Integration with Google Vacation Rentals is in active development.
You may have noticed that Google Vacation Rentals is listing OwnerRez as a connectivity partner:
https://support.google.com/hotelprices/answer/11946834?hl=en
This is legally true (we've signed agreements), and should prove that we're serious about this integration to any doubters ;-) ... but, no, it does not mean that the integration is actually working and available quite yet. As previously noted, it is in active development - towards the end, in that we're doing integration testing with Google, but we need to work through that process before even a beta release.
On that note, we have dozens if not hundreds of clients who have asked to participate in the beta. We will reach out to those who are selected, which will be based on various technical reasons so as to thoroughly wring out all aspects of the integration as much as possible. But, because the demand for this feature is so great, rather than doing a large-scale beta, we'll move into wide release as quickly as seems prudent. So, if you have asked to join the beta and aren't invited, please don't take it personally. :-)
Ken is this still moving forward?
Yes, in fact I saw traffic between our devs and Google's earlier today. So this is actively in development, as promised.
I see my property is already "listed" on Google Vacation Rentals - by some European company I've never heard of called "bluepillow.com" which, in turn, redirects to my listing on VRBO.
Obviously I would rather google redirect to my direct booking ownerrez powered website rather than VRBO through bluepillow.com.
Will your integration override all the other crap that other companies have been feeding Google?
Yes, in fact I saw traffic between our devs and Google's earlier today. So this is actively in development, as promised.
How did you find your property on Google vacation rentals? I cannot find mine.
Google "vacation rentals <city>, <state>"
After the ads you will see a Vacation Rentals section with aa few properties and a map, reposition and zoom map to your place.
My place does not have a Price or a price balloon, but it did have a red dot.
How did you find your property on Google vacation rentals? I cannot find mine.
Thank you. I can only find my Google my business listing at one of my cabins. My other cabins don't show up . Interesting.
— Bluepillow is a search engine that allows you to search from between 10,000,000 accommodations around the world, in countries such as the US. based in the EU, it had very low ratings on trust pilot.
When I pulled it up it feeds directly into Booking.com, because of bad experiences with Booking.com we say booking dot no
thank you - i was trying to remember what channel they fed thru and could not
Would also love to be added to the beta group :D
Interesting article about the Google Layoffs. Layoffs hit Google Flights the most, and not the other parts of Google Travel, which include Vacation Rental Homes:
https://skift.com/2023/01/30/google-flights-could-strategy-after-heavy-layoffs/
From the article:
Potential Strategy Changes
The inordinately large amount of layoffs at Google Flights on a percentage basis could signal:
...
The source said that even before the layoffs, Google has been transitioning employees out of Flights and its airline enterprise business, and into Google Travel’s hotels, vacation rentals, and things to do, as well as sustainability. In the case of hotels and things to do, at least, there is a greater revenue potential than for flights. U.S. airlines got stingy about paying flight commissions two decades ago.
...
That's good to know Alan, thank you! I wonder what they're going to end up charging us. I'm still seriously worried about the data they're going to ask for. I know with cars they want all of your information directly from the car company without giving you an opt-out option. Not to mention the troves of data they collect while you use your car & android auto.
I have a strong privacy policy and don't use google analytics or FB pixel because of it and the data (and abuse of it) that FB and Google are well known for.
Alan,
How did you get on Google Travel? I thought OR is not yet a connectivity partner yet and GT only allows PMs with 1000+ units to self integrate. Did you integrate on your own before these new rules?
That's good to know Alan, thank you! I wonder what they're going to end up charging us. I'm still seriously worried about the data they're going to ask for. I know with cars they want all of your information directly from the car company without giving you an opt-out option. Not to mention the troves of data they collect while you use your car & android auto.
I have a strong privacy policy and don't use google analytics or FB pixel because of it and the data (and abuse of it) that FB and Google are well known for.
What are you doing that google would want your car info?
Anyways Google has not had much luck beyond pay per click revenue model. I am not sure that this will amount to much.
I just ran across this video this morning. Anyway we can get OwnerRez to be a partner along with the many other PMSs that are now part of the Google Vacation Rental platform?
Check out this video: https://boostly.co.uk/difference-of-google-vacation-and-google-business/
Integration with Google Vacation Rentals is in active development.
You may have noticed that Google Vacation Rentals is listing OwnerRez as a connectivity partner:
https://support.google.com/hotelprices/answer/11946834?hl=en
This is legally true (we've signed agreements), and should prove that we're serious about this integration to any doubters ;-) ... but, no, it does not mean that the integration is actually working and available quite yet. As previously noted, it is in active development - towards the end, in that we're doing integration testing with Google, but we need to work through that process before even a beta release.
On that note, we have dozens if not hundreds of clients who have asked to participate in the beta. We will reach out to those who are selected, which will be based on various technical reasons so as to thoroughly wring out all aspects of the integration as much as possible. But, because the demand for this feature is so great, rather than doing a large-scale beta, we'll move into wide release as quickly as seems prudent. So, if you have asked to join the beta and aren't invited, please don't take it personally. :-)
Integration with Google Vacation Rentals is in active development.
We rarely release ETAs for development, and when we do, they tend to end up taking longer than expected... so no, it'll be done when it's finished. But since we're actually working on it, it'll get done within a few months at most.
That is awesome. Thanks for the quick update here.
That’s awesome. Thanks for the update Ken.
