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You sit down at your desk.
Coffee in hand.
Your browser is open to the usual suspects - TripAdvisor, Google, Expedia, and Booking.com.
Your hotel reviews are waiting.....again.
You groan.
Skim a few.
Try to think of something original to say.
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Or, maybe you copy and paste the classic:
“Thanks for your feedback. Our team reviews these comments and is dedicated to improvement.” Another week, another round.
At this point, reviews have become another item on your endless to-do list.
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Something to get through.
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A box to check.
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Maybe even a job you delegate so you can focus on “more important” things.
But here’s the thing...
If replying to reviews is just a box to check off weekly,
You're missing a huge opportunity to grow.
Why Most Hotel Reputations are Idling.
The old approach is that reputation management is just a support role done by back-office staff.
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But that mindset is outdated and is costing you revenue growth.
Because when you treat reviews like admin, you limit their power to move the needle on:
- Your pricing strategy
- Website conversion rates
- Visibility in AI-driven search results
- Your ability to attract and retain great staff
You may think, “Our rating isn’t terrible—we’re doing fine.”​
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But here’s the truth: fine doesn’t drive growth.
"Fine" holds the line.
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Until it doesn’t.
Let’s Rethink Reputation
It’s time to pull reviews out of maintenance mode and place them where they belong
- at the center of your growth strategy.
Here’s the mindset shift I want you to try:
Treat reputation as critical as sales and marketing.
Because that’s exactly what it is.
Let me show you how reviews fuel performance across your hotel:
✅ Pricing Power​
A Cornell study showed that a one-point increase in review scores can raise rates by 11.2% without impacting occupancy. And 76% of travelers say they’ll pay more for better-reviewed hotels.
✅ Website Conversions​
You earned the click, and they landed on your site… but your 3.7-star rating just sent them packing.
Bad reviews don’t just hurt your TripAdvisor rank - they kill bookings.
✅ AI Optimization (AIO)​
AI search tools scan everything - TripAdvisor, Google, OTAs, Reddit, Glassdoor, Indeed.
Guest and employee reviews now shape your online presence.
They affect your search visibility and booking potential.
✅ Hiring & Culture​
Think it’s just guests reading your reviews?
Think again.
Reputation now shapes your talent pipeline.
Need proof? Spend five minutes on one of my favourite Reddit feeds -> r/talesfromthefrontdesk.
So… How Do You Get Better Reviews?
I have a few surprisingly simple ways to help you shape those moments, not just during the stay.
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These are the same activities that helped three of my hotel clients stay #1 on TripAdvisor.
They also led to growth in their ADR.
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Today, I will share 3 of them with you:
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​1. Use pre-arrival emails to reduce friction.​
Eliminate negative triggers before they happen.
Before their arrival, tell them everything they need to know—where to park to check in, any additional fees, etc.
Guests only like good surprises.
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​2. Empower frontline staff with recovery freedom.​
Guests write rave reviews when staff “break the rules” for them (without actually breaking the rules).
Give your team permission to say yes to small but impactful gestures.
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3. Create a culture of “moments, not mechanics.”​
Focus less on scripts and more on how guests feel during interactions with your team.
Emotional resonance leads to better storytelling in reviews.
Staff that share in a moment with guests are also happier, leading to a better culture.
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Are you ready to stop putting your reviews on auto-pilot and turn them into revenue?
Or hit reply if you're a Hotelier (GM, owner, or hotel marketer) who wants to join the Revenue Strategy Room, launching later this month.
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P.S. Want to know more? Check out this video > Turn Your Great Reviews into Revenue.​
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