Spain / US: Vacation rental software startup Lodgify has announced an integration with Google for vacation rental listings.
The integration will enable Lodgify’s global customer base to list and synchronise their property data on Google Maps and Search, including the vacation rentals tab on google.com/travel, displaying their branding, direct traffic to their bookable website, and secure direct bookings without additional costs. The feature, which was released in beta earlier this year, is now available to all Lodgify customers with published websites and at least one active rental listing.
As millions of people around the world begin their travel-related searches on Google, the latest integration is part of Lodgify’s continued effort to help property owners showcase their rentals to a much wider audience.
When potential guests search for accommodations based on their desired location, complete with specific filters for dates, price and amenities, Lodgify customers’ compatible properties will appear on the interactive map on Google Search featuring the vacation rental’s business name and logo. Google will then redirect searchers to property owners’ domains to book, browse, or send an enquiry.
While major OTAs can charge hosts an average commission fee of 15-25 per cent for generating bookings, Google does not charge a fee for bookings sourced through its search engine.
Dennis Klett, co-founder and CEO of Lodgify, said: “We’re excited to continue offering vacation rental hosts ways to increase their direct bookings, and to manage their business on their own terms. Google is one of the strongest sources for lead generation, and we hope this integration helps amplify their global reach and visibility towards high-intent travellers.”
To date, Lodgify has enabled its customers to process over 1.6 million direct bookings through their Lodgify-powered websites since launching in 2012. Earlier this week, the company released its US summer 2023 short-term rental industry report, analysing more than 740,000 Lodgify bookings in the United States between January 2021 and June 2023 to identify key industry changes and provide insights to help property managers boost summer profits.
In November, Lodgify raised $30 million in Series B funding to accelerate its global expansion, boost product growth and expand customer support.
