Family Travel Search Trends

Today’s families are busy and stressed, and longing to get away. According to AAA, more than one third of American families are planning to take a trip in the next year.

We already know that search engines are THE starting point for travelers during the inspiration phase of the booking cycle. But, the following data from Bing Ads, based on both unpaid and paid US Microsoft Bing search data for June 2015 through June 2016, may also be helpful for you to consider as general information about consumers and how they search. By understanding who is searching for you and when to target them, you can optimize your PPC ad choices, general online presence, and email marketing strategies.

According to the report, searches related to family travel jump in April, especially on mobile phones. Desktop and tablet searches also increase in the spring, though they reach their peak in the early summer. Cost-per-click (CPC) rates on search ads related to family travel are highest in March; clickthrough rates are highest in June.

“Vacation ideas” is the most searched generic term related to family travel; “top all inclusive resorts” is the second most-searched for term.

The fastest-growing family travel related search terms for June 2015 through June 2016 were “cheap family vacations” and “summer vacation ideas.”

What can you, as a hotelier, do with this information? Think about these search terms when creating content for your website, online ads, or email subject lines. Even better, if you can target past guests in your database who previously traveled with children with an offer specially designed for them, you’re more likely to get a response than if you were to send a generic blast to your entire database.

Want to learn more about SEO? CLICK HERE to access our Hotelier’s Guide to Google SEO.