Below are our top marketing tips that you need to consider adopting in 2012.

1. Invest in a professional website
Your website is your shopfront and travel buyers will be visiting your website to get an idea of your property, rooms, facilities and location. Make sure you have a professional website that is easy to navigate, has relevant and useful information so consumers can make an informed decision and include updated and high resolution photos of your property.

To encourage search engine spiders and people to visit your website regularly, ensure that you constantly update your website with fresh content. This could include news updates on things to do in the area, upcoming events and specials.

Invest in technology to make this possible and easy for you to manage. For example, a good content management system (CMS) will make it easy for you to update content and images quickly without the need to wait for a web developer. It will save you time and money in the long run.

2. Invest in a video for your website
Virtual tours are long out - videos are definitely in! Videos are a great way to sell your hotel product and services and engages consumers better than any other medium. With more people using their mobiles to surf the internet and check for room availability, a video is a great way for your potential customers to view your property and rooms while on the go.

3. Integrate your marketing efforts
Do you currently use separate companies or have different arrangements (some in-house, some you outsource) to manage your SEO, SEM, email marketing, social media, website etc? When you run a competition on Facebook, do you also promote it on your website, in your e-newsletters or other social media networks?

We recommend using one company to manage all your marketing efforts. That way, your marketing messages are all consistent. If you cross-promote your marketing across a range of different channels, you can increase the level of participation and reach and increase your revenue.

For example, if you run a competition on Facebook, make sure that you send out an email to your clients informing them of this promotion, include the competition details or have a banner on your website and promote it on your social networks. When you have a special offer, include the special on your website, but promote it on Facebook, Twitter and send out a e-newsletter to your clients to increase bookings.

4. Get on social media
More and more people are using social media to interact with brands. Get online and start engaging with your fans. Run competitions, ask questions, run polls, post specials etc. But before you make the leap, make sure you have a social media strategy. This includes when you will post your updates, what you will post and who will look after your social media accounts. If in doubt, seek professional advice from a social media marketing company.

If you need any help with marketing for 2012 including website design, social media marketing, email marketing, SEO services or video, speak to one of the marketing consultants at TA Fastrack.