How the intermediaries get the customers that were searching for you (I)

By Pablo Delgado and César López

In Continental Europe, hotels with registered trademarks can prevent intermediaries from using their brand names in Google Adwords. Doing this means that more users end up on their own websites. In spite of the advantages, most independent hotels don’t take the necessary steps to benefit from it.

Did you think you were first in line? Others are cutting in front of you.

Your 1st place is barely visible

Although the official website is the first in “organic” or natural search results, it has up to three sponsored links (adword advertisements) above and to the right of your advertisement.

Google is continuously making their advertisements more visible, to the detriment of natural search results, so the situation is just getting worse with time.

You are paying for their advertisements

Investing in searches for hotels by name is proving to be very profitable for them. What they charge you in commission they pay over €0.30 approx. which is what every click costs in Google. Therefore, they spend huge amounts, and are even the main advertisers from which Google earns profits: Dollars spent in Google 2011:

Booking.com 40.4 million

Expedia 28.9 million

The paradox:

You pay a lot in commission,

…which they spend on Google,

…in order to appear in results before your website

…end up with people who were searching for you

A useful intermediary brings you NEW customers

Let’s speak about this possible customer:

We’re referring to the person that is searching you by name, your brand: Somehow, this person already knows that you exist and is looking for more information about you.

You’ve already won half the battle. Your website should be the logical destination (how he or she gets to you) and where a reservation is made.

Of course, your website must be attractive, convincing and offer the best, not only in terms of information, photos and content but also in price and access to the last room.

We’re not referring to those searching by your location:

Those who search for a hotel in your city don’t not know you exist. They are at an earlier stage.

2nd Part: Options to resolve the problem

3rd Part: What you will achieve

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