Maximising your listing’s visibility has always been a key to boosting occupancy, but in the face of the pandemic, diversifying your distribution is more important than ever. So why and how should you list your vacation rentals on Google of all places? Learn about Google Travel with the help of Avantio, in addition to the benefits of listing on Google and how to get started below.
And now, Avantio and Transparent have launched a partnership with mutual benefits for clients including seamless integration.
Importance of Google as a travel search engine
Google is the most popular search engine in the world. It is even so popular that 89% of US citizens turn to it for medical advice before going to the doctor. Well, there is no official data about it, but we can only guess the astonishing amount of tourists looking for vacation rentals on Google.
Just to visualize a bit what does it mean to be the biggest search engine in the world, let’s see some numbers. In 2020 each day there were 6.9 billion searches on Google, which added up to 2.5 trillion searches per year. There is no doubt people look up to Google to advise them on different matters, including travels.
Worldwide researching hotels and airfares on a mobile device is as common as shopping for clothing which is why having your vacation rentals on Google is such an advantage as its interface is totally responsive and allows tourists access to multiple information anytime anywhere. Only this year, Google searches for travel went up by 92% for hotels, 88% for cruises and 79% for flights. Keep in mind that right now short-term rentals are booming, and their average occupancy rate is 60%, while this number for hotels stays at only 39%.
What is Google Travel?
Google Travel (learn more)(previously Google Trips) is a service developed by Google in 2016 that allows tourists to look for flights, stays at different types of short-term accommodations and trips.
It is no surprise that since 2019 it is also possible to search for vacation rentals on Google, as the search engine giant could not pass up the opportunity to become a strong player on the global vacation rental market (valued at USD 87.09 billion in 2019). Short-term rental industry is expected to grow annually by 3.4% till 2027.
Basically Google allows the user to create their own, fully personalized travel experience within the comfort of a familiar search engine. The fact that guests can find everything in one place is definitely a decisive factor for the use of the platform, as easy search functionality and a simple booking process are important features in travel decision-making.
Benefits of listing your vacation rentals on Google
While traditional listing sites (OTAs such as Airbnb, Vrbo & Booking.com) currently rule the sector, COVID has of course affected demand.
Maximising your listing's visibility has always been a key to boosting occupancy, but in the face of the pandemic, diversifying your distribution is more important than ever.
- Visibility - The average person conducts between three and four searches each day on Google, so there is a pretty big chance they click upon your properties published there. Publishing your vacation rentals on Google will definitely increase your visibility as it is a platform with no geographical or language limitations, but always keep the SEO of your vacation rental website in check, as 28.5% of Google users click the first organic result.
- Branding - Improve the positioning of your brand as your company logo will be shown in the Google search results (available only through few Channel Managers in the world such as e.g. Vacation Rental Software Avantio).
- Direct bookings - Google will redirect the guest to your website, so the payment processing and the guest communication will be in your hands. You will have complete control of the booking process from the moment a reservation is made until the guest checks out.
- No commission from Google means more profit for you.
- Complete synchronisation - (works only for chosen channel managers). Activate your properties from your channel manager and we will synchronise your property content, rates and availability directly to the portal.
Google is could surpass the success of OTAs, so what are you waiting for?
How to list your vacation rentals on Google
In order to list your vacation rentals on Google, you can either start the integration process on your own or with one of the Google approved connectivity partners. The second option is especially recommended for Property Managers with less than 5,000 properties. Would you like to boost your direct booking conversion rate? Publish your vacation rentals on Google today.
Learn more about Avantio
Use business Intelligence tools, manage your time effectively and provide the best guest experience with powerful property management software from Avantio. Diversify your distribution strategy with Channel Manager connected to 50+ different global and local platforms.
