Today’s hotel guests expect seamless experiences throughout their stays. They’re ready to rest and relax, and they want to check in and take advantage of services without any confusing apps or logins.
Short links provide the perfect solution, allowing guests to access mobile check-ins, digital keys, service requests, and more from a simple URL. Each link is customizable for full control of your brand identity, plus you can track them to monitor guest engagement levels.
Here’s how to implement short links in your hotel operations and why they’re so effective for a contactless guest experience.
Note: The brands and examples discussed below were found during our online research for this article.
Why short links are the key to a better contactless hotel experience
Many guests have come to prefer a contactless hotel experience, as it can reduce wait times and make service more efficient. But finding the most effective digital hospitality solutions can be a challenge. Short links provide a simple and convenient way to streamline the customer experience.
The shift towards contactless hospitality
During the COVID-19 pandemic, most hotels shifted to digital check-ins to minimize physical contact. Although the pandemic has subsided, many hotel guests still prefer the convenience of a contactless experience.
They expect to be able to navigate check-in, check-out, and everything in between with minimal staff interaction. In fact, 39% of travelers want a fully contactless experience for all basic hotel transactions.
To accommodate these preferences, a lot of hotels now offer contactless technology solutions like mobile check-ins, digital keys, mobile room service requests, and even digital concierge services. But they need a simple, fast, and trackable way to connect guests to these services, which is where short links can help.
What are short links, and why do they matter?
Short links are compact URLs that replace long, complex links. So instead of a long string of random numbers and letters, you can create something like “my.hotel/check-in.” Guests can easily remember short links, which also fit neatly into digital messages with a limited word count.
Unlike app-based contactless solutions, short links are easy to access on any device—with no additional downloads required. There are many ways to share short links with your guests. You can post them on signage near the front desk or on in-room guest books, or you can send them directly to guests via email, SMS, Whatsapp, or other digital channels.
To shorten a URL, all you need is Bitly’s convenient short link generator. With Bitly, you can create secure, professional links with custom domains to match your branding. Short links are also trackable, giving you helpful insights into guest engagement.
The problem with traditional digital touchpoints
Many hotels have created their own apps for contactless check-in. However, adoption rates for branded apps tend to be low—in fact, app downloads overall are steadily declining.
Many guests find it a hassle to download a new app and create an account just to engage with a business, especially if they don’t have any particular loyalty to the brand. They would prefer instant access via a web browser, without the need to download anything.
Links offer a more user-friendly alternative to hotel apps. But long URLs are clunky and difficult to type into a mobile device—plus, they can look untrustworthy. Branded short links look more professional and are more user-friendly.
How short links improve the guest journey in contactless hotels
Short links can increase guest satisfaction and improve operational efficiency throughout your hotel. Here are some creative ways to implement short links in your operations for a seamless experience from check-in to check-out.
Mobile check-in and digital key access
A traditional check-in experience is often slow and inefficient. Guests might have to wait in a long line during peak check-in times or when your front desk is understaffed.
This can be frustrating, especially if they’ve just come from a long day of travel. Many hotels have launched mobile apps to solve this problem, but some guests are hesitant to download a new app for a short stay.
Instead, hoteliers can use short links to streamline the check-in process. Prior to check-in, send guests an SMS message or email with short links leading to:
- A pre-check-in form to complete
- A digital key activation page
- Complete check-in instructions and real-time room readiness updates
These short links work across all devices, so no app download is necessary. When guests arrive at your hotel, they already have the tools and information they need to head straight to their rooms. You can also pair short links with QR Codes for hotel check-in and check-out.
In-stay services and guest engagement
Short links also make it easy for guests to request services throughout their stay. Once your guests have arrived at the hotel, you can send them a short link via SMS or email where they can request amenities like housekeeping, in-room meals, and spa services.
You can also post signage in rooms allowing guests to book room services through QR Codes. This approach is becoming increasingly popular—one study found that 24% of travelers would include digital ordering in their perfect hotel room.
On top of that, you can use short links to connect your guests to a virtual concierge. Instead of visiting your front desk staff, your guests can log onto the concierge site to access recommendations for local attractions, restaurants, and events. Your hotel’s concierge site can also include emergency alerts and special offers to keep guests informed.
If your hotel already has an app with good adoption rates, you can also use mobile deep linking to connect guests with pages on your mobile app.
With short links, you can address guest needs without relying entirely on in-person interaction. This approach can also help boost guest engagement by encouraging visitors to take advantage of all your amenities.
Upselling and monetization opportunities
Another effective way to use short links in hotels is to upsell customers at every stage of the customer journey. You can include short links in emails, SMS messages, and onsite signage to upsell without being pushy or overwhelming.
Before guests check in, send short links to promote pre-arrival upgrades, such as bigger rooms, early check-in options, or special event packages. During their stay, use trackable links to send guests personalized offers for premium amenities. After check-out, you can send a link to a loyalty program sign-up page and encourage repeat bookings with post-stay discounts.
Contactless check-out and guest feedback collection
Short links can help make the check-out process easier for both guests and staff. For example, you can send an SMS or email message with a short link that connects guests to a check-out confirmation, payment portal, or receipt.
But don’t forget to ask for a review before they go—guest feedback is essential for success in the hotel industry. You can send short links to feedback surveys upon check-out and track clicks to measure survey engagement levels.
Short links can also increase loyalty program sign-ups, encouraging guests to visit again for special perks or discounts.
Why Bitly short links are the best choice for contactless hospitality
Bitly has all the features you need to create short links and corresponding QR Codes for check-in, concierge services, customer feedback, and more. Here’s why Bitly Links work so well for the hospitality industry.
Build trust with custom-branded short links
With Bitly, you can create custom back-halves and use your own domain (instead of the generic “bit.ly” domain) to make your links look more professional, appealing, and trustworthy.
Branded links generally outperform generic URLs due to name recognition. By using custom short links in your contactless hotel ecosystem, you can boost click-through rates while building brand trust and loyalty. Short links also help hotels move toward sustainable hospitality, which can help you stand out and drive business from guests who value eco-friendliness.
Want to take convenience to the next level? Offer contactless service in your hotel through QR Codes that correspond with each short link. Guests can scan or use the short URL—whichever they prefer—and Bitly lets you create, customize, and manage all your QR Codes and links from one platform.
Track and optimize guest engagement with Bitly Analytics
With Bitly Analytics, you can track when and how guests engage with your short links. This provides valuable insight into guest preferences and behaviors, which you can use to refine future marketing strategies.
Bitly Analytics allows you to track the following short link marketing metrics:
- Total clicks per link
- Clicks in real time
- User location
- User device type
With this information, you can determine which links are getting the most engagement—and which services are resonating the most with your guests. Location- and device-specific insights provide further information about guest preferences, helping you continuously refine your offerings and experiences.
Works across all guest communication channels
Short links improve omnichannel marketing efforts thanks to their versatility. Unlike hotel apps, which often have limited functionality, short links work across a wide range of communication channels.
They fit neatly into SMS, email, WhatsApp, and social media messages for easy digital communication. And they work equally well on in-person marketing materials throughout your hotel, such as signage, printed key sleeves, or digital displays.
Dynamic short links for effortless updates
Bitly short links are dynamic, which means you can change the destination URL without changing the link itself. So it’s simple to update destination pages as needed without creating an entirely new link. This is particularly helpful when implementing service updates, running limited-time offers, or adjusting check-in links for different guest segments.
Upgrade your contactless hotel experience with short links
By offering contactless check-in, check-out, and service requests, hotels can make traveling feel seamless and efficient. Short links are versatile, user-friendly, and easy to track, making them the perfect tool for sharing digital information with your guests and connecting them with all your services.
With Bitly, you can create custom, trackable short links and QR Codes that reflect your hotel’s brand—then update their destinations at any time. Once you’ve incorporated your short links into the hotel check-in and service processes, use Bitly Analytics to measure engagement levels and fine-tune the guest experience.
Sign up for Bitly today to create short links for your contactless hotel experience!
