Exciting News for Direct Bookings! Google is currently experimenting with showcasing ‘free-links’ more prominently on mobile devices. After a period of declining visibility for direct bookings, we finally have some positive updates to share!
The visibility of direct booking links had suffered due to unintended consequences of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). While the DMA was designed to protect individual businesses, it inadvertently led to limitations, such as preventing consumers from clicking through to Google Maps, which in turn decreased the visibility of individual hotel listings.
However, the latest experiment from Google brings a welcome change. The blue ‘Check availability’ button has been removed, and now, the free-links are shown first, right above the sponsored links (a reversal from the previous setup). Even more exciting, these free-links now direct users straight to the hotel’s booking engine, instead of showing multiple third-party sites, and are displayed much more prominently. This is fantastic news for hotels!
Our Meta Campaigns product in which we can manage your hotel’s Google Hotel Ads listings is already showing impressive results. YTD, around 60% of bookings through Google Hotel Ads are coming from these free-links, meaning they are completely commission-free. Yesterday, we discussed how Google is shifting to a CPC (Cost-Per-Click) model in Google Hotel Ads, but with our Meta Campaigns solution, we still offer hotels the opportunity to advertise in Google Hotel Ads at a 12% commission per stayed booking. However, when we consider that 60% of bookings are commission-free, the total average spend is just 4.8%. This makes it an incredibly attractive, low-risk option for hotels!
While this experiment by Google could signal a shift back in favor of direct bookings, it’s crucial to remember that this is still an experiment. We can’t be certain whether these changes will remain long-term, but for now, it’s a positive move.
Want to learn more about our Meta Campaigns and how it can help your hotel benefit from these changes? Let’s talk!
