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Google Vacation Rentals Connectivity Partner

Status: Released 370 Votes
Shawn H
Mar 13, 2024 10:41 AM
OR Team Member Joined Aug, 2021 244 posts

Hello all! We have some exciting news (that happens to coincide with Vacation Rental Week 2024). Google Vacation Rentals is now self-service for all users! We wanted to get the word out as soon as possible, but more details are coming in a Product Update blog post later this week. In the meantime, you can read on for a few details and use the links to the current support articles for more information.

We thank those who participated in the Private Beta to help us make it a robust integration!

Please note:

1. Once you turn on Google Vacation Rentals, it's a 2-3 week wait on the Google side before your listing(s) start showing up.

2. Users are no longer required to have an OwnerRez Hosted Website (premium feature) to use Google Vacation Rentals. If you turned on a Hosted Website just for GVR, you no longer need it, unless you want to keep it. Instead, we have released a "The OwnerRez global landing page" option under the Google Vacation Rentals API settings. Prospective guests will be sent to this new landing page where they can see the quote details of the dates they've selected; they can change any of those selections before they click "Book Now," which will send them to the current guest quote acceptance booking form. It will also show any branding you have set up under Theming. Here's a screenshot below of what it looks like, generally.

3. If you have a hosted website and want to use it, you can. You are not required to use the global landing page option.

Support article links:

Google Vacation Rentals Overview

Google Vacation Rentals Setup & Connecting

Google Vacation Rentals Common Issues & Questions

Donna M
Jul 16, 2022 2:50 PM
Joined Sep, 2017 40 posts

There is a specific option of becoming an "official business" on Google which then allows you to have a listing that provides direct booking and reviews. It also serves to have you found on their front /landing pages when people google for a location. 

BUT there are very specific criteria a business must fulfill before Google recognizes it as a business- and more specifically as a Vacation Rental Business allowable on Google:

  1. MOST IMPORTANTLY- You must have more than your one VR. People get around this be dividing their homes into rooms and then call themselves a lodge. Sometimes folks just give it a go and list their home any way..hoping the google police will not discover them. I survived 5 years that way...but then my listing was pulled, I lost my reviews and all my lovely Google posts that upped my SEO. (actually all Google reviews were not really lost as I always copy and paste my reviews in my website.
  2. Must have a sign on your building front- which in my case is against our HOA. They require a photo showing not only the sign but distinguishing landmarks/street signs to show where and on what street that building is.
  3. You must also show proof of BEING a business, e.g. EIN tax documents

see: https://support.google.com/business/answer/3038177#zippy=%2Cineligible-businesses

Pedro T
Jul 18, 2022 4:03 PM
Joined Nov, 2017 50 posts

https://support.google.com/hotelprices/answer/11946834

 

There are channel managers such as OR already doing this for their users by bundling them together to get onto Google Vacation Rentals. Look at GVR's support article They specifically list all of these competitors to Ownerrez that can currently get properties on GVR if you have fewer than 5,000 properties. Does OR not have 5,000 properties?

Goes onto say:

If you're already working with a connectivity partner that's not listed above, encourage them to follow the steps outlined in this guide. If you'd like to become a connectivity partner with Google, or if you think direct integration is the right path for you, follow the same steps to get started.

 

Apologies if this has already been mentioned.

 

 

Scott J
Jul 18, 2022 4:07 PM
Joined Mar, 2019 192 posts

It's very frustrating. It seems that OR has just made up their minds they don't want to connect us to Google Vacation Rentals, connects us to channels with little traffic and no bookings instead.

Ken T
Jul 18, 2022 4:10 PM
Joined Aug, 2019 1707 posts

I can't go into further detail beyond what I've discussed before, but, this is not the case, and our discussions with Google are moving forward.

Scott J
Jul 18, 2022 4:30 PM
Joined Mar, 2019 192 posts

Okay, thanks for that info, Ken. It just seems mystifying to those of us non-techies who see a huge roster of other channel managers already hooked up, ones with totally inferior product to OwnerRez, why they have been able to get set up but not OwnerRez.

Kelly K
Aug 19, 2022 4:18 PM
Joined Sep, 2021 2 posts

Curious if you were able to find another way to list on Google Vacation Rentals while maintaining OR as your PM system.  We are in the same boat as we have multiple properties and we are being searched and found on Google now.  

High Mountain PM
Aug 22, 2022 9:17 PM
Joined Aug, 2022 6 posts

Not quite sure how this is not complete yet. GVR will be a major source of income for many, just as their flight program took off. It'd be best to get your clients into GVR as fast as possible to help us grow our income streams further. Google seems to provide a pretty comprehensive integration manual. Any ETA from the OR Team? 

 

 

If you have fewer than 5,000 properties, we strongly recommend working with one of the connectivity providers listed below to get your properties shown on Google.

If you're already working with a connectivity partner that's not listed above, encourage them to follow the steps outlined in this guide. If you'd like to become a connectivity partner with Google, or if you think direct integration is the right path for you, follow the same steps to get started.

Scott J
Aug 22, 2022 9:21 PM
Joined Mar, 2019 192 posts

Why is OwnerRez needing to have ongoing discussions with Google about this over a period of several months while other inferior channel managers have long ago gotten their host customers connected with Google Vacation Rentals?

How much talking about this is necessary over all this time, and why have the other channel managers been able to connect without all the talking?

Allison C
Aug 22, 2022 9:22 PM
Joined Oct, 2018 3 posts

Has anyone looked into these for the sole purpose of GVR integration and not fully abandoning OR? I would pay a minimum subscription just to have it as you pointed out- it is definitely affecting bottom lines for direct bookings.  

BlueMtnCabins
Aug 22, 2022 9:45 PM
Joined Jun, 2016 1131 posts

This has been answered. https://www.ownerrez.com/forums/requests/google-vacation-rentals-connectivity-partner#68129

Ventura County V
Aug 23, 2022 2:08 AM
Joined Mar, 2022 122 posts

Does Google charge us a commission for each booking?  When I looked into them way back when I don't think they did.  That makes me wonder, what is in it for Google?  Nothing they give for "free" comes without a price tag.  Your emails, calendars, photos, drive, contacts, notes, search history, etc. are all mined for useful data they can sell to advertisers.  They track you across the web courtesy of their free analytics platform, selling that information as well.

No, they want something.  Hopefully, OR is not bound by an NDA/mNDA and can give us some more insight, but from Ken's responses, I'm assuming it's a very strong (m)NDA.

Chris Lilly
Aug 23, 2022 4:59 PM
Joined Sep, 2021 5 posts

One Consideration: The other channel managers charge a lot more in fees that Owner Rez does. We had a client who wanted GVR for their house, and when I queried owner  rez and the significant difference in fees was pointed out, I stopped asking.

Scott J
Aug 23, 2022 5:18 PM
Joined Mar, 2019 192 posts

One Consideration: The other channel managers charge a lot more in fees that Owner Rez does. We had a client who wanted GVR for their house, and when I queried owner  rez and the significant difference in fees was pointed out, I stopped asking.

Yes, you're right about that.

I'm sure I'm not alone in loving OwnerRez and everyone I've had interactions with who works there.

Just not understanding what's going on with this one particular issue.

Ventura County V
Aug 23, 2022 5:24 PM
Joined Mar, 2022 122 posts

Agreed on the fees.  Left Lodgify because of them and everything being UTC based and support being in Spain (and I'm in Los Angeles).

Ben
Aug 23, 2022 5:28 PM
Joined Jan, 2020 45 posts

I don’t think beds24 does?

Chris Lilly
Aug 24, 2022 2:30 AM
Joined Sep, 2021 5 posts

One Consideration: The other channel managers charge a lot more in fees that Owner Rez does. We had a client who wanted GVR for their house, and when I queried owner  rez and the significant difference in fees was pointed out, I stopped asking.

Yes, you're right about that.

I'm sure I'm not alone in loving OwnerRez and everyone I've had interactions with who works there.

Just not understanding what's going on with this one particular issue.

by Scott J – Aug 23, 2022 9:18 PM (UTC)

this is what owner rez said to me: "when Google Vacation Rentals is ready for primetime, yes we will of course integrate with them.  However, they are brand new to the market, and whenever google sees an opportunity to make money they throw their hat into the ring.  Generally it seems they'll  get bored and those ventures never come to full fruition.  Hopefully GoogleVacation Rentals will be different, but only time will tell..." and then he discussed the fee difference with another channel partner that posts listings to GVR charging 5% of bookings, versus the fee-friendly model owner rez is.

Ventura County V
Aug 24, 2022 11:59 AM
Joined Mar, 2022 122 posts

this is what owner rez said to me: "when Google Vacation Rentals is ready for primetime, yes we will of course integrate with them.  However, they are brand new to the market, and whenever google sees an opportunity to make money they throw their hat into the ring.  Generally it seems they'll  get bored and those ventures never come to full fruition.  Hopefully GoogleVacation Rentals will be different, but only time will tell..." and then he discussed the fee difference with another channel partner that posts listings to GVR charging 5% of bookings, versus the fee-friendly model owner rez is.

Great point.  Orkut and Google Plus come to mind

BlueMtnCabins
Aug 24, 2022 1:04 PM
Joined Jun, 2016 1131 posts

GVR may be free initially to get people on board but after they monopolize the market like they inevitably do with other things, they will start charging. Mark my words. 

Competa Escapes
Sep 6, 2022 8:55 AM
Joined Jan, 2021 4 posts

As, we have previously raised - we would really like to see this feature.  Google organic searches are the biggest traffic source to our website.  In a FB group of 8,000 members many are reporting success with being a GVR connectivity partner.  Our previous channel manager who we consider inferior has had it for some time now.  We really want to stay with OR, but this remains a consideration for us. I hope OR will be able to bring good news this Autumn, thanks for all your work on the subject.

Colin B
Sep 7, 2022 2:54 AM
Joined Mar, 2022 16 posts

Curious if you were able to find another way to list on Google Vacation Rentals while maintaining OR as your PM system.  We are in the same boat as we have multiple properties and we are being searched and found on Google now.  

by Kelly K – Aug 19, 2022 8:18 PM (UTC)

 

Currently looking at this too. Need to find one of the integrated CM's that has a reasonable price and find a way of syncing the calendar and pricing between the them and OR. that last bit is the biggest headache. 

Considering an alternative CM, plus Pricelabs to sync across OR and the other CM and do an ical sync. Seems overly complicated and overly expensive to acheive something that is available in other CM's. Frustrating!

It is either that or go direct and try to get listed myself, this is a revenue stream i do not wish to miss out on.