Today’s piece is a podcast conversation with Susanne Westbrock, Head of Brand & Content at Giardino Hotels. The cameras were turned off to facilitate a more open and comfortable discussion. Furthermore, the soundtrack is in German. I’ll summarise the podcast for my English-speaking readers. Please continue reading.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqt5QHTwuI0
Education:
- Master of Arts in Content Strategy
- Master of Arts in Multimedia Communication (Journalism & Marketing)
- Bachelor of Arts in Media studies and Linguistics
Experience:
- Head of Brand & Content Strategy at Giardino Hotels, Switzerland
- Online Marketing Expert (Google Ads) – Content & Digital Strategy, Germany (self-employed)
- Online Marketing Manager at SinkaCom AG, Germany
- Adwords Relationship & Project Manager at Google, Ireland
Introduction:
Susanne originally aspired to mix marketing and journalism after graduating, which led her to the tourism industry. Her first position was as a Content Manager, where she was responsible for creating and designing content. She also had to use Google tracking, advertisements, and web marketing over time. She was given the opportunity to run the Online Marketing department in this particular industry. At the age of 23, she recognised she still had a large knowledge gap, notably in understanding crucial numbers and analyses. It’s worth noting that tracking systems have evolved dramatically since 2007.
Soon after, she accepted a job offer from Google in Dublin, Ireland, as an Account Manager. She learned how to implement and use Google Ads tactics there. For her, the most intriguing aspect was watching how a hotel might expand just by using Google Ads, comprehending data analysis, and enhancing website performance.
After a year, she returned to Germany and worked for a consulting firm in the travel and tourist business before going out on her own for around ten years in the same field. One significant issue she encountered was that German hotels had lost many customers to OTAs (Online Travel Agencies such as Booking.com), as it was more user friendly. She has been working for Giardino Hotels in Switzerland since 2021, feeling the desire to focus exclusively on one project. She had the opportunity to be part in a project from the beginning to the end with Giardino. She began as a Marketing & Social Media professional before receiving a promotion to Head of Brand & Content Strategy.
Executed projects for the Giardino Group:
- Created more visual content, including videos, depending on changes in user behaviours
Models showcasing family activity at Hotel Giardino Ascona - Used customised personas for distinct audience categories, such as families, couples, and employer branding
- Improved the website to highlight the hotel’s products and services
- Examined digitalisation and how digital campaigns work, focusing on revenue rather than just a larger audience (increased revenue is the indicator that the campaign worked)
- Enhanced landing pages for specific services offered by the hotels, such as golf, family vacations, and couple getaways
- Made better use of TripAdvisor for destination and restaurant searches
Influencer:
Susanne described receiving several requests for collaboration from influencers, the majority of whom had about 200,000 followers. However, they discovered that many of these influencers do not match the profile or target demographic of the hotel. They seek personalities that complement their brand. They occasionally believe it is worthwhile to collaborate with influencers in order to obtain more followers and visibility. Choosing the proper influencers, on the other hand, is a delicate procedure. Susanne believes that having a travel influencer write a blog post after their stay would be more beneficial, but this technique is not generally used or adequately performed when using organic search and indexing.
Regarding this topic, you are invited to read my earlier blog entry, which goes into greater detail. Nonetheless, if you want to hear the professional’s point of view, skip to minute 18 (if you speak German).
Social Media:
They primarily use social media as an extended gallery to market the hotels and the experiences you can expect when staying at the property.
User Habits:
Because user habits have evolved, the organisation has invested heavily in digitalisation. Susanne and I are both among the last to pick up the phone to make a reservation.
According to my job experience, the elderly call the hotel with their requirements. The younger generation prefers to book online or via email. Again, from a professional standpoint, it creates an obstacle; however, it will be interesting to see how the dynamics shift. Nowadays, every hotel facility must be able to accept online reservations.
Another difference is that people used to be more forgiving of mistakes on your website. Today, having system faults or blunders is a no-no; you risk losing the consumer straight away. In other words, your website must be focused, with little distractions and a short time to load the clicked page. The younger the audience, the less text is necessary and the faster it must be.
Continuing, the mindset has shifted. It used to be a push mindset, but now it’s a pull mentality. If the user cannot find the information or content they are seeking for, they will book somewhere else. Significant distinctions exist between the older and younger generations. The elder generation is more loyal and is more inclined to stick to the booking they have made. Whereas the younger generation books and cancels last minute and changes their minds frequently. It’s a struggle, but it’s also quite interesting because you learn a lot about your customers and how they think.
Marketing professionals must understand their target audience and how to engage with them, regardless of generation. The balance is difficult to maintain since you cannot go too far in digitisation without also meeting the needs of the elder generation, who may still prefer a print version of your marketing approach.
Future projects of the Giardino Group:
- Mobile App (not creating an individual App)
- Having devices in the hotel where brochures are online rather than in print
- Providing online check-in (personalised to the arriving customer)
Still, because this is a future project, it is impossible to say how it will be implemented.
At this point, I’d want to express my gratitude to Susanne for her time and the explanations she provided to my enquiries!
The next blog post will be another video, but I won’t say what it is; if you want to know, stay tuned!
Below you can find my other blog posts?
- What is a younger audience looking for in choosing a 5-star Hotel?
- From Chaos to Calm: A Yoga Retreat at Hotel Giardino Ascona on the Shores of Lago Maggiore
-
Rebranding a Hotel: 5 – Reasons on Unlocking its Potential for Increased Revenue and Brand Loyalty
- Maximising and Appeal: Top Platforms for Promoting a 5-star Hotel & Destination
- Harnessing the Power of Influencers to Reach a Wider Target Audience
- Voices Unveiled: Engaging Perspectives in Q&A with Friends
- Take Your Best Buddy with You: Captain Makoki Takes Hotel Giardino Ascona
Really interesting post; looking forward to your new content! ?
Thanks Marija!
The text provides valuable insights into the evolving landscape of the hospitality industry and Susanne’s expertise in content strategy and marketing. I like it keep up the good work!
Thank you so much Ali!