Search Path to Conversion

Travel Industry: Hotel, Airline

Search Path to Conversion

Hotels Category
Yahoo 2014 Confidential & Proprietary.

Methodology
Definitions, Brand Inclusion and Timeframe
COMPLETED

Day 1.Day 30

Completed Hotel Reservation

Consumers who completed a hotel
reservation online
CATEGORY
SEARCH
BEHAVIOR

1 Click Direct Referral

WE CAPTURED:
Activity:
Completed Hotel Reservation activity
Using clickstream data from Competes panel
of 2 million U.S. online consumers
Analysis Timeframe:
12 Month Cumulative

Sources: Path to Conversion, Yahoo! & Compete

Data through August 2013

Search Overall Penetration for Hotel Reservations

Over 70% of online hotel reservation converters will conduct a hotel search in the month prior to conversion

26.7M
Completed a hotel reservation

+
Conducted a Hotel Search in the month
prior to conversion

Thats 72%

Of all completed hotel reservations

4 WEEKS
3 WEEKS
2 WEEKS

27%
27%
30%

1 WEEK

34%
53%

DAY OF

46% will use the

Sources: Search Path to Conversion, Yahoo! & Compete

Consumers Who Convert Directly From Search

While 72% of Hotel Reservation converters search for Hotel terms in the month prior to conversion, and
53% search the day of, only 30% of consumers will convert directly from search

11.1M
Completed Hotel Reservation

Thats 30%
Of all completed hotel reservations

36% will use the

Convert Directly From Search

Source: Search Path to Conversion, Yahoo & Compete

What Are Consumers Searching For?

Converters who search typically conduct around 10 searches on average prior to converting; 70% of
those searches are on non-branded terms
% OF SEARCHES THAT ARE BRANDED VS. NON-BRAND

BRAND: 30%
NON-BRAND: 70%
The Average User Conducts

10.2

Searches
Prior to
Converting

Source: Search Path to Conversion, Yahoo & Compete

Brand vs. Non-Brand by Week

Non-brand term searches play a dominant role throughout the entire research process even on the day of
conversion with brand searches surging. 34% of Hotel converters who search will never search for a
specific hotel brand.
70%

74%

76%

79%

77%

54%

46%
30%

TOTAL

26%

24%

4 WEEKS

3 WEEKS

Brand

23%

21%

2 WEEKS

1 WEEK

DAY OF

Non-Brand

Source: Search Path to Conversion, Yahoo & Compete

What Brands Are Consumers Searching For?

Hilton and Marriott are the brands most top of mind for the category; Disney, Holiday Inn and Best
Western are the most successful at converting those who search for their brands

BRAND QUERY VOLUME AMONG CONVERTERS

2.3M

2.9M

1.3M

4.7M

20.7M

19.2M
% of Brand Searchers That Convert

50%

70%

77%

78%
*Among those that search on brand terms

88%

71%

Source: Search Path to Conversion, Yahoo & Compete

What Are Consumers Clicking On?

Overall, 17% of hotel searches among converters will result in a Sponsored Search click

83%

85%

85%

84%

83%

81%

17%

15%

15%

16%

17%

19%

3 WEEKS

2 WEEKS

1 WEEK

DAY OF

TOTAL

4 WEEKS

Sponsored

Organic

Source: Search Path to Conversion, Yahoo & Compete

Summary of Findings

Search may not be getting all the credit it

deserves
Search is more likely to be used as a research channel

than an enrollment channel

While roughly 30% of online Hotel converters come

directly from search, 53% of online converters search

on Hotel terms the day of purchase. Overall, search is
being used to inform the hotel reservation process of
72% of those who convert online
The Yahoo Bing Network is likely to be used in both the

research phase and also when consumers are looking

for answers right before taking the plunge
Relative to its market share, The Yahoo Bing Network

drives a disproportionate amount of converters for Hotel

brands

10

Summary of Findings

Search query trends among converters

highlight brand strengths, and the need to play
in the non-brand space

Only 30% of those who conduct a Hotel search prior to

converting will conduct a brand search, while 70% conduct
non-branded search

Being top of mind with consumers is critical: it increases the

number of users searching for your brand and increases the
likelihood that those searching for your brand will convert

Search activity slowly builds until the day of conversion,

when it spikes; searches skew heavily towards non-branded
terms even on the day of conversion when brand term
searches increase

11

Search Path to Conversion

Airlines Category
Yahoo 2014 Confidential & Proprietary.

12

Methodology
Definitions, Brand Inclusion and Timeframe
COMPLETED

Day 1.Day 30

Completed Airline Reservation

Consumers who completed an airline
reservation online
CATEGORY
SEARCH
BEHAVIOR

1 Click Direct Referral

WE CAPTURED:
Activity:
Completed Airline Reservation activity
Using clickstream data from Competes panel
of 2 million U.S. online consumers
Analysis Timeframe:
12 Month Cumulative

Sources: Search Path to Conversion, Yahoo! & Compete

Data through August 2013

13

Search Overall Penetration for Airline Reservations

65% of online airline reservation converters will conduct an Airline search in the month prior to conversion

Thats 65%
Of all completed airline reservations

23.3M
Completed an Airline reservation

4 WEEKS

3 WEEKS

Conducted an Airline Search in the month

prior to conversion

2 WEEKS
1 WEEK

23%
24%
26%
31%
43%

DAY OF

47% will use the

Sources: Search Path to Conversion, Yahoo! & Compete

14

Consumers Who Convert Directly From Search

While 65% of Airline converters search for Airline terms in the month prior to conversion, and 43% search
the day of, only 22% of consumers will convert directly from search

7.9M

Thats 22%
Of all completed airline reservations

Completed Airline Reservation

42% will use the

Convert Directly From Search

Source: Search Path to Conversion, Yahoo & Compete

15

What Are Consumers Searching For?

Converters who search typically conduct around 14 searches on average prior to converting; 60% of
those searches are on non-branded terms
% OF SEARCHES THAT ARE BRANDED VS. NON-BRAND

BRAND: 40%
NON-BRAND: 60%
The Average User Conducts

13.8

Searches
Prior to
Converting

Source: Search Path to Conversion, Yahoo & Compete

16

Brand vs. Non-Brand by Week

Non-brand term searches play a dominant role throughout the research process however brand searches
take the lead on the day of conversion. 24% of Airline converters who search will never search for a
specific airline brand.
60%

63%

71%

73%

69%

40%

60%
40%

37%
29%

TOTAL

4 WEEKS

3 WEEKS

Brand

31%

27%

2 WEEKS

1 WEEK

DAY OF

Non-Brand

Source: Search Path to Conversion, Yahoo & Compete

17

What Brands Are Consumers Searching For?

Southwest, Delta and American Airlines are the brands most top of mind for the category; Southwest,
JetBlue and Delta are the most successful at converting those who search for their brands

BRAND QUERY VOLUME AMONG CONVERTERS

19.9M

17.6M

15.6M

23.2M

42.5M
% of Brand Searchers That Convert

80%

74%

70%

72%
*Among those that search on brand terms

78%
Source: Search Path to Conversion, Yahoo & Compete

18

What Are Consumers Clicking On?

Overall, 17% of airline searches among converters will result in a Sponsored Search click

83%

84%

83%

82%

82%

83%

17%

16%

17%

18%

18%

17%

2 WEEKS

1 WEEK

DAY OF

TOTAL

4 WEEKS

3 WEEKS

Sponsored

Organic

Source: Search Path to Conversion, Yahoo & Compete

19

Summary of Findings

Search may not be getting all the credit it

deserves
Search is more likely to be used as a research channel

than an enrollment channel

While roughly 22% of online Airline converters come

directly from search, 43% of online converters search

on Airline terms the day of purchase. Overall, search is
being used to inform the hotel reservation process of
65% of those who convert online
The Yahoo Bing Network is likely to be used in both the

research phase and also when consumers are looking

for answers right before taking the plunge
Relative to its market share, The Yahoo Bing Network

drives a disproportionate amount of converters for

airline brands

20

Summary of Findings

Search query trends among converters

highlight brand strengths, and the need to play
in the non-brand space

Only 40% of those who conduct an Airline search prior to

converting will conduct a brand search, while 60% conduct
non-branded search

Being top of mind with consumers is critical: it increases the

number of users searching for your brand and increases the
likelihood that those searching for your brand will convert

Search activity slowly builds until the day of conversion,

when it spikes; searches skew heavily towards brand terms

21

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