A hotel should promote itself on Google Ads because that is where travelers search at the moment they are ready to book. Ads let the official website appear above OTAs on the hotel's own name, reach travelers searching for a destination, target specific markets and dates, and measure every euro against direct bookings. For the basics of how the platform works, see our article What is Google Ads?
Key takeaways
- OTAs and metasearch sites bid on hotel names: without ads, the official website can be pushed below them.
- Google Ads is paid per click, with a budget the hotel controls day by day.
- Combined with Google Hotel Ads and free booking links, it covers most of the traveler's search journey on Google.
What are the main reasons to advertise a hotel on Google?
- Protect the brand: appear first when travelers type the hotel's name, instead of an OTA that will take a commission.
- Capture high-intent demand: travelers searching "boutique hotel + city" are often close to booking.
- Target precisely: by country, language, device, dates and audiences such as past visitors.
- Push the right offer at the right time: seasonal packages, last-minute availability, events.
- Control costs: daily budgets, bids and pauses can be adjusted at any time.
- Measure the return: conversion tracking links each campaign to bookings and revenue.
Which campaigns should a hotel run?
- a brand protection campaign on the hotel's name;
- search campaigns on destination and experience keywords (see which keywords to bid on);
- Google Hotel Ads for prices shown in hotel results and on Maps;
- Performance Max and remarketing to reach travelers again on YouTube, Gmail and Display.
Is Google Ads profitable for a hotel?
It is when the cost per direct booking stays below the commission the same booking would have cost through an OTA, and when tracking is reliable. Start with brand protection, measure for a few weeks, then expand to non-brand campaigns where the numbers work.
How does Influence Society run Google Ads for hotels?
At Influence Society, we build campaigns in every language of the hotel's markets, connect conversion tracking to the booking engine, report on direct bookings and revenue, and compare the cost of each campaign with OTA commissions.
FAQ
How much budget does a hotel need for Google Ads?
It depends on the market, the competition and the goals. Many hotels start with a brand protection campaign, which usually has a low cost per click, then add budget to non-brand campaigns that prove profitable.
Why do OTAs appear when I search for my hotel's name?
OTAs and metasearch sites bid on hotel names in Google Ads. A brand campaign lets the official website appear in the ad space too, often at a lower cost per click.
What is the difference between Google Ads and Google Hotel Ads?
Google Ads shows text ads on search results. Google Hotel Ads shows the hotel's prices and booking links in Google's hotel results and on Maps, fed by the booking engine or channel manager.