Many hoteliers believe that having a perfect website is the golden ticket to a spike in direct bookings, and while it’s true that your hotel’s website design and content needs to be on point, there are additional steps you need to take to make sure your potential guests end up with your hotel at the top of their search. Without a solid presence on Google Maps and Google my Business, you may lose a tonne of would-be bookings, because Google has become an increasingly popular tool for travellers, especially because of how easy it makes it to access information on their mobile devices.
With the continuous technological advancements driving Google’s user experience (artificial intelligence, augmented reality, etc.) today’s guests almost have no way of avoiding Google Maps to help them decide on their trip of choice. Let’s get into how to make the most of your Google Maps presence.
Local SEO (search engine optimisation) makes a world of difference
When a traveller is searching for hotels in your area, Google gives them the most relevant options according to information provided by hoteliers in that area. The end result on the guest’s side, is a list of hotels they can filter and choose according to their needs (like in the image below) – but the first step on the hotelier’s side is maximising the amount of information they submit on their Google my Business account.
To land your hotel a spot on Google’s Search Engine Results Page (where most website visitors make their pick) means you have optimised every bit of information required by Google My Business to put your hotel in their directory, which includes Google Maps.
This allows Google to make it easier for someone to (without leaving the results page or opening multiple hotel websites simultaneously) find your hotel and any relevant competitors according to filters and categories like:
It’s also not just about what you tell Google about your hotel, it will help you tremendously if your guests provide user generated content (UGC) as well. Ben Scheelings, Revenue Manager at Code Hotels, shares his experience with Google:
"A few years ago, when we first opened Code the Court, guests made it clear that a frustration for them was not being able to find us on Google Maps. As we had just opened, this was no surprise. We incorporated the Google Review process in our survey to generate more reviews, and we felt this would help us become more visible.
Within two weeks and a few reviews, guests were able to locate us using Google Maps. I can't tell you how invaluable it is for hotels to have a strong presence on Google my Business and Google Maps; your reputation can't afford to go without it in today's travel landscape."
As you can tell, guests don’t have to look too hard to find what they want – and as a hotelier, you don’t want to miss the opportunity of positioning your hotel where your potential guests will be looking. Local SEO is one of many underrated direct booking hacks that go hand in hand with your hotel’s online reputation, because it boosts your credibility and helps bring more quality leads to your hotel.
Some actionable SEO steps to take advantage of
Although SEO is not an overnight success tactic, it’s an investment that yields great results for those who comply with the needs of searchers and the guidelines set by Google to level the playing field. So, if you were ever tempted to do the bare minimum of simply claiming and verifying your Google my Business profile, don’t. Do more and make sure you’re on the right track, so that you can reap the full benefits of having it.
Forbes lists a few local SEO steps that every kind of business can do to boost their ranking and visibility, but the most important ones for hotels are:
Important Google Maps updates you should look out for (especially for mobile)
Google Maps has some new updates that come at a time of recovery for the hospitality industry, and if you’re actively involved and making use of these tools, you will make it easier for guests to travel, and make them more likely to pick your hotel when they do.
The first of these updates is called Immersive View; and it's exactly how it sounds. Guests will be able to virtually take a peek and check the vibe of the places they want to visit. This update is like the Google Maps’ Street View that we all know, but on steroids: guests will be able to see inside the hotels, restaurants and attractions, and see how those places look at different times of the day. This is a kind of virtual tour that will be easily accessible for anyone with a smartphone, and it’s just one example of how powerful your Google my Business profile can become.
Image: Google
The second update is on eco-friendly routing, which allows travellers to take routes that are kinder to the environment and spend less of fuel for trips. Since the update’s recent inception in the US and Canada, people have used it to travel 86 Billion miles, saving more than an estimated half a million metric tons of carbon emissions – equivalent to taking 100,000 cars off the road. This update comes at a perfect time for travellers and hoteliers, especially as we are taking a more active approach to sustainability with movements like the Sustainability Basics which are being put in place as guidelines for the industry to work towards. It also means that, once the update is available in your area, accommodation providers and other businesses that are on the most fuel-efficient route (but not the fastest one) might see an increase in traffic.
The Live View update is a help to those who may be a little lost when walking around in places like airports, malls and train stations. Google Maps uses AI-based technology called global localisation for this feature, and travellers can use the feature on their phone to get pointed in the right direction in a bit of a more engaging way (as in the image above). Google made this tech available to developers for free, and many are taking the opportunity to create their own iterations of apps that help travellers get around in busy zones on foot.
Conclusion
Google Travel is a big player in travel decision making, and there are constant developments that are making Google’s use even more important for the travellers of today. Part of cementing your place in the future of travel means keeping up as much as possible with where your guests spend their time online, and building on your reputation by being visible there. In the long run, those who choose to stay behind on technicalities and benchmarks will continue to be outranked by those who keep up – and being outranked in the digital space can lose your hotel some bookings in real life.