When should you redesign your hotel website?
In a sector as competitive as the hotel industry, having a high-performance, attractive website has become essential. Yet many independent hoteliers and marketing managers are wondering when it’s time to rethink their hotel website. Modernization, optimization, improved customer experience… these are all levers that can make a difference to direct bookings and online visibility.
At Eliophot, an agency specializing in the creation and redesign of hospitality websites, we help hotel industry players rethink their digital presence strategically and effectively. Find out in this article when and why you should consider a hotel website redesign, as well as the best practices for a successful project.
Click on this link to find out more about Eliophot’s Eliophot website creation.
A redesign is more than a simple makeover: it addresses profound issues linked to technical performance, image and commercial results.
An “old” site : A site more than 3-4 years old is often technically outdated. Generally, most of the following points are ticked if this is the case. On the web, consumer habits and technologies evolve very rapidly (e.g. AI), which is why you need to redesign your site regularly, especially in a highly competitive market driven by OTAs.
Technical performance: On average, a site that takes longer than 2 seconds to load loses more than 50% of its visitors.
Security: Over 90% of Internet users leave an unsecured site (lack of HTTPS), which also penalizes SEO. Similarly, an older site may no longer benefit from the latest security updates.
Responsive design: Over 70% of hotel traffic comes from cell phones. A site that isn’t adapted loses a large share of its clientele.
Outdated design: A site with an outdated design reduces customer confidence by almost 40% (source: Nielsen Norman Group).
Low conversion rate: The average buyer-to-guest ratio in the hotel industry is between 3% and 5%. Below this level, the customer journey needs to be rethought, even if the causes can be diverse.
Poor SEO: Poor indexing or positioning on Google.
Lack of marketing integration: No CRM, mailing tools, metasearch or visitor data exploitation.
Poor data feedback : poorly configured Google Analytics, lack of conversion tracking event tags.
OTAs like booking have set the bar high in terms of user experience, so for its website, travelers today expect at the very least:
Fluid, fast mobile navigation (< 2 sec loading time).
Simple, fast and secure booking functions.
A personalized experience and a specific pricing policy.
Reassurance and transparency on reviews and services.
A modern site must also integrate technological developments: chatbots, video integration, dynamic personalization, RGPD compliance…
Modernized brand image: contemporary design reinforces trust.
Increased direct bookings: simplified customer journey can increase conversions by up to +30%.
Optimized mobile-first experience: crucial with over 70% of bookings via mobile.
Reduced acquisition costs: better ROI from SEA, SEO and email campaigns.
Better integration of digital tools: chatbots, CRM, marketing automation.
Precise performance monitoring: optimized tracking for continuous improvement.
Complete audit: UX, SEO, competitor analysis, technical performance.
Prioritize UX design: simplify the booking tunnel, less than 3 clicks.
Choose a high-performance, scalable CMS (example: WordPress + PMS).
Optimize speed: target < 2 seconds on mobile.
Secure your site with HTTPS and up-to-date protocols.
Work with an expert agency like Eliophot.
Integrate innovations: chatbot, CRM, analysis tools.
Plan launch in off-peak period, allow 1 to 3 months depending on project.
Ensure clean SEO migration: 301 redirects, URL audit, sitemap management.
Post-launch monitoring: performance analysis and optimization.
Redesigning your hotel website is a strategic project with a direct impact on visibility, image and sales performance. Identifying the right moment will enable you to optimize your direct bookings, improve the customer experience and remain competitive.
A final word of advice: in our experience, it’s important to define your objectives and expectations before entrusting an agency with the task of redesigning your site. And above all, the golden rule: don’t underestimate the risk of losing all your natural referencing history (the fact of ranking well on search engines such as Google). If you have the right support, this can be anticipated and managed without worry, but it’s something to bear in mind.
At Eliophot, a 360° agency specialized in the hotel industry, we’ve successfully supported hundreds of customers, from 3, 4 and 5-star hotels to lifestyle brands.
Find out more about our achievements, and contact our experts today for a personalized diagnosis. A customized redesign can transform your digital presence.
