Hotel marketers have a closing window to prepare for the inevitable cookieless world. Those that are implementing first-party data programs in preparation are seeing real-time value in doing it today vs. tomorrow. As hotel marketers focus on these initiatives they must find new ways to collect, enrich, and activate data.
Together, the three pillars of data–hashed emails, first-party data, and historical booking data–enable contextual and addressable targeting to build connected, multichannel, and cookieless campaigns. We decided to explore the impact of one of those three pillars: first-party data. In partnership with Benchmark Research Partners, we conducted a survey to zero in on the largest hoteliers’ first-party strategies from around the world. We compiled our findings in our latest report, How Hotel Brands Are Using First-Party Data to Drive Revenue & Build Stronger Relationships.
The results spoke for themselves: Namely, 81% of hotel marketers have seen a lift in revenue as a result of implementing a first-party data strategy.
First-party data combines online and offline experiences and is used to understand guest behavior to increase targeting accuracy, predict behaviors, and deliver personalized experiences. A first-party data collection strategy is a hotel’s process for integrating, using, and deleting data. Most importantly, every first-party data strategy must adhere to any privacy regulations in the country where the hotel guest resides.
Maximize campaign performance (73%)
Build stronger customer relationships (67%)
Maximize overall revenue growth (67%)
Increase brand value (64%)
Think about it this way, when a hotel brand makes an effort to better know its travelers, it can create a personalized experience from the very first interaction. This not only makes guests feel more welcome from the get-go, but it also creates a seamless customer experience from booking to check out. This can increase brand status, which can drive pricing power and make franchising more appealing to hotel owners.
Hashed emails are email addresses collected when a user logs into the website. Those emails are hashed, meaning they are encrypted and semi-anonymized into an unrecognizable string of characters. The hashed email is used to identify and target travelers online without using third-party cookies, allowing hoteliers to target travelers when they visit other websites.
Historical booking data is just that: Data is collected and stored in CRM or other systems, allowing hotel marketers to look at past stays, amenities booked, and offline interactions.
First-party cookies collect data about guests from the hotel website to give them a personalized website experience. It can help hotel marketers understand traveler behavior on their site so they can create campaigns that drive bookings. Every first-party cookie is a unique traveler ID, and that ID can be shared with partners to match with hashed emails to enable retargeting.
First-party data is critical in a soon-to-be cookieless world, and the best time to get started with a strategy is now. Hotel brands that are collecting and using first-party data are reaping the benefits of more bookings and increased traveler loyalty. When hoteliers gather the right data from across the customer journey, they can create effective multichannel campaigns that entice travelers to book time and time again.
Together, the three pillars of data–hashed emails, first-party data, and historical booking data–enable contextual and addressable targeting to build connected, multichannel, and cookieless campaigns. We decided to explore the impact of one of those three pillars: first-party data. In partnership with Benchmark Research Partners, we conducted a survey to zero in on the largest hoteliers’ first-party strategies from around the world. We compiled our findings in our latest report, How Hotel Brands Are Using First-Party Data to Drive Revenue & Build Stronger Relationships.
The results spoke for themselves: Namely, 81% of hotel marketers have seen a lift in revenue as a result of implementing a first-party data strategy.
What is First-Party Data?
First, let’s define first-party data and what a first-party data strategy looks like. First-party data comes directly from consenting guests. It can include contact information, booking history, and demographics that come from a hotel website, social media channels, in-person interactions, and more.First-party data combines online and offline experiences and is used to understand guest behavior to increase targeting accuracy, predict behaviors, and deliver personalized experiences. A first-party data collection strategy is a hotel’s process for integrating, using, and deleting data. Most importantly, every first-party data strategy must adhere to any privacy regulations in the country where the hotel guest resides.
First-Party Data Collection Is a High Priority for Hotel Brands
Of the hoteliers we surveyed, 59% have implemented a first-party data strategy, indicating many are well on their way to cookieless success. Of the 41% who have yet to deploy a first-party strategy, 75% want to—and for good reason. Hotel marketers believe that they can use first-party data to:Maximize campaign performance (73%)
Build stronger customer relationships (67%)
Maximize overall revenue growth (67%)
Increase brand value (64%)
Think about it this way, when a hotel brand makes an effort to better know its travelers, it can create a personalized experience from the very first interaction. This not only makes guests feel more welcome from the get-go, but it also creates a seamless customer experience from booking to check out. This can increase brand status, which can drive pricing power and make franchising more appealing to hotel owners.
Activating First-Party Data Creates a Significant Lift in Marketing Objectives
More and more hoteliers are finding success with first-party data. Knowing that, 81% of hoteliers surveyed have seen a lift in revenue as a result of implementing a first-party data strategy. Fifty-seven percent have seen a lift in guest satisfaction. The best part? As the amount of collected data grows, hoteliers can use that information to increase campaign accuracy and enable people-based marketing across devices. That’s why more than two-thirds feel confident that they’ll get more out of their data strategies in 2023.When you’re ready to take the next step with first-party data collection, chat with one of our hotel marketing experts today.
Preparing and Implementing Your First-Party Data Strategy
Hotel marketers can get started with a first-party data strategy by using the three pillars of data: Hashed emails, first-party cookies, and historical booking data. Here’s the breakdown:Hashed emails are email addresses collected when a user logs into the website. Those emails are hashed, meaning they are encrypted and semi-anonymized into an unrecognizable string of characters. The hashed email is used to identify and target travelers online without using third-party cookies, allowing hoteliers to target travelers when they visit other websites.
Historical booking data is just that: Data is collected and stored in CRM or other systems, allowing hotel marketers to look at past stays, amenities booked, and offline interactions.
First-party cookies collect data about guests from the hotel website to give them a personalized website experience. It can help hotel marketers understand traveler behavior on their site so they can create campaigns that drive bookings. Every first-party cookie is a unique traveler ID, and that ID can be shared with partners to match with hashed emails to enable retargeting.
First-party data is critical in a soon-to-be cookieless world, and the best time to get started with a strategy is now. Hotel brands that are collecting and using first-party data are reaping the benefits of more bookings and increased traveler loyalty. When hoteliers gather the right data from across the customer journey, they can create effective multichannel campaigns that entice travelers to book time and time again.
Collecting and Activating First-Party Data Into the Future
In our report, we discovered that market research is the #1 resource hotel marketers trust when planning first-party data programs. If you’re looking for more information on first-party data collection and activation, here are a few resources to continue your research:Hotel marketers have an exciting opportunity to prepare for a future without cookies. Those who are taking action now and implementing first-party data strategies are already seeing tangible benefits compared to those who delay. By focusing on collecting, enriching, and activating data in new ways, hotel marketers can build connected, multichannel campaigns that are relevant and effective even without third-party cookies.
One of the most important pillars of data is first-party data, which is data collected directly from guests through a hotel's website, social media channels, in-person interactions, and other touchpoints. By combining online and offline experiences, first-party data enables hotel marketers to better understand guest behavior, predict their needs and preferences, and deliver personalized experiences that build loyalty and satisfaction.
According to our recent survey conducted in partnership with Benchmark Research Partners, 59% of hoteliers have already implemented a first-party data strategy, while 41% are still in the process. Among those who have implemented such strategies, 81% reported seeing a lift in revenue, while 57% reported higher guest satisfaction. As the amount of data collected grows, hoteliers can continue to refine their campaigns and achieve even better results.
Preparing and implementing a first-party data strategy involves using three key pillars of data: hashed emails, first-party cookies, and historical booking data. Hashed emails are encrypted and anonymized email addresses collected when a user logs into the website, while first-party cookies track guest behavior on the hotel website to create a personalized experience. Historical booking data, on the other hand, helps hotel marketers analyze past stays, amenities booked, and offline interactions to better understand guests' preferences and behavior.
By prioritizing first-party data collection and activation, hotel brands can create personalized experiences from the very first interaction with guests. This can lead to increased brand value, pricing power, and more appealing franchising opportunities. Moreover, hotel marketers can use first-party data to maximize campaign performance, build stronger customer relationships, and drive overall revenue growth.
As we move towards a cookieless world, hotel marketers must act fast to prepare for the future. By collecting and activating first-party data now, they can gain a competitive advantage and stay ahead of the curve. To learn more about first-party data collection and activation, consult market research and other relevant resources to make informed decisions about your strategy.
In conclusion, we urge you to follow the lead of successful hoteliers and invest in first-party data strategies now. By doing so, you can achieve greater revenue, guest satisfaction, and loyalty, while building strong relationships with your guests. To learn more about how we can help you with your first-party data strategy, please follow us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/sojern/.
One of the most important pillars of data is first-party data, which is data collected directly from guests through a hotel's website, social media channels, in-person interactions, and other touchpoints. By combining online and offline experiences, first-party data enables hotel marketers to better understand guest behavior, predict their needs and preferences, and deliver personalized experiences that build loyalty and satisfaction.
According to our recent survey conducted in partnership with Benchmark Research Partners, 59% of hoteliers have already implemented a first-party data strategy, while 41% are still in the process. Among those who have implemented such strategies, 81% reported seeing a lift in revenue, while 57% reported higher guest satisfaction. As the amount of data collected grows, hoteliers can continue to refine their campaigns and achieve even better results.
Preparing and implementing a first-party data strategy involves using three key pillars of data: hashed emails, first-party cookies, and historical booking data. Hashed emails are encrypted and anonymized email addresses collected when a user logs into the website, while first-party cookies track guest behavior on the hotel website to create a personalized experience. Historical booking data, on the other hand, helps hotel marketers analyze past stays, amenities booked, and offline interactions to better understand guests' preferences and behavior.
By prioritizing first-party data collection and activation, hotel brands can create personalized experiences from the very first interaction with guests. This can lead to increased brand value, pricing power, and more appealing franchising opportunities. Moreover, hotel marketers can use first-party data to maximize campaign performance, build stronger customer relationships, and drive overall revenue growth.
As we move towards a cookieless world, hotel marketers must act fast to prepare for the future. By collecting and activating first-party data now, they can gain a competitive advantage and stay ahead of the curve. To learn more about first-party data collection and activation, consult market research and other relevant resources to make informed decisions about your strategy.
In conclusion, we urge you to follow the lead of successful hoteliers and invest in first-party data strategies now. By doing so, you can achieve greater revenue, guest satisfaction, and loyalty, while building strong relationships with your guests. To learn more about how we can help you with your first-party data strategy, please follow us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/sojern/.
