How to enable guests to find your property faster on Google?

Do you want guests to find you on Google, book your accommodation directly, and save you several thousand euros in commission fees? There is no host who would not want that, and many are truly achieving it!

Below, we bring you tips on how you can use Google services for your business, attract more guests, increase the number of direct bookings, and thus save thousands of euros on agency and portal commissions.

Do you need to be first on Google search?

Being first on Google is the ultimate dream for many people involved in any kind of business who look for clients in the online world. Many marketing agencies promise this, but few actually achieve it. Why?

In the tourism sector, it is extremely difficult to rank among the top results on Google because already half of the first page of Google results is occupied by ads from strong portals and agencies for whom advertising on Google is essential to attract new clients – both hosts and guests.

Advertising your property is one option, but in the tourism field, the price of keywords will be enormous. Unless you have a larger budget for Google ads, as well as the knowledge and time to constantly analyze results and adjust campaigns, it is better to direct your energy where you can achieve good results on Google faster and for free. Even if you are not among the first results, you can still reach guests through Google.

“I don’t believe guests will find me on Google”

At the beginning of October, we conducted a survey and asked hosts why they still had not decided to create a website for their holiday home or apartment. Among the answers, this one stood out: “I don’t believe guests will find me on Google.” Could this perhaps be your answer too? If it is, definitely keep reading.

On the one hand, the concern due to everything mentioned earlier is justified, but Google is a multidimensional platform and does not offer results only in the search engine, but also on the map. And it is precisely Google Maps where a guest searches for the destination they want to visit. They explore what they can do, what the destination looks like, but also where they can stay or spend a few nights.

Google Maps – your competitive advantage

While portals occupy the first results on Google search, you should take your place on Google Maps. This is your very strong competitive advantage that portals cannot match because they do not have the capacity to place all the properties advertised with them on Google Maps.

On the other hand, besides exploring the destination they plan to visit, if guests want to book accommodation without intermediaries (portals and agencies), they will search for their accommodation property on the map. There they can see the property, but thanks to Google Street View, also the neighborhood, the exact location, and the surroundings where it is situated. No portal or agency offers this, or rather, they hide it, while it is extremely important to the guest.

Set up your location on Google Maps

Using Google Street View, a guest will find the address of your property on the map, but if there is no pin there showing that your apartment or holiday home is located at that address, they may think it is not real. Make sure that does not happen!

Using Google My Business, create your user account, position the pin at the exact place on the map, add the name of your property, description and photos, as well as your contact details and a link to your website.

“If I have Google Maps, do I need a website?”

Some will say that a Google “page” is enough, but we still cannot agree with that. A Google “page” is not a real website and does not offer many other functionalities that a real website provides.

On a Google “page”, you can publish photos, a short description, list the features, and add the location of your property. And that is it! You have not given guests important information – price and availability – nor have you enabled them to book your accommodation!

On the other hand, on a website you can tell the story of your property through photos, videos, virtual tours, and words, publish prices and an availability calendar, describe yourself as a host, describe additional services you provide such as bicycle rental, boat rental, excursions, wine tastings, olive oil tastings, or some other special features of your property such as eco-friendly, pet-friendly, couples only, and similar.

What do we advise?

To make the most of this competitive advantage, we advise you to connect Google Maps and your property’s website. When a guest finds your accommodation on Google Maps, direct them to your website so they can view your full offer, check availability and prices, contact you directly, and book your accommodation. In this way, you build credibility, which is very important to the guest. After all, they are paying several thousand euros to a stranger they have never met.

If you do not know how or cannot do it yourself, as part of the Apartmanica Premium package, we will connect your website to Google Maps free of charge after previously positioning your property there.

Does this even work?

Hosts we work with, for whom we have created Apartmanica websites and for whom we have opened Google My Business accounts free of charge and placed their properties on Google Maps, have achieved truly excellent results organically, without advertising.

A host we spoke with pointed out that in this season alone (2021), thanks to the Apartmanica website and positioning on Google Maps, they achieved 43% direct bookings compared to the total number of bookings and thus saved around HRK 15,000 in commission fees, which they can now easily invest in new garden furniture and the renovation of the small pool house. Thanks precisely to direct bookings, she rated the season as exceptionally good and hopes for similar or even better results next year.

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