Google Things To Do (article)

Where can I find it?

TOURCMS>CONFIGURATION > SYSTEM & SETUP > Google Things to Do

What does it mean?

Introduction

• The Google Things to Do platform enables qualifying partners to show travel activity-related items on Google-owned surfaces. The Things to Do data feed is used for advertising campaigns in Things to Do ads as well as powering various Things to Do search experiences.

• Google TTD is a feature in Google Search that helps users find and book activities in their area by linking these activities to a Google Business Profile (GBP) or a Google Point of Interest (POI).

• Google TTD has three modules that allow to list of tours and activities and depending on where the tours have to be listed the set-up will differ in TourCMS:

• Operator Business Module (OBM), for operators to list their tours/activities under their GBP

• Attraction Business Module (ABM), for attractions to list their admission ticket as Official Ticket under their POI/GBP

• Experiences Business Module (EBM), for operators to list tours/activities related to an eligible POI under this Google POI.

How do we offer it to our customers?

Here's a brief overview of what we offer:

• Listing Tours and Activities: You can list your tours and activities under your Google Business Profile (up to a maximum of 10 tours).

• Language and Channel Requirements: Currently, each account supports a single-channel connection to one Google Business Profile (GBP). Tour listings will appear on Google only when the user’s browser language matches the language defined in the TourCMS channel setup.

• Website Linkage: The channel to be connected must be related to your website, as the link displayed on Google will redirect users there.

• Google Ads Integration: You can connect your GTTD product feed directly to your Google Ads account, enabling you to launch automated "Things to Do" ad campaigns. All campaign management is handled directly through your own Google Ads manager.

• TourCMS Permissions: Certain permissions need to be enabled for the tours in TourCMS to be listed, but this is a straightforward process.

• Google Form: All necessary steps and information are requested and explained in a Google Form, which can be completed quickly.

• Eligibility: Only products with the Distributed Green status are eligible for Google Things to Do.

Here's an example of how tours are displayed on Google TTD within a Google Business Profile, visible both in the main browser search results and on Google Maps:

Additionally, tours that include an admission ticket to a Google-eligible Point of Interest (POI) can be featured in the 'Tours & Activities' section of that specific POI listing. However, this process is more complex as Google's algorithm considers several factors such as price, ratings, and the quality of descriptions and pictures. Even with these features enabled, there is no guarantee that the tours will appear under POIs.

What should I do?

1. In Partners>Marketplace Agents search for the agent Google and connect it to the corresponding channel using permission

2. Summary Statistics (an invitation code is required)

3. Click on the Tour Whitelist and select the tours you want to list on Google Things to Do.

   Note: Only products with the Distributed green status are eligible for Google Things to Do.

4. In CONFIGURATION > SYSTEM & SETUP > Google Things to Do, check and complete the "Important Fields Sent to Google" section. These details should be completed directly by the customer, as requested in the Google Form provided to them.Please note: The phone number must be entered in the following format: 00countrycodephonenumber (without spaces or symbols)The phone, the address and the GBP name must match exactly with the data displayed on the GBP.

   NOTE: The client only needs to provide the phone number and address; all other fields will be managed by our team. These details should be entered directly into the specific channel to be connected via Partners > Data Quality > Manage.

5. Location: Tours > Descriptions & Images > Key Information

   (Note: These fields should be completed by the customer, but must be verified by our team during the Agent connection to ensure a correct setup.)

   1. If the product is to be listed under an Operator's Google Business Profile (OBM):

      • Make sure the Start and End geocodes are filled in with the correct Google Place ID on them:

        

      • The tour/guide option on the Tour Leader section needs to be selected:

      • The Tour Operator direct product tag needs to be selected

        

   2. If the product has to be listed as the official ticket on an Attraction GBP (ABM):

      • Make sure the Start and End geocodes are filled in with the correct Google Place ID on them and wit the label “Admission Granted”

        

      • The independent/self guided option on the Tour Leader section needs to be selected:

        

      • The Official Ticket tag needs to be selected:

        

   3. If the product has to be listed as an Experience under a POI (EBM):

      • Make sure the Start and End geocodes are filled in with the correct Google Place ID on them + a Midpoint corresponding to the Google POI has been created as well and labeled as “Admission Granted”:

        

      • The tour/guide option in the Tour Leader section needs to be selected

        

In cases where a tour is connected to the EBM module, use the 'Find Location Matches' tool in the Google Action Center to verify that the POI set as the midpoint in the geocodes is eligible. If it is ineligible, replace it with an alternative option provided by Google.

Once a new connection is made or an existing one is modified, it is important to review the status of the affected products in the Google Action Center inventory. This ensures there are no errors and that they are correctly mapped to the corresponding modules. Google refreshes information every 24 hours at approximately 6 AM UTC; therefore, any changes will not be reflected either in the Action Center or in the GBP and POI listings until that update occurs.