You’ve set up your Google Ads, you’ve spent hours tweaking your budget, and yet—crickets. Where’s all the traffic? Why aren’t potential guests flocking to your website? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Many hotels struggle to see meaningful traffic from their Google Ads, but the good news is, it’s fixable.
In this post, we’ll walk you through some of the common mistakes hotels make with Google Ads and give you actionable tips to turn your campaigns around. Let’s get that website buzzing with the right kind of traffic!
1. Broad Audience Targeting: You’re Speaking to Everyone but Reaching No One
One of the biggest Google Ads mistakes hotels make is trying to appeal to too broad of an audience. It’s tempting to target everyone—after all, more eyeballs should mean more bookings, right? Wrong! When you cast your net too wide, you end up paying for clicks from people who aren’t your ideal guests. A family looking for a beach vacation might click on your ad, but if your hotel caters to business travellers, that’s a wasted click.
How to Fix It:
- Leverage audience targeting tools: Google Ads lets you target specific audience segments like “business travellers” or “vacation planners.” Use these tools to hone in on people who are more likely to convert.
- Use geo-targeting: If your hotel is in a specific region, use location-based targeting to reach travellers planning trips to your area. You can even target by radius, city, or zip code.
- Tailor ads to different demographics: Create separate ad groups with personalized messaging for different types of travellers. What appeals to a business traveller may not resonate with a family vacationer.
2. Weak Ad Copy: Boring Text Won’t Get You Clicks
Your Google Ad is often the first impression potential guests get of your hotel, and if your ad copy is dull, vague, or not tailored to what they’re searching for, you’re going to lose them. Remember, people don’t just want to stay at a hotel—they want an experience.
How to Fix It:
- Focus on benefits, not just features: Don’t just say you offer “comfortable rooms”—paint a picture of what your guests can expect. For example: “Unwind in our spacious suites with stunning city views.”
- Use power words: Words like “exclusive,” “luxury,” “discount,” or “limited-time offer” grab attention and inspire action.
- Test multiple versions: Google Ads allows you to A/B test different ad variations. Test different copy, CTAs, or offers to see what resonates best with your audience.
3. Misaligned Landing Pages: Don’t Break the Flow
So, someone clicks your ad—great! But then they land on a generic homepage that doesn’t match the message of your ad. If the experience feels disconnected or if they have to search for the information they clicked for, they’re bouncing. Fast.
How to Fix It:
- Match your landing page to the ad: If your ad promotes “25% off luxury rooms,” make sure the landing page highlights this deal front and centre. Create dedicated landing pages for different offers or room types.
- Keep it simple and fast: Your landing page should load quickly, especially on mobile devices. Make the booking process as smooth as possible with clear CTAs like “Check Availability” or “Book Now.”
- Mobile optimization is a must: With so many travellers searching and booking on their phones, ensure your landing page is mobile-friendly. If it’s clunky on mobile, you’ll lose potential guests.
4. Ineffective Keyword Strategy: Targeting the Wrong Search Terms
In Google Ads, the keywords you target make or break your campaign. Are you bidding on overly competitive, broad keywords like “hotel in New York” that are costly and don’t drive qualified traffic? Or maybe you’re using irrelevant keywords that don’t align with what travelers are really searching for. Either way, this can drain your budget and get you nowhere.
How to Fix It:
- Go after long-tail keywords: These are more specific (and usually less competitive) search phrases like “luxury boutique hotel in Paris near Notre Dame.” These keywords typically have lower search volume but drive more qualified traffic.
- Don’t forget negative keywords: These are just as important as the ones you bid on! For example, if your hotel doesn’t offer budget accommodations, add keywords like “cheap” or “affordable” as negatives to prevent irrelevant clicks.
- Monitor and adjust: Keep an eye on your keyword performance and regularly adjust your list based on what’s driving conversions. Google Ads provides valuable insights into which keywords are bringing you the best results.
5. Not Using Retargeting: Leaving Warm Leads on the Table
Many potential guests will browse your site, maybe check availability, but leave without booking. If you’re not using retargeting to reel these warm leads back in, you’re missing out. Retargeting helps keep your hotel top of mind for people who have already shown interest but aren’t ready to book yet.
How to Fix It:
- Set up Google Ads retargeting: Create ads that target users who’ve visited your website but didn’t book. These ads remind them of your hotel and can offer incentives, like a discount for returning to book.
- Dynamic retargeting: This advanced feature lets you show ads based on specific pages or rooms the user viewed. If someone checked out your deluxe suites, your retargeting ad should show that room again—complete with a special offer!
- Capping ad frequency: Make sure you don’t bombard users with too many ads. Set a frequency cap to avoid overwhelming potential guests, which can lead to them ignoring your ads altogether.
Time to Optimize and See Results
If your hotel’s Google Ads aren’t driving the traffic you need, don’t despair. It’s usually a matter of tweaking your strategy. We’re offering a free marketing audit to help you refine your strategy and get the most out of your marketing budget. We’ll take a deep dive into your current efforts and identify opportunities for growth tailored to your needs.
Book your free marketing audit here.