What HSMAI 2026 Kept Saying (Whether It Meant To or Not)
I spent June 16-17 at the HSMAI Commercial Strategy Conference in San Antonio, where Sales, Revenue Management, and Marketing all gather under one roof to solve problems, align strategies, and occasionally argue about attribution. Dane Robinson, a multi-talented keynote speaker and TV fitness coach, served as MC. He showed up with full Ric Flair energy […]
If Search and Display Had a Baby: Why Demand Gen is the New Hybrid You Actually Want
What are Demand Gen campaigns? Google’s new Demand Gen campaign is designed to capture engagement and actions across YouTube, including Shorts, Discover, Gmail, and Google Display Network websites. They are ideal for advertisers who want to serve visually appealing, multi-format ads through Google channels. Google shares that the benefits of running Demand Gen ads are: […]
Does a Hotel Press Release Impact AI Discoverability?
We think so. Press releases may be dead for Google, but consider a change of tune when it comes to AI and LLMs. A smart distribution strategy can indirectly influence how AI-powered tools see and recommend your hotel. How AI Models Actually “Learn” about Hotels Large language models aren’t scrolling your wire feed in real […]
TikTok Has Entered the Chat: Metasearch
The only thing more valuable than having someone’s attention is getting them to do something with it, and TikTok has mastered both. The wild success of TikTokShop has proven that TikTok has the ability to lead its users through a traditional marketing funnel, without ever leaving the app. From inspiration to research, and all the […]
AI in Action: Lessons from the Female Founders in Hospitality Summit
Stephanie Smith of Cogwheel recently joined an incredible panel at the Female Founders in Hospitality Summit in New York, moderated by Saadiq Rodgers-King, an AI Transformation Consultant, alongside Kim Bennett of AtlasGuru and Katrina Stalcup of Fora Travel. Here were a few of my biggest takeaways from the discussion. Start with the Problem, Not a Tool One of the biggest reasons AI pilots fail is that companies start […]
Grow Your Hotel Brand: Essential Facebook and Instagram Strategies
So you have been tasked with being responsible for running your hotel’s Facebook and Instagram (aka Meta) accounts, you have a social media plan and have read the brand guidelines, but you’re just not sure if you’re doing this right. What’s the secret sauce? Here are some strategies for both Facebook and Instagram: Facebook Strategies […]
The New Hotel AI Funnel: Discoverability vs. Transaction
Not all AI investments for the hotel industry are equal. Many solutions focus on transaction infrastructure, but discoverability is often the gating factor for success. AI hotel distribution has two components: being recommended and being bookable. Most hotels should focus first on being recommendable before investing heavily in booking integrations. It’s a classic case of […]
Case Study: How a GDN Campaign Tripled a Luxury Hotel’s Breakfast Package Production
We launched a targeted Google Display Network (GDN) campaign for a 5-star luxury hotel in Chicago. The goal was to increase bookings for their breakfast offer and boost overall visibility to the hotel’s target audience. The campaign successfully leveraged precise audience targeting to reach travelers and business professionals likely to visit Chicago. The campaign not […]
Moving Past ROAS as Marketing KPI
For years, Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) has been treated as the gold standard for evaluating hotel marketing performance. But as traveler behavior evolves and the planning journey becomes longer and more complex, it’s clear that ROAS no longer tells the full story. A more strategic, full-funnel approach is needed. One that aligns marketing, revenue […]
10 Ways to Maximize Your Hotel’s Spa Listing on Spafinder
Spafinder isn’t just a directory—it’s a discovery engine for wellness travelers. With over 700,000 engaged users and unique distribution through Capital One and other partners, it’s a powerful tool in your spa marketing mix. But like any channel, you get out what you put in. Here are 10 ways to make your Spafinder listing work […]