CHSP - Certified Hospitality Sales Professional Digital Sales and Marketing Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A hotel's digital marketing team is running a Google Ads campaign to generate direct bookings. They spent $2,000 on the campaign in one month, and the total revenue generated from bookings attributed to these ads was $16,000. Which key performance indicator (KPI) is calculated by dividing the revenue by the cost, resulting in an 8:1 ratio?
- Click-Through Rate (CTR)
- Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)
- Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) (Correct answer)
- Conversion Rate
Correct answer: Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)
Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) directly measures the gross revenue generated for every dollar spent on advertising. It is calculated by dividing the total revenue from the ad campaign by the total cost of the campaign ($16,000 / $2,000 = 8).
Question 2: A resort's marketing manager wants to improve their property's visibility in local search results, specifically in the Google "Local Pack" or map results. Which of the following digital marketing activities is the MOST critical first step to achieve this goal?
- Launching a comprehensive email marketing campaign to past guests.
- Claiming and thoroughly optimizing the hotel's Google Business Profile. (Correct answer)
- Increasing the budget for social media advertising on Facebook and Instagram.
- Redesigning the hotel's homepage with more professional photography.
Correct answer: Claiming and thoroughly optimizing the hotel's Google Business Profile.
The Google Business Profile (GBP) is the foundation for local SEO and is the primary source of information for the Google Local Pack and Maps. A complete and optimized GBP, with accurate information, photos, and reviews, is the most crucial initial step for improving local search visibility.
Question 3: A boutique hotel wants to build social proof and generate authentic marketing content by encouraging guests to share their experiences online. Which of the following strategies would be MOST effective for generating user-generated content (UGC)?
- Sending a post-stay email with a link to the hotel's photo gallery.
- Exclusively posting professionally produced videos on the hotel's social media channels.
- Creating visually appealing 'Instagrammable' spots within the hotel and promoting a unique, branded hashtag. (Correct answer)
- Offering a discount for guests who follow the hotel's social media accounts.
Correct answer: Creating visually appealing 'Instagrammable' spots within the hotel and promoting a unique, branded hashtag.
Creating photogenic spaces gives guests a reason and an opportunity to take pictures, while a branded hashtag allows the hotel to easily find, track, and re-share that content. This combination is a highly effective, proactive strategy to encourage the creation of user-generated content.
Question 4: In the context of a hotel's digital distribution strategy, what is the primary function of a metasearch engine like Google Hotel Ads, Trivago, or Kayak?
- To serve as a booking platform that processes payments and sends confirmations directly.
- To host user-generated reviews and travel blogs exclusively.
- To function as a closed B2B platform for travel agents to book net rates.
- To aggregate rates and availability from multiple channels (like OTAs and the hotel's website) into a single, comparable view for consumers. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: To aggregate rates and availability from multiple channels (like OTAs and the hotel's website) into a single, comparable view for consumers.
Metasearch engines act as comparison shopping platforms. They pull rate and availability data from various sources, including Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) and the hotel's own direct booking channel, and display it in one place, allowing travelers to easily compare prices before clicking through to book on the chosen platform.
Question 5: A sales manager is trying to re-engage a list of corporate meeting planners who have not booked with the hotel in over a year. Which email subject line would be the MOST effective for a digital marketing campaign aimed at this segment?
- An exclusive look at our new meeting spaces, [Planner's Company Name] (Correct answer)
- Hotel Newsletter - Q2 Updates
- BOOK YOUR NEXT EVENT NOW!
- A Message from Our Hotel
Correct answer: An exclusive look at our new meeting spaces, [Planner's Company Name]
This subject line is effective because it is personalized with the client's company name, creates intrigue by mentioning something new and relevant to their needs (meeting spaces), and frames it as an exclusive offer. This combination is much more likely to grab the attention of a busy professional than a generic or demanding subject line.
Question 6: A hotel's website analytics report shows a very high bounce rate (over 80%) specifically for visitors using mobile devices. This means that most mobile users are leaving the site after viewing only one page. Which of the following is the MOST likely technical cause for this issue?
- The hotel's room rates are not competitive with other local hotels.
- The website has a non-responsive design and slow page-loading speeds on mobile. (Correct answer)
- The hotel's social media profiles are not frequently updated.
- The content on the website's blog is not engaging enough for readers.
Correct answer: The website has a non-responsive design and slow page-loading speeds on mobile.
Slow page loading times and a website that is not optimized for mobile (non-responsive design) create a poor user experience, causing frustration and leading visitors to leave immediately. These technical issues are a primary driver of high bounce rates for mobile traffic.
A hotel's digital marketing team is running a Google Ads campaign to generate direct bookings.
They spent $2,000 on the campaign in one month, and the total revenue generated from bookings attributed to these ads was $16,000.
Which key performance indicator (KPI) is calculated by dividing the revenue by the cost, resulting in an 8:1 ratio?