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?
NB: This is an article from Userguest, one of our Expert Partners
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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.
