Google Posts open to hotels for update notices but not promotions

Google is now officially allowing hotels to use Google Posts, but only in a limited manner. Hotels can use Google Posts to give customers notifications about the hotel, but not for offers or promotional purposes.

New policies. Google has updated the business profile post policy document to add a section for “hotel posts.” The new policy says:

• Hotel businesses can create local posts to provide relevant, timely info to customers. Examples of helpful posts include COVID-19 protocols, updates to amenities or renovations, and events that take place on the property.
• Hotels can’t create “offer” posts, or any post that suggests the existence of or that links out to deals, promotions, special offers, or discounts. This ensures that customers don’t get confused about where to navigate on the hotel placesheet to find organic and ad prices from partners.

Not for promotional purposes. Clearly, Google does not want hotels to use Google Posts for promotional purposes or to highlight offers, deals, discounts or other promotional reasons. Google said they don’t want hotels to use it for promotional purposes because they don’t want to confuse searchers and consumers. Confuse how? Well, Google often shows the price for the hotel and if there are deals or promotions that cause confusion around the price, that can be upsetting.

Hotel updates. So you can use this to communicate rules or changes in the hotel, like around COVID-19, renovations, events at the hotel or more.

Why we care. Hotels have been itching to use Google Posts since it came out but Google has not allowed hotels to use the feature. That has not changed but keep in mind, you can only use Google Posts for informational purposes and not to offer deals and promotions.