Ultimate Guide to Google Hotel Ads: Transform Direct Bookings 

As the world’s most used travel metasearch platform, Google Hotel Ads is a powerful weapon in your hotel’s quest for more direct bookings. But how can independent hoteliers make the most of Google’s paid advertising model?  

This article explores the ins and outs of using Google Hotel Ads. Join us as we outline how the platform works and why a strong connectivity partner is crucial to success – plus best practices to boost direct bookings both via Google and apart from it. 

Google Hotel Ads (GHA) is a metasearch channel that allows you to display your hotel to travelers when they search for accommodation via Google Search, Google Maps, or YouTube. 

By using Google Hotel Ads as a form of paid advertising, you guarantee that sponsored advertisement bids are featured on Google for your property. This increases the possibility that you are seen by travelers searching Google for accommodation that matches your profile (For example “3-star hotels in Austin Texas”).  

From the traveler’s perspective, Google Hotel Ads appear when they conduct a Google search while planning a hotel stay. Google will display sponsored ads for relevant properties, in accordance with the specific search terms and dates the traveler uses.  

If your hotel is displayed, the listing that appears in Google will include the Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) that advertise your property, as well as any unique sponsored ad facilitated by your Google Hotel Ads partner (more on this later). 

Behind the scenes, Google runs an auction of the hotels that have “bids” on the relevant search term whenever a search is conducted.  Typically, the ads with the most competitive bids are then displayed to the traveler in the sponsored section. Various factors can affect which bids are included and their position in the dynamic auction. 

Many hoteliers, particularly those as part of bigger chains, handle the complex bidding process themselves. However, certain Google Hotel Ads partners, such as eviivo Suite™, can manage bids for you, guaranteeing you a position in the sponsored listings (as long as you have rooms available and your rates don’t far surpass the OTAs). 

When your ad is displayed, it should show the traveler the various channel rates for your hotel, as well as other key information (depending on how and where the ad appears). Ads display on both desktop and mobile devices, albeit in slightly different formats. 

From there, the traveler can select and book your hotel from the advertised options via OTAs or your connected booking engine. 

Participating in Google Ads can offer hotels some powerful benefits: 

Google holds a more than 90% share of the global search engine market. Put simply, it offers your hotel an unmatched level of visibility to travelers worldwide.   

Additionally, as the trusted leader in online search, Google inspires loyalty in its users. This translates to more confidence in its hotel ads – and, potentially, more bookings for advertised hotels.  

Google Hotel Ads help you target an audience actively searching for hotels that match your profile. Hoteliers who manage their own bids can target precise search terms and criteria to ensure their ad spend is used wisely. Alternatively, hoteliers can work with a partner who handles bids on their behalf for optimal results.  

Google Hotel Ads serves as a powerful tool for driving direct bookings. Any user who clicks on the “Official Website” link on your Google ad can go to your website booking pages and book directly with you. Therefore, as an advertising option, Google gives you more opportunity to be seen by travelers online, while simultaneously avoiding the high commission fees of OTAs. 

There are a few fundamentals you need in place before you can advertise on Google Hotel Ads. Prior to setting up your ads, make sure that you have:  

Next, you need to connect your hotel’s real-time rates and availability to Google so that accurate information is always displayed to searchers. This must be done through an approved Google connectivity partner, often a CRS (central reservation system) or a PMS (property management system) and channel manager such as eviivo Suite. 

As an approved Connectivity and Ads partner of Google, eviivo makes getting set up with Google Hotel Ads simple: 

eviivo’s depth of connectivity makes it far easier for your hotel to keep your Google Hotel Ads listings accurate and up to date, which is key to optimizing performance.  

Learn more about the eviivo-Google Hotel Ads connection. 

Google Hotel Ads is a paid advertising platform. Typically, the amount hotels pay depends on the specifics of their campaigns and the bid values of the search terms they are targeting. 

Bid values vary greatly due to differences in search intent, competition, and potential revenue per booking. Some keywords are going to be more competitive than others, depending on a hotel’s location, demand in the area, and other factors.  

However, there are ways to simplify and standardize the cost of Google Hotel Ads by leaving the bidding process to an expert partner such as eviivo Suite.  

Google previously operated a simple commission-based ads model. This meant that hotels had the option to pay only when they secured a booking from an ad.  

However, Google now uses a cost-per-click (CPC) model, meaning most hotels pay whenever a traveler clicks on their ad.  

The CPC model has raised the stakes for many independent hotels, requiring them to outbid OTAs and large chains that often have in-house experts managing their ads. 

Yet by partnering with eviivo, independent hoteliers are able to retain the previous commission-based model, paying a 10% rate only on clicks that convert into bookings.  

For many hoteliers, this ‘no bookings, no fees’ model on a managed connection is a simpler and lower-risk alternative to a self-managed CPC model.  In addition, eviivo’s 10% commission is far lower than the average OTA commission rate of 15-20%.   

To entice travelers to book, ensure your Google Business Profile is always populated with timely, accurate information. eviivo Suite’s Channel Manager also synchronizes your content across channels, including the direct booking pages linked to your Google ads. This means your listing stays automatically updated with the info that travelers need to convert. 

Remember also that reviews often appear next to your Google ads. Therefore, consider developing a strategy to encourage and respond to guest feedback via Google.  

For busy independent hoteliers, the core of Google Hotel Ads is seamless connectivity and an ad management model that doesn’t take up precious staff time.  

eviivo’s all-in-one platform ensures that your channel manager and booking engine are deeply integrated with Google. As a result, you save time with auto-onboarding and ensure that real-time rates and availability are always displayed in ads. 

In addition, eviivo has retained a simple, commission-based model for Google Hotel Ads. This makes connecting via eviivo a simpler, less risky investment for hoteliers looking to avoid the cost and complexity of Google’s newer CPC model. No bookings = no fees. 

To complement your presence on Google Hotel Ads, develop a robust strategy to drive direct bookings through other means. Here are some best practices to follow: 

Your website is where direct bookings happen. To convert, it should provide a booking journey that moves users through the funnel as smoothly – if not more smoothly – than other booking channels.   

Discover eviivo’s booking engine and website builder. 

Your direct website should offer the best deals and terms that searchers can find online. At a minimum, you should keep your rates competitive with the OTAs.  

From there, entice searchers with perks that only come from booking direct, such as exclusive promos, packages, or extras (e.g., a welcome hamper, a room upgrade, or a late check-out option). Remember that any special offers can be displayed in your Google Business Profile. 

Effective rate management also helps you attract direct bookers. Use eviivo Suite’s dynamic pricing feature to automatically adjust your rates as inventory levels change. This enables you to boost bookings when inventory is low and maximize revenue as your rooms fill up. 

It’s a given that many guests will first book you via an OTA. However, having a strategy to make sure they book their subsequent stays directly with you helps reduce your reliance on third-party booking channels moving forward. 

Obtain guests’ contact details at the earliest opportunity to take control of the relationship. Then, consider offering them a promo code at departure entitling them to a discount when they book direct next time. Don’t forget to emphasize the perks of booking direct at various touchpoints. 

Hotel ads aren’t the only way to display a direct booking option on Google. Leveraging Google’s free booking links – automatically included via an integration with eviivo Suite – allows you to be visible without paying for clicks. Just ensure that your room rates are supplied to Google via your ads connectivity partner.  

Google Hotel Ads offers hoteliers an unparalleled opportunity to earn direct bookings, enhancing their visibility on the world’s most popular metasearch platform.  

However, success requires a savvy combination of the right partners and a digital presence that’s geared to drive direct business – both with and without paid advertising. 

eviivo is uniquely equipped to help you succeed with Google Hotel Ads and drive more direct bookings: 

So why wait? Learn more about connecting to Google Hotel Ads with eviivo, then speak to one of our expert consultants to get started.