Digital Marketing Funnel for Hotels in UK: Explained Step by Step
Getting steady bookings today feels harder than ever.
Guests jump between Google, OTAs, social media, and hotel websites before they choose a room. So, you need a clear path that guides them at every step.
That path is your digital marketing funnel for hotels in the UK.
It shows people your hotel, builds their interest, and then moves them toward a direct booking.
When this funnel works well, you spend less, earn more, and stay ahead of local competitors.
And honestly, most hotels still don’t use it right.
That’s your chance to win.
You can explore more hotel-focused services here on Digileap’s website: Also, VisitBritain’s travel outlook gives a simple view of how UK visitors plan and spend, which helps you shape your funnel smartly: https://www.visitbritain.org/forecast
Why this matters now
That means hotels must be easy to find, fast to book, and worth talking about.
Industry summaries show online bookings make up a large share of travel sales and OTAs still hold big market share, so hotels must balance OTA visibility with direct-booking efforts.
Awareness: hotel marketing funnel
Get noticed first.
Use search ads for queries like “hotels near Windsor” or “boutique hotel London.”
Use short, useful blog posts about local events so searchers find you.
Run social posts with clear images and a simple call to action.
Also list your hotel on OTAs and local directories to widen reach.
Make sure your name, address, and phone number are consistent everywhere.
Consideration: hotel marketing funnel
Help people compare and choose you.
Show clear room types and prices on your website.
Add honest guest photos and short testimonials.
Use retargeting ads that remind people who viewed rooms but left.
Offer simple incentives, such as flexible cancellation or free breakfast, to nudge booking intent.
Conversion: hotel marketing funnel
Make booking frictionless.
A one-page booking engine converts better than a long form.
Show total price early and offer secure payment options.
Reduce cart abandonment by adding a visible phone number and live chat.
Use urgency signals like “2 rooms left” only when true.
Track conversions so you know which ads, emails, or pages actually sell rooms.
Loyalty & Advocacy: hotel marketing funnel
Keep guests coming back.
Send a friendly thank-you email after checkout.
Ask for reviews on Google and Booking.com in a short, polite message.
Offer an easy loyalty discount or a future-stay code.
Encourage guests to share photos on social with your hotel’s hashtag.
Turn happy guests into brand advocates who recommend you to friends.
Tools that help at each stage
Build awareness with Google Ads and strong local SEO.
For the consideration stage, add email campaigns and retargeting to stay on their radar.
A fast booking engine with a clean checkout helps drive smooth conversions.
Then rely on CRM tools and easy review systems to boost loyalty and advocacy.
Also monitor OTA performance and compare cost per acquisition across channels.
Quick checklist for hotels in UK
Clean, mobile site with instant booking.
Clear room pages with photos and benefits.
Live chat or easy phone help on booking pages.
Simple loyalty offer for repeat guests.
Ask for reviews and make leaving them effortless.
Common pitfalls to avoid
Sending too many promo emails that push guests away.
Hiding fees until checkout — this kills trust.
Putting all budget into OTAs without a plan for direct bookings.
Ignoring mobile users — most searches start on phones.
Not tracking which campaigns actually bring bookings.
Measurement: what to track
Website traffic sources.
Booking conversion rate and revenue per booking.
Cost per acquisition for each channel.
Email open and click rates.
Review scores and number of mentions.
Compare OTA bookings versus direct bookings monthly to spot trends.
Small budgets, big wins
Optimize Google Business Profile first — it’s free and drives local traffic.
Use automated emails to recover abandoned bookings.
Run one seasonal offer and promote it across email and social.
Partner with local attractions to create packages and share promotion costs.
TL;DR
A simple funnel moves guests from awareness to advocacy.
Focus on getting found, helping choice, removing booking friction, and turning guests into repeat bookers.
Track bookings by channel and improve the weakest step.
Use direct-booking tactics to balance OTA dependence.
Navan
Conclusion
A hotel that plans its marketing funnel step by step will see clearer results.
Start with awareness, guide guests gently through consideration, make booking easy, and thank them well after checkout.
Measure what matters and shift budget where it pays off.
If you want help building a tailored funnel for your property, Digileap can help. .
Want a free audit of your hotel’s funnel?
Message Digileap and ask for a quick review of your booking pages and ads.
They will point out the easiest wins you can make this month.
Boost hotel bookings with a simple UK marketing funnel. Drive visibility, grow loyalty, and get expert help from Digileap UK today.
