10 Best Hotel Marketing Software Shortlist
Here's my pick of the 10 best software from the 19 tools reviewed.
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As a seasoned hotelier, I understand the importance of effective and innovative digital marketing tools in this dynamic industry. That's why I've explored the digital landscape, compiling a list of the 12 best hotel marketing software, each catering to a unique need within hotel marketing. These tools boost your digital presence, streamline operations, and help you understand your guests like never before.
The challenges in hotel marketing platforms are many - from the struggle to drive direct bookings to the need to enhance guest experiences. Each software on this list offers effective solutions, addressing these pain points and more. I am confident that within this list, you'll find the best fit for your hotel's specific needs. It's time to explore these powerful tools and let your marketing strategy shine.
What Is A Hotel Marketing Software?
Hotel marketing software is a suite of digital tools designed to streamline, optimize, and enhance the marketing efforts of businesses in the hospitality industry. These innovative platforms are used by hoteliers, hotel marketing teams, and hotel managers who aim to reach their target audience more effectively, increase their direct bookings, personalize their guest experiences, and ultimately drive their revenue growth.
They achieve this by offering functionalities such as guest data management (check-in/check-out), loyalty programs, hotel website optimization, personalized communication channels, hotel brand marketing, chatbots, POS integrations, campaign management, and performance analytics, to name just a few. The overall goal is to simplify and improve the various aspects of hotel marketing, from attracting guests to nurturing relationships with them.
Best Hotel Marketing Software Summary
Tool | Best For | Trial Info | Price | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | TikTok TikTok’s tools and algorithm help hotels create and promote visually compelling content. | Best for showcasing unique hotel experiences | Free demo available | Available upon request | Website |
2 | Ketch Ketch lets you connect consent signals to your data systems for compliance across platforms. | Best for preference and consent management | Free plan available | From $150/month | Website |
3 | Marvia Marvia's campaign calendar dashboard | Best for enabling brand consistency across hotel chains | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Website |
4 | Tambourine Tambourine's digital marketing samples | Best for integrated hotel marketing and distribution solution | Not available | Custom pricing model | Website |
5 | SmartHost CRM SmartHost's customer dashboard | Best for managing guest relationships with AI-powered insights | Not available | From $99/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
6 | Sojern Sojern's dashboard | Best for leveraging programmatic advertising to attract guests | Not available | From $250/user/month | Website |
7 | Netcore Netcore's drag-and-drop feature | Best for enhancing guest engagement via multi-channel campaigns | Not available | From $250/user/month | Website |
8 | GuestJoy GuestJoy's upselling, feedback, and check-in feature | Best for upselling with engaging pre-stay guest communication | Not available | Pricing available upon request | Website |
9 | Bookboost Bookboost's dashboard | Best for driving direct bookings through guest messaging | Not available | From $50/user/month | Website |
10 | Cendyn Cedyn's insight single customer dashboard sample | Best for driving direct revenue through data-driven marketing | Not available | Pricing upon request | Website |
Best Hotel Marketing Software Reviews
TikTok is a popular social media platform that's become a hub for viral trends, creative expression, and community engagement, attracting millions of users worldwide. The platform offers a variety of features, including video editing tools, special effects, and a vast library of music and sounds, making it a versatile tool for content creation.
Why I picked TikTok: TikTok is well-suited to showcasing the unique experiences your hotel offers, whether it’s luxury amenities, local attractions, or special events. You can use video content to bring the guest experience to life in an engaging and visually compelling way. The platform’s algorithm helps you reach a broad audience by amplifying creative and engaging videos. TikTok’s in-app tools make it easy to create videos that highlight what sets your hotel apart.
Standout Features & Integrations:
Features include video creation tools, audience engagement metrics, and content amplification. You can create videos that highlight the best of your hotel and reach a broader audience. TikTok’s algorithm boosts the visibility of engaging content. Integrations include Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Magento, and Square.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Strong product placement options
- Easy to create in-app videos
- Encourages user interaction
Cons:
- Short content lifespan
- Hard to predict viral success
Ketch is a data privacy software designed to help businesses protect their customers' personal data and comply with global data privacy regulations, such as the GDPR, CCPA, and others. The platform provides tools to automate data protection processes, including data collection, consent management, and data subject rights requests.
Why I picked Ketch: As a marketing management software, Ketch is unique in that it focuses on marketing preferences and consent management. For example, it offers customizable, no-code consent banners and pop-ups that automatically display the appropriate language to visitors based on their location. This feature ensures that your hotel marketing campaigns comply with various regional privacy laws without disrupting the user experience.
Standout Features & Integrations:
Additionally, Ketch provides a centralized hub for visitors to access data subject requests (DSRs), communication preferences, and privacy policies. This unified view makes it easy for consumers to manage their choices across all platforms and communication channels, enhancing trust and engagement with your hotel brand. Some of Ketch's integrations include Adobe Experience Platform, AdRoll, Google Analytics, HubSpot, Salesforce, Shopify, and Snowflake.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Integrates consent data with existing marketing systems
- Provides clear visibility into data practices
- Offers customizable privacy notices
Cons:
- Focuses on permissions, consent, and preferences, not broader marketing functions
- Potential learning curve during setup
Marvia is a software tool that provides solutions for maintaining brand consistency across multiple locations. It's especially beneficial for hotel business chains looking to ensure uniform brand representation in their marketing campaigns and materials.
Why I Picked Marvia: From the tools I compared, I determined Marvia to be exceptional in the realm of brand consistency. It is specifically designed to support businesses with multiple locations, such as hotel chains. I picked it as the best tool for enabling brand consistency due to its unique focus on localized marketing that stays true to the core brand values.
Standout Features & Integrations:
Marvia offers features like Digital Asset Management and Template Management, which are instrumental in maintaining brand consistency. It also provides Local Store Marketing tools, helping individual hotels to create location-specific marketing campaigns while adhering to the brand guidelines. Crucial integrations include various Content Management Systems and Design Software, reinforcing its role in brand-focused marketing.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Effective integrations with CMSs and Design Software
- Useful features such as Template Management and Local Store Marketing
- Emphasis on maintaining brand consistency across locations
Cons:
- Might be too feature-rich for hotels needing simple solutions
- Pricing might be higher for smaller hotels with limited budgets
- Steeper learning curve for beginners
Tambourine is a comprehensive hotel marketing and distribution solution that unifies a range of services to help hotels increase their online presence, bookings, and revenue. It offers integrated solutions that span website design, SEO, SEM, and social media, making it an excellent choice for those seeking a unified marketing approach.
Why I Picked Tambourine: In my selection process, Tambourine stood out due to its holistic approach to hotel marketing. I picked it because it offers a comprehensive suite of services that covers the full spectrum of digital marketing needs. I consider it the best for integrated hotel marketing and distribution solutions due to its single platform offering for diverse marketing components.
Standout Features & Integrations:
Tambourine's primary features include omnichannel digital marketing, online distribution, hotel e-commerce, and data intelligence services. These features allow hoteliers to manage all their digital marketing and distribution efforts from one platform. In terms of integrations, Tambourine works well with various Property Management Systems (PMS), Central Reservation Systems (CRS), and Global Distribution Systems (GDS).
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Expertise in the hotel industry providing relevant insights and services
- Seamless integration with various PMS, CRS, and GDS
- One-stop solution for all digital marketing and distribution needs
Cons:
- The extensive range of services could lead to a steeper learning curve for new users
- Too comprehensive for hotels looking for specific solutions
- Custom pricing model may not fit all budget sizes
SmartHost CRM focuses on strengthening guest relationships through its AI-powered tools, which provide valuable insights for hoteliers. This software skillfully manages customer relationships, using AI to derive insights that fuel better guest interaction.
Why I Picked SmartHost CRM: In my judgment, SmartHost CRM was a clear choice for this list due to its pioneering AI features that simplify relationship management. I was particularly impressed with its AI capabilities that extract insights to inform effective guest interaction strategies. The reason I deem SmartHost CRM best for managing guest relationships lies in its innovative use of AI to make relationship management more intuitive and effective.
Standout Features & Integrations:
SmartHost CRM comes packed with unique features like its AI-powered recommendation engine that provides smart suggestions based on guest behavior. It also features an easy-to-use interface, making guest relationship management simpler. The software integrates with a variety of PMS systems, hotel email marketing tools, and other hotel technologies, ensuring a consistent flow of data.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Effective integrations with various hotel technologies
- Easy-to-navigate interface
- Innovative use of AI for guest relationship management
Cons:
- AI capabilities may require a learning curve for some users
- Limited third-party integrations compared to other CRMs
- Pricing might be high for smaller establishments
Sojern is a powerful tool that helps hotels make the most of programmatic advertising to draw in potential guests. With its data-driven approach, it can efficiently target and reach audiences who are most likely to book your hotel.
Why I Picked Sojern: Among the numerous hotel marketing tools I surveyed, Sojern stood out with its unique focus on programmatic advertising. This capability distinguishes Sojern from other platforms and offers a unique strategy for attracting guests. I selected it as the best for leveraging programmatic advertising due to its proven results in increasing direct bookings and enhancing guest reach.
Standout Features & Integrations:
Sojern excels at using real-time bidding (RTB) and programmatic buying to attract potential guests effectively. It also provides data-driven insights that help hotels craft targeted marketing campaigns. Integrations with major booking platforms and property management systems ensure that it fits well within your hotel's existing software ecosystem.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Comprehensive integration with booking platforms and PMSs
- Provides insightful data for targeted marketing campaigns
- Advanced programmatic advertising capabilities
Cons:
- Lack of in-depth customization options in reports
- Requires some digital marketing knowledge to make full use of features
- Pricing might be high for small hotels
Netcore is a marketing automation platform that helps hotels streamline and optimize multi-channel marketing campaigns. Its ability to integrate various communication channels, like email, social media, and mobile apps, makes it ideal for creating cohesive guest engagement strategies.
Why I Picked Netcore: When selecting this tool, I was impressed by Netcore's multi-channel marketing capabilities and its emphasis on customer engagement. Its ability to harmonize campaigns across different channels differentiates it from other tools. I chose it as the 'Best for enhancing guest engagement via multi-channel campaigns' due to its comprehensive feature set that enables a unified guest communication strategy.
Standout Features & Integrations:
Netcore provides features such as email marketing automation, social media integration, and in-app messaging. These features allow businesses to create seamless, engaging experiences across all customer touchpoints. For integrations, Netcore works with popular CRM systems, e-commerce platforms, and data analytics tools, which simplifies data management and campaign execution.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Advanced automation tools for efficient campaign management
- Wide range of integrations with popular platforms
- Multi-channel marketing capabilities enhance customer engagement
Cons:
- The effectiveness of campaigns is heavily reliant on strategic planning and execution
- The vast feature set could be overwhelming for beginners
- Pricing may be high for small businesses
GuestJoy focuses on creating engaging communication with guests before their stay, which has proven effective for upselling. This tool enhances both hotel revenue and guest satisfaction by personalizing the guest journey from the get-go.
Why I Picked GuestJoy: In my quest for the ideal marketing tools, GuestJoy caught my attention with its approach to pre-stay communication, which has proved to be a fantastic upselling strategy. Its emphasis on the pre-stay phase makes it different from many other tools on the market. I have determined GuestJoy to be the best for upselling through engaging pre-stay communication because of its dedication to tailoring the guest journey from the earliest possible moment.
Standout Features & Integrations:
GuestJoy's pre-stay upselling feature is truly unique, allowing hotels to offer room upgrades, special amenities, or extra services to guests even before their arrival. Also, its data-driven insights help hoteliers design more impactful guest communication. It integrates seamlessly with property management systems and booking engines, creating a smooth data exchange.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Good range of integrations with PMS and booking engines
- Data-driven insights for personalized guest communication
- Effective pre-stay communication for upselling
Cons:
- Extra costs for premium features can add up
- Limited customer support during non-business hours
- The user interface might be slightly complex for beginners
Bookboost is a hotel marketing tool specifically designed to drive direct bookings by engaging potential guests through personalized messaging. Its unique focus on guest communication sets it apart in the market, aligning it perfectly with the goal of encouraging more direct bookings.
Why I Picked Bookboost: I selected Bookboost due to its emphasis on guest messaging as a pathway to increasing direct bookings. The tool's standout attribute is its integrated messaging platform that allows hotels to connect with guests in a more personalized manner. This feature played a pivotal role in my judging it as the best for driving direct bookings through guest messaging.
Standout Features & Integrations:
Bookboost’s key features include its unified inbox, which collects all guest communications in one place, and its customizable auto-responses, which provide quick answers to common guest inquiries. The platform integrates well with popular Property Management Systems (PMS), which is crucial for maintaining real-time room availability and pricing data.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Personalized auto-responses for efficiency
- Integrated with major Property Management Systems
- Direct messaging with potential guests enhances booking rates
Cons:
- The learning curve for utilizing all its features effectively
- Requires active management to fully leverage its potential
- Relatively high starting price may be prohibitive for small establishments
Why I Picked Cendyn: Cendyn is an essential tool in the hotel marketing sphere, renowned for its robust features that focus on leveraging data for profit generation. I selected Cendyn specifically for its commitment to data-driven marketing that optimizes revenue channels. The tool stands out due to its unique ability to convert data into actionable insights that drive revenue - truly a game-changer in the market.
Standout Features & Integrations:
Cendyn offers robust hotel CRM solutions that help hotels leverage guest data to personalize experiences and drive direct revenue. The platform's insight CRM provides deep insights into guest behavior, which helps in crafting targeted campaigns. The software also provides seamless integrations with popular hotel PMS (Property Management Systems), booking engines, and other critical hospitality software, facilitating smooth data flow across various platforms.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Comprehensive CRM functionality
- Wide range of integrations with other hotel software
- Excellent data analysis capabilities
Cons:
- Customer service response times can be improved
- The interface may require a learning curve
- Pricing can be high for smaller establishments
Other Hotel Marketing Software
Below is a list of additional hotel marketing software that we shortlisted, but did not make it to the top 10. Definitely worth checking them out.
- Thynk
For utilizing AI and analytics to understand guest preferences
- For-Sight
For enhancing guest experience via tailored marketing communications
- Kipsu
For real-time digital communication with guests
- Experience
For personalized email marketing campaigns and guest profiling
- TrustYou
Good for gathering and analyzing guest feedback to enhance reputation
- Fluency
Good for automating marketing processes with AI-driven solutions
- Claravine
Good for improving digital campaign performance with data standardization
- Profitroom
Good for optimizing direct sales through tailored offers
- Revinate
Good for managing online reputation and boosting direct bookings
Selection Criteria For Hotel Marketing Software
When choosing hotel marketing software, the right choice can profoundly impact hotel marketing software, the right choice can have a profound impact on your business's efficiency, guest engagement, and ultimately, profitability. I've tested and researched dozens of these tools, paying close attention to the specifics that make a difference in the hotel industry. Below are the metrics that I believe are most crucial when making your selection:
Core Functionality
- Ability to manage and analyze online reputation: This includes gathering and responding to guest reviews across various platforms.
- Multichannel marketing campaign management: The tool should facilitate planning, executing, and tracking marketing efforts across multiple channels such as email, TripAdvisor social media, and mobile.
- Booking optimization: It should assist in converting potential guests into direct bookings, thus minimizing the reliance on third-party booking sites.
Key Features
- Guest profiling and segmentation: These features allow you to understand your guests better, thus personalizing their experience and marketing communications.
- Data analytics: Real-time reporting and analysis capabilities to measure the success of campaigns and strategies.
- Integration capabilities: The software should be able to integrate seamlessly with other hotel management systems for efficient data exchange and workflow.
Usability
- User-friendly interface: Hoteliers often juggle multiple responsibilities, so the software should have an intuitive interface that's easy to navigate and use.
- Customer loyalty: Reliable customer support is essential for resolving any issues quickly and ensuring the smooth operation of the software.
- Training resources: Due to the complexity of some functions, the software should provide comprehensive learning resources like tutorials, webinars, or user manuals to help users understand the platform and its features better.
People Also Ask
What are the benefits of using hotel marketing software?
Hotel marketing software offers numerous advantages, including the ability to manage online reputation, conduct multi-channel marketing campaigns, optimize bookings, understand guest profiles, and measure the success of campaigns through data analytics. These features collectively help hoteliers increase guest engagement, improve the guest experience, and boost their bottom line.
How much do hotel marketing software tools cost?
The cost of hotel marketing software varies greatly depending on the features, number of users, and the specific needs of your hotel. The pricing models are typically subscription-based, charged either monthly or annually.
What are the pricing models for hotel marketing software?
Most hotel marketing software operate on a subscription model. The price depends on the number of users and sometimes the size of the property. These subscriptions are usually billed monthly or annually. Some vendors may also offer tiered pricing plans where more advanced features and capabilities come at a higher cost.
What is the typical range of pricing for hotel marketing software?
The price can range from as low as $20 per user per month for basic functionality to over $500 per user per month for more advanced systems with comprehensive features. It’s important to note that many providers require you to contact them directly for a custom quote.
What is the cheapest and most expensive hotel marketing software?
The cheapest software can start as low as $20 per user per month, while the more comprehensive solutions with extensive features can cost over $500 per user per month. However, these prices can vary significantly based on the specific needs and size of your hotel.
Are there any free hotel marketing software options?
Free options are quite rare in this industry due to the complexity and specificity of the features required. However, some providers might offer a free trial period to let you test the platform before making a decision. Always make sure to thoroughly evaluate the tool during the trial period to ensure it meets your needs before purchasing.
How can hotel marketing software improve hotel reputation management?
Hotel marketing software helps improve hotel reputation management by making it easier to communicate with guests and promote positive reviews. It supports hotel reputation management strategies like sending thank-you messages, encouraging feedback, and sharing special offers to keep guests happy and engaged. Happy guests are more likely to leave good reviews, which helps the hotel build a better reputation.
Other Hotel Marketing Software
Here are some other useful tools for hotel marketing and CRM.
What Next?
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