Intelligent use of the Google Hotel Ads platform can significantly enhance any hotel marketing strategy, providing much-needed visibility within Google search engine results pages and other services, such as Google Maps. In this article, you will learn more about Google Hotel Ads, how it works, why it is so beneficial, and how it differs from other services, such as online travel agencies and the main Google Ads platform.

Table of Contents:

What Are Google Hotel Ads?

Google Hotel Ads is a hotel metasearch engine operated by Google and integrated with the company’s other services, including its main search engine, the Google Maps service, and the AI-powered Google Assistant. It was launched in 2011 and was previously known as Google Hotel Finder.

According to the Search Engine Market Share Report by Oberlo, Google has a 91.62% global search engine market share in 2024. The platform presents hotel information and room availability to users who enter relevant search queries. Google Hotel Ads allows quick room rate comparisons for each hotel ad displayed. It offers links to different booking platforms, allowing customers to find the best price.

Video: What Are Google Hoel Ads

Google Hotel Ads vs. Google Ads

The Google Hotel Ads platform is an excellent way to boost visibility on search engine results pages. Still, it is also important to understand that the Hotel Ads service is distinct from the main Google Ads service.

With Google Hotel Ads, the advertisement provides real-time information on availability and rates. It also allows users to compare prices with other platforms offering bookings for the same hotel. Crucially, if a hotel does not have availability relevant to a user’s search query, the advertisement will not be shown to them.

By contrast, Google Ads is a more traditional PPC advertising platform. Hotels and other businesses create ads and use the Google Ads platform to bid on relevant keywords. Advertisements are then displayed to users who search for those keywords, regardless of current availability, with the hotel paying for each click generated. Google Hotel Ads is geared toward generating bookings, whereas Google Ads is geared toward generating clicks.

Table Google Hotels Ads vs. Google Ads

Aspect Google Hotel Ads Google Ads
Primary Purpose Specifically designed to show hotel listings and prices in Google Search and Maps. A broader advertising platform for creating various types of ads across Google’s networks.
Key Features – Displays hotel prices and availability directly in search results.
– Allows direct booking from the search interface.		 – Offers a range of ad formats, including search, display, and video ads.
– Targets users based on search queries, demographics, and interests.
Target Audience Travelers looking for hotel accommodations. A wider audience, depending on the campaign’s target settings.
Billing Model Typically, it operates on a cost-per-click (CPC) or commission model. It offers various bidding strategies, mainly CPC, as well as cost-per-impression (CPM) and cost-per-acquisition (CPA).
Placement Hotel ads appear in Google search results and Google Maps. Ads can appear across Google’s search network, display network, and YouTube.
Primary Benefits for Hotels – Directly targets potential guests searching for accommodations.
– Enhances visibility in a travel-specific context.		 – Flexible advertising across various channels.
– Broader marketing strategies beyond just hotel bookings.

What Is the Difference Between Google Hotel Ads and OTAs

The fundamental difference between Google Hotel Ads and online travel agencies (OTAs) is that Google Hotel Ads is a metasearch engine. This means it offers information about deals on other platforms, including OTAs and hotel websites, allowing users to easily compare prices.

Hotel metasearch engines provide links to various platforms where users can make bookings. By comparison, an OTA will sell rooms on behalf of a hotel, usually while keeping a percentage of revenue as a commission fee. OTAs access up-to-date information about availability and pricing by connecting to global distribution systems. According to the US Hotel & Lodging Market Report by Phocus Wire, around 49% of online gross hotel bookings come through OTAs.

For hotel industry employees, having direct bookings advertised prominently on Google search engine results pages can be appealing. Without this, your own hotel’s website can easily be drowned out in search results by listings from OTAs. Bookings through those platforms cost you a commission fee, whereas direct bookings do not.

What Are the Benefits of Google Hotel Ads?

In addition to increasing your hotel’s online visibility, there are several additional benefits to using Google Hotel Ads – some of which can assist your hotel management and revenue optimization efforts.

1. Attract Travelers Searching for a Hotel in a Specific Area

Many travelers seeking a hotel in a specific area will begin their search via Google, so it makes sense to try to reach those people by ensuring your hotel is featured in Google Hotel Ads. The advertisements will include the name of your hotel, the price of a room,, as well as links to booking engines so the customer can book a room quickly and easily. Additionally, ads will only be displayed when you actually have availability.

2. Increase the Number of Direct Bookings Your Hotel Generates

Google Hotel Ads presents pricing information from various online platforms, allowing customers to compare room rates effortlessly, and your own website can be one of these. This can drastically increase the number of direct bookings you attract, unlike customers booking through online travel agencies. This is advantageous, as you will be able to retain more of the revenue from each booking due to a lack of need to pay commission.

3. Gain Control Over All Aspects of the Customer Journey

When a customer books a room in your hotel through an OTA or offline travel agency, a third party has immediate involvement in the customer journey. However, by using Google Hotel Ads to generate direct bookings, you can help ensure you gain control over the entire customer journey. This can help offer customers greater consistency and also provides opportunities for up-and-cross-selling.

4. Benefit From Increased Access to Customer Information

Finally, using Google Hotel Ads to boost direct bookings also provides you with more valuable information about your customers, including contact information. When they book with an online travel agency, obtaining these details may not be possible, limiting the amount of communication you have with them before, during, and after their stay. Contact information can help with up-selling, cross-selling, and reputation management.

Video: How La Quinta Inns & Suites Benefits from Google Hotel Ads

Where Does Your Hotel Appear in Google?

Connecting with the Google Hotel Ads service means your hotel will become visible across several Google platforms. Below is information on these platforms and how they can benefit those in the hotel industry.

1. Google Search

The first and most obvious location where your hotel will be advertised is on Google’s search engine results pages when a relevant search query is entered. Users can see your hotel’s name, check availability for specific dates, and compare the room rates offered by different OTAs and your own hotel website.

Google Hotel Ads - Where Does Your Hotel Appear in Google

2. Google Maps

Hotel results are also displayed when users make generic or specific hotel-related searches on Google Maps. In addition to displaying hotel options, the platform allows users to click on specific hotels to learn more or to book. Furthermore, the locations of the hotels are shown on the map display, which can be advantageous if the location is one of your USPs.

3. Google Assistant / Google Home

The way users carry out searches has evolved, and many now rely on Google Assistant, which allows users to search via voice commands or typed commands. For instance, a user might trigger Google Assistant and then use the voice command “find me a hotel in London“. Relevant hotels connected to Google Hotel Ads will then be displayed.

4. Google Hotel Search

Finally, your hotel will be displayed on the Google Hotel Search (https://www.google.com/travel/hotels) platform. Using this service, users can enter a hotel name or the name of their destination while also providing the dates of their intended stay and the number of guests. Google will then show the relevant hotel results.

Video: Where Does Your Hotel Appear in Google?

What Are the Costs of Google Hotel Ads?

The Google Hotel Ads platform allows hotels to bid for advertising space. Several different pricing models are available, including cost-per-click, where the hotel pays a fixed amount for each click generated by the ad, or pay-per-conversion, where the hotel pays a fixed percentage of the booking fee for every guest who books through the ad.

In each case, you specify the maximum amount you are willing to pay, and you only pay when a user carries out the relevant action. When a user performs a search displaying hotel ads, the bidding amount helps determine which ads are shown. Therefore, your bidding amount can greatly affect visibility.

With this in mind, providing a set cost for using Google Hotel Ads is impossible. The amount you need to bid for your hotel ad to be displayed will depend on factors like how much other hotels have bid and whether or not an online travel agency has also bid on your property. However, you do have control over your maximum spending.

Video: How Does CPC Bidding Work for Google Hotel Ads?

How to Add Your Hotel to Google Hotel Ads?

You can connect your hotel to Google Hotel Ads through two main methods. The first option is to integrate your hotel directly. Since this takes certain technical skills and specific expertise, many (individual) hotels work with integration partners to get the most out of Google Hotel Ads.

Google Hotel Ads Integration Partners are third-party organizations that are partnered with the platform and understand how it works. Examples may include certain connectivity partners, channel managers, and property management systems. Below you find a list of companies that can help your hotel use Google Hotel Ads.

Google Hotel Ads Connectivity Partners

Below, you will find partners who can help your hotel to connect with Google Hotel Ads. Most partners offer services and support in multiple countries and languages. Since some hoteliers prefer to do business with businesses from their region, we divided the Google connectivity partners per continent :).

Europe

SimpleBooking (Based in Italy)
FreetoBook (Based in the UK)
ADchieve (Based in The Netherlands)
Bookassist (Based in the UK)

Sirvoy (Based in The USA)
Sabre Hospitality (Based in The USA)
Oracle Hospitality (Based in The USA)
Kognitiv (Based in Canada)

AsiaTech (Based in India)
Metro Engines (Based in Japan)
STAAH (Based in India)

Hospitality Tech International (Based in South Africa)

 

Add Your Company to This List

 

List of Online Travel Agents to Increase Your Hotel Bookings

Online travel agents serve as a key distribution channel for hotels because they can reach customers who may otherwise be unreachable. These platforms provide a convenient way for many users to explore the various hotels in a particular destination and ultimately reserve a hotel room.

In the article “Lis of Online Travel Agents to Increase Your Hotel Bookings”, you will be able to find information about some of the most popular and important OTAs to connect with to boost your bookings.

List of Hotel Metasearch Engines to Grow Your Hotel Bookings

Hotel metasearch engines retrieve data from other search engines – such as those featured on OTA websites – and present that information to users. They do not sell hotel rooms directly, instead of providing links to other platforms, but they are an excellent resource for users who wish to carry out price comparisons.

By reading the “List of Hotel Metasearch Engines to Grow Your Hotel Bookings” article, you will better understand the value of metasearch engines and find examples of some of the best platforms to connect with.

Tips to Optimize Bookings Through Online Distribution Channels

While online distribution channels, such as OTAs, offer excellent opportunities for hotels, making the most of these channels requires decision-makers to adopt the right strategies, work with the right partners, continually monitor the performance of the different channels, and make necessary adjustments.

Read the “Tips To Increase Your Hotel Bookings Through OTAs” article to learn more about optimizing bookings through online distribution channels. It includes tips for increasing bookings through OTAs.

Google Hotel Ads FAQs

Google Hotel Ads is a service that allows hotels to display real-time availability information on search engine results pages. The cost of using Google Hotel Ads depends on which bidding model you select. Examples include cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-acquisition (CPA). Costs can also depend on the level of competition for a keyword.

You can promote your hotel on Google in several ways, such as by acquiring and keeping updated your Google My Business listing, adopting a search engine optimization (SEO) strategy, or using Google Hotel Ads. It can also be a good idea to actively encourage your guests to leave reviews on Google.

Google Hotel Ads can be a worthwhile investment for many hotels. It allows your hotel’s availability information to show up on search engine results pages, meaning you can reach users who are actively seeking accommodation. Google Hotel Ads is especially valuable for hotels looking to maximize visibility and direct bookings.

Google Ads can be useful even with a limited budget, but you must manage bidding carefully. Use the tools provided to set strict limits on your budget, track your ROI, and adjust if you are not getting value for money. For most hotels, it will be best to focus on specific keywords to maximize relevant traffic.

Google Hotel Search consolidates information, drawing from various sources, making it quick and easy for potential customers to find hotels, access important information about their facilities, read reviews, and carry out price comparisons, all through a simple search engine. Users can then follow links to book their chosen hotel.

Google Hotel Ads have become an increasingly vital part of most hotels’ online distribution mix because they provide visibility, opportunities to increase direct bookings, and the chance to own the entire customer journey.

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This article is written by:

Martijn Barten

Hi, I am Martijn Barten, founder of Revfine.com. With 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, I specialize in optimizing revenue by combining revenue management with marketing strategies. I have successfully developed, implemented, and managed revenue management and marketing strategies for individual properties and multi-property portfolios.