You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who hasn't heard of Google, the giant of the search engine landscape, with over 70% of market share in the U.S. They've revolutionized the way information is found on the Internet and changed the way people search for hotels. By having a successful natural search campaign, with effective search engine optimization (SEO), it is possible to rank well on Google, even though its algorithms seem shrouded in mystery (more on this later).
In late 2000 however, the company introduced something entirely new: paid search, also called PPC or Pay-per-click. These are small advertisements that surround the natural search results when we search on Google. Whatever you call it, it had the effect of leveling the playing field for many online marketers. Google's PPC program is called AdWords, and it's worth a few minutes of your time to learn how it relates to your success in the hospitality industry.
Using SEO and PPC Together
If you're serious about generating the bookings you need, you definitely want to incorporate both SEO and PPC. In terms of monthly recurring expense, SEO can sometimes cost less than PPC and can generate some very long-term benefits for your Website, with consistently high rankings. But like anything long lasting, it takes a while to build and requires some finesse and patience. On the other hand, PPC can be more pricy, but also pay off quickly.
Getting the Most from AdWords
AdWords is a powerful tool that can help generate bookings by ensuring that your Website is seen by travel shoppers. Experienced pros know the finer points and are familiar with all the tricks that result in excellent click-through rates, but even a novice can benefit from knowing the basics of AdWords. Depending on how many sites you're trying to manage, you can expect to spend 8-12 hours per account per month. That assumes that you've already had some training and keep up on PPC news. Be patient, it will take you a few months to get the hang of it. If you're just too busy to give it the attention it needs, you may be better off trusting your AdWords campaign to a proven nternet marketingI company, with a measurable track record of success. Don't be shy about asking to see examples of successful campaigns in situations similar to yours. If they're experienced and knowledgeable, they won't mind at all. That being said, we've gathered a few pointers to help you make the most of your foray into the world of Google's AdWords program:
Set a realistic budget. The AdWords program allows you to set a 'daily budget,' which is simply your monthly budget divided into equal daily increments. For example, if your monthly budget is $500, then you'd have roughly $16 for each day's ads. That means when your ads have been clicked on enough times to equal your daily spend, your ads will no longer be shown until the following day. On the other hand, a larger budget of $1,200 will allow many more ads to be shown for a larger duration, perhaps all day. How much you pay for each click through depends on your bid. You might be willing to pay $2 for your ad to appear for certain searched keywords. Therefore, your $16 daily budget will expire after eight clicks. If your property is in a very competitive area, you can be sure that your competition's ads will always be shown, so why shouldn't yours?
Know your limits. Google adheres to a strict advertising format: all listings are text only, with a title line of 25 characters and a product or service description with two lines of up to 35 characters each. Your URL is also limited to 35 characters. With so little precious real estate, it makes sense to put some careful thought into your choice of keywords and how you write the ads. Make them enticing without sacrificing your important keywords.
When choosing keywords, more is better. A successful AdWords campaign starts with a great keyword and key phrase list. It helps to try and think the way your potential guests think. They don't know about the new caterer you just brought on staff, or about the recent room renovations. Sure, those are possible selling points, but when searching for a room, they use words relating to attractions near you ('hotels near Epcot Center'), market-based terms ('Phoenix meeting space') and niche-based phrases ('luxury spa suites'). Have a brain-storming session with your staff and make a long list of things that people might look for, not what you already know about your property - a critical distinction.
Get right to the point. We've all clicked on a PPC ad from time to time, and we either found what the ad promised, or we didn't. Most people don't have the patience to go on an all out expedition looking for the product or information your ad promised. Let's say that your AdWords message was describing what a great wedding location your oceanfront resort would be. A bride-to-be clicks through to learn more and she instead ends up on your home page, or worse yet, your Flash intro. At this point, she has two choices: try to find her way to the wedding pages of your site or simply hit the back button and try someone else's ad. What would you do? The better scenario would be to have your ads go directly to a custom landing page or the most relevant page on your site.
Keep a well-rounded approach. You may assume that since your AdWords messages are doing well that you can relax, put up your feet and wait for an endless parade of bookings. What you may not realize is that the rest of your site's content can have an effect on your PPC efforts. Google has a significant role in determining ad placement, because they have their own ways of creating a 'quality score' to provide the most relevant result to the searcher. Well-crafted Website copy is one of the main factors that go into their quality score and in turn, your ad messaging. Solid, information-packed copy is always a good idea anyway, since people clicking on your ads will hopefully be reading it... and perhaps booking!
This article is brought to you by VIZERGY, an Internet marketing company that empowers hotels and resorts to drive revenue through the Internet. VIZERGY offers Internet marketing, search engine optimization, Web site design, email marketing, reservation services and e-commerce strategy development to help hotels aggressively compete online.
For more information on VIZERGY and its services, please visit www.vizergy.com, call Amakeda Ponds at 904.389.1130 Ext. 179 or email Amakeda.p@vizergy.com.
