This article is the second part of a three-part series on distribution. Click here for part one.
Have you Googled your hotel lately? Have you Googled it on your phone? Back in April, Google started including mobile friendliness as a factor in its mobile search engine rankings. As mobile becomes the primary device for accessing the Internet, Google is rewarding mobile-optimized websites by displaying a “mobile friendly” label in search results, so users know the website is easy to use and access on their mobile device, the company said.
Although this update only impacts mobile searches, hoteliers that dismiss the power of mobile risk losing out on bookings and the amount of direct traffic that their hotel’s website generates, said Darlene Rondeau, vice president of best practices, online merchandising for Leonardo Worldwide, a technology and online media company for the global hospitality industry.
“Google wants to present the right content on the right device,” she said. “Users will get the optimal user experience. Responsive, adaptive, however you design your website, you want to make sure Google decides it is mobile friendly.”
Hotels must ensure that the content they are sharing is compatible and consistently updated. Ensure webpages are easy to navigate on any screen size, opt for a minimal design and include the most relevant features like your booking widget, special offers and key information about your hotel’s amenities.
Google offers a test to check if a URL is mobile friendly. To access the test, visit https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly.