Private rates within Google Hotel Ads:
Google Hotel Ads (GHA) has always provided a dynamic platform for hotels to advertise their rooms and services. Recently, there have been some exciting changes, especially regarding private rates, that give hotels an even more powerful tool to market their supply in a targeted and effective way.
What are private rates?
Private rates are special pricing offers that hotels can use to reward customers who are or become members of their loyalty programs. These offers can be displayed through different user interfaces (UI) on Google Hotel Ads, depending on whether the hotel wants to keep the rates visible or hidden from the public.
Example private rates
Visible member rates
With visible member rates, hotels can display the normal, unlimited public price with a strike-through price, in addition to the discounted member rate and the discount the user receives. For example, "Member rate, save 5%." This is a direct incentive for customers to become members and take advantage of significant savings.
Example private rates – Visible
Hidden member rates
Unlike visible member rates, hidden member rates are not displayed directly on Google. Instead, the next best price for the user is shown, with a strike-through view and an indication that a discount is available. The rate is shown with entries such as "Get 5-10% off with free enrollment"
Example private rates – Hidden
Additional features
Google offers features that give advertisers more flexibility in how & when they display their private rates:- Plus Free Wifi
If free wifi is included in the member rate but not in non-member rates, it can now be added to the UI. - SMS Only Rates
These are rates that are bookable via SMS only, adding a new dimension to how customers can make bookings. - Customized prices
Google Hotel Ads allows advertisers to "personalize" their rates based on the devices used by the user (mobile or desktop), login session to Google account, or membership to an audience list. - Audience lists
Google offers rates to be shown only to users that are specified by one of the hotel's audience lists. This provides a highly targeted approach where the Private Rate is the only rate shown to a select group of users.
Conclusion
The features to the Private Rate structures within Google Hotel Ads provide advertisers with a comprehensive set of options to personalize their rates and offers. With the ability to hide or show special rates depending on customer membership and the introduction of text message rates, Google has strengthened the way property owners compete in the digital marketplace.
Advertisers can now market their inventory even more effectively while building customer loyalty by offering exclusive deals. With these changes, Google remains an essential platform for property owners to compete in the digital travel booking landscape for more direct bookings at a lower cost.
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