Google Marketing Live 2026: Key takeaways from the GCommerce team

Google Marketing Live 2026 highlighted how AI is transforming the way consumers discover and engage with brands online. From Gemini-powered search updates and conversational discovery tools to new opportunities across YouTube, Maps, and Demand Gen campaigns, this year’s announcements reinforced the importance of authentic content, smarter audience targeting, and more dynamic creative strategies for marketers moving forward.

Take a look at some of the highlights announced this year from the hotel marketing experts at GCommerce.

Introducing Gemini Spark: Your personal AI Agent

Jaylene Van Lin | Senior Marketing Strategist

Google introduced Gemini Spark as part of its push toward more proactive, AI-driven experiences. Rather than simply responding to prompts, Spark is designed to actively assist users with planning, researching, and decision-making in the background across the Google ecosystem.

For hotel marketers, Spark could continue reshaping how travelers discover and book stays online. As AI becomes more integrated into trip planning, travelers may spend less time manually searching and more time relying on curated recommendations and streamlined decision-making powered by tools like Spark.

Increased search customization through AI integration

Alex Scharpf | Search Marketing Manager

Google’s search bar has been significantly updated, now integrated with their AI model Gemini. AI Mode, AI Overviews, and traditional search have been combined into one search bar, increasing query customization through expanded text inputs, additional search formats including images and videos, and the ability to refine search results after an initial query. As users have more flexibility with their searches, it will be even more important than before to truly understand your core audience, including their preferences on content themes and format, to connect with them in a way that truly resonates in this new, ultra-customizable search experience.

Ask YouTube: A new way to find content

Sophie Hardina | Marketing Specialist

Google introduced Ask YouTube, a feature that reflects the continued shift toward more conversational, AI-powered discovery experiences. Rather than relying solely on traditional keywords, Ask YouTube allows users to ask more nuanced questions and receive curated video recommendations and insights in response. The update supports how search behavior is becoming increasingly intuitive and personalized across platforms. For marketers, it highlights the growing importance of creating video content that answers real questions, delivers clear value, and aligns with user intent beyond traditional SEO strategies. As discovery continues evolving through AI-driven experiences, brands that prioritize helpful, authentic content will be better positioned to appear in these emerging moments.

Importance of SEO best practices

Andie Milton | Search Marketing Specialist

Many of the SEO best practices highlighted at Google Marketing Live 2026 are strategies we are already implementing for our clients. A major theme centered on the growing impact of AI Search and the opportunity for brands to stand out by emphasizing what makes them unique. The presentation highlighted the importance of creating original, high-quality content that provides helpful information for target audiences. Additional key takeaways included the value of sharing firsthand insights, authentic reviews, and exclusive content that can only come directly from your business.

There was also a strong emphasis on investing in well-structured content, maintaining a website that is easy to navigate, and ensuring consistent, accurate information across all digital channels, including your hotel’s website, Google Business Profile, and social media platforms. Vidhya Srinivasan also highlighted SEO practices brands should avoid, such as producing overly-generic content or creating content primarily for bots instead of real users. In today’s AI-driven search landscape, both websites and ads must deliver helpful, relevant, and trustworthy information that genuinely serves user needs.

From branding to bookings: Creative’s new role

Meaghan Reynolds | Marketing Strategist

Google emphasized that creative is no longer just a branding tool, but a core performance driver powered by AI and the evolution of Asset Studio brings this shift to life. As a centralized hub for building and scaling creative, Asset Studio can now interpret marketing briefs, brand guidelines, and website content to instantly generate a range of high-quality assets across formats and themes.

With upcoming integrations like Gemini Omni enabling video creation and built-in A/B testing to quickly identify top performers, creative production is becoming faster, more dynamic, and more directly tied to results. For hotel marketers, this signals a major opportunity to move beyond static imagery and build a more robust, flexible content library, one that can adapt to different traveler intents, from romantic getaways to group escapes, and ultimately drive stronger engagement and bookings across channels.

Demand Gen evolves into a more predictive tool for travel marketers

By Jasmine McLamb, Marketing Specialist

Demand Gen continues to evolve as a powerful way for brands to reach consumers earlier in the decision-making journey, particularly across highly visual platforms like YouTube, Discover, Gmail, and now Google Maps. At Google Marketing Live 2026, Google emphasized how Demand Gen campaigns use Gemini-powered audience modeling to better understand user behavior across Search, YouTube, and Google Maps, helping advertisers predict future consumer interests rather than simply reacting to existing intent. Google also shared that advertisers using Demand Gen alongside YouTube have seen improved ROAS and stronger sales effectiveness.

Several new updates were introduced that could be especially valuable for the travel and hospitality industry. Expanding Demand Gen to Google Maps allows hotels and resorts to reach travelers already researching destinations and experiences, while new product feed integrations on YouTube help create a more seamless path from inspiration to booking. Google also highlighted the impact of creator partnerships, noting stronger conversion performance when creator assets are included in campaigns. Overall, these enhancements position Demand Gen as an increasingly valuable tool for hotel marketers looking to engage travelers earlier in the planning process through immersive and visually driven content.

Gemini 3.5 Flash: The next evolution of AI-powered marketing

Maddie Holifield | Marketing Strategist

Google also introduced Gemini 3.5 Flash, its newest lightweight AI model built for speed, efficiency, and more advanced “agentic” capabilities. Positioned as the default model across Gemini and Search AI experiences, 3.5 Flash is designed to handle more complex tasks, from coding and research to autonomous workflow execution, with faster response times and lower latency. The announcement signals Google’s continued push toward AI that doesn’t just answer questions, but actively assists users and marketers in getting work done.

For marketers, especially in the hotel and hospitality space, this evolution could significantly change how travelers discover and book accommodations online. This update signals a broader shift toward AI-assisted discovery and decision-making, where travelers may increasingly rely on Google’s AI experiences to plan trips, compare hotels, and receive personalized recommendations before ever clicking through to a website.

Find a deeper understanding of your data’s story through Meridian Intelligence in Google Analytics 360

Kaylin Long | Search Marketing Strategist

Google understands that you can’t make informed marketing decisions if you can’t understand the story that your data is telling. To understand your data’s story, you need to have the whole picture from each channel, reliably attributed, clean data from secure signals, and a single-point view to read your data. Google is implementing an agentic AI advisor from Meridian into Google Analytics 360 in order to unify your view of your data and answer questions about it. The intelligence from Meridian, alongside a new cohesive Data Manager API, and your strategic cross-channel marketing strategy, will give you the tools to make pivotal decisions from your brand informed by a deeper understanding of the story your data’s already telling.

Reaching travelers in the moment: Google’s new Maps ad experience

By Cassidy Tiedermann, Marketing Specialist

Another exciting announcement from Google was the expansion of ads within Google Maps, signaling a major evolution in how brands can reach consumers during high-intent, real-world moments. Google is continuing to blur the line between discovery and action by introducing more immersive, AI-powered ad experiences directly within Maps results and navigation journeys. For travel and hospitality brands in particular, this creates a significant opportunity to connect with travelers exactly when they’re planning, exploring, or actively deciding where to stay, eat, and visit. As users search for nearby attractions, restaurants, or things to do, hotels now have the ability to surface more prominently within those discovery moments, helping capture demand closer to the point of decision.

For hoteliers, this rollout could become an incredibly valuable addition to the digital marketing mix because it aligns perfectly with modern traveler behavior. Today’s travelers increasingly rely on Google Maps not just for directions, but as a full travel discovery platform. Whether someone is searching for hotels near a convention center, attractions, airports, or walkable entertainment districts, Maps has become a critical part of the booking journey. These new ad placements give hospitality brands another way to influence travelers in-market, increase local visibility, and drive direct engagement at moments when intent is strongest. It also reinforces Google’s larger push toward creating more personalized, context-aware advertising experiences, something that could ultimately help hotels deliver more relevant messaging and stand out in increasingly competitive travel markets.

What is CTV advertising and why does your hotel need it?

​In the rapidly evolving landscape of hotel digital marketing, Connected TV (CTV) advertising has emerged as a powerful tool for hotels aiming to enhance their brand visibility and attract discerning travelers. By leveraging CTV ads, hotels can deliver personalized, engaging content directly to potential guests through internet-connected television devices–think about the ads you see while streaming Hulu or other ad-powered streaming platforms.

So - what are some of the benefits of using CTV ads for hotels, and how do you know if it’s right for your brand? Let’s get into it.

What is Connected TV (CTV) advertising for hotels?

To start with the basics, Connected TV simply refers to television sets that are connected to the internet, enabling viewers to stream content via applications on smart TVs, gaming consoles, or external devices like Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Apple TV. Unlike traditional linear TV, where content is broadcast according to a set schedule, CTV allows users to access on-demand content at their convenience. This shift in viewing habits has opened new avenues for advertisers to reach audiences in a more targeted and interactive manner than ever before.

Benefits of CTV advertising for hotels

Running CTV ads programmatically will require the use of a Demand-Side Platform, or DSP for short. DSPs are software systems that allow advertisers to buy and manage automated digital ad inventory across multiple exchanges through real-time bidding. While there are many DSPs out there that specialize in CTV, we partner with Google Marketing Platform to run CTV ads through Display & Video 360. With this outlet, we are able to offer a variety of benefits for hoteliers when it comes to running CTV ads through the vast available inventory options.

1. Precise audience targeting

CTV advertising enables hotels to utilize advanced data analytics to target specific demographics, interests, and behaviors. This precision ensures that marketing messages reach potential guests who are most likely to be interested in the hotel's offerings, thereby increasing the efficiency of advertising spending. For instance, we can tailor your ads towards inventory more specific to your brand, whether it be on specific streaming channels or utilizing specific household incomes and buying behaviors. Hotels using specific travel-intent data through Adara or leveraging their comp set’s data with Azira will also enjoy additional targeting layers to hit even more precise and qualified audiences.

2. Enhanced engagement through visual storytelling

CTV advertising provides a dynamic platform for hotels to weave compelling narratives and showcase their unique offerings through captivating visuals that resonate with viewers on a visceral level. It’s important to note that your visual assets are designed with commercial aspects in mind; think professionally shot and edited. By immersing guests in a visual journey, hotels can evoke emotions, stir desires, and inspire travelers to explore more on their adventures. ​

3. Integration with your hotel’s digital marketing strategies

CTV advertising can be seamlessly integrated with your hotel's broader digital marketing efforts, creating a cohesive brand presence. For example, viewers who see a CTV hotel ad can be retargeted with related content through programmatic display banner ads, reinforcing the message and guiding potential guests through the booking funnel. ​

4. Access to premium TV content platforms

Recent CTV technology advancements have expanded opportunities for hotels to advertise on premium TV streaming content platforms. For instance, integrations with services like Netflix allow marketers to reach highly engaged audiences within a premium streaming environment. This access enhances the credibility and appeal of your hotel's advertising efforts.

What are the latest advancements in CTV advertising for hotels?

Recently, Google Marketing Platform (GMP) has introduced several innovations that enhance CTV advertising capabilities for hotels:​

• CM360 + Netflix Ads integration: This integration streamlines ad serving and reporting, enabling marketers to reach Netflix's extensive subscriber base with contextual ads that align with viewer preferences.
  
• Cross-media reach reporting: Campaign Manager 360 now offers reports that provide a unified view of reach across digital video and linear TV campaigns. This feature helps us better understand audience overlap and optimize our media strategies accordingly.
  
• DV360 + Disney live sports and entertainment: Display & Video 360's certification with Disney allows for real-time bidding on live sports inventory, offering access to highly engaged audiences during major events.
  

Is Connected TV advertising right for your hotel?

While CTV is an incredibly beneficial tool for building brand engagement and awareness, it might not be right for all hotels. First and foremost, you must have the right creative assets. You’ll need professionally edited videos that are 15-30 seconds in length (think TV commercials). For many, this cost alone can be a barrier to entry.

Another thing to consider is the overall cost to run CTV advertising media. CTV ad types are much more expensive than regular display advertising, with CPMs averaging anywhere from $25-35. For this reason, GCommerce requires a $5K per month per campaign minimum to run CTV ads, but strongly recommends at least $10K per month to increase visibility and open the door to more targeting options and A/B test opportunities.

However, if your hotel has the opportunity to fund this initiative, the payoff is worth it. CTV is an ideal outlet for those looking to expand their brand into new markets and directly into the homes of prospective guests. It’s an incredibly powerful brand awareness tool and offers an easy entrance into a previously unattainable linear TV ad inventory type. On average, clients see a 98-99% video completion rate, with one current client seeing nearly 1 million users watch their video in full during a 90-day period. 

Moving forward with CTV hotel ads

As the hospitality industry becomes increasingly competitive, hotels must adopt innovative marketing strategies to stand out. By leveraging the latest advancements in CTV technology and integrating these efforts with broader digital marketing initiatives, hotels can create compelling campaigns that resonate with modern travelers and drive bookings. Connect with the experts at GCommerce to get started today.

Key takeaways from Google I/O 2025 for hotel marketers

It was a busy week for Google. Along with Google Marketing Live on Wednesday, Google I/O took place this week, and between the two, they announced an incredible list of updates (100+ between the two events!). While Google Marketing Live centered around product updates associated with its ad campaigns and platforms, Google I/O focused on updates more applicable to organic search marketing.

It’s such an incredible moment in history for organic search. Generative AI platforms are pushing change across the industry, and it has big implications for hotel organic search marketing. Here are our top takeaways for hotels from Google’s I/O 2025.

1. AI Mode rolling out to everyone in the US 

As of May 20th, 2025, Google announced that its AI Mode search experience is rolling out to everyone in the US. It was previously just available to those who opted in via Search Labs. Our team has been deep in testing mode with this new search experience and will be releasing a study soon. Unfortunately, it has been discovered that there is currently no referral tracking in analytics from AI Mode, and this traffic is being tracked as direct traffic. This means AI Mode traffic is currently untrackable. Google recently announced that AI Mode reporting will be coming to Search Console, although we still don’t know how it will show. As usage of this search experience increases, it will most likely mean a continued decline in organic search traffic to hotel websites. We’re having to let go of even more data as it’s taken away from us and lean into AI, as well as a deeper understanding, to ensure our ads are visible where our audience spends their time. Also noteworthy is that Google announced ads are coming to AI Mode and AI overviews during Google Marketing Live.

2. Agentic capabilities in AI Mode

Google announced it’s bringing agentic capabilities to AI Mode, starting with the ability to let the agent search out, compare shop between sites, and present site options to book your event ticket. How? They are partnering with top ticket broker sites like StubHub to provide a seamless experience. They are starting with event tickets but plan to roll this out to restaurant reservations and local appointments. It’s only a matter of time before it hits the hotel industry. History shows that Google leans into partnerships with top industry companies that can support the tech. Alexa partnered with Kayak early on for voice search. Recently, Selfbook and Perplexity announced a partnership to enable booking directly on the platform - it’s available for hotels using the Selfbook booking engine. This gave us hope for independent hotels and the battle for direct bookings. We can only hope that other booking engine providers will lead this charge. Chances are, sites like Kayak or OTAs will step up to be the first.

3. Pushing boundaries of Google Search with Google Lens

Google Lens now offers live search capabilities. Examples shown? Being mid-project and need guidance on what the next steps should be in the process. Google returns multi-modal results from video, forms, blogs, and more. In Google Marketing Live they hinted at how much image-based search shows purchase intent. Hoteliers need to be thinking about expanding content and topical relevance, from enhancing blogs to including video and continuing to produce stunning visual assets. Additionally, focusing on structured markup of all site components will help ensure they are more easily found in Google’s entity mapping.

4. AI Mode shopping experience

Shopping/ecommerce always tends to be a step ahead with search features. Google announced a new AI-driven shopping experience that allows shoppers to virtually try on clothes, engage with AI to filter and find the best items, and even check out and purchase them using Google Pay. It’s pretty wild that many booking engine providers still don’t accept mobile wallets like Google and Apple Pay. The future is hinting towards a world where AI agents book our hotel rooms for us, but right now it seems like only via platforms that integrate into this type of ecommerce technology space.

5. AI Mode gets even more personal with results

Google’s algorithm has incorporated AI for years with its RankBrain technology. Coupled with its algorithm, it’s focused on incorporating your search history, location and more into providing personalized results. AI Mode takes this a step further. It allows you to opt in to connect it to other Google apps, like Gmail. Using structured data, it can view your email content and make personalized results using the data. Google’s example, “you can get suggestions for events while you’re in town….based on your flight and hotel confirmations” in your inbox. Mind blown. The breadth of 1st party data that Google will be able to tap into will be monumental in helping you reach an even more targeted audience using AI. We’ve seen the power of leaning into Meta (Facebook/Instagram)’s AI audiences over the years, now it looks like Google is stepping up the game to provide even more relevant, personalized, and qualified results for each user.

These are just a handful of takeaways from an incredibly packed Google I/O 2025. They also announced a huge roll out of product features from some mind-bending AI video and image capabilities, Google Meet live translation (English/Spanish only to start), and so much more. You can check out the full keynote recordings here. It’s truly an exciting time for the world of digital marketing. It’s rapidly changing and we’re excited to explore the new frontier for digital marketing for hotels.