1. Getting the Most out of TripAdvisor
Carla Pendergraft
Director of Marketing
Waco Convention & Visitors Bureau

2. Facts About TripAdvisor
#1 travel site in the world
Reaches 340 million unique monthly visitors
More than 350 million reviews and opinions
6.5 million accommodations, restaurants and attractions.
The sites operate in 48 countries worldwide.

3. What Travelers Think
76% of travellers are more willing to book with a hotel with higher TripAdvisor review scores
Studies show the more TripAdvisor reviews a business has, the more revenue it will generate with each transaction.
More reviews = more legitimacy and trust for the visitor

4. What Businesses can be listed?
Must be travel-related – hotels, restaurants, attractions, and vacation rentals are the only categories
Can be difficult to get listed
Not every business fits into their guidelines

5. Waco on tripadvisor Waco's Things to Do shopping 35 museums 11 tours
food & drink 9
nature and parks 7
outdoor activities 10
sights and landmarks 8
Zoos and aquariums 1
fun and games
boat tours and water sports 3
traveler resources 5
concerts and shows
water and amusement parks 2
nightlife 13
spas and wellness
classes and workshops
transportation
139

6. Waco on tripadvisor 339 restaurants
30 hotels – report duplicates at
Click on “Improve this Listing” to correct info on most
Vacation rentals – 3% per booking

7. How to get listed Go to https://www.tripadvisor.com/Owners
Search for your business name
If your business is not in there, click on “Business not listed? Get listed now.”
If your business is already in TripAdvisor’s listings, claim your listing.
Fill out your business profile completely
Upload plenty of photos
TripAdvisor will verify you via phone or other means

8. Getting Listed

9. Why are some businesses rejected?
Their editors cannot verify that the place or business meets their guidelines due to insufficient information online.
Their editors determined that the place or business does NOT meet their guidelines.
Animal policy; family friendly policy; classes and workshops that take place over multiple days; events and festivals; travel agencies or other resellers; event planners; chain stores; and many others
Tours: Tour companies need to offer scheduled regular tours, not custom ones.

10. Tripadvisor Account Management Center

11. Competitive Set

12. Reviews report

13. Reviews Ask customers to give you reviews on TripAdvisor
Hire people who will give your customers the best experience
Learn from the negative reviews. Change things to improve guest experiences!
Quickly respond to every review
Consider every customer touchpoint and how it can be improved

14. Review Tools Write-a-Review Widget
Visitors can write a review without having to go to your TripAdvisor property page.
Reminder flyers and reminder cards
print downloadable flyers to display at your check out desk or order business cards to hand out to your guests at check out.
Review Express
Review Express allows you to create and send free professional-looking s to encourage your guests to write reviews.

15. TripAdvisor Review Express
Free tool to request reviews, via , from your guests or customers
Set up a template, upload a spreadsheet containing only guest addresses, and send the review request.
Very quick way to obtain more TripAdvisor reviews.

16. Reviews process

17. suspicious reviews Review Boosting
Business tries to boost their number and quality of reviews through incentivizing or other means
Review vandalism
Competitor posts negative reviews about a business, pretending to be a customer
Review Optimization
Business pays a third party company to submit false reviews

18. More on reviews Anyone can flag a review Don’t incentivize reviews
If travelers have been promised a reward in return for a review of a specific business, they are more likely to write a review that doesn’t reflect their true experience.

19. incentives
Incentives are any rewards or preferential treatment a property offers to guests in exchange for writing reviews of that business. Examples include:
Drawings or raffles: Guests are told they will be entered into a drawing or lottery after they have posted a review on TripAdvisor.
Discounts: Guests are offered reduced rates on current or future stays in return for writing a review.
Special treatment: Guests are promised upgrades, coupons, free amenities, etc. in exchange for posting a review.

20. Negative reviews Thank them for bringing it to your attention.
Apologize for the inconvenience it has caused them and explain why it occurred. Be honest.
Listen with genuine empathy and focus on solutions
Show the person that you understand their situation by summarizing and repeating it back to them.
Explain the steps you will take or have taken to rectify the situation.
Remember other travelers are reading your responses.

21. The TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence
Accommodations, eateries, airlines, holiday rentals and attractions are eligible to receive a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence. To qualify, a business must:
Maintain an overall TripAdvisor rating of at least four out of five
Have a minimum number of reviews
Have been listed on TripAdvisor for at least twelve months
Printable certificates and stickers are also available for those earning this award.

22. Resources Accommodations listing guidelines:
Things to do guidelines:
Restaurants guidelines:
Request a new listing: