Google provides a wide range of useful tools for markers some of which are focused on the travel & tourism industry.
For example, Google Places is a great tool that allows you to showcase your property (including Pictures, Street View and directions) to provide potential visitors the best possible overview of your hotel from the minute they do a web search.
With potentially thousands of views each month, your Google Places listing is one of the most prominent components of the Google landscape for any brand searches. These listings are a source of free traffic directly to your website and provide live updates and availability.
Free booking links can be used in conjunction with paid hotel ads in order to further increase exposure. A hotel ad is a paid link, where the list is ranked according to Google’s ad auction and algorithm whilst free booking links are unpaid links that are ranked according to how useful they are to users.
Free booking links display similar information to paid hotel ads, including:
Your site or hotel name
Room rates for date selected
Official site badge (if you are the hotel owner, direct supplier, or technology provider)
As room rates would be displayed it's worth making sure that your direct rates listed on metasearch marketing are the same, if not cheaper, than those advertised on the OTAs to make sure that booking direct with you is the best option for any potential guest!
It should be noted that Google auto-generates photos based on customer reviews left through the Google platform which can lead to grainy less flattering photos being displayed which can be off-putting to potential guests therefore it is well worth updating your Google Places listing with fresh new photos from your hotel's asset library in order to showcase what your property has to offer in the best possible light.
In addition to the property photos, Google’s results page allows you to showcase your best features and services so make sure that these are featured in the first sentence and written in a way to grab the reader’s attention and help you stand out from the crowd highlighting standout amenities, services and facilities that guests can enjoy during their stay.
Another top tip would be to make sure that all of the buttons related to the listing have been thoroughly tested, click on each of the buttons on the Google Places listing to ensure visitors are taken to the right place on your site and not redirected to 404 pages or error messages that may appear.
Hotels are automatically eligible to show free booking links by meeting the following requirements :
Existing Hotel Center partner
Currently participating in Hotel Ads
If you are a hotel or hotel partner and have not set up a Hotel Center account, that is the first place to start. The Hotel Center is the hub where you can manage the property’s online presence. Hotel information and management details are confirmed through a Google Business Profile. Once this information is set up, you have the option to set up free booking links and to run hotel ads if desired.
Individual owners of vacation rental properties are ineligible for free hotel booking links from Google Ads however, if you own a property management business, you may be eligible for a Hotel Center account. Currently, the requirements in this category include:
You must be a registered property management business
You need to have a direct booking website, OR
Be listed on a booking site that is integrated with Vacation Rentals on Google.
If your hotel uses a reservation system it is best to check with the provider to set up your free booking links as it might already be connected to Google.
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