FOURTH KEYCREATIVE · COMMERCIAL

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MARKETING

More than attention. A reason to book.

We specialise in direct bookings and increased conversion. Top of funnel: attract the right traffic. Bottom of funnel: turn that interest into bookings. We connect acquisition, creative, your website and booking engine so the whole journey works harder.

Discuss marketing

WHAT WE CAN HELP WITH

From the idea
to the detail.

  • Traffic acquisition: paid search, metasearch, organic visibility and campaigns
  • Conversion: website, booking engine, mobile journeys and enquiry optimisation
  • Content direction and campaign creative
  • Funnel measurement, conversion testing and direct booking optimisation
  • CRM, guest communications and marketing measurement

WHAT YOU LEAVE WITH

A defined outcome.

A focused marketing plan and the defined creative or digital work needed to put it into action.

WHEN IT MAKES SENSE

A website that feels dated, weak direct demand, inconsistent content or a campaign that needs a clearer commercial purpose.

Deliverables, fees and timing are agreed in a written scope before work begins.

SOUND FAMILIAR?

Signs it may be time to talk.

We connect top-of-funnel traffic acquisition with bottom-of-funnel conversion, and judge marketing by bookings and acquisition cost rather than traffic alone.

WHO IT HELPS

Independent hotels that rely heavily on OTAs, have a website that does not convert well, or have marketing activity spread across suppliers without a clear plan.

  • Plenty of people visit the website, but few of them book direct.
  • Shoulder and low seasons arrive every year, and campaigns start too late to make a difference.
  • Your OTA listings undersell the property next to nearby competitors.
  • Campaigns, offers and photography are run separately and rarely line up.

ILLUSTRATIVE SCENARIOS

How we could help.

These are examples of situations we commonly see and how we would approach them. They are not completed client projects, and every engagement is scoped to the property.

  1. A leisure hotel losing visitors before they book

    THE SITUATION
    A leisure hotel attracts healthy website traffic, but most visitors leave before completing a booking, and it is unclear where they drop off.
    WHAT WE WOULD DO
    We would review traffic quality, mobile usability, booking-engine friction, offer presentation and how conversion is measured, then prioritise the fixes most likely to matter.
    THE AIM
    More of the existing traffic turning into direct bookings, with measurement the team can trust.

  2. A seasonal resort that needs quieter-period demand

    THE SITUATION
    A resort fills easily in peak season but struggles during shoulder months, relying on late discounting to close the gap.
    WHAT WE WOULD DO
    We would develop audience-specific campaigns, packages, landing pages and email activity planned ahead of each period, with clear measurement of bookings and cost.
    THE AIM
    Steadier demand in quieter periods, built on planned campaigns rather than last-minute rate cuts.

  3. A boutique property with weak OTA content

    THE SITUATION
    A boutique hotel’s OTA listings use outdated photography and thin descriptions, and its own campaigns do not reflect what the property offers today.
    WHAT WE WOULD DO
    We would improve listing merchandising, then align the website, photography, offers and acquisition activity so every channel presents the same property.
    THE AIM
    Stronger listings that compete on quality, supported by direct channels that tell the same story.

WHAT WE CAN DELIVER

Practical outputs, agreed in scope.

Available as a focused project, billable implementation hours or an ongoing marketing retainer.

Please do not share guest data or system passwords through the enquiry form. We will agree a secure way to exchange information once a scope is in place.

Discuss your marketingBook a free audit
  • Campaign plans and seasonal calendars
  • Landing pages and website content
  • Email journeys
  • OTA content and listing improvements
  • Conversion and booking-engine reviews
  • Acquisition and booking reporting

ENGAGEMENT OPTIONS

Start where it makes sense.

Every option begins with a conversation. Fees, deliverables and timing are confirmed in a written scope before paid work begins.

COMPLIMENTARY

Free introductory audit

A focused 45-minute call on one commercial question, with a deck or PDF takeaway. No commitment to a paid engagement.

Request the free audit

PAID DIAGNOSTIC · FROM USD 2,000

The Fourth Key Audit™

A full commercial review across four pillars and sixteen criteria, with a score, Signature Shape and 90-day plan.

Explore the Audit

PROJECT OR ONGOING

Scoped project or Advisor

A defined marketing project, implementation through Build, or ongoing senior support through the Fourth Key Advisor™.

See advisory options

COMMON QUESTIONS

Marketing questions, answered.

Have a different question? Ask us directly.

Do you run campaigns, or only advise on strategy?

Both are possible. Some hotels want a direct-booking plan their team or agency can execute; others want us to manage defined activity. The written scope sets out which channels and tasks we own.

What access do you need to review our marketing?

Typically read access to website analytics, the booking engine reporting and any paid media or social accounts in scope. We agree a secure way to share access once the engagement is confirmed, and never ask for passwords through the enquiry form.

Can you improve our OTA listings as part of marketing work?

Yes. OTA content, photography order, descriptions and promotions can be reviewed alongside direct-booking work so both channels tell the same story. Pricing and parity questions connect to our revenue service.

CONNECTED SERVICES

The next piece of the picture.

Explore the disciplines that work alongside marketing.

Brand

Positioning, identity and creative direction that make your hotel unmistakably yours.

Explore Brand

Revenue

Pricing, distribution and commercial optimisation built around your property.

Explore Revenue

Reputation

Review strategy and guest feedback insights that strengthen trust.

Explore Reputation

Technology

RFPs, vendor selection, implementation and integrations that make the stack work.

Explore Technology

YOUR NEXT CHAPTER

Let’s talk about marketing.

Tell us where your property is today and what you want to change.

Let’s talk