Since we shared our "Hotelier's Guide to Metasearch Advertising" last year, the channel's performance has continued to go from strength to strength. What was already a valuable tool for hoteliers has now become an essential driver of bookings and revenue in 2024.
As travellers increasingly turn to metasearch to plan their trips, 2023 witnessed record-breaking performance for our metasearch advertising clients. This surge in success really highlights why metasearch must be an indispensable part of your hotel's marketing strategy.
Mega meta
Despite a 24% decrease in spending, metasearch generated an incredible $18.5 million in revenue for our clients in 2023, representing a 24% year-on-year (YoY) increase. Even more impressive is the 20:1 return on ad spend (ROAS). One of our clients even saw their ROAS peak at an incredible 75:1 in Q2 2023!
These figures paint a clear picture; metasearch is not just effective, it's becoming increasingly efficient, allowing hoteliers to stretch their marketing budgets further. Win, win!
When it comes to the different metasearch channels, Google remains top, generating 79% of all bookings from metasearch for our clients in 2023. Of course, this highlights the importance of having a strong presence on Google's metasearch platform, such as Google Hotel Ads.
Act fast
However, the metasearch landscape is far from static. While metasearch demand and booking trends remain robust, with figures still surpassing 2022 levels at the end of 2023, we would urge hoteliers to capitalise on the opportunity now. There remains potential for demand to return to pre-pandemic levels, meaning the sooner you act, the stronger your foothold in making metasearch work for you.
We also note that all of the metasearch channels we monitor witnessed conversion rate increases in 2023, with some experiencing a jump of up to 20%, signifying a growing willingness to book from users who come across hotels via metasearch platforms.
Notably, Bing's recent API upgrades have contributed significantly to their impressive YoY growth in both clicks and bookings, making them a metasearch player to watch in 2024.
The Metasearch Mandate
The numbers speak for themselves. Metasearch has established itself as a powerful channel for hoteliers, offering increased revenue, improved efficiency, and a direct path to potential guests.
In 2024, embracing the potential of metasearch is no longer an option, but a necessity for hoteliers looking to thrive in the competitive hospitality landscape.