Since 1937, Inn of the White Salmon has offered lodging to Columbia Gorge travelers. We partnered with new owners Flo + Nicole Niemesch to make this historic hotel branding truly theirs with a fresh distinctly modern look, carrying easy refinement and attention to detail through every aspect of the brand experience and digital presence.
We worked with them across every aspect of the brand, including extensive search engine optimization research and strategic copywriting to maximize their visibility and digital footprint in all directions.
SCOPE
• seo digital strategy
• brand messaging & copy
• art direction
• website design
• booking engine & OTA set-up
“Nicole and I love what you have created for us. You captured our vision for the Hotel perfectly and we are excited for what lies ahead.”
Florian + Nicole • Hotel Owners
Discovery
Working closely with Flo + Nicole, our brand work began with strategic discovery to better understand their vision for the hotel, their competitors, and their audience. We started with an overnight on site visit where we were able to talk at length with them, and directly experience the property and the delightful town of White Salmon.
Identity Design
Through our discovery, we defined our primary audience as an adventurous traveler, probably between 35-65, seeking respite from an urban location like Portland or Seattle and looking for quality accommodations near Hood River. Our logo is modern and inviting, with a hint of elegance and classic charm. In addition to art directing a photo shoot, we also created a suite of illustrations to establish a tone of delight and attention to the details that set the hotel apart from others in the area.
Web Design
We used our SEO research to craft a website architecture that would maximize Google recognition and visibility, while carefully preserving hard earned equity. Using our keyword bank we created search engine optimized website copy artfully written to feel authentic, yet also include all of the cues Google needed to rank the site as a top search result. Our WordPress website is perfectly simple and focused to show off the natural beauty of the hotel and the stunning Columbia River Gorge location.
Booking Engine & OTA Operations
The last piece, and possibly the most important, was setting the hotel up on the best booking engine to meet their needs, and the right OTA sites. We moved them from an outdated booking engine to Think Reservations, which allowed them to manage multiple booking channels through one portal.
If you have a boutique hotel, inn or lodge, and you’re looking to up your game, we’d love to hear from you.
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