Like many others, the hospitality industry has been hit hard by COVID-19. Even before the global pandemic, standing out from the crowd was becoming increasingly difficult for hotels. With so much competition from big-name chains, vacation rental apps, and online travel agencies, it has become necessary for hotels to get wise and get creative when it comes to their marketing methods.

PPC advertising is one digital marketing channel hotels can use to get ahead of the competition. But what is PPC advertising, and what are the best practices associated with PPC for hotels? This article will take you through be basics, from what PPC is to how hotels can use it to increase bookings and revitalize their business.

What Is PPC Advertising?

The “PPC” in PPC advertising stands for pay-per-click, and that sums up the concept pretty well. When a business opts to embark on a PPC advertising campaign, they set a budget for how much they want to spend, then every time their advertisement is clicked on, they pay a certain amount. This continues until the budget has been used up.

There are different types of PPC. One of the most popular is search engine advertising, which is essentially paying for your advertisement to appear at the very top of a search engine results page, before the organic results.

There is also social media-based PPC, where you pay to have your advertisements or posts seen on sites such as Facebook. Another popular type of PPC advertisement is display advertising, which includes things such as text and image-based banner ads.

Hotel PPC Tips and Tricks

By now, it should be clear that pay-per-click advertising is a powerful tool that, when used correctly, can do amazing things for a business. In order for your PPC campaign to live up to its full potential, there are a few rules you should follow.

Be Smart About Keyword Choice

If you choose to begin a search engine advertising campaign, the first thing you’ll need to settle on is which keywords you want to rank for.

Instead of just picking random words associated with your hotel or location, think about the type of internet user you most want to see your advertisement. A family booking a last-minute trip? A couple looking for wedding venues? An event planner?

Let the answer to this question inform the keywords you choose and don’t waste money trying to rank for the wrong thing.

Explore Different Avenues

If you have the budget, it is better to use multiple channels rather than only one. Try running social media PPC campaigns in conjunction with search engine advertising, targeting different market segments with each.

For even greater chances of success, you can combine PPC with other forms of digital marketing, such as hotel SEO. The more avenues you explore, the more business you’re likely to get back in return.

The Future of Marketing

PPC advertising is just one way to boost your business. In today’s digital age, it is not only prudent but necessary to keep up with the latest marketing trends in order to stay ahead of the curve and stand out from the crowd.

If you’ve found this article engaging, check out the rest of our marketing content.