Everyday, billions of engine searches for hotels are carried out by those looking for the ultimate accommodation. That’s a great thing, right! Well, imagine these users didn’t need to leave the search page. Imagine they found everything they needed to book right then and there. Imagine they booked directly with your hotel from that search engine.
Well, imagine no more. Google Hotels Ads Commission Program makes this imaginative possibility a reality.
What Does This Mean For Google And For The Hotel Provider?
This does not mean that Google will become an online travel agency. It also does not mean that this search engine giant will handle client bookings and communications. Google does not want to lose advertising (cost per click) revenue it receives from OTAs. But what this does mean is that the Google Hotel Ads Commission Program will take 15 per cent commission, in a similar fashion done by an OTA, and will leave the customer service element with the hotel itself.
In basic terms, Google has modified its Hotel Ads service to allow hotels to use this program as an alternative to the expensive cost per click system. Commissions only kick in when a reservation is made via Google.
How Will This Benefit Hotels?
Smaller hotel chains and independent hotels will now have direct communication with customers as the program will give the hotel the customer’s emails and details. This means that building up a customer database will be quick and easy and following up with marketing content directly to these customers will be a breeze.
No longer will smaller and independent hotels have to compete with large OTAs on a cost per click basis. Now they can be promoted and receive bookings directly through the search results and only pay a commission when a reservation is made. Great isn’t it!
And, better still, the rich data which this search engine has collected and collated will mean those hotel descriptions will include more information. Expect amenities, location, a Google Street view, reviews, images and much more in these descriptions. Be gone bland descriptions which push away clients! Bring on the descriptions which bring customers to hotel doors by showcasing selling points!
Also, not only will hotels receive more bookings at a cheaper cost, but with this program, they will also receive more bookings at a faster rate. Making a booking from one search without having to search through multiple websites means bookings are more straightforward and less time-consuming. This means bookings will come in faster!
If you’re looking for more information about the Google Hotel Ads Commission Program and looking to reap the benefits, contact us! We’ll also be able to keep you abreast of the latest developments and help you embrace new digital opportunities. With Google and our help, your hotel will certainly need a bigger welcome mat!
