5. Back To Basics
Google is the backbone of every hotel business and all advertising in 2019. Make sure the website is mobile friendly, SEO is nailed down and brand terms are protected and promoted to drive direct bookings.
Making phone calls from smartphones does not even make the top 10 of the most common uses of our phones! However online shopping, Facebook and YouTube all make the top ten uses. Google queries completed on mobiles have recently surpassed desktop as the majority Google search type and as a result Google has introduced a mobile-first indexing initiative. This means Google will now begin to use the mobile page versions of a domain for indexing and caching in search results, and subsequently, for ranking.
Hoteliers need to do everything they can to adapt their marketing strategies and take a mobile-first approach. Everything must be optimized for mobile. This includes the booking engine, photo galleries, email sign up, sales pages, proposal forms, enable click-to-call functionality, Google map integration etc. Ensuring a great online guest experience on small devices when guests are considering booking is key. A fast, easy-to-use mobile site increases conversion rates and is something Google values very highly, which will bring higher rankings and more traffic.
The first page of Google is such a competitive battleground and hotels need to get everything right to be in the eyes of prospective guests. There is no quick fix to SEO and Google rankings, and there are many other tactics than the ones detailed above. Google constantly updating algorithms and strategy, traffic coming from multiple sites, devices, and inconsistent SEO practices from travel websites make it hard for hotels to get a clear picture of what is working and what needs to be done. SEO is an important and permanent work in progress requiring regular vigilance and active updating to maintain Google rankings.
Did you know Google will abide by local trademark laws?
It is a requirement that Google Ads don’t infringe on third-party trademarks.
The big operators have their Google trademark and brand term bidding solidly locked down – Google the brand names and you will be directed only to book direct. Search for smaller brands and independents and a host of Google Ads from travel sites and distribution partners will vie for the next click. If this isn’t in place, distribution partners are likely to be hijacking direct search traffic and converting to booking - charging you a commission! Or worse, converting their interest to a booking with a competitor.
Brand term keywords deliver a much higher click-through and conversion-to-book rates, if you’re not already bidding on your own brand terms consider starting in 2019. Also discuss and agree non-compete Google Ad agreements with distribution partners to ensure maximum direct booking traffic and incremental bookings from third parties.
Which of these five challenges is your brand or property facing in 2019?
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