Managing your online reputation

Online reputation matters to every business, and for a hotel or hostel it belongs in the business strategy rather than at the bottom of the to-do list. Reviews tell you how guests really see your property. They also tell the next guest whether to book.

Managing that reputation comes down to a few habits: ask for reviews, answer them, learn from the critical ones and make the most of the good ones.

Why reviews carry so much weight

Most travellers read reviews before they book a place to stay, and a property with none is hard to trust. In a 2019 survey TripAdvisor ran with Ipsos MORI, 52 per cent of the travellers asked said they would never book a hotel with no reviews. For a small property, a steady stream of recent reviews is part of what makes it bookable.

Ask every guest

Because reviews matter this much, do not leave them to chance. The simplest way to get more is to ask every guest by email once they have checked out, while the stay is still fresh. A steady flow of reviews from people who really stayed with you keeps your score current, and it means a single unfair review carries less weight.

In thelobbyboy, the review manager does this for you. After checkout it emails the guest to ask how the stay went, and guests who enjoyed it are sent on to your Booking.com, Expedia, Agoda or Google review page. The invoice email carries a link to your review page too.

Reply to the good ones

A positive review deserves a thank-you. A short, personal reply shows the guest you read what they wrote and keeps the conversation going. Then make the most of it: the best comments are worth sharing where future guests will see them, on your website and on your social channels.

Answer the bad ones well

It is natural to worry that a bad review will put off everyone who reads it. But this is where reputation management does most of its work. Answer every critical review, politely and promptly. Thank the guest, acknowledge the problem and say what you are doing to fix it.

An unanswered complaint leaves readers to guess what happened, and they rarely guess in your favour. A calm, helpful reply shows future guests that someone at the property listens and takes problems seriously, and many of them will think better of you for it, sometimes enough to book.

Critical reviews are also free advice. Read them for patterns. If several guests mention the same slow check-in or the same noisy room, you know exactly where to improve.

Use every platform

Guests leave reviews in many places: Booking.com, Google, TripAdvisor, Hostelworld and the other sites you sell on. Keep an eye on all of them and answer on each one. The more good reviews potential guests can find, wherever they look, the better they understand what you offer and why they should stay with you.