We have come a long way from total lack of awareness about TripAdvisor & the importance of online reputation management (ORM) to a sense of urgency among hoteliers about their hotel’s reputation in the virtual world. The question is no longer “if you should” but “how you should” manage your online reputation. Managing reviews on TripAdvisor is a necessity and is not necessarily an added expense. The better you manage your property’s listing on TripAdvisor, better are the chances of cashing in on the opportunities thrown open by the review portal.

A direct relation between reviews and revenues can be deduced from the following-

Number of reviews:TripAdvisor ranks such hotels better which have more reviews than other properties. Why? Because more people writing about you means more people have stayed with you and that indicates popularity of your property. Yes, reviews can be bad but the global average suggests that the share of positive reviews is considerably higher than average or adverse reviews and more importantly, travelers like reviewing a property more so when they have a good time. One good reason why hotels should not be afraid of reviews.

Share of positive reviews: Yes, the rankings will definitely be better. But, if 49% travelers are “strongly” influenced by reviews then you can directly relate it with your revenue. At least 49% of the people who are planning to book with you will eventually book you. The other 51% are still up for grabs but you are safe with at least half of the target audience.

Management Responses:It is not enough to do a blitzkrieg and have satisfied guests put in the “good word”. Just how recent your reviews are plays an important role in determining your ranking of TripAdvisor.

The “recency” of the reviews:When all is said and done, review websites’ fundamental function is to let the world know what a property is worth. If your guests are all praises then you know what your strengths are. If your guests are critical then you know what your weaknesses are.