Are you looking to boost direct hotel bookings and attract guests? Hotel PPC advertisements are the perfect complement to your organic marketing efforts.
Not only are Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads a cost-effective way to increase direct bookings, but they also offer immediate visibility. Keep reading to learn the many benefits of PPC and how Forge Apollo, a travel PPC agency, can help achieve your goals.
What Are PPC Ads?
Before your hotel starts targeting audiences with PPC ads, let’s clarify the definition. PPC is a form of online advertising that displays ads on search engines, social media, and third-party websites.
When a potential customer clicks on your ad, you pay the hosting platform a fee. The platform only charges when someone clicks on the ad. They determine the cost-per-click (CPC) based on demand.
Brands opt for PPC ads because they can target audiences based on their search terms, demographics, interests, and behaviors. An effective paid ad is crucial in moving potential guests down the sales funnel.
The Importance of PPC For Hotels
1. Ensure Top Placement on Search Results
Hotel PPC is the key to increased visibility. When potential guests frequently see your brand, their trust increases. While your hotel might have great SEO, ads will always appear at the top of the results.
The more times your hotel appears, whether in Search, Maps, or Hotel Listings, the more likely guests will land on your website.
For example, in this search for “hotels in Philadelphia,” the entire top of the search results is only ads.
2. Increase Direct Bookings
PPC ads increase direct bookings by targeting users actively searching for hotels. Users see a PPC ad, click on it, and go directly to your website. That means they will be less likely to book through an Online Travel Agency (OTA). OTAs have steep commission rates that result in a loss of profit for your hotel. Commission rates can range from 10% to 30%. Forge Apollo’s Director of Digital Marketing, Becca Wallace, puts it this way: “If you’re not paying for PPC, you’re handing over profit to OTAs.”
In this example, you can see how ICONA Diamond Beach’s ad directly to its website outranks Expedia and Reservation Counter’s ads.
3. Boost Brand Awareness
PPC ads don’t only aim to increase bookings. They also make you memorable. Users who don’t click on your ad initially still become familiar with your hotel. Before users trust a brand, they must become familiar with it. This is especially important for independently owned hotels with less brand awareness.
The mere exposure effect explains that individuals develop a more favorable impression of a stimulus when they frequently encounter it. For example, guests who see your hotel more develop positive feelings about it.
4. Promote Off-Season Bookings
PPC ads are also great for promoting off-season bookings. Your hotel can run tailored promotions and highlight special deals to increase bookings during less popular times.
Our client, ICONA Resorts, runs “cozy season” advertisements during the fall, winter, and early spring to inspire more getaways.
5. Directly Target Your Audience
Reach your ideal audience with PPC ads. If built correctly, you can use keywords, locations, incomes, and more to increase bookings. This ensures that the right messages reach your audience at the right time.
Forge Apollo, a PPC agency in Philadelphia, can help your ads reach the most users and create a high-quality landing page to drive bookings.
For example, by targeting searches for “hotels in Avalon,” ICONA is able to find potential guests directly who would be motivated to book at their Avalon hotel.
6. Expand Your Multi-Channel Strategy
PPC also works well in a multi-channel strategy, meaning you can easily combine PPC ads with other marketing efforts. For example, someone might see your hotel on social media (whether an ad or organic), search for your hotel on Google, and notice you appear in ads and search results (SEO). Based on the visibility, potential customers can trust your brand and book a hotel.
Becca Wallace explains, “Your future guests are one search away. PPC just makes sure that the search ends with your booking engine.”
7. Easily Measure Direct ROI & ROAS
According to Wallace, “One of the best parts about PPC is that you can measure direct ROI and ROAS. You have a direct answer if the ad spend is worth the profit.” With proper attribution tracking configuration, hotels can immediately see their PPC ads’ return on investment (ROI) and return on ad spend (ROAS).
This visibility allows you to easily determine if your ads are performing well and if you can increase ad spend to generate even more revenue. PPC is one of the few marketing channels that can deliver a positive ROI within months.
Tips For Successful PPC Ads
Now that you understand why your hotel needs PPC ads, here are a few tips to ensure your ads make an impact.
- Define clear goals
- Use strategic keywords
- Prioritize high-quality landing pages
- Develop seasonal promotions
- Write engaging and informative ad copy
- Combine PPC with SEO, social media, and email marketing
- Try out different promotions, graphics, and landing pages
Get PPC Ads From Forge Apollo
Travelers are searching right now. PPC is how you raise your hand and say, “We’ve got the perfect room for you.” Start directly targeting your audience, boosting ROI, and increasing brand awareness today. Contact Forge Apollo for Philadelphia PPC management services to optimize your marketing strategy.
