14 Best Lead Generation Apps & Tools for 2022 and Beyond

Following the Covid-19 pandemic, companies in the hospitality industry have had to rearrange their operations and focus their attempts on recovery. And data shows that they have been somewhat successful.

According to some resources, hotel activity during the summer of 2021 accelerated by 66.7% compared to 2020. Nonetheless, there’s still a way to go before those levels reach 2019 figures.

So what can accommodation owners do to boost conversions and ensure the profitability of their business in 2022? Well, one option would be to invest in high-value lead generation apps and tools that can help them turn web visitors into paying (and hopefully loyal) customers.

Of course, there are plenty of apps to choose from. But unfortunately, not all of them provide the same profitable returns.

That’s why we created this list of the best lead generation apps and tools for 2022 and beyond, giving you an overview of the ones likely to get the most bang for your buck.

1.  CultBooking

Source: cultbooking.com

While the CultBooking engine may be aimed at travelers at the bottom end of the marketing funnel, it is, without a doubt, one of the best investments you can make for your business in 2022.

Sure, it doesn’t generate leads per se. However, it does help maximize conversion rates, which average at 2.4% in the travel industry, according to Contentsquare’s 2021 Benchmark Report.

So, before you go about identifying and capturing more leads whom you can nurture into loyal customers of your brand, don’t forget to do the work that ensures they actually end up booking their accommodation from you.

After all, what do a million Instagram followers mean if they end up booking their accommodation with one of your competitors whose prices are lower on popular search engines?

1.  Google Analytics

Source: google.com

All right, you have a good idea of the tool you need to successfully convert website visitors into paying customers. But what happens with the people who are not yet ready to make a commitment?

Well, to turn them into viable leads you can nurture down the line, the best thing you can do is optimize your website for lead generation. And, the cheapest way to do that is to take a close look at its performance.

When set up correctly, Google Analytics can be a powerful tool.

By segmenting your audience, it can help you identify high-quality leads and track down the pages that have the highest bounce rates. Plus, you can integrate it with Google Ads and Facebook for remarketing purposes. Ecommerce brands and subscription service providers like WhatsGood often adopt this strategy.

After all, if it takes an average of eight touches between initial contact and conversion, showing up on your targets’ radars once simply won’t cut it. You have to make sure you maximize the chances of them being exposed to your marketing messages. The first step towards that is knowing who has already visited your site and who hasn’t.

2.  LinkedIn Sales Navigator

Source: linkedin.com

With almost 800 million professionals using LinkedIn, including over 57 million companies, it comes as no surprise that one of the best lead generation tools comes from this social network.

The LinkedIn Sales Navigator is a tool ideal for those targeting business travelers.

It allows hotel brands to:

• conduct advanced lead searches based on flexible criteria
• create custom lead lists and account lists complete with notes and prioritization features
• discover potential clients through a personalized suggestion feature

What’s more, the LinkedIn Sales Navigator sends you real-time insights regarding your prospects, so you can act at the right time.

Now, admittedly, using this tool will take more effort than, say, setting up a retargeting ad that uses your site’s pixel. However, it is one of the absolute best ways to establish contact with decision-makers from your B2B target audience.

3.  Sendinblue

Source: sendinblue.com

Generating new leads won’t amount to much unless you nurture them. After all, the longevity of a business cannot depend on just bringing in new customers. That’s cost-inefficient if you consider that acquiring new clients costs five times more than retaining old ones.

But, it’s also true that customer retention requires consistent dedication and ongoing communication, reminding your clients that your business is there whenever they need a great place to stay. And one of the best ways to turn that communication into a seamless, personalized, and non-intrusive experience is with email.

Now, you could go about manually contacting every single one of your guests after their stay to ask for their feedback, offer them special perks for their next stay, or notify them about upcoming sales. But, you can also use a tool like Sendinblue’s email marketing solution and automate the process, all the while ensuring that your audience is properly segmented and only served with the messages relevant to their experience.

What’s great about Sendinblue is that it also offers an SMS marketing tool. This is a must-have for direct communication with guests and sending them time-sensitive notifications.

4.  Buffer

Source: buffer.com

Investing in loyalty does increase customer lifetime value (CLV). But you’ll still want to make sure that you’re doing well on the inbound front.

For most businesses, particularly those selling experiences (as hotels often do) or consumer goods like textile products, this means a strong and engaged social media presence.

One thing’s for certain: managing multiple profiles and making sure that your messages are displayed at the right time can be a time-consuming process. And that’s why Buffer is such a good tool for marketing teams from the travel industry.

Allowing you to carefully plan the content you post, it can help you create a more natural, end-goal-oriented schedule that will move your followers down the sales funnel at the right pace. Plus, it can help you better distribute the content that gets published on your site. This is particularly important if you invest in a robust content marketing strategy.

5.  Semrush

Source: semrush.com

You’ve probably used Semrush or one of their competitors for research before. But, while you’re most likely to apply the knowledge you gain to boosting SEO, it’s also not a bad idea to look at the website as a great tool for getting your leads through the sales funnel more efficiently.

Hotel and accommodation brands can use Semrush content tools to supercharge their marketing strategies, identifying high-return opportunities for written, visual, audio, and video posts. This is a particularly popular tactic amongst brands who invest in podcasting or blogging like Ad Badger. Semrush not only gives content ideas based on relevant keywords but also allows businesses to find link opportunities, which are essential for getting more organic traffic.

6.  Intercom

Source: intercom.com

With AI topping the trend prediction charts for 2022, many small businesses are turning to chatbots. And that’s no surprise, seeing that these solutions promise as much as 30% savings in customer support costs. However, there are circumstances when a robot simply isn’t the best solution for your business.

According to a 2018 survey, 43% of users prefer human interaction to chatbots, which is a pretty high number.

So, instead of going all out and expanding your customer support team just in case, you can invest in a customer interaction tool like Intercom, which combines both automation and real-time chat.

This will give your website visitors quick access to information that doesn’t necessitate human contact. Furthermore, it will also allow them to get in direct touch with one of your sales representatives, who will have the necessary means to personalize offers, find relevant deals, and give valuable advice to customers who aren’t 100% sure of their specific needs.

7.  TimeTackle

Source: timetackle.com

If managing costs is a priority for you, why not find ways to help your lead generation team be more efficient?

Many companies, especially those just starting out, employ teams whose roles aren’t necessarily focused on one single aspect of the business. In these cases, knowing how their time is being used across different tasks is absolutely vital.

TimeTackle is an analytics tool that integrates with your employees’ calendars to offer insights into how they’re using their time. Once you know how much they’re spending on lead generation and compare the input to the results, you can identify opportunities to boost efficiency and possibly cut costs.

Or, you may find that they need more resources to bring in the results you’re after. Either way, with factual proof, you can make sure you’re making the best possible decisions.

8.  Pipedrive

Source: pipedrive.com

Do you run a small business in the travel industry? In this case, generating and nurturing leads may rely on a more personalized approach than that used by big names.

Fortunately, the right CRM software solution, like Pipedrive, can help you do that.

This app tracks every single point of contact you make with potential customers – calls and emails included – so that you can have instant insights into every one of your leads’ positions in the sales funnel. Moreover, it can help you label leads depending on their current sentiment, informing your sales team whether they need to take extra steps to secure a conversion or if it’s simply enough to let things take their course.

Another superb benefit of using Pipedrive to streamline your sales is that it allows for automation and integrations. This makes it particularly beneficial for brands with dispersed teams.

9.  Quora and Reddit

Source: riodigitalagency.com

What better way to generate leads than to go directly to your potential customers? Quora, Reddit, and numerous other forums allow you to do just that.

By looking up questions related to your niche and providing valuable, engaging content, you can drive traffic to your website. Of course, you can do the same by being active on popular subreddits like the one dedicated to travel and setting up Google alerts or using social listening (SproutSocial is a good app to check out).

However, make sure that your answers are focused on the quality of your content rather than the quantity. Pay attention to formatting, ensure your posts are relevant, and include links to credible resources. Lastly, don’t try to cheat your way to the top. Creating multiple profiles and upvoting your own answers may get you banned, which is the exact opposite of what you’re after.

10.      OptinMonster

Source: optinmonster.com

If you’ve got the website traffic, but you’re still unhappy with how fast you’re generating leads, why not consider optimizing your website for conversions?

OptinMonster is an easy-to-use tool that allows you to create lead capture forms from templates. However, where it truly excels is its Exit Intent® Technology, OnSite Retargeting®, and Page Level Targeting.

Used by over a million websites, including TripAdvisor, Patreon, American Express, Pinterest, and a host of other industry leaders, OptinMonster is definitely worth a try.

11.      Unbounce

Source: unbounce.com

Are you investing in paid traffic? If the answer is yes, then you should definitely be aware of how the design of your landing page influences conversions.

Powered by always-improving AI software, Unbounce is a fantastic tool for capturing leads. It enables you to create the exact design you’re after as well as A/B test your creations and display designs that are proven to work.

Unbounce lets you experiment with layout, messaging, and visuals, meaning you can study and implement the choices that will work for your target audience.

What does this mean for rental owners? Well, it can help them identify the most effective visuals and headings for capturing leads. They can then use these leads for CPC and social media campaigns, knowing that they’re making choices that are most likely to result in newly acquired potential customers.

12.      Turnstile

Source: wistia.com

If you’re not using video on your landing pages, you’re definitely missing out. It’s not only one of the most engaging types of content you can produce but also most people’s favorite medium, with 72% of users preferring it to other formats.

Whether you’re using video to entertain or educate, it’s not a bad idea to make sure it’s providing you with the desired ROI.

Turnstile by Wistia is a great way to do just that. It’s an email collector that can appear at any time during your videos. You can customize its appearance to match your brand’s voice, but most importantly, it seamlessly integrates with your favorite outbound lead generation tools, including MailChimp, GetResponse, Eventbrite, and others.

13.      TripAdvisor/Google Business/Yelp/Facebook Reviews

Source: google.com

Lastly, as you look for apps that can help your hotel business generate and capture more leads, don’t forget about the fact that the absolute best way to increase bookings is to invest in consumer trust with social proof.

This isn’t just a strategy for hotels but for any type of organization that deals with travel or properties. That includes home buying companies, property management services, and even travel blogs.

The reason for this is that consumers seek out reviews and ratings before making a purchase. So, instead of letting them book through a third-party rating site where you’ll have to pay a commission, it’s much better to display those ratings on your homepage and keep them interacting with your website.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there’s a wide variety of apps and tools you can use to take your travel business to the next level through lead generation.

Some of these are focused on identifying viable leads, while others will help you with nurturing. Some, like CultBooking, will ensure that you secure those sales once the time is right.

Of course, to truly have the highest chance of capturing leads likely to turn into (preferably loyal) customers of your travel brand, you have to make sure that your marketing strategies are fully optimized to meet your target audience’s needs.

Don’t hesitate to go back to basics. Reevaluate your visuals, messages, and distribution channels. After all, the travel industry is so competitive and versatile that it’d be a real shame to waste your efforts on the wrong strategies.