NEEDHAM, Mass., Oct. 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- TripAdvisor (NASDAQ: TRIP) today launched TripAdvisor Ads for restaurants, offering owners the opportunity to promote their business to millions of potential diners by driving traffic to their TripAdvisor listing through sponsored placements.

With over 200 million average monthly consumer visits from across the globe searching 4.4 million restaurants listed on TripAdvisor, this new advertising solution is an easy next step for restaurant owners looking to maximize TripAdvisor as a marketing channel. According to the National Restaurant Association¹, US restaurant industry sales are expected to exceed more than $799 billion in 2017, with an average of 3% of total revenues being applied towards marketing budgets. For the first time, TripAdvisor is now providing independent restaurants and restaurant groups with the ability to reach more of their customers via cost-per-click sponsored ad placements within the site's native search results.

TripAdvisor's 2017 Restaurant Marketing Study revealed that the vast majority (85%) of US restaurant owners believe they should be doing more to promote their restaurant. Restaurateurs worldwide also reported that online listings like TripAdvisor were among the top three most effective marketing channels for driving more traffic to their business. TripAdvisor Ads is a direct response to this growing marketplace need, providing a quick and easy way for owners to engage directly with potential customers.

Diners searching for the perfect place to eat can continue to rely on rich, descriptive reviews of restaurants and customer photos to help them in their decision-making, as well as a popularity ranking driven by review and bubble ratings and not by a commercial arrangement with TripAdvisor.  In addition to reviews and a restaurant's placement within their popularity ranking, TripAdvisor Ads enable owners to buy targeted advertising slots on desktop and mobile web, sending customers directly to their restaurant listing.  

Unlike digital marketing on other sites, TripAdvisor Ads reach diners who are actively searching for restaurants in a specified area. Ads also target diners based on their search selection queries inclusive of categories like average meal price, cuisine type and timing of meals such as breakfast, lunch or dinner. These paid media placements ensure that restaurant owners are only paying for clicks from valuable consumers interested in their specific business. Diners will see ads appear in the first spot of a relevant restaurant category on TripAdvisor, as well as in the top spot of relevant restaurant search results.

"We want to provide restaurant owners with the best possible suite of products and solutions to entice and convert potential diners into loyal customers," said Bertrand Jelensperger, senior vice president, TripAdvisor Restaurants. "We launched our Premium for Restaurants subscription service at the end of 2016 to help owners better showcase their business to prospective diners. Now with TripAdvisor Ads, we are providing them with another way to increase their visibility through targeted sponsored placements. Whether you operate a Michelin star fine-dining restaurant or a popular neighborhood deli, this solution ensures that your restaurant's ad will be displayed to relevant diners at the optimal moment. Supported by more than 28 languages, both travelers and locals browsing TripAdvisor can be sure they are always able to find the perfect restaurant, whether at home or on-the-go."

Restaurant Advertising Made Simple
TripAdvisor Ads for restaurants work on a cost-per-click basis, making it easy to sign up and run. A restaurant owner just needs to set a monthly spending limit prior to activating their advertisement. At the end of each month, subscribers are only charged for the number of clicks received on their ad, up to the maximum budget they selected. Owners have no long-term risk and can cancel at any time.

Beginning today, all registered restaurant owners on TripAdvisor can sign up for TripAdvisor Ads by visiting www.TripAdvisor.com/AdsManager or by logging on to the Management Center.

About TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor, the world's largest travel site*, enables travelers to unleash the full potential of every trip. With more than 535 million reviews and opinions covering the world's largest selection of travel listings worldwide -- over 7 million accommodations, airlines, attractions, and restaurants -- TripAdvisor provides travelers with the wisdom of the crowds to help them decide where to stay, how to fly, what to do and where to eat. TripAdvisor also compares prices from more than 200 hotel booking sites so travelers can find the lowest price on the hotel that's right for them. TripAdvisor-branded sites are available in 49 markets, and are home to the world's largest travel community of 415 million average unique monthly visitors,** all looking to get the most out of every trip. TripAdvisor: Know better. Book better. Go better.

The subsidiaries and affiliates of TripAdvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ:TRIP) own and operate a portfolio of websites under 20 other travel media brands:www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.citymaps.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.thefork.com (including www.lafourchette.com, www.eltenedor.com, www.iens.nl and www.dimmi.com.au), www.gateguru.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.housetrip.com, www.jetsetter.com, www.niumba.com, www.onetime.com, www.oyster.com, www.seatguru.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.tingo.com, www.vacationhomerentals.com and www.viator.com.

*Source: comScore Media Metrix for TripAdvisor Sites, worldwide, May 2017
**Source: TripAdvisor log files, Q1 2017

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¹ National Restaurant Association - Facts at a Glance: http://www.restaurant.org/News-Research/Research/Facts-at-a-Glance; Restaurant Marketing Labs, "Restaurant Marketing Budget Recommendations for 2016:
http://www.restaurantmarketinglabs.com/restaurant-marketing-budget-recommendations-for-2016/

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SOURCE TripAdvisor