Flywheel News | December 2023 Hotel Digital Marketing News | GCommerce

1. Google Analytics 4 Announces New Features to Prepare for the End of 3rd Party Cookie

2024 is finally here. That means the long awaited demise of 3rd party cookies is very near. Learn about the new GA4 features Google is rolling out in preparation for this change.

2. Uncover the Psychology of Luxury Travel With Insights From Google

When you are an upscale luxury hotel or resort, your approach to finding the right guest requires a very specific approach. Understanding your target persona and where/how to reach them is imperative. Uncover some great tips from the experts at Google.

3. Google Moves Forward With Phasing Out of 3rd Party Cookies

As mentioned above, the end of our reliance on 3rd party cookie technology is here. Google has officially moved forward with the test phase out of 3rd party cookies for a sample of Chrome users. Learn more here.

4. Learn Best Practices for Your End-Of-Year Hotel Marketing

It’s never too early to start preparing for Q4 2024. Learn best practices for your end-of-year hotel digital marketing here. 

5. Which Metasearch Pricing Model Is Best for You?

Understanding pricing models for metasearch advertising is essential, as it becomes a crucial channel for direct revenue. Metadesk provides a breakdown of different pricing models for metasearch advertising. Learn more here.

6. Threads Now Has a Hashtag Feature

Threads is rolling out a hashtag-like feature called topics, but it works slightly differently. Learn how to use these and how they differ from standard hashtags used on other social media platforms.

7. How to Maximize GA4 for Your Hotel

Still feel lost on how to get the most out of the new Google Analytics platform? Learn how to maximize this new analytics tool for your hotel.

8. Google Adds Vacation Rental Structured Data and Rich Results

Are you a vacation rental company looking to get more out of your organic search visibility on Google? Learn about Google’s new vacation rental structured data and rich results here.

Flywheel News | November 2023 Hotel Digital Marketing News | GCommerce

1. Sam Altman Is Ousted but Then Returns as CEO at OpenAI

In what may be the craziest AI-related news of the year, the board of directors at OpenAI ousted Sam Altman but then reinstated him as CEO after an uprising from employees threatening to leave the company and join him at Microsoft. Learn more.

2. YouTube Steps up Roll out of Shorts Ads

We’ve been eagerly awaiting the rollout of specific YouTube Shorts ads inventory and it looks like it might be coming soon.

3. Learn 8 Hotel Holiday Marketing Tips From Our Experts

The holidays are in full swing! Don’t miss out on maximizing your holiday hotel marketing campaign performance; read our expert tips.

4. TikTok Reports Users Spend ½ Time Watching Longer Form Content

In an effort to help creators monetize their content more (like YouTube does so well), TikTok is focusing on the growth of longer form content on its site. TikTok reports that users spend half their time watching content that is longer than a minute. As we say, it’s definitely worth a test to see how longer form video content works for your hotel on this platform.

5. How to Maximize Your Google Hotel Ads Metasearch Production

Google Hotel Ads has established itself as a critical piece of the direct booking puzzle for hotels. How can you maximize your hotel’s Google Hotel ads campaign production? Learn more here.

6. Google Launches New Personal Search Experience

While your search results have always included a degree of personalization, Google is now taking it a step further with a new personal search experience and a follow button option.  Learn more here.

7. Learn More About Google’s Performance Max Campaign Type

Over the past couple of years, Performance Max campaigns have emerged as a new exciting campaign type for advertisers to test. Learn more about this campaign type here.

8. Google Adds Organization Structured Data

Google has rolled out new structured data variables named Organization Structured Data that add new fields such as name, address, contact information, and other business identifiers. Learn more here.

9. GCommerce Holds Annual Company Retreat 

The entire GCommerce team descended on Park City, Utah, to deep dive into hotel marketing strategies, celebrate an amazing year of growth and connect with each other.

Flywheel News | October 2023 Hotel Digital Marketing News | GCommerce

1. TikTok, X and Meta Unveil Ad-Free Subscription Models

Could the future of social networks include a subscription model? Meta has been forced to offer a subscription model, due to regulations in Europe while TikTok is exploring an ad-free model on its platform for limited users, and X is launching a premium ad-free model. Based on the success of the model, it could impact the reach and value of these platforms for advertisers.

2. Understanding Metasearch Pricing Models

As metasearch continues to expand into one of your most important channels for direct revenue, it’s important to understand your choices in terms of pricing models. At Metadesk, we talk to hoteliers every day and have encountered a wide variety of various pricing models for metasearch advertising. Here’s a handy breakdown of pricing models you might consider, or in some cases, be stuck with.

3. Google Testing Ads Between Organic Listings

Now that we are in a “continuous scroll” experience on Google search, it makes sense that Google would try to find more ad placements as users scroll through the results. Google has been spotted testing ads between the organic listings - learn more here.

4. Our Team Is Excited About These Changes To Facebook & Instagram Reel Ads

Meta is rolling out changes to its Reel Ads placements, including Collection ads, Multi-destination Reel Carousel ads and swipe left functionality. These changes not only simplify the campaign creation process, it make for more engaging (and better performing) ads. Check out the full suite of changes here. In addition, Instagram Reminder Ads can now be easily created in Ads Manager with reach expanding to the Stories ad placement.

5. Learn What CRO Is And How It Can Help Drive More Direct Bookings

You can spend all the money in the world on ad traffic, but if you’re not optimizing your site for conversions, you’re missing out on valuable direct bookings. Learn more about how your hotel’s website can benefit from CRO here.

6. What Is The Difference Between Hotel Metasearch Rate Parity and Price Accuracy?

Rate Parity and price accuracy are commonly mixed up- learn the difference and how important these two elements are to the success of your hotel’s metasearch. 

7. Photos Are Even More Important For Google Maps Visibility and Local SEO

How often does your business create and post new photos to Google Business Profile? Google Maps is launching a new “photo first” search experience. It’s time to review your photos and make sure they are up to date with your business’s experience and offerings.

8. How Can Your Hotel Remove Friction and Drive More Bookings?

Frictionless experience was the buzzphrase a few years ago- but did you know it’s still an extremely relevant variable to success? Learn tips and techniques your hotel can use to remove friction from online bookings.

9. Just for Fun: Google Provides The Most Popular Halloween Costume Trends

Check out this link, where Google puts its trends to spooky use,  helping you discover the most popular costume ideas for Halloween as well as custom ideas for you.

Flywheel News | September 2023 Hotel Digital Marketing News | GCommerce

1. It’s Time to Finalize Your Holiday Marketing Campaigns

Can you believe it’s already the start of Q4?! If you haven’t already, now is the time to send your holiday marketing campaign details to your agency for Cyber Weekend and beyond. We encourage all clients to include a “save the date” campaign that runs a week prior to your sale starting to boost success of these holiday flash sales. Hurry and contact your CSM today!

2. Google’s Bard Can Now Connect to Your Google Apps & Services

Have you played around with Google’s Bard to see how it connects with other Google Apps and Services? Go to Bard and test having it plan an upcoming trip. You’ll see that Bard now responds with real-time info from Google Maps, Flights, Hotels and Youtube. What does this mean for your hotel’s marketing? The future of being found on Bard seems closely associated with your participation on Google’s suite of products - think Google Business Profile and Local SEO (& reviews matter - check out the highly rated line in the summary below) as well as Google Hotel Ads/metasearch. 

3. Website Landing Page Best Practices

Looking for ways to improve your website engagement metrics and improve conversion rates? Brush up on some website landing best practices in this education blog.

4. ChatGPT News: Rolls Out Voice & Image Prompts + 26% of Top Sites Blocking It’s Bot

ChatGPT is rolling out new prompt features including voice and image prompts - allowing you to interact with the tool with your own voice and by simply sharing images as part of your query. But, the platform continues to come under scrutiny by content creators for its lack of citations and links back to the original content source. Due to this, many top websites are now blocking it’s bot from crawling their content. This trend will probably continue until the platform starts citing sources/sending traffic to the original sources.

5. Meta Verified Rolling Out to Brands

A new monthly subscription package that claims to boast brands on Instagram and Facebook as well as offer access to direct support for account troubleshooting is rolling out. Meta Verified includes a verified badge, new ways to be discovered and more. Is your business ready to test this $34.99/month option? Our research came back with less than stellar feedback about the program - with many saying it wasn’t worth the money.

6. Dive Deeper Into the Differences Between Google UA & GA4

Still a little foggy on differences between Google UA and GA4. Read through this easy to follow guide from our team.

7. The Importance of Hotel Metasearch

Hotel metasearch engines work as aggregators, pulling data from various sources to create a list of available room rates for a potential guest to choose from. They improve the booking experience for your guests, making it easier to reserve rooms and compare rates. Learn more here.

Flywheel News | August 2023 Hotel Digital Marketing News | GCommerce

1. Google Sending Out Alerts Re: UA Data Processing

Months after what was expected to be the official deadline of when Google UA would top processing data, account owners are getting alerts that their UA accounts have officially stopped processing new data. Have you noticed this in your Google UA accounts yet?

2. TikTok Officially Announces Search Ads

According to TikTok, 58% of users discover new brands or products on the platform. Now, advertisers can capitalize on this even more with the introduction of the search ads toggle. This feature is automatically enabled with the creation of an in-feed campaign but can be disabled if desired. Learn more about this new feature and where it appears on the platform here.

3. Instagram Launches Multi-Advertiser Placements, to the Display of Advertisers (And Users)

If you’ve scrolled through Instagram recently, you’ve probably noticed a new cluster of 4 ads lumped together in what is officially called the Multi-Advertiser placement. Although CPMs with this placement might be less expensive, the fear is that users will quickly start skipping over them, and they’ll provide little value to advertisers. Learn more about this new feature and how to opt out here.   

4. Metasearch Products for Any Property in Any Market

As metasearch continues to expand into one of your most important channels for direct revenue, it’s essential to understand your choices in terms of pricing models. Metadesk offers a variety of products and pricing models designed to fit any property’s unique situation and market conditions. Learn more here.

5. Google Business Profile Rolling Out Social Links 

Up until now, companies haven’t been able to manage or edit social links shown in Google Business Profile listings. Google is now adding this functionality as an attribute in Google Business Profiles, and it’s rolling out now. Learn more.

6. Learn Why GA4 Data Might Not Be Matching Up in Different Reporting

A common question and source of confusion that GA4 presents is when data doesn’t quite add up the same when drilling down into different areas of the UI or even with the API data from the platform. We found this blog to offer a lot of great common reasons why you’re seeing different metric counts when viewing the data in different areas of the UI.

7. Google Announces Changes to Visibility of HowTo and FAQ Markup

Google has announced changes to HowTo and FAQ markup visibility in the SERP. FAQ will only be shown for well-known government and health workshops while HowTo will only be shown for desktop users. This could significantly impact sites, including travel-related ones, that have capitalized on FAQ-rich snippet visibility over the years. Learn more about these changes here.

8. Google Search Generative Experience OFFICIALLY Rolling Out Links to Sources

This is a big, long-awaited change for SEOs and search marketers. Up until now, Google’s Search Generative experience has failed to feature links to sources and drive well-deserved traffic to the source sites. As of August 30th, when you see an arrow next to information in the experience, you can click it to see relevant sources and easily visit those pages. Learn more here.

Flywheel News | July 2023 Hotel Digital Marketing News | GCommerce

1. Some Google Universal Analytics Accounts Still Processing Data

Even though Google claimed all UA accounts would stop processing data on June 30th, 2023, we've found that most accounts still show data flowing. The current notice that appears when accessing accounts states that the account will "stop processing data very soon". It appears that the end of data in UA is more of a rollout than a hard cut-off date for all accounts.

2. Twitter Rebrands to X

The bluebird is gone. Elon Musk has rebranded Twitter to X and states it's "more than just a name change" but a plan to recreate it into an "everything app". Will this hurt or help the platform's success? Read more here.

3. Meta’s Threads (Twitter Competitor) Launches July 5th 

Are you among the more than 100 million people who signed up for Threads? Learn all about this new social media Twitter (X) competitor in this in-depth blog from our in-house social media experts.

4. Tips for Finding Your Hotel’s Target Audience 

How do you know where to advertise or what to message if you don't first identify the best target audience for your hotel? In this insightful blog post, journey through finding your hotel's target audience.

5. TikTok launches text posts 

A content format previously unavailable to brands is now live on TikTok. Brands can now share text posts on the social media platform. Learn more about new features for text posts, such as stickers, tags, sound, and more, here.

6. Uncover Metasearch Bid Modifications You Should Be Using 

Did you know you can set bid modifications on segments such as length of stay, days to arrival, and more within your Google Hotel Ads? Learn more about these bid modifiers and how to apply them to your hotel's Google Hotel Ads campaigns.

7. Instagram Updates Reels

Instagram is launching updates for Reels with the added bonus that Instagram Reels will now also be served on Facebook to offer more reach than ever for these video placements. Learn more here. 

8. Should You Use Google Paid Search Ads for Your Restaurant? 

There are many different ad placement and campaign options available to advertise your restaurant. Should Google paid search ads be at the top of your list? Read more in this Paid search ads test for restaurants.