Dear WuBookers, you will have noticed that Google’s search results page has changed recently. A few months ago, the search engine introduced AI Overview, a system based on generative artificial intelligence that responds to users’ questions in a detailed and comprehensive manner. This is certainly a useful feature for those who need to search online, but what happens on the other side, for those who produce content in the hope of attracting people to their site? And what impact can all this have on hotels and accommodation properties? Let’s take a look together in this article.

What is Google’s AI Overview and how does it work?

When a person searches on Google in the traditional SERP (search engine results page), a series of results appear: a list of links to websites, images, products, and videos that can be clicked on. Some of these are organic, i.e., the result of natural positioning on Google, while others are paid results, derived from search engine sponsorships (Google Ads).

With AI Overview, this changes, at least in part. When a person performs an online search, they get a block of text with a discursive answer, which often appears before the organic results. This is a summary created by AI that scans and analyzes hundreds of resources in Google’s immense database. A summary organized into thematic paragraphs that not only responds to the user’s search but also collects comprehensive information on the topic, anticipating any other questions. This “mirror” also contains links to the online sources consulted by the AI, which can be clicked on and accessed by the user.

In other words, AI provides a comprehensive and structured overview that helps people get an idea of the topic and its essential points. So, does artificial intelligence replace websites and other online content? Yes and no.

The impact of AI Overview on the hotel industry

The first thing to note is the type of search that triggers AI Overview. For transactional searches, like those related to a purchase intent (such as searching for a certain product or service), this feature is still disabled, while it is very present for informational or conversational queries.

Let’s take a few examples: if you search online for “hotels in Venice” or “where to stay in Venice” or even “where to stay in Venice on a budget,” AI Overview may not be activated. The results will be paid previews of OTA sites or hotels that have invested in Google Hotel Ads.

On the other hand, if we try typing in queries such as “what to do in Venice in 3 days, where to eat and sleep,” it is highly likely that the first result will be an AI-generated response containing suggestions and links for further information. This is precisely where the risks and opportunities for hotels and tourist properties in general lie.

Possible negative effects

The introduction of AI Overview may have some negative effects for hotels, such as:

• reduced online visibility and organic traffic: Let’s not kid ourselves, even before the advent of artificial intelligence, appearing in SERPs with a hotel website was quite a challenging task, the result of SEO optimization and impeccable content management. Today, this is becoming even more difficult for certain searches and can result in a drop in traffic to the site;
• very high competition: If your site does not have sufficient authority in Google’s eyes, it is unlikely that AI will include you among the sources to cite, preferring instead ‘stronger’ sites such as OTAs;
• online strategy needs updating: AI Overview draws from various sources, so your website is no longer sufficient as your only communication tool. It is important to activate a multichannel strategy to cover multiple channels and thus increase your chances of being taken into account by artificial intelligence.

These are the sore points, but there are also positive and even stimulating aspects.

Opportunities and benefits

Like all changes, this one also offers opportunities for those who have worked well so far or are willing to do so from now on:

• Recognized authority: well-written, high-quality content has an excellent chance of being included in AI responses. This allows you to gain credibility and, therefore, competitive advantages over your competitors;
• enhancement of your services: if you offer very specific solutions or niche services, the chances of these being mentioned by AI increase because they are distinctive and respond to particular intentions;
• qualified traffic: it is true that the number of users arriving at your site through discursive searches may decrease. On the other hand, appearing as a link among the AI’s responses means showing yourself to highly targeted users, who may land on your online resource because they are driven by a genuine interest.

How to leverage AI Overview for your hotel

As you will have understood, what matters most is how you present yourself online: your authority is essential for Google to take you into consideration. That’s why it’s important that the text, images, and videos of your rooms are always up to date, detailed, and true to reality. The more descriptive and accurate they are, the better.

SEO also remains an essential component: take care of your website from a technical standpoint and ensure that Google’s parameters (metadata) are always optimized.

Then work on local positioning through content that is useful for guests and visitors in your area, such as blog articles with interesting facts and relevant information. By doing so, you will increase the chances that AI will choose your site to respond to specific searches.

Not only your website, but also your Google My Business Profile must always be complete and up to date with the image of your property and its services, as this can also contribute to your visibility for AI, especially for local searches. In addition to taking care of your content, remember to always manage all reviews: activity and professionalism are viewed favorably by search engines.

Finally, enrich your online presence through channels outside your website and relevant collaborations, for example with partners or portals dedicated to tourism. Being present on multiple platforms not only increases the chances of bringing users to your website, but also helps Google evaluate your website positively.

AI Overview is just one example of how artificial intelligence will become (and already has become) part of our everyday lives, with very specific and promising applications for the sector. Seizing the opportunities it offers, overcoming a few initial hurdles, is the only way to stay ahead of the curve and reap concrete benefits, such as direct reservations and reduced intermediation costs.

It is still too early to say what future developments will be, but as they say, well begun is half done!