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

October 1, 2025 by Lindley Cotton

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

October 1, 2025 by GCommerce Solutions

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

September 22, 2025 by Metadesk Insights Team

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.

Maximize your hotel's visibility with AI Search

September 22, 2025 by Lisa McGivney

It’s a truly exciting time to be in digital marketing. The rise of LLM’s over the past few years has led to an incredible shift in consumer behavior. AI engines such as ChatGPT and Perplexity have introduced a new type of search engine experience that takes away an immense amount of friction compared to the traditional search engine marketing experience. It’s driven Google to rapidly advance its search product to introduce and evolve with features, including AI Overviews and AI Mode, to retain market share and keep users on Google products.

Our team has been researching, studying, and analyzing the user experience of these emerging technologies over the past few years. We have been deeply focused on how they work, how they compare to more traditional search engines, and what that means for helping our hotel clients ensure visibility as more and more consumers engage with these products. We’ve studied ChatGPT Search, from beta to live environments (here’s the webinar in case you missed it), and will soon be launching a webinar around our recent study of AI Mode (sign up for our newsletter to be alerted of the date).

Our understanding of what drives visibility on AI search engines continues to evolve, as will our services to best support our hotel clients. These new answer engines are adding and ultimately replacing what used to take potential guests a massive amount of clicks to research. Ensuring your hotel is visible on the channels and content that AI engines are sourcing from is critical.

Here’s a breakdown of what we know about visibility on AI answer engines, along with what hotels need to do to best ensure and maximize visibility in these searches.

What is AI search, and how does it work?

Before we dive into what your hotel should do now to maximize chances for visibility, it’s important to understand how AI search works.

AI search is powered by LLMs

AI search answers are driven by large language models. The knowledge of LLMs comes from their ability to train on data from a variety of sources. They retrieve and then summarize this data for our searches, called prompts, resulting in a compilation of data it’s learned from countless sources. These LLMs all have a cut-off date for the recency of data they source. They then rely on using established search indexes, most commonly Bing, to do live retrieval for more up-to-date information. You can think of LLM’s like super-powered auto-predict. Their knowledge is based on an understanding of entity linking or the connection between references, in an effort to predict what comes next to answer your prompt or request. This indicates that the more your brand is mentioned/found across sources related to a specific topic, the more likely it is to associate your brand with the answer the users are looking for when they submit a query on that topic.

LLM’s love structured content

The basis of this knowledge comes from the background that the sources LLM’s train on are centered around structured architecture. They love sites with content structured like YouTube, Reddit, and listicles (think top 10 lists). They devour formats like community forms with comments and up/down voting. They give preference for blog content providing distinct headers, lists, and bullet formats. For hotels, they often source and showcase attributes pulled from structured data on sites and sources such as Google Business Profile. They then use these structured sources, schema, and more to provide the best answer they can.

AI search reporting is limited

ChatGPT, Perplecity, AI Mode, you name it, reporting is even more limited than what’s been historically provided by search engines for organic search data. While Google has recently included AI mode data in Search Console, you still can’t separate it out to know how much of your organic impressions or clicks come from this feature. ChatGPT offers no search-console-like reporting. The best we have right now is looking in GA4 to find whatever clicks make it to the site. The hard part is, these types of answer engines are designed to drive fewer clicks, so without impression or mention insights, we’re missing out on an important piece of performance insights.

While there have been numerous AI search reporting tools coming out, the extreme personalization and varied results by user make it incredibly hard to scrape and provide a position ranking report. We predict that this will continue to evolve as the top minds in the industry, driving platforms like SEMRush, Ahrefs, and more, continue to ideate on solutions.

What can hotels do to ensure visibility on AI search engines such as ChatGPT Search, Google AI Mode, and Perplexity?

While the industry’s understanding of AI search optimization continues to evolve, these are the areas or channels of focus we’ve identified to be most critical for hotels right now:

Emphasis on Local SEO

Each different AI SEO study for hotels that we’ve completed has unveiled elements and sources that overlap with traditional local SEO. This includes:

Google Business Profile listing attributes
Google, TripAdvisor, and other guest reviews
Consistency of hotel descriptions/up to date information found across listing sites on the web

Utilization of Schema/Structured Data on your hotel’s website

LLM’s love structured content. This applies to your hotel’s own website as well as other sources they prefer to learn from and source summary information. On your hotel website, this means making sure you’re using schema.org’s structured data markup for applicable information on your site, such as:

Local business organization
Product
FAQs and more

Expand and revisit your hotel’s website content

Ensuring your hotel’s website has comprehensive information about different amenities and features of your hotel, as well as the local area, is important to being represented in AI search results. This includes:

Well-rounded content in multi-modal form - text, image, video
Conversational text
Expanded content to fully answer topics and questions
Structured content, including FAQs

Technical SEO and site architecture

While Technical SEO has been historically important for traditional search engines, its focus is enhanced for AI agents. This includes:

Reviewing site code for proper markup
Reviewing site health and page speed, such as Core Web Vitals
Ensuring to resolve and address other technical seo issues on your hotel’s website
Internal linking strategies for related content

Social Media content

If it wasn’t already, the new world of SEO is quickly changing to a “search everywhere optimization” definition. Recent updates, such as news of the Instagram indexing controls, are bringing new light to how social media content is surfacing on search engines, including AI search. Make sure your property is:

Communicating blogs, news, reviews, and features about your brand via organic social media posts.
Participating and responding to comments and conversations

PR and link building

One metric that continues to be noted with high importance for AI search optimization is the concept of ‘brand mentions’. In traditional SEO, link building has been a long-standing tactic for off-page SEO. In the view of LLMs and AI search, high amounts of brand mentions with context around specific topics increase your brand’s chances of being included in summaries and answers for those types of prompts. It’s essential to be competitive in this space. This includes:

Building partnerships with local, related organizations and coordinating online mentions or website links
Local listing sites such as the Chamber of Commerce
Finding a PR agency to help secure inclusion and brand mentions in top publications
Working with bloggers, tied closely to your local region and/or affinity audiences, to be featured in their top 10 lists or area guide articles

YouTube, Reddit, and community forms

Did you know that YouTube is the 2nd largest search engine? It’s also one of the favorite sources for LLM’s to learn from. Why? Because of the structured format of the content. From its videos, to titles and descriptions, comments, and thumbs up/down voting, it’s easy to consume and contains an incredible amount of information. Similarly, community forms like Reddit and Quora offer easy-to-consume data for LLM’s to study and learn. These pose additional opportunities for hotels to increase visibility, whether it’s through their own (or influencers') channels on YouTube, related community threads on Reddit or TripAdvisor, and more.

There are numerous facets to visibility and ranking in AI SEO, similar to traditional SEO. As you may have noticed, a lot of them even overlap with tactics that are important for traditional SEO. It can be overwhelming when trying to navigate limited resources or budget. We recommend focusing on the critical ones and testing new ones as you find new resources to support your AI SEO endeavours and, ultimately, building your brand. Lean on partners that specialize in each of these areas of expertise and services.

Our hotel marketing team is here to support your goals as well as recommend additional resources that can help achieve them. Please reach out with your questions; our team is happy to assist.

How to drive direct bookings through metasearch advertising

September 18, 2025 by Danielle Allen

In today’s competitive hospitality landscape, reducing dependency on Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) is a top priority for many hotels. OTAs may offer visibility, but the commissions can cut deeply into your revenue. Hotel metasearch advertising presents a compelling opportunity to reclaim control, increase direct bookings, and strengthen your bottom line.

Here’s how hotels can leverage metasearch to drive direct bookings while minimizing reliance on OTAs.

What is hotel metasearch advertising?

Hotel metasearch platforms like Google Hotel Ads, TripAdvisor, Trivago, and Kayak aggregate hotel rates and availability from various booking channels, including OTAs and the hotel’s own website. By participating in metasearch campaigns, hotels can directly compete for visibility and bookings by prominently displaying their rates.

Unlike traditional digital ads, hotel metasearch ads are transactional—users are already searching for accommodations and are primed to book. This makes hotel metasearch a powerful tool for capturing high-intent travelers.

Strategies to drive direct bookings through hotel metasearch

1. Competitive pricing

Price parity is crucial. Ensure your rates on hotel metasearch platforms are competitive and aligned with what’s displayed on OTAs. If possible, offer exclusive perks like free breakfast, complimentary upgrades, or flexible cancellation policies to make booking directly through your website more appealing.

2. Leverage your brand’s loyalty program

Integrating loyalty program benefits into your hotel metasearch campaigns can differentiate your hotel from competitors. Highlight points accrual, member discounts, or special perks for direct bookings. This not only incentivizes guests to book directly but also fosters long-term loyalty.

3. Optimize bidding strategies

Metasearch platforms operate on a pay-per-click or commission-based bidding system. Carefully manage your bids to ensure maximum visibility while maintaining a healthy return on ad spend (ROAS). Automated bid adjustments can help you optimize for peak travel seasons and high-conversion audiences.

4. Enhance your booking engine

Your hotel metasearch campaigns are only as strong as your booking engine conversion strategy. Sorting rates from lowest to highest, not having too many rates, a seamless booking process, and compelling visuals can make the difference between a booking and a bounce.

5. Use rich media and content

Guests are drawn to experiences, not just rates. Incorporate high-quality images, videos, and detailed descriptions of your property. Showcasing unique features—such as rooftop pools, local partnerships, or sustainable practices—can set your hotel apart. For your Google meta listing, control your media content through your Google My Business profile.

6. Track and analyze performance

Consistently monitor your hotel metasearch campaigns to understand which platforms, audiences, and strategies yield the best results. Use insights to refine your approach, allocate budgets effectively, and continually improve performance.

Benefits of driving direct bookings with hotel metasearch

Lower costs: Direct bookings eliminate hefty OTA commissions, increasing profitability.
Stronger relationships: Booking directly allows you to build relationships with guests through pre-stay communications and loyalty programs.
Increased control: With direct bookings, you have more control over the guest experience, from the booking process to post-stay follow-ups.

Hotel metasearch advertising is a game-changer for hotels looking to reduce OTA dependency and drive direct bookings. By implementing competitive pricing, leveraging loyalty programs, optimizing your campaigns, continually refining your strategies and partnering with Metadesk, you can harness the power of hotel metasearch to capture high-intent travelers and increase your property’s profitability. Start investing in hotel metasearch advertising today and take a significant step toward reclaiming your booking channels.

Ready to reduce your OTA share? Contact our metasearch experts today.

[Webinar recording] Google AI Mode uncovered: The future of hotel bookings

September 17, 2025 by GCommerce Solutions

Google’s new AI Mode is transforming how travelers research, discover, and book hotels. With its conversational approach and preference-based suggestions, AI Mode is shifting how consumers search and find hotels.

Our team conducted an in-depth study of Google’s AI Mode in action, testing branded and non-branded hotel searches across major U.S. markets. The findings? Hotels that don’t proactively focus on building their brand and focus on optimization risk losing valuable visibility. 👀

Join our expert-led webinar to discover how your hotel can stay ahead. 💪

🔍 What you’ll learn:

What we know about tracking & reporting: Learn about current abilities and limitations to track AI Mode traffic in GA4 and Search Console

What is Google’s AI Mode?: Understand how Google’s Gemini-powered AI engine changes search behavior and hotel discovery.

Study insights from real market searches: See how AI Mode ranks and categorizes hotels in cities like Anaheim, Boston, and Nashville—and what that means for your property.

Google AI Mode vs traditional search: Explore how AI Mode compares to standard Google and ChatGPT searches in terms of visibility, personalization, and performance.

Optimization strategies for hotels and resorts: Walk away with actionable tactics for increasing your hotel’s chances of appearing in AI-powered results, including local SEO, technical fixes, and content tips.