The new Google destination planner on mobile certainly sucks you in.
One minute you’ve idly typed South Africa into search box, the next you are staring at flight prices to Cape Town and day trips to Robben island, wondering what the weather is like this time of year.
Except Google tells you that as well. Did you really think they wouldn’t?
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The hotel information is comprehensive. And by the way, if you won a hotel and you usually have both eyes on Tripadvisor, you had better make sure your business listing on Google is as well-optimised as it can be.
Make sure you have all your services in there, some really good photos – as many as they allow . Leave no box unfilled or un-ticked.
Encourage guests to leave reviews on Google, without crossing the line of actually writing them or offering and incentive.
If they need any hand-holding – it can be difficult for a first time to work out how to leave a review – point out that if they search for your hotel when they are signed into Google, they should find a knowledge box on the right hand side of the results.
Helpfully Google provides a Write a Review button right there.