How Hotels & Resorts Can Thrive in the Future of Search

SGE operates with two-way communication, moving from static queries to dynamic. Google will directly communicate with a user, personalizing the search experience to help them make decisions through user experience, content generation and presentation, structured data and rich snippets, real-time updates and availability, and third-party websites. 

• User Experience: The purpose of SGE is to enhance the user experience by providing users with immediate, relevant and concise info directly on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP). SEO, on the other hand, focuses more on driving traffic to websites and optimizing on-site interactions.

• Content Generation and Presentation: SGE will dynamically create content within search results by using data from various sources and present it to the user within the SERP.

• Structured Data & Rich Snippets: Traditional search relies on static search results with limited information, whereas SGE dynamically generates content using structured data and rich snippets.

• Real-Time Updates and Availability: Hotels that integrate their booking engine can provide potential guests with real-time availability and pricing. 

• Third-Party Websites Affecting Question-Based Queries: SGE looks beyond owned websites and seeks to answer user questions via credible sources not affiliated with the product or service that the user is inquiring about. 

Key Benefits of SGE for Hotels & Resorts

For hotels and resorts, SGE presents the opportunity to revolutionize their search landscape, offering increased visibility and reach while enhancing the user experience by deciphering user intent and anticipating their needs. 

Here’s three key ways hotels and resorts can gain a competitive edge with SGE's ability to optimize search results and deliver unparalleled value to guests:

#1: Increased Visibility and Reach

According to research conducted by Authoritas, 93.8% of AI-generated answers in Google’s SGE do not match any link from the top 10 Google Organic Search Results. This presents an opportunity for websites that can’t reach Google’s Organic Search to be featured as a top link within SGE — giving hotels, resorts, restaurants and attractions a new advantage to combat the goliaths of the hospitality industry and populate in search.

Due to its personalized and conversational response style, SGE favors long tail keywords. By optimizing your website for long tail keywords, you will experience:

• Less competition and more visibility 

• The ability to reach and influence niche and varied audiences

• Increased conversion rates

Long tail keywords and question-based queries are anticipated to rise with the use of SGE and the increasing use of voice search. To capture this new search demand, we must create and optimize content specifically for users' evolved search behavior. 

#2: Enhanced User Experience

Embracing SGE will give hotels and resorts a competitive edge by providing users a seamless and informative search experience compared to their competitors. SGE streamlines the user search process by immediately providing relevant information such as reviews, ratings, amenities, pricing and availability. A positive experience with SGE will lead to more qualified website traffic and higher conversion rates. 

#3: Ability to Understand the User's Intent and Anticipate Needs

SGE converses with users to help understand their needs and encourages engagement by providing interactive and actionable content. This leads to higher click-through rates (CTR) to relevant online destinations. 

The emergence of SGE marks a significant shift in the organic search landscape for hotels and resorts. To thrive in this evolving digital landscape, it's crucial for businesses to lean into new AI-driven search initiatives and adapt to the changing behaviors of online users. 

Ready to embrace SGE? Reach out to our team of experts for actionable strategies  to optimize your website for SGE. 

This blog was written in collaboration with Summer Coughlin and Nancy Wiles. 

• Summer Coughlin, Paid Media Analyst

  • When Summer isn't busy tracking and reporting on the performance of media campaigns for the hospitality performance team, she's hunting down the latest trends and opportunities for improvement. A passionate traveler, she loves to explore new places, spend time with her German shepherd, Gunner, and spend time outdoors. 

• Nancy Wiles, Director of Marketing & Operations

  • Nancy is a detail-oriented researcher, manager and ambitious learner when it comes to SEO and digital media advertising knowledge. As the fearless leader of the hospitality division performance strategy, Nancy keeps a close watch on overall marketing performance when she's not busy making memories and enjoying the best of Colorado—live music, great outdoors and craft beer.