INTRODUCTION
To stay competitive, hotels of all sizes must use metasearch sites. These sites (e.g. Google, TripAdvisor, Trivago, etc.) aggregate and list hotel room rates from various online travel agencies (OTAs) and other booking sites all in one place. From there, guests compare prices and availability before booking.
Travelers can enter search terms (e.g. travel dates, location), then the metasearch sites present hotels that meet the criteria. The listings show a hotel’s rate (plus guest reviews, amenities, photos and policies) on several different booking sites, like Booking.com. If the traveler clicks the link to one of the channels, they can complete their booking there.
Here are ways hotels can effectively use metasearch websites to increase bookings and gain brand awareness.
BENEFITS OF USING METASEARCH
Visibility. Hotels that use metasearch increase exposure, which is key in today’s digital landscape. According to a survey by The Guestbook, 94.4% of consumers reported they used price comparison sites at least occasionally when booking a hotel.
Reduce cost per booking. Hotels that run campaigns on metasearch pay less per booking than with an OTA platform. For example, TripAdvisor charges 12-15% per booking, compared to the 15-30% booking commissions that Expedia charges.
Compete with OTAs. Hotels gain the ability to bid for placement on metasearch sites, which gives you more control over where your property shows up on a list of hotels. In addition, some metasearch engines (e.g. TripAdvisor and Google) are now displaying instant booking buttons that allow travelers to book directly from the metasearch results. Once the reservation is done, you own the relationship with the customer and only pay for the booking after the traveler completes their stay. You’ll need to check to see if your hotel is eligible.
Own guest data. When a guest books directly through metasearch websites, you receive their information (e.g. email address). This can be used in other types of future marketing (e.g. e-newsletter, email automation).
Additional exposure. Once you register your hotel on metasearch engines, it will be visible to potential guests through voice assistants, such as Alexa and Google Home.
HOW TO BUILD AN EFFECTIVE METASEARCH CAMPAIGN
First, make sure your hotel has an integrated booking engine (e.g. Cloudbeds, Bookassist). This will make sure the rates and availability from your property are sent directly to the metasearch engines.
Next, pick the metasearch platforms you want to start with, like Google and Tripadvisor, and create an account.
Be sure you know your audience or the people you want to reach. For example, are you the closest hotel to a local entertainment center? Do you offer an amenity that is unique? Be sure to consider reach, user intent and bidding capabilities.
When promoting your property, there are three main options for bidding: advertising (cost-per-click), commission (cost-per-action) or hybrid (targeted cost-per-action). When starting out, test different metasearch channels to see how consumer behavior and conversions differ.
Your budget will depend on a range of factors, including season, forecasted occupancy, location and business objectives. If you’re using Google, start by setting your daily spend to be 1/30 (roughly a month) or higher of your max budget. Thus, if your monthly budget is $300, then your daily spend should be $10. Once the campaign is launched, monitor it regularly and make adjustments to make it more effective.
Lastly, make sure you have claimed your Google My Business page and TripAdvisor listing. Keep your description, pricing and images up-to-date.