What are Google Free Hotel Booking Links?
Since March 2021, Google has displayed, in the interface Google Hotels, an additional box entitled free booking links (Google Free Hotel Booking Links). This box appears below the sponsored results Google Hotel Ads when the user searches for accommodation with dates and views an establishment’s listing via the Google booking module.
Access to Google Hotels is notably via the buttons « Book », « View prices » or « Show other prices » in Google Search. Free links are displayed in addition to advertising placements, with no charge per click by Google (unlike sponsored links).
These links point to a booking page (official site, booking engine, or defined landing page) and are fed by pricing and availability data transmitted to Google via the Google Hotel Center (directly or via a connected partner/platform).
The different products Google for hotels
- Google Business Profile (property listing)
- Google Hotels (comparison interface)
- Google Hotel Center (configuration & feed)
- Free Booking Links (free links)
- Google Hotel Ads (sponsored links)
The interface Google Hotels
- Display of prices by dates
- OTA / official site comparison
- Filters (price, ratings, distance, services)
- Map, photos and reviews
How to activate Google's free booking links
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Take advantage of direct bookings with no cost per click
To be eligible for the display of Free Booking Links, the property must send Google structured and up-to-date information (rates, availability, conditions) via the Google Hotel Center and a compatible technical integration.
Optimise your visibility with Google Free Booking Links
The Google Free Booking Links - Free Hotel Booking Links are offered to hotels, B&Bs and holiday lets via the ecosystem Google Hotel Center. . Their implementation is based on a technical connection allowing data to be sent to Google:
- the rates (per room, occupancy, rate plan, taxes/fees)
- the availability (by date and type)
- the conditions (cancellation, payment, restrictions)
Once the connection is active, Google can display a free link to the defined booking page (official site / booking engine). The ability to display depends in particular on the availability of the data, its consistency and how up to date it is.
How can I benefit from Free Booking Links?
These links can be activated with or without campaigns Google Hotel Ads or campaign. The main condition is the presence of a compatible and validated feed in Google Hotel Center.
To get started, you need to:
- identify the booking engine / channel manager used
- match rooms and rate plans with the property’s Google listing
- set up a landing page (booking)
- check price consistency (taxes and conditions included)
By contacting us, we can connect your property (subject to compatibility), set up synchronisation and ensure quality control of the feeds.
Display and Ranking Criteria on Google
After synchronisation, the display and positioning of links in Google Hotels depend on several criteria, including:
- La accuracy and the freshness of the rates transmitted
- La quality and the clarity of the landing page
- Le click-through rate (CTR) and engagement signals
Free links may appear on searches:
- from brand (hotel name)
- geographical (city, area, region)
- with dates and filters (price, ratings, services)
Opt for a Hybrid Strategy
The Free Booking Links and the Google Hotel Ads are managed via linked environments. This makes it possible to activate a combined strategy, for example:
- free links active continuously
- paid campaigns activated over periods, dates or competitive areas
- adjustments according to occupancy and commercial objectives
This organisation makes it possible to complement free visibility with sponsored distribution when necessary.
Hotel Web Design is the web agency 100% dedicated to the hotel industryWe can help you with all aspects of digital communication for your accommodation: booking websites, natural referencing specialising in the hotel industry, Google Ads referencing and Google Hotel Ads, social networking campaigns, graphic charters and logos for hotels.
Make an appointment today for free advice on how to optimise the digital management of your accommodation.
It's safe to say that Google has taken everyone by surprise by introducing free booking links. Does this move echo the recent legal sanctions imposed on the digital giant in Europe for its anti-competitive practices? The $1.4 billion fine imposed on Google specifically concerned the way in which the company promoted certain partners on its platform. This court decision was handed down just one year before the announcement of the Google Hotel Free Booking Links.
Google’s public communications do not make it possible to identify a single motivation. The observable fact is that Free Booking Links have been integrated into Google Hotels and rely on the same technical foundation as Hotel Ads (Google Hotel Center). This allows joint activation (free + sponsored) and centralised management of hotel data.
Google's real motives behind these links free of charge remain uncertain, but several hypotheses are conceivable:
- To restore its image with the European authorities and consumers, after accumulating nearly €8.25 billion in fines in Europe over a decade.
- Encourage hoteliers to adopt its new dedicated platform. The transition between Google Free Hotel Booking Links and Google Hotel Ads campaigns is easy, as the two systems share the same user interface.
For an establishment, the operational point is that the display of free links depends on compliant configuration (feed, mapping, landing page) and ongoing quality control of data (rates, taxes, restrictions, availability).
The future of Google Free Hotel Booking Links
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Google's strategy behind free booking links
Free Booking Links have been part of the Google Hotels interface since 2021. Their display is linked to feed availability and Hotel Center configuration. The rules, formats and criteria may evolve depending on Google’s product updates.
In practice, establishments that wish to maintain a stable presence on Google Hotels implement regular monitoring: feed quality, rate consistency, landing page performance and tracking of discrepancies (prices, taxes, restrictions).
Among our Google customers & free booking links
To get started, the required elements are: the establishment’s name, the official website URL, the booking solution (booking engine/channel manager) and a technical contact point. After compatibility validation, the connection and feed checks can be initiated.
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