The answer is actually simple – YES, you have to have a Google Plus page for your hotel. Whether your hotel is a chain, franchise, or independent, your property has to play the Google game if you want to survive online.
Now your next question is probably, “Why? Nobody is on Google Plus.” There are a couple of reasons why you need to play the Google Game and it isn’t for interaction like Facebook.
- Well, for one it is Google’s platform and they do give credit to those using Google Plus. Your Google Plus page will add a little extra Google Juice (SEO) when you actively post to it. Don’t worry about interaction, just put your stuff out there for this platform.
- You use your Google Plus page to access your hotel’s Google reviews. Google Plus is tied into your reviews for management. If you don’t have your plus page, accessing your reviews will prove to be difficult.
- Your Google Map (how folks know how to get to you) is accessed through your Google Plus Page. Notice your hours and cool photos are listed here as well. It is all accessed through your hotel’s Google Plus page.
As you can see from the listing below, they don’t have any cool photos, or list any hours. The phone number might need updating at sometime, e.g. possibly adding a 1-800 number. As you can see they need to claim their listing, and the easiest way to do this is through their Google Plus page. In all fairness as of today, the hotel is still being built. But you don’t want this kind of listing, right?
All you have to do is get your Google Plus page and claim your listings and then you can properly manage your listing for updated information and respond to your hotel’s reviews. After all, we know you are responding to all your reviews, right? If you have questions about getting your Google Plus page for your hotel, give us a holler, we’re more than happy to help you out.