During the process of any of your recent travel adventures, did you tried to search for a hotel in the region you were about to go on Google? If not, ask someone who has. Since Google got into hotel business, even if someone tells you the result was great it would still be an understatement. There is a new range of high definition and quality related results with more pictures is the most noticeable feature that have proved that indeed Google is making a push for playing a major role in the hospitality industry.
With their acquisition of the license to a hotel meta-search platform called “Room 77“, the services offered to their clients in terms of providing views of hotels, reviews, bookings and potential market. They also added a new design of features for searching purposes to equip customers with essential and sufficient information regarding the hotel and hospitality industry.
They are:
- Ads of hotel prices that enable any agency that deals with travelling and hotel bookings to book online through clicks.
- Photographs, ratings and reviews of hotels as well as testimonials about hotels that are collected via the Zagat and Google+ social networks.
- Hotel property views and a virtual walkthrough as seen in Google photos.
Another game changer was the introduction of the Google Wallet that is a safe application for paying online bookings when checking into hotels and also stores a person’s detailed information and keeps it confidential. However, only a small number of companies and agencies use this form of money transfer; Marriot International and Omni Hotels and Resorts. Other hotels allow payment through other methods such as Payoneer, PayPal, etc.
What are the factors that can Google Finder uses for reviews, ranking and potential market of hotels to help customers find what they are looking for?
1. Hotel prices
The application displays a variety of prices for the hotels available. Changes will then take place for example, if a person click on cheaper hotels in the same region then the ranking changes so that the cheapest hotels com first.
2. Quality and number of hotel reviews
This is one of the main factors Google employs to rank hotels. The best will be those that are rated at more than four stars out of five. An exception can be made to include those with the highest number of reviews given by users on the Google+ or those that have many people that have logged in.
3. Using Google+
It is very rare for a modern hotel that offers online booking services not to be online. Due to policies put in place by Google. This is because priority is given to those that own Google+ pages.
4. Nearness to the Central Business District
The application for finding hotels in a given region usually begins from the CBD before displaying results from its outskirts.
5. Quality and details of the uploaded pictures
Addition of pictures will improve the ranking of a hotel as well as attract customers by helping them visualize where they will go.
Internet marketing has become more profitable to travellers and hotel owners since Google got into the hotel business. With just one click, hotel booking has never been so easy.
Related ItemsGoogle
