Beyond the funnel: The new rules of hotel marketing

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October 15, 2025 by

I have watched hospitality marketing evolve dramatically over the years, starting with the clean, predictable funnel: awareness, consideration, booking. It served us well. We could measure it, optimize it, and feel confident in the process it promised.

But that model is breaking. Today, 60% of searches end without a click. Travelers are not making it to your site the way they used to. Search engines and AI are serving answers before anyone even lands on your page. The journey to booking is no longer linear. It is fragmented, circular, and often invisible.

So what do we do in this zero-click world?

We stop thinking in straight lines and start building adaptive growth loops. Marketing systems that listen, learn, and continually feed back into each other.

Why funnels don’t work anymore

Funnels assume a neat progression: you find us, you compare us, you book with us. Reality is messier. A potential guest might see a display ad, scroll past your property on Instagram or TikTok, check rates on an OTA, revisit your blog, get retargeted with an ad, receive a reminder via email, and only then decide to book. Sometimes they book without ever visiting your site at all.

Trying to force that into a funnel does not just fall short. It ignores how travel browsing actually happens now.

What works instead are loops. Strategies that adapt. Every interaction, whether it is an email open, an ad view, or a review read, feeds into the next one. These loops learn from behavior and make the journey smarter, more responsive, and more personal.

Tactical takeaway: Map your current guest journey. List out every touchpoint where a traveler interacts with your brand. Ask yourself if those touchpoints are connected or if they operate in silos. Look for opportunities to create continuity, such as aligning messaging between your display campaigns and your follow-up emails.

Organic search is fading, but content still counts

Ranking well in Google historically has been marketing gold. Now, AI-generated results and featured snippets are claiming more real estate and more clicks.

That said, this does not mean SEO is dead. Fresh content, helpful blogs, and useful information are more important than ever. Google rewards them, and AI relies on them.

But here is the reality. Organic search is no longer the only hero. We need media, owned channels, and marketing loops that learn from behavior to fill the gaps.

Hotels often ask: What kind of content should we be creating? The answer lies in listening to your guests and your market. Here are some effective ways to uncover topics worth writing about:

  • OTA reviews- Scan Booking.com, Expedia, or TripAdvisor reviews to see what guests consistently mention. If travelers are asking about parking, dining options, or nearby attractions, those are content opportunities.
  • Social media conversations- Watch what people are saying in Instagram comments, TikTok travel videos, or Reddit threads about your destination. These conversations highlight authentic traveler interests.
  • Search trend tools- Use Google Trends or other keyword research tools to see what is spiking in interest. Seasonal queries like “best family ski resorts in Utah” or “things to do in Napa in the fall” can drive timely content.
  • Local events- Build content around festivals, conferences, and seasonal activities happening near your property. Guests are searching for this information, and it positions your hotel as a helpful resource.

Tactical takeaway: Audit your website content and brainstorm new ideas from these sources. Focus on creating content that answers real questions, reflects your property’s unique perspective, and positions you as an authority both in Google and in AI engines.

Media is essential at every stage of the guest journey

With organic traffic shrinking, media becomes critical. Smart marketers treat it as a portfolio, not silos.

  • Display advertising works at the top of the journey. It plants the idea and inspires travel before the traveler even knows they want it.
  • Meta is both a discovery and consideration channel. It combines reach and targeting, letting hotels inspire travelers with visuals while also re-engaging them through remarketing.
  • Paid search captures the moment travelers are actively looking. It helps you show up when intent is clear.
  • Metasearch sits at the bottom, where comparison happens and booking decisions are made.

When display, Meta, paid search, and metasearch work together, they create a seamless journey, feeding the loop from inspiration to conversion. But it is not enough to just run these channels side by side. What sets high-performing hotels apart is the ability to understand how the entire media mix is working together through unified data.

Without unified reporting, display, or Meta, they may look like they are underperforming, when in fact they are seeding demand that shows up later in paid search or metasearch. Paid search might appear expensive if viewed in isolation, but when connected with attribution data, you can see that it is strengthening both direct bookings and assisted conversions.

Another critical element is creative differentiation. Boilerplate ads that could be promoting any property will always underperform. What builds brand trust and drives bookings is featuring the hotel’s sustainable competitive advantages, the unique experiences, amenities, and positioning that no competitor can replicate. Media spend is only as effective as the story it tells, and hotels that lean into their unique strengths see higher conversion rates across every channel.

This is where GCommerce’s data platform makes a difference. By pulling performance data across all media channels into one unified view, we help hotels see the true value of each channel, how they interact, and where to shift budget for maximum impact.

Tactical takeaway: Do not evaluate your media channels in silos. Look for ways to connect performance data across your media mix to understand the entire guest journey. And make sure your ads reflect what makes your property different. Generic creative erodes trust, while highlighting your brand’s long-term competitive advantages builds authority and drives higher booking conversion.

AI search is here, and it is shifting the game

AI is not on the horizon. It is in the search bar already. AI-powered results are answering traveler questions on the spot. That means:

  • Organic clicks may shrink further.
  • Authority, both in content and brand, becomes critical.
  • AI could start sending traffic directly to your booking engine without OTAs in the mix.

This is both a threat and an opportunity, which is why we are introducing AI Metasearch, a way to place your direct booking link in AI-powered search results while still enjoying reporting, attribution, and control. It is the next evolution of metasearch for a zero-click world.

Tactical takeaway: Begin preparing for AI visibility now. Make sure your property information, reviews, and content are accurate, fresh, and structured. Think of every piece of content you create as a potential answer AI could surface to a traveler’s question.

Learn more about how to optimize for AI search in our full guide. 

Fundamentals still drive success

Even as AI rises, fundamentals remain your foundation. In fact, they are more important now because they fuel both human and AI discovery.

  • Email marketing remains the most revenue-efficient channel. It is direct, owned, and powerful.
  • Content and blogging keep Google interested and give AI engines a reason to cite you. The demand for fresh content has never been higher, but simply publishing words on a page is not enough. AI can assist with speed and efficiency, but it cannot replace the strategic perspective, brand alignment, and hospitality-specific expertise required to create content that actually drives bookings. Hotels need content that answers the questions travelers are asking, reflects the property’s unique story, and builds long-term authority. That requires a thoughtful strategy behind the words.
  • Schema markup provides structured data that helps AI and traditional search understand your property.
  • Guest reviews reinforce credibility. Not just with travelers, but also with AI that values citations and signals.

These fundamentals are not optional. They are the base layer upon which loops, AI visibility, and media integration stand.

Tactical takeaway: Look for ways AI can accelerate the process, such as generating topic ideas or first-pass outlines, but always layer in human editing and hospitality expertise. This ensures your content is not just fast, but accurate, on-brand, and positioned to win visibility in both search and AI engines.

Growth comes from loops, not ladders

The old ladder-like funnel is obsolete. Guest journeys loop back, circle forward, and intersect across channels. Marketing loops that learn from behavior, feeding insights back into media, content, email, and AI discovery, are how we stay relevant.

Hotels that master both fundamentals and future-facing strategies, email and AI, reviews and media, schema and marketing loops that learn from behavior, will not just survive. They will define what hospitality marketing looks like in our new era.

The funnel has run its course. The future belongs to systems that adapt, learn, and keep guests connected.

Tactical takeaway: Start building your own loop model. Sketch out how your media, content, email, reviews, and AI readiness connect. Ask: What happens after a traveler clicks? After they open an email? After they read a review? Growth will come from the connections you build between these moments.

Where hotels go from here

The rules of hotel marketing are shifting. The funnel that once guided strategy is no longer reliable, and organic search alone will not deliver the results it once did. But that does not mean growth is out of reach. In fact, the opportunities for hotels have never been greater.

The hotels that will win in this new era are the ones that adapt. They will invest in media at every stage of the guest journey. They will lean on data to understand how channels work together instead of judging them in silos. They will prioritize fundamentals like email, reviews, and content while preparing for the rise of AI-enabled search. Most importantly, they will create marketing loops that learn from every interaction and strengthen with each cycle.

Hospitality has always been about connection. The tools may change, but the goal remains the same: to build trust, inspire travelers, and keep them coming back. For hotels ready to embrace this shift, the future is not something to fear. It is something to build toward with clarity, confidence, and creativity.

Contact us today to apply the loop to your hotel marketing. 

You don’t have to worry if you’re on our pay-per-stay model for hotel metasearch

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October 7, 2025 by

The metasearch landscape continues to evolve. On September 1, 2025, trivago shifted all campaigns to a CPA-only (Cost-Per-Acquisition) bidding model, introducing a global minimum NET CPA of 10%.

For many hoteliers, that means sudden adjustments, less flexibility, and a scramble to meet new requirements. But if you’re on Metadesk’s Pay-Per-Stay model, you don’t have to worry.

Here’s why this approach isn’t just important—it’s a smarter, safer way to manage your metasearch investment.

The problem with CPA-only hotel metasearch model

On the surface, CPA bidding looks appealing: you only pay when a booking occurs. But there’s a catch—CPA doesn’t account for cancellations or no-shows. That means hotels still end up paying for revenue they never actually realize.

With trivago’s new rules, hoteliers also lose:

  • Flexibility: All campaigns are locked into CPA, whether it fits your strategy or not.
  • Control: A global 10% minimum NET CPA reduces your ability to manage margins.
  • Efficiency: You may still pay for bookings that don’t turn into stays.

Why pay-per-stay natters for hotel metasearch

Pay-Per-Stay takes performance marketing a step further by aligning costs with actual, consumed revenue. Instead of paying for every booking, you only pay when the guest checks in and completes their stay.

This protects your budget and ensures your spend is tied directly to real business impact.

In short: Pay-Per-Stay eliminates wasted spend, smooths out the risks of cancellations, and gives hoteliers confidence that their investment is working as hard as possible.

Why pay-per-stay with Metadesk is different

Not all Pay-Per-Stay models are created equal. Here’s why using Metadesk’s Pay-Per-Stay model gives you an edge:

✅ End-to-End Transparency – Our upgraded portal shows exactly how your campaigns are performing, from impressions through to actual stays.

✅ Direct Connection to ROI – You don’t just see bookings; you see revenue earned from completed stays, so you know every dollar spent drives true value.

✅ Smarter Insights Built In – Features like Funnel Analysis, Parity Monitoring, and Roll-Up Reporting give you more control over campaign optimization—something a CPA-only environment can’t match.

✅ Fewer Surprises, More Trust – With reconciliation tools that tie campaign performance directly to guest stays, you’ll never be blindsided by wasted spend.

The bottom line

While other providers are adjusting to trivago’s CPA-only model and its mandatory 10% minimum, Metadesk clients are already ahead.

With Metadesk’s Pay-Per-Stay model, you:

  • Avoid wasted spend.
  • Protect your ROI against cancellations and no-shows.
  • Gain better visibility into true campaign performance.
  • Enjoy peace of mind knowing your marketing dollars are directly tied to real revenue.

👉 In an evolving metasearch landscape, Pay-Per-Stay with Metadesk isn’t just a safer option—it’s the smarter way to win. Contact us now to learn more.


Email campaigns 101: What to send & why

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October 6, 2025 by

Email marketing is still having its moment, despite the rise of AI digital marketing efforts. Email marketing is one of the most powerful marketing tools for connecting with guests, building loyalty, and driving revenue. Across our portfolio, we are seeing an email conversion rate YTD that is 6.5X higher than paid social and 11X higher than display.

When it comes to your hotel’s digital marketing strategy, email campaigns aren’t meant to be one-size-fits-all. Learn how your hotel can optimize it's email campaigns in our full blog below. 

One-time campaigns

One-time email campaigns are sent manually at a specific time and with a specific goal in mind. These email types are ideal for promoting time-sensitive offers or delivering important property updates and upcoming events. 

One-time campaign examples

  • Room offers - Send offers, seasonal promotions, or flash sales to drive direct bookings. These types are great for A/B testing things like subject lines and messaging. 
  • Events & announcements - Promote upcoming events at the property, new amenities, upcoming renovations, or local happenings to encourage direct engagement with your upcoming guests or local market. 
  • Newsletters - Share a round-up of property news, local events, and upcoming sales or promotions to keep your property top-of-mind. This email type is great to send quarterly or even seasonally, though sending monthly is also an option. 

Why use these email types? 

One-time campaigns allow for flexibility and creativity. They’re perfect for driving direct bookings and keeping your audience informed about what’s happening at your property and in the area. 

Automated campaigns

Automated campaigns run in the background, sending the right message to the right guests using segmentation, and are triggered by a specific action, behavior, or timeframe. Generally, automated campaigns are split into two types: transactional and lifecycle. Transactional campaigns are tied to the booking engine activity, while lifecycle campaigns support the full customer journey and work to boost engagement. 

Transactional automated campaign examples 

  • Confirmation, modification, & cancellation emails - These email types can be used to keep guests informed about their reservations, whether it’s to confirm a booking has been made, a guest has added an additional room to their reservation, or to confirm that a booking has been successfully cancelled. The former two also offer opportunities to upsell guests on amenity add-ons. 
  • Cart abandonment - Utilize this campaign type to recover lost bookings by reminding guests to complete their reservation.

Lifecycle automated campaign examples

  • Pre-arrival emails - Welcome guests before they arrive, provide helpful info about the hotel and the area, and suggest amenity add-ons/upsells. 
  • Post-check-in emails - This email type is sent after check-in to enhance the guest experience and introduce available amenities. Use this email campaign to promote happenings at the hotel during the guest’s stay or recommend activities in the area. 
  • We miss you - These email campaigns allow you to reconnect with past guests and encourage repeat stays with a personalized incentive. Utilize language like “come back to see us,” “create more memories,” or “book another unforgettable stay”. This email type is typically set up to send 365 days after a guest’s check-out if they have no future stay already booked. 
  • Lead nurturing - Re-engage cold or warm leads with timely offers and updates that encourage them toward booking. 
  • Qualification Emails - This email type is triggered when a guest meets a specific criterion, such as joining your loyalty program. 
  • OTA winback - Use segmentation features to encourage guests who booked via an OTA to instead book direct next time. These emails are a great opportunity to promote direct booking offers such as “15% off when you book direct.” 
  • Birthday emails - Create personalized and meaningful connections with guests using this email campaign. Send over a special offer or complimentary perk to celebrate their big day and encourage bookings.
  • Cancellation recovery - Win back guests who cancel by offering an incentive for future stays. 
  • Messaging upsells - Highlight add-ons such as room upgrades or personalized experiences to generate extra revenue. These types offer an opportunity to connect with guests further and make them feel special. 

Why use these types? 

Automated emails ensure timely, relevant communication without having to manually schedule email sends. They help nurture leads, improve guest satisfaction, and maximize revenue opportunities. 

Survey emails

Survey emails invite guests to share their feedback after a stay, which can be very valuable for improving your property and the guest experience. 

Best uses for this email type include post-stay surveys to measure satisfaction, quick polls to gather opinions on potential offers, and event feedback to improve future experiences. 

Why use these types? 

These emails provide direct insight from guests, help identify areas for improvement, and show guests you value their opinion and feedback. 

TLDR: What should you take away?

A strong email marketing strategy uses a mix of campaign types. One-time campaigns can create buzz and drive quick results, while automated campaigns keep communication consistent and personalized. 

By strategically combining these email types, you can boost bookings, improve guest satisfaction, and create lasting connections with your audience. 

Ready to up your email game? Connect with us to see how we can take your strategy to the next level! 

$5.2 billion and counting: Why independent hotels can’t sit back

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October 1, 2025 by

OTAs spent $5.2 billion on marketing in Q2 of 2025. That is not a typo. Billions. Booking Holdings dropped $2.2 billion. Expedia spent $1.6 billion.

This is not just spending. It is an arms race. If you are an independent hotel, you will not win by trying to match it. The only way forward is to compete smarter.

Why this matters for independent hotels

OTAs are flooding social, search, and AI-driven channels with budget that independents cannot match. They capture the guest early, shape the options, and dominate the conversation. By the time a traveler reaches your site, you are already playing catch-up.

If you do nothing, you are invisible.

The power of brand and storytelling

Your brand is your strongest weapon. Without it, you are just another option in a list of OTA results.

Travelers book with emotion first and logic second. Research shows that 56% of travelers are more likely to book a hotel that tells a compelling story. Brands that lean into storytelling see conversion rates climb by up to 30%. And companies that communicate their brand consistently through storytelling report up to 20% higher customer loyalty.

The numbers prove how powerful loyalty really is in hospitality. According to CBRE’s analysis of 675 million loyalty members, loyalty program members accounted for 52.8% of all occupied hotel rooms in 2024, up 12% year over year. That kind of recurring revenue is the result of strong brand investment and consistent storytelling over time.

Ask yourself: what are the pillars of your brand? How are they carried out every single day? If you are fortunate to have a rich history, what are you doing to treasure it and share it in a way that feels alive today?

Storytelling is not fluff. It is strategy. It is the difference between being remembered or forgotten, between a direct booking and another OTA commission. Do not let AI strip away the human heart of hospitality. Use it to amplify your story and strengthen the connection you build with guests.

How hotel metasearch levels the playing field

Hotel metasearch is where you meet OTAs head-on. It is where travelers compare options side by side. If your direct booking offer is not there, you are giving OTAs a free pass.

Visibility in hotel metasearch means you are in the conversation when it matters most. It is your chance to intercept the booking before it is lost to an OTA.

Why pay-per-stay hotel metasearch matters

Clicks do not pay the bills. Stays do.

That is why pay-per-stay hotel metasearch is so powerful. You only pay when a guest actually stays at your property. No wasted clicks. No empty impressions. Just real performance.

For independents, this is the kind of model that makes budgets stretch further while still keeping you competitive against OTA firepower.

The role of Property Promoted Ads

Property Promoted Ads are another tool in your arsenal. They put your listing in prominent placements during the traveler’s research phase. This keeps your hotel visible when travelers are actively weighing their options.

More visibility means more opportunities to steer travelers toward booking direct.

The next step: AI-powered hotel metasearch

Travel planning is shifting fast into AI engines. Travelers are asking AI assistants to find them hotels that match their exact preferences. If your direct booking link is not being fed into those engines, you are already behind.

The next frontier of hotel metasearch is making sure your hotel shows up in AI results with a direct booking path. Imagine a traveler asking, “Find me a boutique hotel in downtown Nashville with a rooftop bar.” If your direct link is there alongside OTA listings, you just leveled the playing field.

AI-powered hotel metasearch creates a direct line between traveler intent and booking on your site. It is visibility at the very start of the journey, and it allows you to compete in this new environment without trying to outspend the OTAs.

How your property wins

OTAs will keep spending billions. Independent hotels cannot match it, but they do not have to.

Invest in your brand. Tell your story. Show up where travelers are comparing. Utilize models like pay-per-stay to manage costs. Use Property Promoted Ads to boost visibility. And take the next step with AI-powered metasearch to get your direct booking link into the channels where travelers are already searching.

This is how independents compete smarter, protect a larger share of their revenue, and secure direct bookings in a marketplace dominated by OTAs.

Start driving more direct bookings now.

[Webinar recording] Cracking the code of Google's PMax: Driving success for hospitality properties

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October 1, 2025 by

Performance Max (PMax) campaigns are Google Ads’ AI-powered way to reach travelers across Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, Discovery, and Maps, all in one campaign type. But for hoteliers, knowing how to harness PMax effectively is key to avoiding wasted spend and maximizing return.

In this webinar, we’ll break down what makes PMax different from traditional paid search, share our real-world hospitality case studies, and reveal proven strategies to help your property succeed.

What you’ll learn:

🔍 How PMax works for properties: From creative asset requirements to Google’s AI optimizations.

⚖️ The pros & cons for hotels & resorts: Where PMax excels, where it falls short, and how to work around limitations.

📈 Best practices for success: Budget guidelines, data requirements, and audience signal strategies.

🏨 Real-world results: Case studies from resorts and hotels, including CPC, CTR, ROAS, and booking rate gains.

✨ New PMax features: Negative keyword management, search term reporting, and channel insights.

Watch the recording here or below.

Common pitfalls in hotel metasearch advertising and how to avoid them

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September 22, 2025 by

Hotel metasearch advertising has become a vital component of the hospitality industry’s digital marketing strategy. It allows hotels to compete directly with online travel agencies (OTAs), drive more direct bookings, and improve profit margins. However, success in metasearch advertising requires careful planning and execution. Many hoteliers fall victim to common pitfalls that can hinder their campaigns’ effectiveness. Below, we explore these challenges and offer practical solutions to overcome them.

1. Poor visibility due to insufficient bidding

The pitfall: Visibility is key in metasearch advertising. Hotels often fail to secure a prominent position on metasearch platforms because they underestimate the importance of competitive bidding. Without sufficient investment, your property’s listing may end up buried beneath OTAs and competitors, resulting in lower click-through rates.

The solution: To improve visibility, optimize your bidding strategy based on performance data. Allocate higher bids to high-performing dates, room types, or markets, and adjust your approach as demand patterns evolve. Use automated bidding tools to stay competitive without overspending.

2. Uncompetitive pricing

The pitfall: Guests are price-sensitive, and metasearch platforms make it easy to compare rates at a glance. If your pricing isn’t competitive or if OTAs consistently undercut your direct booking rates, potential guests will choose alternative options.

The solution: Take parity seriously. Regularly audit OTA rates to ensure consistency with your direct booking prices. Additionally, offer value-added incentives for booking directly, such as free breakfast, late check-out, or exclusive discounts that don’t violate parity agreements.

3. Neglecting mobile optimization

The pitfall: Mobile users represent a significant portion of metasearch traffic. If your booking engine or landing page isn’t mobile-friendly, you risk losing potential customers due to poor user experience.

The solution: Ensure your booking engine is fully optimized for mobile devices. This includes fast loading times, intuitive navigation, and secure payment options. Test your mobile experience regularly and make adjustments to align with changing user behaviors.

4. Ignoring analytics and performance data

The pitfall: Many hotels invest in metasearch advertising without closely monitoring performance metrics. This “set it and forget it” mindset can lead to inefficient spending and missed opportunities for improvement.

The solution: Track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, and return on ad spend (ROAS). Use these insights to refine your campaigns, optimize your bidding strategy, and adjust your targeting to maximize ROI.

5. Failing to align marketing channels

The pitfall: Metasearch campaigns often operate in isolation from other marketing efforts, leading to inconsistent messaging and missed cross-channel opportunities.

The solution: Integrate metasearch advertising with your broader marketing strategy. Ensure consistent branding and messaging across all touchpoints, including your website, email campaigns, and social media. Cross-promote your direct booking incentives to drive more traffic to your metasearch listings.

6. Lack of differentiation

The pitfall: In a crowded marketplace, many hotels fail to stand out. Generic listings and uninspired descriptions can make it difficult to capture travelers’ attention.

The solution: Highlight your unique selling points (USPs) in your metasearch listing. Whether it’s a stunning location, exceptional amenities, or exclusive offers, make sure these features are prominently displayed. Use high-quality images and compelling copy to create a lasting impression.

7. Slow response to market changes

The pitfall: The travel industry is dynamic, with demand patterns shifting rapidly. Hotels that don’t adapt their metasearch campaigns to changing market conditions risk losing out to more agile competitors.

The solution: Monitor market trends and adjust your campaigns accordingly. For instance, during peak travel seasons, increase your budget and focus on high-demand dates. During off-peak periods, highlight special offers or packages to attract bookings.

Metasearch advertising presents a powerful opportunity for hotels to increase direct bookings and improve profitability. By avoiding common pitfalls such as poor visibility, uncompetitive pricing, and neglecting analytics, hoteliers can maximize the impact of their campaigns. With a strategic approach and ongoing optimization, metasearch advertising can become a cornerstone of your hotel’s digital marketing success. 

Contact Metadesk today to start increasing your direct bookings via hotel metasearch. 

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