Optimized Content for the Guest Directory: 6 Simple Tips

Find out what an optimized guest directory looks like with our six easy-to-implement tips that help optimize the content and best convince travelers of what you offer.

Simply put, good content and an attractive layout will inspire guests and boost sales. This applies to all communication channels. On social media, you will reach more followers and higher interaction rates. On the hotel website, you generate more inquiries and direct bookings.

A well-designed guest directory, whether digital or traditional on paper, brings similar benefits. On the one hand, it leads to fewer inquiries from guests as they can find the answer in the directory itself. On the other hand, it brings you more requests for additional services that guests discover while browsing.

To achieve these effects, content must be pertinent, coherent, and reflect your brand and style.

WHAT IS OPTIMIZED CONTENT AND WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT?

Optimized content is material such as images, videos, texts, and other media that are perfectly tailored to your target audience. The purpose of such content is to build a relationship with your potential guests and motivate them to perform a certain action.

The desired action depends on the communication channel. On social media, users should be encouraged to follow the hotel or click on the website. The purpose of the website is generally a newsletter subscription, direct communication via chat, or direct booking. Digital Guest Directory

Thanks to the guest directory, guests can independently familiarize themselves with the hotel and its offers.

With a digital guest directory, guests can even make reservations and book directly on the device without having to contact the hotel separately.

The better you optimize your content, the more likely you are to get guests to actually take these actions. As a result, you increase the ROI of the respective channel.

In the case of the guest folder, this means, among other things, a better guest experience, higher guest satisfaction, saved time, and increased sales.

6 STEPS TO AN OPTIMIZED GUEST DIRECTORY

Now let's take a look at how you can improve the content of your guest folder so that it fits well into your brand image and wows your guests.

1. Consistent style

Decor Elements What suits your hotel more? A friendly, familiar tone or rather an upscale, elegant style? There are several options here and no right or wrong answer. The key is to match your style to both your target group and your hotel. It should also be consistent across all channels. This gives a coherent overall impression that potential guests can identify with more easily.

So for the guest folder, it's time to get creative. How can you make dry hotel information more appealing to readers? With a digital directory, you can easily experiment to find the best solution.

Avoid a stylistic clash with additional offers. The offers themselves and their descriptions must be consistent with the overall brand image. Otherwise, they may come off as more alienating than attractive to guests.

2. The right approach

Don’t jump back and forth between the direct and indirect approach. Choose what fits your style and apply it across all channels. This small detail will make your content more consistent. When writing, address your guests directly. This is especially important when describing services and additional offers. Here is an example:

❌ Our chef delights guests with his creative dishes.
✅ Be inspired by the creative dishes of our chef.

The direct approach makes the text more interesting and helps guests imagine how they can enjoy the service. Booking the upsell is then not so far away.

3. Know your guests’ true wishes

First, think about who your target groups are. Are they business travelers, young couples, families with children, or seniors? Then ask yourself what these guests really want.

When it comes to additional services, no one wants just the service itself, but rather the feeling it can provide. Consider a business guest who books an airport transfer. He doesn't want the “airport cab ordered in advance”, but rather the “stress-free transfer”.

For all offers, think about what lies behind them. What feeling or need does it address? Instead of just mentioning the additional service, emphasize the experience that comes with it in the description.

4. The ideal length

Keep descriptions in the guest folder as short as possible. Your guests don't want to read a novel. They want to skim the contents and quickly get an idea of whether there is something interesting for them.

So concentrate on the essentials. This applies to the description of your restaurants and other establishments as well as your upsells. One to two sentences is usually enough. Use bullet points when necessary to present additional information clearly. Include clear call-to-actions where appropriate. For example, a call-to-action encourages your guests to take advantage of an additional offer.

5. Visual Presentation

Captivating descriptions already do quite a bit of convincing. However, much more is possible when the right images are used. Since people process images faster than text, they arouse interest when guests skim your info.

If possible, include people in your photos to let your guests’ imaginations soar and build their desire for the experience being depicted. It would be ideal to reflect the current season in your images as well since your offer is bound to change depending on the time of year.

In a digital guest portfolio, the selected files can be replaced easily and instantly. Once you're done, all guests will have access to the updated information.

6. No mistakes

You are certainly aware that the information in your guest portfolio must be accurate and that spelling mistakes have no place there. That's why careful proofreading is essential. You can also use the spell checker in Microsoft Word or Google Docs. To be on the safe side, check with tools like Grammarly for errors. Also, get help from your team, because four (or six) eyes see more than two.

Update your guest folder quickly and as soon as changes occur, because guests want accurate information, especially nowadays. Yes, that means a lot of work needs to be in a paper guest folder. But it's worth it because incorrect information can have frustrating consequences for travelers.

It’s considerably easier with a digital guest directory: you edit the material on the computer once, and the right information appears in all rooms instantaneously.

OPTIMIZE YOUR HOTEL GUEST DIRECTORY STEP-BY-STEP

Optimizing the content of your guest directory is not that difficult. If you implement the tips listed above, you're already well on your way. Feel free to test different layouts, graphic elements, and descriptions. This way, you will improve the guest experience and also increase your additional sales!

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