Client Type: Beach hotel / resort
Campaign Duration: 2 months
Ad Budget: $450/month
Total Reservations: 18
Revenue from Reservations: $11,120.50
The Challenge
Coastal hotels faced an uphill battle this year — regional reservations were down across the board, making it harder to keep rooms filled after summer. To counter this, we designed a campaign that went beyond the basics of local targeting and tapped into travelers still looking for warmth and relaxation once the peak crowds had gone home.
The Strategy
We built a two-part campaign:
- Primary Prospecting Campaign
- Cast a wide advertising net across multiple states, including regions where fall temperatures had already cooled.
- Focused on an older demographic more likely to have the flexibility for a spontaneous off-season getaway.
- Used a lookalike audience based on past bookers to zero in on the right travelers.
- Retargeting Campaign
- Captured users who visited but didn’t book.
- Reinforced messaging to stay top-of-mind.
- Email Integration
- Supplemented ads with a targeted email campaign sent to past guests, keeping the brand front and center for repeat visits.
Results & ROAS
| Metric | Number |
|---|---|
| Total Ad Spend | $899.13 |
| Reservations Booked | 18 |
| Revenue from those bookings | $11,120.50 |
| Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) | ~12.36× |
To put that in perspective: with just under $1,000 invested, we generated over $11,000 in bookings. Every $1 spent on ads generated $12.36 in reservations.
That’s a strong return for a hotel campaign, especially during off-peak times.
Are These Good Results (Industry Context)?
Yes — these are solid metrics, especially given the seasonal downturn and lowered demand in the region.
- In hotel PPC, what’s typical? Many campaigns aim for CPA (cost per booking) targets around $25 to $100+, depending on hotel type, location, average booking value, and commission rates. (Because hotel margins and room rates vary, “good” is relative.)
- In this case, you got 18 bookings at an average revenue of ~$617.81 per booking, which means your cost per booking was only ~$49.95 — that’s on the favorable end, especially in a slow period.
- What’s more, given reports that many hotels have seen downward pressure this season, achieving strong direct bookings with limited ad spend is a win in itself.
So yeah — strong, especially under the circumstances. And we’re confident we can often push these even higher when demand is stronger.
Why It Worked
- Wide Net Targeting brought in travelers from cooling states ready to head south.
- Lookalike Audiences helped us find new guests who resembled past loyal bookers.
- Older Demographic Targeting captured a group with time, flexibility, and desire for a quieter stay.
- Email to Past Guests provided a warm audience already familiar with the property.
Final Takeaway
Even in a year when bookings were down regionally, this hotel saw $11,120 in new reservations from just $899 in spend. By layering ads, retargeting, and email with smart audience targeting, we created a strategy that maximized off-season demand and proved that the right digital approach delivers results in any market.
Ready to See Similar Results?
This same strategy can work not just for hotels, but for any business looking to fill gaps, reach new customers, and drive measurable ROI.
👉 Get in touch with us today and let’s build your custom strategy.