Digital Marketing Plan for Hilton: A Comprehensive Analysis

This report provides a comprehensive digital marketing plan for the hospitality sector, with a specific focus on the global enterprise Hilton. The report begins with an overview of the digital marketing landscape, comparing online and offline marketing concepts. It then analyzes key consumer hospitality trends, such as mobile optimization and digitalized customer experiences, and evaluates the opportunities and challenges facing digital marketing in the hospitality sector. The report examines various digital tools, including search engines and content marketing, and explores the development of e-commerce and digital marketing platforms. Furthermore, it outlines the development of a digital marketing plan and strategy for building multichannel capabilities, including the application of tools and techniques for planning an end-to-end omni-channel marketing campaign. Finally, the report covers measurement techniques and performance metrics for the digital marketing plan, concluding with recommendations for improving performance and achieving objectives. The report provides a detailed analysis of digital marketing strategies and their application within the hospitality industry, along with a focus on Hilton's approach.

Digital Marketing
Plan

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1. Presenting overview of digital marketing landscape along with comparison among online
and offline marketing concepts....................................................................................................1
P2. Analyses of key consumer hospitality trends along with insights which are fuelling digital
marketing growth.........................................................................................................................3
M1. Evaluation of opportunities as well as challenges facing digital marketing landscape in
hospitality sector..........................................................................................................................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
P3. Assessing key digital tools.....................................................................................................4
P4. Examining development of e-commerce along with digital marketing platforms addition to
channels as compared with physical channels.............................................................................5
M2. Critical analysis of usage of appropriate digital tools that are use by certain hospitality
company for meeting marketing requirements............................................................................6
D1. Demonstration of critical analysis as well as evaluation of digital marketing landscape
together with impacts of growth of e-commerce on hospitality sector........................................6
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
P5. Development of digital marketing plan as well as strategy for building multichannel
capabilities for hospitality entity..................................................................................................7
P6. Explanation about the ways omni-channel marketing is used for a hospitality company. ...9
M3. Application of tools and techniques for planning an end-to-end omni-channel marketing
campaign for hospitality company.............................................................................................10
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................10
P7. Measurement techniques along with performance metrics for digital marketing plan
addition to strategy.....................................................................................................................10
P8. Presenting set of actions in order to improve performance in digital marketing of the
company.....................................................................................................................................11
M4 Critical evaluation of application of digital measurement techniques as well as
performance metrics which are used in digital marketing of hospitality firm...........................11

D2. Developing coherent as well as logical digital plan as well as marketing strategy
application for measuring success in achieving objectives........................................................12
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
A document which shares entire details related to planning for organisational digital
marketing campaigns addition to actions is termed as digital marketing plan (Albee, 2018). It
involves set or actions which assists or provide directions for attaining goals related to latest or
emerging online marketing trends. It is considered as essential tool for a company as developing
digital marketing plan assist in making the business unique as well as provide ways to get the
message till audiences with help of multi digital channels. To understand about digital marketing
plan, Hilton is considered which is global hospitality enterprise which manages along with
franchises wide hotels and resorts. It was set by Conrad Hilton at Virginia, United States in the
year 1919. the report presents overview of entire digital marketing landscape, key consumer
trends of consumers and insights which are fuelling growth of digital marketing. It further
examines digital tools, platforms and channels that wide hospitality companies uses. It also
determines ways for organising digital marketing activities and building multichannel
capabilities with the companies. At last, methods of monitoring as well as measuring digital
marketing are evaluated.
TASK 1
P1. Presenting overview of digital marketing landscape along with comparison among online and
offline marketing concepts.
Overview of digital marketing landscape
Digital marketing is said to the usage of mobile devices, search engines, internet, social
media and various channels for reaching till end consumers. It is considered as new endeavour
that involves wide types of approaching to customers along with new mechanisms to understand
the ways in which customer behave (Bala and Verma, 2018). Digital marketing landscape
involves wide types of channels related to digital marketing. It is termed as collection of man
created spaces within digital world. It is perpetually evolving state of digital media addition to
advertising such as influencer marketing, search engine marketing, online reputation
management, social media marketing, content marketing and hence forth. In context to Hilton, it
has presence in wide number of countries that may create issues for others and itself too. To deal
with this, it is required to frame effective mechanisms for developing technologies to provide
facilities in its hotels and resorts. With digital marketing landscape, managers of Hilton
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prioritises the areas to spend valuable resources. The landscape involves various sections such as
Mobile, conversation marketing, Ads, SEO, Website, W-Mail, CRM and Social that assist in
accelerating acceptance of all changes and trends for bringing success in entity.
Comparison between online to that of offline marketing concepts
Marketing involves two types of concepts that are online and offline marketing concepts.,
both are different from each other (Baker and Hart, 2016). Following are the comparison among
the two:
Comparison
Basis
Online marketing concept Offline marketing concept
Meaning The concept which leverages web
related channels for spreading
messages or information about
organisation's products or services to
wide customers is termed as online
marketing concept.
The concept that creates brand
awareness, generates sales along with
reaches targetted users without
involvement of internet methods is
said to offline marketing concept
(Berbesi Arias, 2019).
Strategies With this concept, digital marketing
head of Hilton uses strategies like
social media marketing, web hosting,
running ads on various online
platforms and search engine
optimisation to reach wide located
population in minimum time period.
Using offline marketing concept,
digital marketing head of the
organisation implements strategies
such as putting hoardings, speaking
engagements, print publications,
associations along with trade shows
for creating awareness within
population living in surrounding areas.
Benefits Benefits of the concept are that it is
24*7 marketing, requires low costs,
builds lasting relationships, provides
quality content and global reach
(Brinker, 2016).
Benefits of offline marketing concept
are that it is suitable for offline
campaigns, create impressive stands,
gives tangibility to customers and
makes impacts within crowded spaces.
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P2. Analyses of key consumer hospitality trends along with insights which are fuelling digital
marketing growth.
In present era, consumers are highly connected with entities through social media
platforms. In hospitality industry, habits as well as behaviours are prevailing within consumers
for facilities, services and others. Presently, these people have limited usage of newspapers and
other offline tools rather focuses on using internet or mobile applications for getting updates
about hospitality industry and companies (Chaffey and Ellis-Chadwick, 2019). Along with it,
they also prefers to make bookings or reservations for any hotel or service through online sites.
With digital platforms, Hilton can promote its offerings and can also analyse changes that are
going in perceptions, habits and behaviours of consumers so that suitable offerings are made in
front of them. Following are key consumer trends that are fuelling digital marketing growth:
Mobile optimisation: Presently, customers are more optimised to use mobiles for
performing various activities to make reservations, bookings and other aspects in hospitality
industry. In today's era, majority of population are self sufficient as well as tech-savvy travellers
who uses mobile websites in comfortable manner. It is essential for digital marketing head of
Hilton to ensure that their offerings are up-to-date addition to user friendly. With chances in
time, many customers are preferring to get detailed information about offering of hotel digitally
that results marketing by companies in online modes that successfully fuels growth of digital
marketing.
Digitalised customer experiences: There are various applications which customers uses
to gain digitalised experiences from hospitality companies. In context to Hilton, it manages its
services to provide customers effective experiences along with control aspects related to guest
cycle. In the hotel, various applications like providing digitalised keys, eye sensor facilities and
many more are in trends that provide full security to consumers and their luggage without any
complexities (Chaffey and Smith, 2017). It strengthens experiences of customers in digitalised
aspects and results in various growth of marketing in digital form.
By properly understanding and working on the customer hospitality trends, Hilton
managers generally improves their customer base and this ensures that adoption of the consumer
trends generally fuels digital marketing growth in the industry.
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M1. Evaluation of opportunities as well as challenges facing digital marketing landscape in
hospitality sector.
Digital marketing landscape is aggregation of various spaces that are created buy humans
in digital world. It is constantly evolving regime of advertising addition to digital media that
involves wide strategies. When hospitality company such as Hilton uses it, various challenges
are faced by it. Some challenges are constraints of budget, customer switching to another brands,
unwillingness for embracing technologies and generates huge traffic on websites (Deryabina and
Trubnikova, 2019). However, wide opportunities are gained by it that are that it provides huge
return of quality, easy consumer reach, perpetually displaying ads, international expansion,
Consumer's convenience for shopping online and promoting brand by dominating rivals.
TASK 2
P3. Assessing key digital tools.
In hospitality industry, there are wide types of digital tools that are available to market
products and services. Digital tools are electronic systems and devices that captures wide
population addition to grows the industry. With the tools, organisations deliver as well as share
messages and information related to the products, facilities, brand or services to customers.
Moreover, these tools assist to understand requirements, choices and preferences of targetted
populations (Chaffey, Hemphill and Edmundson-Bird, 2019). Following are some of digital tools
that are majorly used by digital marketing head of Hilton:
Search Engine: It is an effective digital tool that diverse hospitality enterprises used for
promoting websites via enhancing visibility in result pages with the help of paid adverting. By
using the digital tool, managers of Hilton finds and determines frameworks in databases related
to keywords that are specified by potential clients. For example, Google, Yahoo and hence forth
are search engines which are used in the hotel to boost digital presence. It benefits in making
attractive offering as well as web-content visible which is essential for digital presence addition
to marketing for organisation. However, it involves various filters which restricts analysis about
exact reflections related to real interest of customers.
Content marketing: The spectacular kind of digital tool that is opted by hospitality
companies is content marketing in which valuable together with consistent content is created and
distributed for attracting, retaining and satisfying defined audiences so to drive profitable actions.
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The tool assist in making and transferring online materials including blogs, videos and so on that
stimulates interest of population for the organisational products and facilities (Dodson, 2016). In
case with Hilton, managers used content marketing so to make attractive blog about the hotel that
increases awareness of extrinsic population about offered aspects. It benefits in increasing brand
visibility, developing lasting relations, creating trustworthy and loyalty among customers. In
contrary, it requires huge time to gain effective results, creates difficulty to get effective content
ideas and ineffective in many situations.
Usage of digital tool varies from company to company in hospitality industry. With the
mentioned digital tools, managers of Hilton gains various benefits in attracting mass population
and improving online visibility.
P4. Examining development of e-commerce along with digital marketing platforms addition to
channels as compared with physical channels.
Development of e-commerce and platforms: This means technology is changing day
by day where e-commerce has taken a place to develop the organisation and become it popular.
Companies are using websites, digital services etc. with the help of technology that increases
business performance. All development in relation to e-commerce and platform is possible
through digital marketing that attracts customers and provide different services that helps to
improve productivity and profitability (Hofacker, 2018). For example, Hilton is using digital
marketing services that is highly supportive to operations and organisational profitability. With
the help of digital marketing and channels, manager of Hilton update information on their
official websites in relation to accommodation services that helps customers to make right
decision for booking. E-commerce development means customer are proving online payment,
booking, cancellation etc. facility to its customers that make easy operation and increase
profitability. Physical channels are those channel which is used by organisation to provide
information, communication and transmitting the ideas in order to attracts customers. This is
traditional method which used by organisation to inform customers and booking the tickets. This
involves radio, T.V., news papers and visiting hotel to book rooms. Whenever people wants to
get room services they they needed to check it physical is considered as costly and time
consuming method.
Therefore, it has defined that e-commerce and platforms are those channel in modern age
which is used to develop the organisation and increase business performance effectively. In this,
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organisation uses digital marketing to inform people and increase organisational services. In this,
all activities are managed by a system and control also that processes to high productivity. This
helps Hilton to get opportunities and challenges of digital hardware that increases business
performance. The manager of chosen organisation make planning and implement them with the
help of digital marketing and platforms that encourages customers to make buying decisions.
They also runs marketing campaigns which ensures all activities and functions are running
smoothly and goals can be achieved effectively (Hudson and Hudson, 2017). By using digital
marketing and platforms manager are developing their different services such as payment,
information sharing, services related barriers, call for action, price related opportunities, quick
decision etc. that are important for organisation and helps to maintain the good productivity.
M2. Critical analysis of usage of appropriate digital tools that are use by certain hospitality
company for meeting marketing requirements.
Digital tools are classified as hardware and software tools that are opted by hospitality
entities to meet market requirements. In case with Hilton, appropriate digital tools that are used
by the company are content market and search engine that have various advantages and
disadvantages. It is been analysed that search engine provides wide advantages to company that
are offering better user experiences, making attractive offerings and promoting cost management
in better manner. However, it is time consuming, do not guarantee success and encompasses
diverse filters that limits reflections about customer interests (Kingsnorth, 2019). Moreover, the
another digital tool is content marketing which benefits in placing attractive content on distinct
sites through blogs, video hosting and thematic communities. In contrary, its disadvantage is that
it requires various lot of creativity as well as diverse talents.
D1. Demonstration of critical analysis as well as evaluation of digital marketing landscape
together with impacts of growth of e-commerce on hospitality sector.
Digital marketing landscape is considered as valuable aspect through which entities
priorities essential areas and helps in looking for diverse emerging trends. It is analysed that by
using digital marketing landscape, Hilton managers drives online sales, increases brand loyalty
and track measurable results. However, its few disadvantages are that it is more dependent on
technology and faces some security issues. Further, various impacts are also analysed on growth
of e-commerce of hospitality sector that is e-commerce is achieving popularity within the
industry as it facilitates different marketing ways along with makes easy accessibility to
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customers (Kolb, 2016). It has become quite popular and essential for organisation's lives due to
its aspect of selling and buying online that impacts positively of its growth.
TASK 3
P5. Development of digital marketing plan as well as strategy for building multichannel
capabilities for hospitality entity.
Digital marketing plan is mentioned to the detailed description of activities which are to
be executed for marketing products of company digitally. It involves goals, situational analysis,
strategies, investment and budget, channels to use and various other activities. It also helps in
strengthening presence in various online platforms, supports digital transformation,
understanding customers and analysing situations (Kuusisto, 2016). In case with Hilton, Its
digital marketing head has developed a digital marketing plan for luxury business division along
with active holiday seekers which is as follows:
Organisational overview: Hilton is leading hospitality brand that offers variants of
services in different hotels and resorts. It has more than 580 hotels and resorts with approx
220000 rooms in 86 nations as well as territories across continents. It is most preferred entity
among customers from different nations. It basically provides facilities in two areas that are
active holiday seekers addition to luxury business divisions.
Initiatives: Hilton has conducted huge campaigns and events to enhance the presence
through using online and offline mechanisms. It has developed its official website for improving
communication with population and increasing awareness related to available rooms, wide
facilities, transportation, accommodation, special offers and so on (Lewnes and Keller, 2019).
Digital marketing head of the enterprise is planning to organise digital marketing activities for
building omni channel campaign and for this they are initiating with digital transformation
wherein all the organisational members will putt efforts for it. Moreover, the digital head is
making decisions to use social media platforms such as Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and many
more to expand the services.
Objectives: With the digital marketing plan, Hilton has set following objectives:
 To increase customer base from luxury business division by 15% till 2022.
 To enhance sales volume among active holiday seekers by 12% till 2022.
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Situational analysis: In this, managers of company analyses pertaining situations with
application of suitable framework. In case with Hilton, SWOT analysis is as follows:
Strengths Weaknesses
 Digital marketing activity is effective
one for Hilton to attract wide customers
and making innovations.
 With this, company will build strong
brand equity within hospitality
industry.
 Limited awareness about the digital
marketing activity results in low sales
and limited customer base.
 Gaps in offering activities by Hilton is
more that creates loopholes in attracting
customers.
Opportunities Threats
 Digital marketing activity will provide
opportunity of adopting various digital
tools and platforms to make position in
overseas market (Milinković, 2016).
 It also provide opportunity of
generating sales through online
mechanisms.
 Fierce competition in digital platforms
and channels limits expansion scope for
Hilton.
 Changing legislations for standards,
heath and safety along with many
others is also threat for the
organisational digital marketing
strategy.
Marketing strategies: In this, different types of marketing strategies are planned by the
organisational members. Following are some for Hilton:
STP strategy: The strategy in which entire market is segmented, targetted and products
are positions on suitable ones. The STP for Omni channel campaign of Hilton is as follows:
Segmentation: For digital marketing activity of Hilton, entire market is segmented as per
demographic basis in which groups are formed as per age, income, gender and education level.
Targetting: The targetted groups are those population that belongs to age group of 25 to
65 years, high and medium income level and huge knowledge about hospitality products.
Positioning: The Omni channel campaign will be positioned through using social media
platforms and content marketing (Santos, 2018).
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Budget: It involves forecasted budget for the activity that Hilton is planning to promote
and gain results. The forecasted budget for Omni channel campaign of Hilton is as follows:
Particular Amount (In £)
Promotional expense 1200
Fees to digital tools 1000
Salaries to manpower 900
Catalogues 400
Total Cost 3500
Control: The entire digital marketing plan will be monitored by using suitable techniques
and performance metrics such as KPI, measurable metrics and analytics platforms. Moreover,
digital marketing managers of Hilton will also use some action set to improve the digital
marketing performance.
P6. Explanation about the ways omni-channel marketing is used for a hospitality company.
Omni channel marketing is an approach that is mainly used for delivering customers with
detailed, complete along with integrated experiences from initiation touchpoints till last.
Moreover, it is multichannel approach to offer targetted population with coordinated
experiences. It is used by hospitality company as an idea to utilise all available channels for
building an unified customer experience (Slaughter, 2016). In case with Hilton, Omni channel
marketing is used for creating seamless message as per customer behaviour via sales funnel so
that ultimate experiences are offered to potential people. Channels such as direct as well as
indirect marketing are majorly used for increase awareness among population so to stimulate
them for making purchase of products and delivering them promptly to provide unified
experince. Along with this, the marketing is also used for increasing brand awareness,easily
controlling other channels, building sustainable business, developing unique infrastructure,
adopting new technologies and exceeding customers' expectations in various interactions.
Moreover, omni channel marketing facilitates easy communication, segmenting audiences,
developing effective content which addresses behaviours and cases.
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