Customers can now virtually stroll through your lobby or entrance with the help of Google’s virtual tours.  As we mentioned in our previous post, branded search terms that match exactly with your Google Places listing will result in a SERP with a Places page preview including thumbnails of your photos and 360° virtual tours. No longer will someone have to take that next step and click into your page to view photos, tours, or reviews. Let’s use Riviera Palm Springs as an example, to demonstrate the SERP display and virtual tours. You can see the thumbnails in the SERP and once someone clicks on a thumbnail they are directed to the virtual tour.

We know it’s challenging for many businesses to balance their marketing budget and maintain current photography, a cool website, social media campaign, the list goes on and on. Google Photos and Virtual Tours are an economical and cool way for your business to receive added exposure on Google without the pain of an expensive photo shoot. At the moment, Google is still expanding their business photo shoot locations but right now are they available in select cities in the US and other countries. Below is an example of the Virtual Tour that is created by Google.

You simply have to apply for a Google photo shoot of your business. We encourage you to fill out the short application even if you aren’t in one of the current select cities, so we can show Google where they should go next.

Photo shoots can be overwhelming and sometimes things go awry, but hopefully with proper planning it will go smoothly and result in a beautiful product.

Here are some general suggestions in the hopes that your shoot will be stress-free:

• Schedule the shoot when you expect to have little or no traffic through the areas you have selected for the shoot
• Alert any clients/guests that may be present during the shoot
• Inspect each area of the shoot – make sure everything is displayed perfectly in that area and in any peripheral spaces such as the patio outside which is seen in the background of the photo
• Assign a liaison to be present with the photographer. He/She can assist the photographer with any questions or needs, as well as talk to any guests or customers that weren’t aware of the shoot
• Inform your staff of the shoot so they can double-check their areas pre-shoot and they can be prepared to answer questions from customers and guests.

Remember that you want this to be the very best representation of your property and a realistic one too. It can look like you’re trying too hard if you add bouquets of flowers or new items to the areas that aren’t normally there. This is encouraged for an advertising photo shoot for use in your website and collateral materials; however with virtual tours and photos from a third-party such as Google it is more journalistic in nature.

If you aren’t lucky enough to be in one of the major cities that Google has selected to qualify for their business photo shoots, you can always add your own photos to your Google Places listing. This will enhance the relevancy of your listing and add those lovely little thumbnails to your listing in branded searches. SEO is an important part of your marketing strategy and these little details come together to help your business succeed in a virtual world.

In Google’s continued search for the right balance between form and function, they are trialling a different layout for the main SERP results. The main item they are ‘nip tucking’ is local results this time. Specifically, how the map element and content in local listings is displayed to users. Best way to explain, is to show.  So, here is a hospitality example:

1. For a branded hotel search phrase,  for example “hotel contessa“, we see local listing content brought directly into the main user interface.  Item 1 inside the screen shot is perhaps the most important update. If a branded search exactly matches, then Google now bringing in product imagery that before was only accessed by visiting the local listing itself – which was a click away.  Now, thumbnails exist just underneath the map on the right hand-side. (Hint: Best make sure your best pictures are being used!) by default. No interaction needed. Item 2 is bound to appease the OTAs (online travel agencies).  Recent ‘GTravel’ proposition related rumblings inside the ‘plex have annoyed OTAs. Also, the fact that a couple of months ago Google stopped calculating review/OTA sites in their approach to ratings/reviews, we still see they’ve kept these links hanging around. The fact that Google in theory doesn’t take much (or supposedly, any) notice to 3rd party review content – instead focusing on Google User Reviews – these 3rd party links still retain primary content in this new UI.   (Money clearly talks still).

2. For unbranded searches such as this example below, we see less of a significant change. There are some subtle difference between the UIs on high level generic phrases such as ‘san antonio hotels” versus “san antonio riverwalk hotels”. The local listing for the longer phrase expands to include 2 line descriptive text, headline font is marginally larger than generic geo-sensitive search and headline text itself isn’t the business name associated with the local listing account. It’s more akin to page title description text (not that this is new by any means but pointing it out for those who never knew).

Of note, in this hospitality example of the UI changes, is the integration of the “travel Dates” feature. Interacting with this widget allows you to adjust the travel dates and updated rates for the revised date selections made. Now, why is that important? Google has now enabled users to shop rates between hotels without needing to go to maps where this feature traditionally was placed. So for the rate conscious user, this is a nifty results page feature. Rolling over the ads shows a roll-over with the main OTAs (Expedia.com, Hotels.com, Travelocity.com for the most part) with a link to the hotel website direct too.  The hotel direct rates are (still) not introduced into the this roll-over and so assumed into any element of Google’s pricing content. This is a longer standing issue and something I know many Revenue Managers aren’t ecstatic about.

So, all in all, some subtle design changes, moving around of local listing content elements, different results based on context and geo-proximities, moving local listings around in random fashion in the list are the main takeaways.

Mainly though, what Google are doing is bringing local content that was once behind a second click to the forefront and adding in the Travel Dates feature. As a firm that drives direct internet distribution for hotels and resorts, the one thing we don’t like and have asked to see change is the rate-pulling from OTA’s APIs and not those of the independent properties. It’s been quite a while now that rates have been introduced into the content stream, but yet nothing to support rate provisions from non-global brands or OTAs. Shame.

One thing you can expect to see is if your business is getting Google to do 360s and photos of your business location, you can bet it’s going to end up in this updated UI.  You can request your business photos here. Then on this topic, expect video and other content to work it’s way over time into the front page SERP results we expect. On a side note, nothing on the mobile search UI front in these scenarios. That remains as-is for the minute.

Well, you wondered what Google would do in the travel space – Here it is… Google Hotel Finder.  According to Google, “is a new experimental product that makes it easier to compare and book hotels that are found across the web.”

Albeit experimental, the basic premise is that you have a multitude of ways to search for your ideal place to rest your head at night.

So, I hear you asking some questions:

Where are they sending bookings?

Not surprisingly, they are continuing with their alliances for the following in-direct distribution channels;

• Priceline
• Hotels.com
• Expedia
• Property website is an option though.

“[..]available booking options for the hotel, which may include both the hotel owner and resale vendors. You can choose to book the room through any of these channels, including the hotel owner.”

Reviews?

The other day we (seemingly) broke the news about the changes made in dumping 3rd party reviews. Seems to ring true here too in the fact that they apparently are only pulling from Google User reviews.  (Hint #2, get your staff to come up with ways to engage guests to generate Google Reviews).

What we like:

We do like the Edit Shape function which allows you to set a specific sector on a map for the results in the UI to reflect.

What we don’t like:

Look, we’re biased here.  We are paid to generate direct distribution for our hospitality clients, so any time a heavyweight throws in options other than booking direct to a client’s website, we’re never too happy. (We’re not saying there isn’t a place for in-direct channels, just not here). So, the fact that Google are obviously incentivised to send a stream of traffic to (and have been for a while, this isn’t anything new) will have some dampening effect on what effect, if any, a public roll out will have.

I’ve talked for years about how Google will make their move further into the travel sector. This is their boldest move yet but don’t forget – all Google will do for the foreseeable future is to stream traffic to other websites in the most profitable way they can. I dare say we’ll see options in AdWords soon for premium placements in these results. Chances are they will start off with the Display Network integration but the travels space is a huge segment for Google and some something more robust will come down the line should this experiment hit the open market. On the fullfilment side, Google will never get into the transactional side of this business.  They aren’t a customer support kinda company – period. So, they will generate revenus from traffic streaming in their normal ways.

Your thoughts?

2 blog posts in one day! No we haven’t gone mad… yet. We just thought that you all should see this news as soon as possible.

In the last few hours Google has changed their algorithm that pulls in review numbers. Previously when you searched for a hotel, let’s say in Chattanooga TN, you were shown a count of reviews box to the right of each search result that numbered in the hundreds or even thousands for 1st page GP results. This was because Google pulled the reviews from a number of different sources to build the cumulative count of reviews. However, now Google shows an extremely low number. Why?

The review number for this hotel is now, just 15. Previously for the Chattanoogan this figure was in excess of  200 reviews ( Tripadvisor + hotels.com + yahoo etc. etc.). This change may have a close correlation with the gaining traction of Google +1. Google wants its active members to get involved and have the main say behind review results.

So what is the impact hotel and other industry local SEO effort? The number of Google Places reviews (and their quality) will likely have a huge say in future SERP rankings. For instance my search above ranks the hotels almost perfectly in review number order – 32, 15, 4 & 5.

So what’s your follow up question to that? Hands up please… That’s right… How do we get more Google reviews? Thats something that agencies and clients need to think about and resolve before Google leaves them behind.