Ibérica (Dec 2019)
How hotel websites may discursively adjust to customer preferences using online criticism
Abstract
This paper explores discursive ways in which hotels may improve their own websites using online criticism to adjust to customer preferences. To this end, a combined method was used, consisting of a netnographic approach (Kozinet, 2010; Mkono, 2011, 2012) together with an interpersonal discourse framework (Hyland, 2008) applied to e-tourism genres (Suau-Jiménez, 2012, 2016). Four hotel websites, together with 200 corresponding negative reviews from TripAdvisor, were diachronically analyzed to identify common topics. Attitudinals were sought, being the core markers of online critiques, as well as boosters, acting as enhancing markers in hotel websites and paralleling criticized topics. Results suggest that hotel website adjustments may use enhancements following particular marketing strategies and referring to certain areas complained about in online reviews. This implies that the discursive adjustment of hotel websites using enhancers is a means for hoteliers to improve the website description of hotel services, as well as to indirectly manage customer dissatisfaction in a positive and effective manner.
