TripAdvisor TripConnect or Instant Booking: What’s the difference?

You know you have to manage your reputation and respond to online reviews on TripAdvisor but did you know you can also manage a Cost Per Click (CPC) bidding tool on the site to encourage reservations?

TripConnect is a TripAdvisor program, through its business listing feature, that allows you to direct guests to your online booking engine to make a reservation with you, while you pay TripAdvisor for the click to your website versus paying a commission through an OTA.

TripConnect allows you to:

• Reduce costs of conversions. Instead of paying a commission or percentage of the reservation, you’re only paying for what you bid on. This does require some manual management of the bids and knowing what you’re willing to pay for that particular click. You will only pay for visitors that click through to your booking engine, not for impressions. The top three spots that are shown to travelers are awarded to the highest bidders. And, if you do not advertise with other OTAs, your booking engine link will be the only option for the traveler. With paying per click, you’ll still pay even if that guest abandons their booking unfortunately.
• Set your CPC budget. You can put limits on how much you want to spend per day, say you only want your ads to show until you’ve spent $15. After that limit is hit, your ads will no longer show in the booking options.
• Market directly to the guest. Now that you have the guest in your online booking engine, you can upsell them with packages or add-ons they may have not known about if they booked through an OTA.
• Encourage direct bookings in the future. Now that you have the guest’s full contact information, you can follow up with them showing them the benefits of booking directly on your site, such as free WiFi or breakfast, without visiting TripAdvisor or another OTA first.
• Reach a wider audience. You know travelers use TripAdvisor to plan out travel or find accommodations so reach them on a website you know they’re going to use and bring them to your site to finish their booking.

Instant Booking is another TripAdvisor tool, but this is an API connection with your hotel website bookingonline booking engine and reservation software. Instant Booking does not require a business listing whereas TripConnect is associated with your property’s business listing.

TripConnect Instant Booking allows you to:

• Take reservations directly through TripAdvisor. Guests can view your listing on TripAdvisor and then if your reservation software has an API connection built out, the guest can book right there and you’ll pay a percentage for that booking.
• Reach desktop and mobile guests. This program would work with travelers using any sort of device to book and gives them a quick and easy booking option.
• Set it up once and let it run. There are two different rates for the commission-based model where you can either pay a 15% commission or a 12% commission depending on how much of the “Book on TripAdvisor” traveler views you want, half or a quarter respectively. You do only pay for bookings that result in stays.
• Encourage direct bookings. You will own the relationship with the guest and can provide incentives for them to book directly on your site in the future when you send confirmation or thank you emails.

Credit: TripAdvisor

RezStream does have developing an API connection for Instant Booking in the pipeline for RezStream Cloud but a release date has not been determined as of this time. We are a booking partner for the CPC program. Both options have pros and cons associated with them and your digital marketing team is happy to help you identify which one is best for your property and budget.

Which TripAdvisor program would you use? Tell us in the comments section below!