Google Hotel Ads: How to Boost Your Bookings in 2025

The Swiss hotel industry is highly competitive, making it all the more important to strategically promote directly bookable offers. This is where Google Hotel Ads come in. They help hotels achieve more direct bookings and become less dependent on online travel agencies (OTAs). With Google Hotel Ads, room offers can be placed directly in Google search results, on Google Maps, and other Google services. This allows you to reach potential guests exactly where they start their travel planning. In this article, you will learn how to optimally use the platform in 2025 to sustainably increase your bookings.

Why Google Hotel Ads Are Crucial for Hotels

Travelers’ booking behavior has changed significantly. Today, many start their search online, directly on Google. Google Hotel Ads have therefore become one of the most important channels for hotels to stay visible and attract new guests. Especially in Switzerland, where quality and individuality are in demand, this type of advertising offers a valuable opportunity. They help hotels stand out from the competition and appeal to people looking for unique experiences.

The Importance of Google Hotel Ads in the Digital Age

More than 80% of travelers start their hotel search on Google today. With Google Hotel Ads, your offers appear at the top of search results – often even above organic results and right next to OTAs. This significantly increases the chance of direct bookings. For Swiss hotels competing with international chains, this is a clear advantage. With hotel ads, you can reach guests from both domestic and international markets without paying high commissions.

Benefits for Hotels: More Visibility and Direct Bookings

Google Hotel Ads offer several advantages: Your offers appear on Maps, in search, and on the Travel platform – gaining significantly more visibility. At the same time, the ads direct guests straight to your booking page. Studies show: With ads on Google, the direct booking rate can increase by up to 20%. For Swiss hotels struggling with high OTA fees, this is a major gain. Positive reviews in the ads further strengthen the trust of potential guests.

How Google Hotel Ads Can Be Optimized

To fully benefit from this form of advertising, a clear concept is needed. With the right tools and some know-how, a hotel’s visibility can be significantly increased, and the return on investment can be purposefully improved. Especially in Switzerland, where guests have high expectations and seasonal fluctuations are common, a well-thought-out strategy is particularly important.

Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up

Setting up Google Hotel Ads is easier than it seems at first glance but requires careful planning. Here is a step-by-step guide:

1. Create a Google Business Profile: Verify your hotel on Google My Business to correctly display your address, images, and reviews.
2. Integrate a Booking Engine: Ensure your booking engine is compatible with Google Hotel Ads. Platforms like Cloudbeds, SynXis, or Mews are often suitable.
3. Choose a Feed Partner: Use a connectivity partner (e.g., Mirai or DerbySoft) to transmit your room rates and availability to Google.
4. Create a Campaign: Set up your campaign in the Ads dashboard, define budgets, and select bidding strategies (e.g., cost-per-click or commission per booking).
5. Check Data: Regularly verify that prices, availability, and images are correct to avoid price discrepancies that could deter guests.

EzyHotels search engine optimization supports hotels in making their Google Hotel Ads more visible through optimized content and keywords like “Hotel Zurich,” which increases click-through rates.

Maximizing ROI with Tailored Strategies

Setting up once is not enough. To get more out of it, campaigns need continuous development. Adjust your Google Hotel Ads based on season, device, and target audience. Since over half of all bookings are made on mobile devices, a focus on smartphones is worthwhile. Test different images or texts against each other to find out what converts better. For example, a room with a mountain view versus a spa motif. Flexible pricing also brings advantages: Responding to demand keeps you competitive. Especially in regions like Zermatt or Interlaken, where occupancy fluctuates greatly, such measures help avoid vacancies. Regularly analyze your results to use your advertising budget strategically and effectively.

Success Factors for Effective Google Hotel Ads Campaigns

A good campaign thrives on clear metrics and proven methods. By measuring, testing, and optimizing purposefully, you can not only increase visibility but also achieve significantly more direct bookings.

Key Metrics: What Matters in Hotel Marketing

The success measurement of Google Hotel Ads requires focus on the right metrics. The most important ones include:

• Click-Through Rate (CTR): Measures how often your ad is clicked. A CTR above 2% is considered strong.
• Conversion Rate: The percentage of clicks that lead to bookings. A rate of 5-10% is realistic.
• Cost-per-Click (CPC): Average cost per click. In Switzerland, the CPC is often between 0.50 and 2 CHF.
• Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): Revenue per invested franc. A ROAS of 5:1 means that 1 CHF in advertising spend generates 5 CHF in revenue.

These metrics help identify weaknesses and allocate budgets effectively. For example, a hotel in Lausanne might find that ads for family rooms achieve higher conversions and adjust the budget accordingly. EzyHotels Online Hotel Marketing offers data-driven analyses to optimize these metrics and enhance the performance of your ads.

Best Practices for Engaging Ads

Appealing Google Hotel Ads are characterized by high-quality images, accurate prices, and clear call-to-actions. Here are proven practices:

• High-Quality Images: Use professional photos of rooms, restaurants, or the surroundings, e.g., the Alps in Davos.
• Transparent Prices: Show total prices including taxes to avoid surprises.
• Highlight Reviews: Positive guest reviews (e.g., 4.5 stars) increase click probability by up to 15%.
• Emphasize Extras: Offer add-ons like free breakfast or late check-out to stand out from OTAs.
• Mobile Optimization: Ensure your booking engine is optimized for smartphones, as many guests book on the go.

In the Swiss hotel industry, such practices can make a difference, especially for smaller hotels competing with large chains.

Google Hotel Ads Trends for 2025

The world of digital marketing is evolving rapidly, and Google marketing is no exception. In 2025, new features and trends will make the platform even more powerful, which Swiss hotels should leverage to stay competitive.

New Features and Updates from Google

Google continuously invests in new marketing measures, and new features are expected in 2025. These include:

• AI-Powered Bidding Strategies: Artificial intelligence optimizes bids in real-time based on user behavior, increasing efficiency.
• Enhanced Filter Options: Guests can filter by specific criteria like “sustainability” or “wellness,” benefiting hotels with such offerings.
• Integration with Google Lens: Travelers can search for hotels via images, e.g., by scanning a photo of Geneva, increasing visibility.
• Sustainability Labels: Hotels with eco-friendly practices will be highlighted, a trend gaining importance in Switzerland.

These features allow hotels to target their audiences more precisely, whether business travelers in Basel or families in Grindelwald.

Future-Proof Strategies for Success

To be future-proof, hotels should develop long-term strategies for Google Hotel Ads. This includes investing in a robust data infrastructure to update prices and availability in real-time. Additionally, segment target audiences, e.g., through targeted ads for city travelers vs. skiers. Sustainability is becoming a decisive factor, as more guests prefer eco-conscious hotels. Swiss hotels can score points by promoting initiatives like regional products or energy-efficient buildings. Regular training for the marketing team also keeps knowledge up to date.

Success Stories: Hotels with Google Hotel Ads

Success stories demonstrate the potential of Google Hotel Ads in practice. Swiss hotels using this platform have achieved impressive results, from higher booking rates to reduced OTA costs.

Case Study from Practice

The Dialoghotel Eckstein used Google Hotel Ads as part of a comprehensive digital strategy and significantly increased its visibility and room occupancy. Within a year, website traffic increased eightfold, while occupancy rose by 9%. The key to success was targeted campaigns, a professional website relaunch, and continuous search engine optimization. By clearly positioning itself as a seminar hotel with personal charm, it attracted new target groups.

Feedback from Hotel Partners

Many hoteliers in Switzerland appreciate Google Hotel Ads for their ease of use and measurable results. In St. Moritz, the platform enabled a hotel to better control pricing and achieve more direct bookings through its own website. A city hotel in Bern also benefited from integration with Google Maps, which increased visibility, especially among local guests. These examples show: The platform works for both smaller properties and larger establishments. EzyHotels reputation management further helps promote positive reviews, increasing booking likelihood.

Start Today with Google Hotel Ads

Google Hotel Ads are a must for Swiss hotels looking to boost visibility and promote direct bookings. With the right strategies, hotels can effectively reach their target audiences and maximize revenue.

How to Get Started

Getting started with Google Hotel Ads is straightforward. Begin by setting up your Google Business Profile and integrating your booking engine. Choose a reliable connectivity partner to transmit your data to Google. Start with a manageable budget, e.g., 500 CHF per month, and test different bidding strategies. Use analytics tools to monitor your campaign performance and adjust your ads regularly. Swiss hotels can quickly achieve initial success by focusing on local keywords and appealing images.

Next Steps for Your Success

You can start now on your own, or partner with an experienced expert. EzyHotels supports Swiss hotels in fully leveraging the potential of Google Hotel Ads: from setup to ongoing optimization and targeted increases in direct bookings. Whether training for your team, performance monitoring, or strategic consulting, we provide practical expertise. Let us explore together what opportunities are available for your property. Contact us for a no-obligation consultation.