Changes to Search Engine Results

Just last week, Google released a new update that eliminated right-rail ads from Google searches. Google is to quickly changing focus, moving everything towards mobile in the present and future. What does this mean for lodging in 2016? More competition for the 4 top text ads that provide visibility. On the positive side, it does leave the page less cluttered, allowing your property a better chance to highlight its message and value to customers. For Hotels, Motels, and Bed & Breakfast properties: SEO, SEM, mobile marketing, social media, and email marketing just got even more important. From 4Hotelier's article by Asher Fusco and Carmine Fischetti

The average travel consumer takes about 17 days, eight research sessions, 18 site visits, and six clicks before making a hotel booking (Google Research). A successful multichannel campaign that includes SEO, SEM GDN, mobile marketing, social media, online media and retargeting, dynamic rate marketing, email marketing, etc. reaches potential guests at every touchpoint of the travel planning process with one cohesive message across channels, capitalizing on key customer micro-moments across devices."

Google's Move Away From Right-Rail Ads: The Hotel Marketer's Action Plan

For important information on how Hoteliers should respond to the changes of Google's latest update, Asher Fusco and Carmine Fischetti have written an excellent article for 4Hoteliers.com on how to stay ahead of the marketing game.

Key Points in the Article

• How Hotelier's can counter act the negative impact of Google's update
• Increasing budgets for SEM
• Cost Per Click (CPC), Google Display Network (GDN), and Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) statistics
• Competition between travel agencies for visibility

To read the full article, click here.