Go into the Metaverse? Nah, let’s explore our Earth first
With brands catching up, following the trends, and stepping into the metaverse (Gucci and Roblox, Coca-Cola and Tafi, Balenciaga and Fortnite, etc.), HostelWorld also could not sit out. They decided to join the game, in a “slightly” different way.
Yeah, you’ve heard about the Metaverse. But first explore our planet, Earth. Embrace The Solo System — HostelWorld
HostelWorld makes it loud and clear. Metaverse is a big thing, no one denies, even HostelWorld; but it does not fit in with their ideas and values (which is to embrace traveler’s experience), so they give it a skip. And so they brought back the in-real-life game, starting with exploring our real planet first.
With the new update in the HostelWorld app, they claimed to embrace the “Solo System” and create a new level of personalization for travelers through:
- Update traveler on who is staying with them
- Ability to chat and connect with the prospective travel-mates
- Ability to look through the traveler profiles and find something in common
While everyone joining the Metaverse, HostelWorld is staying back on planet Earth, and people are getting obsessed with how comfortable and convenient it is through the new update with personalization.
Why Personalization?
With the evolving world nowadays, there are so many things happening all at once. Changes are everywhere: thousands of products launch every day, thousands of businesses are created every week, and thousands of stories are being told on social media. So, as a brand, how can we fully capture the audience’s attention and deliver a great experience to them in this never end-changing world?
The answer lies within Personalization.
No matter how the world evolves, and how trend comes and goes, Personalization is always the key to consumers’ hearts. If you read my last blog, 80% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase with a personalized experience. While more than 85% of users expect and accept personalization as a part of their online retail experience, personalization can also help reduce acquisition costs by as much as 50% for businesses.
For most brands, purchasing is the last step; once they get the sale, they are done with consumers. But how about a personalized experience even after the sales?
HostelWorld did that and it created a buzz among its consumers.
With a lot of brands stepping into the game of personalization to increase brand awareness or increase sales (Amazon’s personalized recommendations, Starbucks’ personalized deals based on location/time of day, etc. — read my blog for more applications of Personalized Marketing), brands are really treating personalization process as a mean to and end. Brands sometimes forget that the basics of personalization all start with creating comfort, convenience for consumers, and embracing a genuine, humane interaction with them.
HostelWorld, with the core value of embracing each traveler’s experience, has completely aced the true meaning of personalization with its new app update, and even after the sales, or booking. By connecting people who book the same room, same time together, they were able to create a community even before the trip/journey begin, and enhance that comfort, and human interaction for its customers.
What HostelWorld did, staying with its true core value when everybody else follows the trend, has brought back a certain level of loyalty and excitement from its customers. With positive comments and messages flooded on HostelWorld social media channel, there is no doubt that they have successfully earned people’s hearts.
So, what will you choose for your brand?
Stay with your value, or follow the trend? Or both?
