Stop driving customers away from your brand ecosystem as they discover and reserve your experiences.
Your experiential offerings are powerful tools for building brand loyalty and driving revenue. But a bad website experience can easily undo your efforts.
In today's competitive landscape, your website is your most valuable sales and marketing resource. Yet, many brands force customers on a frustrating digital journey to book experiences, losing valuable conversions. A recent study shows 20% of consumers abandon online purchases due to complex checkout processes. Imagine the lost revenue when guests navigate to separate booking engines.
Enter Way, the all-in-one experiential platform. Our technology empowers brands to invest in a streamlined digital booking journey that drives more ancillary revenue and encourages guests to shop the hotel website and build a personalized itinerary for their stay.
In this guide, we’ll highlight how leading hospitality brands optimize experiences on their website with Way. Keep reading to learn more.
1. Simplify navigation – every click counts:
Did you know that six in 10 website users expect to find what they need within five seconds of landing on a website?
Prioritize intuitive website navigation to your experiences with minimal clicks so guests don’t feel like they’re navigating a maze to find what they’re looking for.
Here are some tips for effortless navigation:
- Clear menus and labels: Simple, well-organized menus with clear labels guide guests directly to the information they seek.
- Logical structure: A well-structured website architecture ensures a logical flow, allowing guests to intuitively navigate between different sections.
- Search functionality: A powerful search bar empowers guests to find specific experiences, amenities, or information quickly and efficiently.
2. Launch diverse experiences
Nearly 8 in 10 consumers agree they'd rather spend their money on experiences. Travelers in particular crave unique adventures that elevate their trips, and with Way, your brand can power an unlimited number of these exciting offerings directly.
Give your guests the luxury of choice by offering multiple bookable experiences on your website. This allows your customers to explore your offerings and build a personalized itinerary, keeping them engaged with your brand and reducing bounce rates.
Need some inspiration? Download Way’s 2024 Experiential Hospitality Trend Report to discover the top themes in experiential programming today.
3. Make experiences easy to discover
Travelers today crave the convenience of online booking, with nearly 80% seeking to plan their entire trip digitally. Discovering your unique experiences should be an effortless journey for guests. This empowers them to craft personalized itineraries online, capturing pre-arrival revenue and extending their engagement with your brand — all while reducing your call volume.
Here's how to make your experiences shine:
- Display experiences on a beautiful interface: Way's white-label solution seamlessly integrates with your existing website design, ensuring a consistent brand experience from browsing to booking.
- Add experiences to your top navigation: Feature your experiences prominently within your website's top navigation menu. This ensures guests can easily find and explore the exciting offerings you have available
- Set featured experiences: Leverage Way's featured experiences module to showcase timely and especially exciting offerings. This allows you to strategically draw attention to specific experiences and drive guest interest.
Want to dive deeper into digitizing your experience offerings? Book a demo with our team today.
4. Keep customers on your website throughout the booking journey
Don’t force customers to navigate to a separate platform to book your experiences. This disrupts their excitement, weakens your brand, and increases the risk of abandoned bookings.
Way keeps customers on your website, empowering them to discover, reserve, and pay for experiences directly. You power a frictionless booking journey and your brand shines.
“Having the ability to book experiences directly with Way creates such an effortless digital experience for our guests,” said Kaitlin Broumpton, Head of F&B at The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern. Read more about the Auberge Resorts Collection’s success with Way here.
5. Display elegant and relevant brand visuals
Studies show that visuals are processed by the human brain 60,000 times faster than text. This makes high-quality imagery and videography crucial for grabbing guests attention and creating a lasting impression.
Invest in professional photography and videography that captures the essence of your experiences. Even high-quality stock footage can be effective, as long as it evokes emotion and resonates with your brand.
Powering experiences with Way unlocks beautifully designed experience pages that boost discoverability and drive bookings. By implementing these best practices, you can transform your website into a visually captivating experience that communicates the value and appeal of your offerings.
6. Include exciting add-ons
Offer more personalization for every experience with add-ons.
This feature, available on Way, provides a simple and scalable way to bring more delight to your customers while advancing ancillary revenue goals. From branded apparel and souvenirs to flowers to amenities, and food and beverage there are endless opportunities for your brand to leverage immediately.
7. Market experiences on social media and email
Use digital marketing to drive more bookings to your experiences. Guide customers to your offerings through targeted ads, social media promotions, and email marketing campaigns.
Here are a few ways to incorporate experiences in your digital strategy:
- Add an “Experience” highlight on Instagram.
- Post experience images to stories and include the booking link.
- Encourage hosts and the property team to share experiences.
- Follow and engage with your partners
In today's experience-driven travel landscape, empowering guests to seamlessly discover, personalize, and book experiences directly on your website is crucial. By prioritizing user-friendly navigation, captivating visuals, and a streamlined booking journey, you can transform your digital experience offerings into a powerful revenue generator.
Want to learn more about the power of experiences for your brand? Book a demo with our team to learn more.