Google Hotel Price Ads (HPA)
News is out that freetobook are working on a connection which will enable accommodation providers to connect their availability to Google Hotel Price Ads. All customers using freetobook with nightly rates will be able to participate including hotels, apartments, guest houses, inns, bed and breakfasts, hostels, campsites and many others using nightly rates.
In the past Google HPA was only available to big hotel chains, Online Travel Agents (OTAs) and digital marketing organisations. Here at freetobook we like to smash through barriers and open up the best marketing technology to everyone, making more distribution channels available on an optional basis to our customers across the world.
When completed your freetobook diary will be able to feed rates and availability to the whole of the Google network giving you fantastic global marketing access. This service is on an opt-in basis without any tie-ins so you are free to try it out and calculate your return on advertising investment. Bookings that you receive from the service will be direct bookings and you will be able to pay per click for advertising on the Google HPA service.
Google HPA is different from Google Ads. The main difference is that Google HPA can link to your availability and direct bookings can be made there and then. Customers on Google will be able to see which accommodation is available at what price and make a direct booking. Unlike Google Ads you do not bid on keywords with Google HPA the placing of the adverts will depend on Google and their bidding system.
Where will my Google HPA adverts show ? You will be able to show on Google Maps,
Google Local, Google+, and the new Google “three-pack” on AdWords. You can see some of the examples of where the adverts show in the pictures on this blog. All the best technology changes and improves and Google is a great example of this, so whilst we can say where the Google Hotel Price Ads show now we can also be sure that this will change and improve with time.
A short video with a flavour of the Google HPA service
Customers already using freetobook can pre-register for Google HPA in their TAB”Plus” under “Your Ads” on the orange bar.
It says on the video only for large hotels at present. How much does this cost and when will B&B’s be allowed on and if I am operating at 97% occupancy as I was for 3-4months this year will all the blank clicks cost me my £50 budget in a few days as it did with Tripadvisor’s pay per click last year? Sue B x
At this stage we don’t have the click rates, we are still in the development stage. Once they are out I’m sure it will be easier for you to decide. You will only show up for a possible click if you are available, it will be a “similar” service to TripAdvisor, at 97% occupancy it might not be necessary for you.
Wooden Cabbage, East Chelborough, Dorset
I registered our interest yesterday, which I hope has been logged.
Would be interested to know approx cost of a ‘click’ ??
with many thanks
At this stage we don’t have the click rates. Once they are out I’m sure it will be easier to decide. At this time we are just pre-registering everyone, there will be no obligation it just means you will have first refusal as your details will already be on Google.
Just pay per click when a booking is made? or simply for every click if made a booking or simply check the rates..
like to know before signing-up
Yes you will pay per click not pay per booking. The two things are related and you will know what return you get. In the future I think Google might also have pay per booking.
You can signup in TAB”Plus” and “Your Ads” on the orange bar.
hello, i would like to know if you had any developments about the Google HPA? idea when it will be release?
thanks
We dont have a date yet but we are working to have it live before the end of the year.
Do you have an update on when this service go live?
Thanks
Are you still working on it or have you abandoned this project entirely?
Your original announcement is almost three years old!
Currently it works out too expensive so we have put a hold on it until it comes out cheaper for properties. Essentially it needs to be cheaper than 15% which is the typical commission rate of some of the big OTAs. In its current for we do not believe it is cheaper.
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