We’ve had the pleasure of working with Bolton since 2020, to strengthen their position in a highly competitive market. We achieved this with effective search and social strategies, not to mention creating and managing an agile marketing strategy during Covid. Aro wanted to help Bolton stand out in a saturated hotel market, increase the percentage of bookings through the Bolton site vs through online travel agencies (OTAs), and ultimately increase their month on month revenue.

We regularly measured success by monitoring the:

• Number of bookings
• Cost per acquisition
• Click-through rates

Search

Challenges

When Bolton first approached us, one of their biggest challenges was competing against online travel agencies (OTAs) that were charging commissions for bookings made through their platforms. The hotel's brand terms were being hijacked by these OTAs, making it difficult for potential customers to find them directly online. Moreover, the hotel had to face competition not just from other local hotels but also from all over New Zealand.

Strategy

Our team created a comprehensive strategy that optimised their Google Ad strategy by reclaiming brand terms from OTAs, reducing commission costs and increasing the number of direct bookings. Resulting in an increase in website traffic, and a 1189% search CPA decrease!

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Social

Challenges

After excelling with search, we turned our attention to Bolton's paid social strategy. One particular challenge we faced was finding the right balance between elegance and corporate professionalism, while also being fun and experimental with their paid social media creative. This was especially important as we were targeting a wide variety of audiences, including: ladies looking for a weekend getaway, business travelers, and locals seeking a staycation. 

Furthermore, hotel bookings are both high-intent and high-value purchases. This meant that we had to find creative ways to engage their Facebook audience to take action and book with Bolton. Despite these obstacles, we helped Bolton Hotel to successfully navigate the social media landscape, and through creative and effective advertising, grow their customer base and boost bookings. How did we do it?

Strategy

Aro Digital generated interest and demand for Bolton by painting it as an oasis in the heart of Wellington - “enjoy the city on your doorstep, then relax in luxury with us.” The ads were developed through a mix of highlighting the array of luxurious interior at Bolton, along with sophisticated visuals, collage and inviting language that an audience couldn’t shy away from (‘Your Wellington Sanctuary’). 

Our audience and targeting strategy was a combination of current organic facebook engagers, local staycationers, and Aussie’s visiting from across the ditch. 

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This ad in particular generated 41 bookings and 68k impressions. A lot of the ads created an opportunity for Bolton to interact with customers in the comments, achieving the improved customer engagement and management that Bolton was looking for.

After achieving notable success with the initial ad campaign launch, we faced the task of devising a strategy to sustain the momentum for future ad refreshes. Prior to each refresh, we closely examined the performance of past ads that resonated well. We analysed their common attributes, shared messaging and also identified ads that had not yielded desired outcomes. 

The history of Bolton Hotel is incredibly unique, prompting our decision to leverage it as a foundation for an ad approach. We meticulously crafted an ad creative resembling a narrative which slowly unveiled intricate details about the inception of Bolton. Remarkably, this creative concept achieved our highest click-through-rate to date, reaching 2.97% for its placement within the feed. 

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We identified the comments section of the ads as an excellent opportunity to gain insights into the questions being raised. This allowed us to proactively address these queries in future ad refreshes, thereby enhancing the overall customer journey experience. For example, when we noticed a recurring theme of inquiries regarding amenities like pools or saunas, we integrated corresponding imagery into our ad creative.

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We also integrated events to inform some of our design considerations, utilizing elements like the Matariki constellation to inspire individuals to contemplate booking their stay at Bolton over the long weekend.

In conclusion, the campaign was a resounding success! By strategically addressing the challenges of fierce competition from OTAs and effectively leveraging both search and social media platforms, the campaign achieved remarkable results. The Bolton Hotel experienced a remarkable 206% increase in average monthly bookings, coupled with an extraordinary 1189% reduction in search CPA.

Additionally, the campaign garnered an impressive total of 1,667 direct onsite bookings over the course of 12 months. These outcomes not only surpassed expectations but also underscored the prowess of Aro Digital in delivering exceptional digital marketing solutions.

The success of this campaign boosted revenue for Bolton Hotel and reinforced its position as a prominent player in Wellington's competitive hospitality industry. Furthermore, the positive testimonial from the Marketing Manager, Paul, reflects the tangible impact of Aro Digital's efforts, confirming our status as an invaluable asset to the business. The campaign exceeded its objectives, leaving a lasting mark on Bolton Hotel's digital presence.