I use Google Analytics and I have a Funnel and Goal set up (the funnel being the pages that a guest must follow to complete a booking and the "goal" is the completed booking page).
My goal conversion rate since 1st Jan 2010 is 0.66%.
Is that good? I've no idea!
That also ignores people who rather than book online will email an enquiry, or phone up with their card details because they don't like entering it over the Internet.
On our guest feedback form the first question is "What were the key factors influencing your decision to book with us", 44% of respondents said our web site..
HJ- What was the process you went thru to come up with the 'answers' the guest can select for why they chose your place?
I'm curious as I don't ask that, but it's an excellent question. And I'm wondering what the guest is thinking as they select a particular answer.
So, example is the 44% of guests answering it was your website. (What made the other 56% book? What other answers could they select?)
But, the 44%...what does the answer mean?
- You're the only place with a website?
- Your website actually functions?
- Your website places higher than anyone else in your area?
- Your website is a work of art that grabs the viewer by the lapels and shouts, 'If you don't book here, you're an idiot'?
- Your website gave the viewer info no one else did? (I say this after looking for a place to stay last Nov. 99% of the sites I looked at in my target area did NOT tell me they were CLOSED in Nov until I reached the calendar! The ONE place that said 'Open year round' is the one that got my booking because I was tired of looking. Best place? Probably not, but they put some effort into telling guests what they needed to know.)
- The guest is thinking, 'Oh bloody hell, what's the first answer in the list so I can get on with this?'
I think knowing what the guest was thinking as they selected the answer is as important as the answer they chose. I had a couple of directories I failed to pay for still listed in my 'Where did you find us?' list. Months after we were removed from those sites, but before I got around to taking them out of the list, guests were still selecting them. OK, it's possible they really DID find us on those sites and waited forever to book, but not likely. More likely they picked something that 'sounded' right.
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