fairies.
4. YOU’RE NOT SHARING SPECIAL OFFERS
Modern travellers shop around for the best deals, so you need to make sure you’re providing incentives for potential guests to book direct with you. One way to do this is to provide a discount for booking direct or guarantee best rates when booking through your site. But the offers don’t need to focus on price alone – there are other ways to create value. Other benefits you can give to direct bookers include on property perks – whether that’s free breakfast with their stay, discounts on dining or a free drink in the bar on arrival – and upgrades like complimentary late check-outs.
5. YOU AREN’T SHOWCASING YOUR LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
Hostels are growing in popularity all the time, attracting not just traditional backpackers but increasingly more mature audiences, couples and business travellers. It’s becoming more likely that a guest visiting your site is exploring their options by comparing what you offer with not only nearby hostels, but also hotels and AirBnbs.
A sure fire way to make yourself stand out is to share your local knowledge and the unique experiences on offer at your hostel. Travellers are seeking authentic local experiences and we think that’s a huge opportunity for hostels, who have always excelled at providing guests with just that. A great example of this is Nexy Hostel’s Traveller Hub section on their website (pictured below) – we love it!
Why not have a page on your site dedicated to promoting your tours and activities with top tips from your staff? Or, even better, add a blog to your site – this is a great place to show off your local offering and convert your site’s browsers into bookers. Plus, Google will love you for it which will boost your search engine ranking, making it easier for potential guests to find your site in the first place.
6. YOU’RE NOT UTILISING YOUR REVIEWS
In our last Hostel Industry Insights, we spoke about the importance of user-generated content in building trust with potential guests. In the same way, social proof on your website – whether that’s guest reviews, testimonials or photos (ask permission first) – is another way to build trust and help guests feel confident that they are making the right decision to book with you. Get these front and centre on your home page. You can also make use of review sites like TripAdvisor and pull reviews from them to your website.
Want to improve your hostel website? We can help you. With our web design service, we will create a cutting edge website for your hostel that is designed to drive bookings. Every website we create is mobile friendly, SEO optimised and built with your guests in mind.
Get in touch for a free website audit and to see how we can support you.
