How To Compete with OTAs on Google Ads
Companies like Airbnb and VRBO have seemingly unlimited budgets for advertising, so how can your vacation rental management company possibly compete?
It’s simpler than you may think – your local knowledge gives you a leg up to write compelling ad copy and target really relevant keywords that the OTAs may miss out on.
The OTAs bid very aggressively to be in the top ad position, but they are generally targeting searches such as “vacation rentals park city,” with no keywords targeting specific neighborhoods, complexes, and communities in Park City. Their ad campaigns are largely run on automations and end up with very generic text. For example:
This ad may be above yours in the search ranking, but you’ll still see high click rates by writing ad text that is engaging and specific to search terms. Speak to the destination and features, amenities, and inventory. You know your market infinitely better than the OTAs, so use this to your advantage! Potential guests are often searching more specific terms, and these ads have also been shown to have a higher conversion rate than general searches over a broader area.
In your ad text, call out the OTA fees. We regularly see success with language like “book direct and save” and “save on fees” across all our client accounts.
We’ve helped over 25 vacation rental management companies drive profitable bookings from Google Ads, all while competing for the same keywords as Airbnb and VRBO. See what we can do for you with a complimentary consultation!