Destination BC | Dave Heath
Promoting your Product or Business on Tripadvisor
HelloBC.com business listings are pulled in to the site from Tripadvisor. Here are some considerations to ensure your TripAdvisor and HelloBC listing is at its best.
It’s no secret that we are living in a digital age where online reviews and information are critical to customer decision-making. Online review sites such as Tripadvisor have been shown to influence up to 95% of all travel bookings. Creating and optimizing a Tripadvisor page is key to ensuring the success of your tourism business.
One of the best ways to do so is by writing a strong business description, located in the About section of your Tripadvisor page.
The most effective TripAdvisor descriptions have a few things in common: they are clear, direct, and concise. Most travellers on Tripadvisor are viewing and comparing multiple listings, so businesses who clearly highlight key information and unique features that differentiate them from the crowd may just win that guest’s business. It can be tempting to include all your property’s features in the description but remember: people who are searching are typically scanning descriptions, so be concise and give them your strongest points first.
If you haven’t provided a description for your business listing on Tripadvisor, any traveller can write a description for you, which means they get to present your business to potentially thousands of guests in whatever way they choose. Make sure you take the time to represent your business in your own words.
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Tip: If a visitor has already written a description for your business Tripadvisor will replace the traveller’s description with one submitted by you as soon as it’s reviewed and approved.
Here are the top tips for writing a listing description on Tripadvisor:
- Avoid ad copy and sales pitches. Focus instead on what makes your product stand out from other businesses.
- Don’t forget to feature nearby attractions and things to do that can strengthen your business’s appeal.
- Describe the key features and amenities of your business but avoid a laundry list of everything that is available. Think about what your current customers love and highlight those in your description.
- Call out your suitability for children, groups, seniors, or people with disabilities as these can be important selling features.
- Remember to change your description regularly if your product changes by the season.
Tip: In the Reviews section of your Tripadvisor listing, you can sort reviews by key words mentioned. Look for what’s popular or has received positive reviews and call it out in your description.
Tip: Use the first sentence to convey the essence of your product. In some places on Tripadvisor only a preview of your About section will be shown, so make sure that even the first few words are as compelling as possible.
Your description is also a useful spot for adding important information that cannot be entered elsewhere on your listings, such as:
- Additional product offerings on site (e.g. spa services, equipment rentals, or guided tours).
- Geographic areas where you offer experiences, especially if you offer experiences in areas beyond your main address.
- Your season of operation if you do not operate year-round.
- Mobile services that you may operate outside of your primary location (especially important for Visitor Centres).
Tip: Tripadvisor will only allow you to identify one address per listing. If your property runs a mobile kiosk(s) or offers tours or experiences in various locations, use the address of your primary location as your listing address, and note any mobile or off-site services that you operate in your description.
Tip: If your business is in the same building as another business (i.e. A kayak rental company operating inside a hotel), indicate a different suite in your listing. For example: 123 Main St. Unit 2.
After you submit your request, Tripadvisor editors will review your submission and will typically respond to your request within 5 business days.
As we all know, the one consistent truth in business is that things are always changing. So, as your business changes, so should your Tripadvisor listing description. Schedule a reminder that allows you to check in every month or so to ensure that what you’re offering offline is still an accurate representation of what you’re presenting online.
For more information on getting a tourism business listing on Tripadvisor or on HelloBC, visit Destination BC’s Tourism Business Portal.
Last updated: January, 2019
