Google’s new travel search engine has improved since its launch back in September 2011. Starting with a limited number of United States cities, the number of destinations has gradually increased, with Google saying that the number of destinations has doubled. Flight searches can now be performed on its search engine, making life much easier for travellers.
In 2011, Google acquired ITA, which has been integrated with Google Flight Search. The deal between Google and ITA was viewed as being uncompetitive as the three main rivals in travel use ITA software, Expedia, Microsoft and Kayak. Google is in negotiation with the three agencies, but as yet no decisions have been reached.
Google directs users directly to the website of the airline, where consumers can purchase their flight tickets. Although Google Flight Search is relatively new to the travel scene, it could be a real threat to other travel agencies in the near future. Google’s competitive edge for dominance is apparent in other areas. Google search engine is the popular choice for the majority of users seeking information. If a user wants to sign up to an efficient email service, Gmail is the choice. Online videos are easily accessible by using Google’s YouTube, and if someone is looking for easy online advertising Google Adsense is the obvious choice for many.
Google’s expansion into the travel industry could create problems for rival companies, who will have to create a new strategy for their SEO campaign, with some of their SEO jobs being made more complex.
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