Protecting your direct bookings from OTA hijacking in the Google search battlefield
Apr 8, 2025
A recent LinkedIn post argued that hoteliers don’t need to bid on their own branded keywords on Google because demand is already being generated by other channels like social media and word-of-mouth. However, this view is incorrect. Even when demand is driven by these sources, travelers typically search for the hotel name on Google—and if hoteliers aren’t bidding on their branded terms, OTAs (Online Travel Agencies) dominate the search results, capturing the booking and commission.
Key takeaways
- Travelers who search your hotel name on Google are high-intent, ready-to-book prospects.
- OTAs aggressively bid on your branded keywords and often win those bookings, even when demand was created by your own marketing or word-of-mouth.
- If hoteliers don’t bid on their own names, they risk losing direct bookings to OTAs or losing the guest entirely to competing hotels suggested by OTAs.
- This is effectively a hijacking of direct clients by OTAs.
- Google Ads: Secure 100% share of voice for branded search terms by running your own ads.
- Google Hotel Ads: Use both free and paid links, especially during low-demand periods.
- SEO: Keep your website optimized and active to rank well for branded searches.
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