How Do Hotels Measure ROI From Paid Search and Metasearch?
Hotels measure ROI from paid search and metasearch by tracking direct revenue, attribution paths, booking margins, and cost-of-sale efficiency across channels—ensuring investments drive profitable bookings, not just traffic.
ROI is measured by comparing revenue directly attributed to paid search and metasearch to the total media spend and cost of acquisition. Hotels use a blend of last-click, multi-touch, and incrementality analysis to understand the true value of ads, optimize budgets, and reduce reliance on OTAs. Leading hotels also measure net revenue by subtracting channel costs, commissions, and discounting.
What Hotels Track to Measure Paid Search & Metasearch ROI
The Paid Search & Metasearch ROI Playbook
Hotels that excel at ROI treat search as both an acquisition engine and a profitability lever.
Track → Attribute → Optimize → Scale → Govern
- Track all booking paths: Instrument analytics, call tracking, booking engine data, and campaign parameters so every click, search, and booking is tied to a channel.
- Use multi-touch attribution: Move beyond last-click to measure how upper-funnel search queries and metasearch impressions influence final bookings.
- Optimize toward net revenue: Factor in media costs, commissions, promo codes, and channel fees to know which clicks actually deliver profit.
- Scale what converts profitably: Increase bids and budgets for campaigns with high ROAS and low cost-of-sale, especially in key revenue seasons.
- Govern with insights: Share learnings across marketing, revenue management, and operations to ensure rate strategy, campaign timing, and promotions are aligned.
Hotel ROI Maturity Matrix (Search + Metasearch)
| Dimension | Basic | Advanced | Revenue-Driven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attribution | Last-click only. | Blended multi-touch models. | Incrementality testing and full-funnel attribution. |
| KPIs | Clicks, impressions. | Bookings, cost of sale, ROAS. | Net revenue, CLV, OTA shift impact. |
| Optimization | Bid changes only. | Creative, audiences, landing pages. | Comprehensive yield optimization tied to revenue systems. |
| Data Integration | Separate analytics tools. | Connected search + booking engine data. | Unified CDP with CRM + revenue management inputs. |
| Business Impact | Unclear ROI. | Reliable performance insight. | Predictable profitability with reduced OTA reliance. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a “direct booking” in ROI analysis?
A direct booking is one completed through the hotel’s owned channels—website, mobile app, or reservation line— not through OTAs. Only these bookings should be included when calculating ROAS from paid search and metasearch.
How do hotels measure incremental impact?
Incrementality is measured by comparing a test group exposed to ads with a holdout group not shown ads. The difference in bookings reveals what search and metasearch truly contributed beyond organic demand.
Is metasearch always profitable?
Not always. Profitability depends on bids, commissions, rate parity, and demand seasonality. High ADR markets tend to see stronger ROI, while highly competitive routes may require careful bid controls.
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