Hotel branding: How to build your hotel brand

Your hotel brand is much more than just your name or logo. It encompasses everything from the personality and values of your hotel to how it is perceived by your customers. In this article, we take a closer look at hotel branding, its importance in the industry and its key elements.

• Branding is about creating a positive and strong perception of your hotel in the minds of your customers.
• Branding a hotel is important to leave a lasting impression on your target group and to stand out from the competition.
• Key elements of hotel branding include your brand name, logo, colours and typography.

Your brand is the representation of what your hotel is, what it stands for and what it offers. It encompasses all the characteristics and values of your business that make you stand out from the competition.

Hotel branding is a must for every hotelier for a variety of reasons:

• Recognition: An appealing logo and consistent brand elements create a visual identity that guests will easily recognise and remember.
• Trust: A strong brand creates credibility and trust, as travellers are more likely to choose a hotel with a reputable brand than one that is still unknown.
• Customer loyalty: A clear brand strategy creates an emotional bond with guests, which leads to greater loyalty and repeat bookings.
• Positioning: Effective branding communicates your hotel's unique selling points and helps you to stand out from the competition and attract your target group.

When developing your hotel branding strategy, you need to consider the following:

1. Unique Selling Proposition: One of the most important aspects of hotel branding is a clear and convincing USP. Your unique selling proposition should communicate what sets your hotel apart from the competition and why guests should choose your hotel over others. For example, your USP could be that your hotel offers luxurious amenities at an affordable price or that it is in a prime location near popular attractions.

2. Brand name: This is the first thing potential customers will come across when searching for hotels in your area. Therefore, it should be authentic, memorable, attractive and memorable to your potential guests.

3. Brand logo: This is the actual visual representation of your brand. It represents your hotel in any branding or marketing strategy. Therefore, it is important to choose a logo that tourists can easily identify and associate with your brand.

4. Colours: Depending on your brand, there is a certain colour story or colour palette that works best for your hotel. For example, if you want to convey a sense of luxury, timelessness and traditional values, black and white as well as gold and silver are the right choice. Green, on the other hand, could suit natural and sustainable accommodation.

5 Typography: Like the colours, you need to find a font for your visual branding that represents your hotel. This is crucial as it will be used for various purposes in your marketing campaigns. Whether it's advertising copy, website, emails, social media or printed content, your typography should appear consistent.

6. Images: Imagery is also an important part of hotel branding. For example, some hotels use specific graphics or a particular style of photography. They also use specific colours and backgrounds for their images to ensure that everything is in line with their branding.