The Brief
Following the successful launch of their new website, voco Reading wanted to expand their digital marketing activity and explore new channels to drive high-quality traffic. With a clear objective to increase direct bookings and reduce reliance on third-party booking platforms, paid search presented a strong opportunity.
Working with a modest budget, our task was to identify the most effective way to maximise their investment within Google Ads. The primary focus was on targeting high-intent searches related to hotels in Reading, ensuring we captured users actively looking to book accommodation. Alongside this, we aimed to highlight voco Reading’s wider offering where possible to further strengthen their appeal as a venue of choice.
Our Approach
From the outset, our strategy centred on precision and efficiency. With budget constraints in mind, it was essential that every pound spent worked as hard as possible.
We built tightly themed campaigns targeting relevant search terms within the Reading hotel space, focusing on users most likely to convert. As the campaign developed, we continually refined targeting, optimised bids, and tested new approaches to improve performance. While the strategy evolved over time, the core objective remained consistent - drive more high-quality traffic, and increase direct bookings.
The Results
Since launching Google Ads activity in July 2023, the channel has become a key driver of performance for voco Reading. Paid search has consistently delivered a significant volume of traffic, accounting for over 28% of all website users since launch, and bringing more than 22,000 new users to the site.
More importantly, this traffic has proven highly valuable. Over 9,000 users have gone on to complete key conversion actions, directly supporting voco Reading’s goal of increasing direct bookings.
This sustained performance has played a crucial role in reducing their reliance on third-party booking platforms, helping them retain a greater share of their revenue while maintaining strong occupancy levels.