Adwords update for hotel marketers: Mobilegeddon continues

If you’ve been following the latest online marketing news, you will have heard that Google rolled out several key updates to the Adwords platform which can further help hotel marketers target guests on mobile:

Expanded text ads so that marketers get 50% more ad text to play with;
Device bidding capability so that marketers can set ad bids for specific devices (smartphone, tablet, desktop); and,
Responsive native display ads which allows ads to suit various websites, apps, and screen sizes.

These changes come after Google’s other mobile-centric updates, including Accelerated Mobile Pages (Which speeds up website load times for mobile users), and the delivery of more search queries to mobiles over desktops.

So, what does it mean for hotel marketers?

This is good news for independent hoteliers. You can include mobile segmentation in your targeting, and slice it even further by location, time of day, and audience.

Not only should you be updating your Adwords account, but you should also ensure all elements of your website – above all, your hotel booking engine – is responsive. Otherwise, your mobile optimised Adwords ads will fall short.

Responsive design is a simple concept and it’s one that you should be enthusiastically embracing. It’s an approach to website design that aims to create a viewing and interaction experience that reacts to the chosen device of a user.

Putting your users’ needs first, just as you do the moment they arrive at your hotel, is crucial for the best web experience. A mobile responsive website that delivers an awesome small-screen experience can also help secure those last-minute bookings from guests searching on-the-go.

How can you make your hotel website mobile-friendly?

Aim for user-friendly navigation

Make sure that your images and text adapt to the screen size of the user’s device. Also, use high-resolution images, and make buttons big enough to click with the thumb.

Speed up website loading time

Forbes reports that 60% of mobile users expect a site to load in 3 seconds or less. If your site takes more than a few seconds to load, travelers grow impatient and click away.

Create a seamless online booking process

Limit the number of steps it takes for a guest to book their stay with you, and only ask the most essential questions. Make sure your hotel booking engine is PCI compliant so that it protects all sensitive guest data.

A modern website builder will ensure that your hotel’s website is up to speed with the latest trends, including responsive design.