Skift Take
In online travel, Google always gets a cut.
Google's signature business is selling advertising space atop its search results. But as it becomes all-pervasive, the company has had to dig for fresh markets to sustain growth.
So Google is targeting under-penetrated industries to sell more "blue links" ads with a team that is separate from its travel advertising and products unit.
This team has agreed to begin a project with RedAwning, a technology and marketing vendor for small and mid-size property management companies.
Google's project with RedAwning will make it easier for managers of vacation rentals to buy AdWords. Managers can use the ads to drive more traffic to their own websites.
By early 2019, the tool will let managers run ads that drive traffic to specific property listings, not just to company sites.
Property managers can try to win future direct bookings if they advertise on Google and then persuade the customer to book directly the next time. This matters because repeat visits are more common for vacation rentals than for hotels.
The Emeryville, California-based RedAwning offers franchise-like branding, website design, and digital marketing to companies that run tens of thousands of properties in North America and Europe.
It also lists properties on Airbnb, Booking.com, HomeAway, TripAdvisor, and other channels — including on Choice
