Search

PhocusWire's in-depth coverage of travel search, featuring news, analysis, interviews, research and more on Google, other search engines, strategies, executives and role in the market.

News / Online

What is the Second Moment of Truth in hotel marketing?

By Viewpoints | September 22, 2011

Ever heard of the Second Moment of Truth or SMOT? Here’s the proof of whether a hotel delivers on what it says it will do for consumers. Read More

News / Online

TripAdvisor says Google threatened search lock-out

By Dennis Schaal | September 22, 2011

Officials from TripAdvisor and Yelp say Google threatened to shut them out of search altogether if they didn't provide their content to Google Places. Read More

News / Online

Big Data: Bringing the magic back to travel technology

By Frederic Lalonde | September 20, 2011

Last week I was invited to speak on a panel at the Boston THack, Tnooz's event for developers and engineers. The topic was innovation in travel technology. Read More

News / Online

Google offered helping hand by Skyscanner to take Flight Search global

By Kevin May | September 14, 2011

Many of those outside the often inward-looking bubble that is US online travel have always considered the more intriguing part of Google entering travel to be the global play. Read More

News / Online

FairSearch asks if Google Flight Search partners will be coerced into playing

By Kevin May | September 14, 2011

FairSearch, fierce opponent of Google's acquisition of ITA Software, was quick out of the blocks to pour a healthy dose of scepticism over the search giant's launch of Flight Search. Read More

News / Online

Is it time for travel brands to take back their customer reviews?

By Stephen Joyce | September 9, 2011

We know how powerful sites like TripAdvisor, Yelp, and others have become when it comes to consumer reviews of hotels, restaurants, etc. Read More

News / Online

SEO vs social media for finding new travellers online [INFOGRAPHIC]

By Kevin May | September 2, 2011

Interesting bit of data analysis has found the differences between how people use search engines and social media sites when looking for new products. Read More

News / Online

Lights. Camera. Action. Welcome to the new hotel search soap opera

By Viewpoints | August 31, 2011

A new actor has appeared on the great soap opera that is hotel search - Google. Read More

News / Online

Where are people searching for on Expedia? [INFOGRAPHIC]

By Kevin May | August 29, 2011

Expedia is the latest travel company to turn to the world of infographics, this time to outline search trends on its US site. Read More

How Google stirs the secret search sauce every day [VIDEO]

By Kevin May | August 26, 2011

Okay, so Google is never going to disclose WHAT the secret sauce of the infamous search algorithm actually is, but it does talk about how it likes to tinker with it. Read More

News / Online

Google starts bringing in tech partners for Hotel Finder

By Kevin May | August 24, 2011

Trust International is the first hotel reservation system to be selected by Google to work alongside online travel agencies and chains on the new Hotel Finder service. Read More

News / Online

Time to wave goodbye to intermediaries in travel brand search results?

By Kevin May | August 16, 2011

Google, as well all know, loves to play innocent and quietly test new formatting for its search results, Places pages, maps, etc - as those relying heavily on search gulp in horror. Read More

The history of flight search [VIDEO]

By Kevin May | August 12, 2011

It's always interesting to see how startups entering the travel industry, trying to disrupt or solve a problem, view How Things Used To Be Done. Read More

News / Online

MakeMyTrip and the controversial SEO-led microsite strategy

By Viewpoints | August 9, 2011

Although its citizens may only make 0.014 flights per year, India also counts the second largest diaspora in the world, after China, with 24 million. Read More