As a host, you can elevate your booking opportunities by connecting your listings to Google Hotels/Vacation Rentals. This connection places your property alongside organic search results, expanding your reach to potential guests.
Note that the listing will be sent first to Google Hotels. If you have a Business listing, it will be registered there. If not, it will be sent to Google Vacation Rentals. (without Google business registration) However, if there are too many units and unit types under the listing, Google Vacation Rentals might not accept it and you have to register as a hotel in the Google Business.
Prerequisites for Connection:
Linked Rate Plan: Before publishing your listing on Google Hotels/Vacation Rentals, ensure at least one Rate Plan is linked to your website. Access Listing Rate Plans under the Pricing & Availability tab.
Publish on Website: Enable the toggle for Publish on Website under the Marketing tab.
Connecting to Google Hotels/Vacation Rentals:
Navigate to Listings -> Property.
Click on either Connect to Google or More downward arrow and select Connect to Google from the drop-down menu.
In the pop-up window, click Confirm & Connect. The connection process may take a few days to complete.
Disconnecting from Google Hotels/Vacation Rentals:
Click the downward arrow and select Disconnect from Google.
In the pop-up window, click Disconnect. The disconnection process may take a few days to finalise, and you may still receive bookings from Google during this period.
Property Listing Image Requirements:
Minimum Photos: Each property should have at least eight photos, including one for a bedroom, bathroom, and common area.
Image Quality: Use high-quality images that adhere to the following guidelines:
Recommended resolution: 1920 px x 1080 px
Maximum height: 4000 px
Maximum width: 4000 px
Maximum file size: 10 MB
File formats: JPG, JPEG, PNG, WEBP
Orientation: Landscape
Image Order: Image order is automatically generated and cannot be manually changed. Google prioritises and displays images based on factors like user search terms. For instance, in a search for “vacation rentals with a pool,” pool-related images might appear more prominently.
Booking Fees:
As a user, you can choose whether to make your listing available on Google.
The price per listing should be clearly displayed.
The commission for each booking will be added to your invoice at the end of the month from Mid January and is as follows:
13% for Spark & Guest Guru
5% for Glow
3% for Blaze
Note that Spark users should have already got connected to one of the Payment Gateways (Stripe, PayPal,..) to be connected to Google Hotels/Vacation Rentals.