{"id":55255,"date":"2022-11-15T10:27:20","date_gmt":"2022-11-15T15:27:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/?p=55255"},"modified":"2022-11-15T23:26:46","modified_gmt":"2022-11-16T04:26:46","slug":"hospitality-reviews-online-perception","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/hospitality-reviews-online-perception\/","title":{"rendered":"The Staying Power of Hospitality Reviews"},"content":{"rendered":"

Regardless of which industry you work in, reviews are good for business\u2014that much is obvious.<\/p>\n

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Online reviews influence purchase decisions\u2014just imagine you’re looking to buy a new phone. Wouldn’t you first research what people are saying about the brand online? Reviews give you an idea of what to expect, helping you make an informed decision.<\/p>\n

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In this article, we explore the impact that reviews have on the hospitality industry, and discuss the different scenarios in which reviews may be beneficial or harmful to your hotel or rental business.<\/p>\n

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Are reviews really important in the hospitality industry?<\/h2>\n

The short answer to this is\u2026 yes, very much so! Reviews are critical<\/a> to the hospitality industry<\/p>\n

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Here\u2019s how it works: the more invested you are in a certain purchase decision, and the higher stakes this purchase is, the more reviews you\u2019ll read.<\/p>\n

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For higher stakes purchases, you\u2019re also likely to take reviews more seriously and eliminate certain options based on the reviews that you read.<\/p>\n

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Now, imagine that you\u2019re purchasing a low-cost tech accessory, such as a computer mouse. Let\u2019s say you\u2019re buying your mouse on Amazon, and it costs $30. In this case, you might read a few reviews, and then go ahead and make your purchase pretty quickly.<\/p>\n

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After all, this is a low-stakes purchase\u2014even if you get something that doesn\u2019t work well, you can easily make another purchase on Amazon, and get it shipped to your home within 24 hours. You might even be eligible to return the first mouse, and get a refund.<\/p>\n

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Now, what about if you\u2019re purchasing a hotel stay? This is obviously a much more high-stakes purchase, because it\u2019s likely to cost you hundreds of dollars.<\/p>\n

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The opportunity cost is also higher, because if you\u2019ve arrived at the hotel and you realize you don\u2019t like it after all, it\u2019ll be difficult to find different lodging at the last minute. Plus, it\u2019s highly unlikely that you\u2019ll be able to get your money back, should you not like your stay for some reason.<\/p>\n

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Bottom line? Once you\u2019ve booked a hotel or rental property to stay at, you\u2019re pretty much \u201clocked in,\u201d because there\u2019s a high opportunity cost associated with finding the next best alternative.<\/p>\n

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With this in mind, people take these decisions more seriously, and they consider all the available information and weigh up their options carefully before making their decision. That\u2019s why online reviews<\/a> are exceptionally important in the hospitality industry.<\/p>\n

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The numbers don\u2019t lie: 52% of customers would never book a hotel that has zero reviews<\/a>, and customers are willing to pay 35% more for hotels with a rating of 4.4 versus 3.9 stars (on a 1-5 scale)<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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So make sure you\u2019ve got a good review strategy for your hotel or rental business\u2014this is not just a nice-to-have, it\u2019s a must-have!<\/p>\n

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How reviews can positively impact the hospitality industry<\/h2>\n

Reviews are a powerful tool\u2014and if you understand how to utilize them properly, they can definitely bring in more business and help boost your bottom line.<\/p>\n

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For example, here are a few things you can do with reviews:<\/p>\n

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