Google Surpasses Expedia and 14 Other Digital Trends This Week

Every week we post hundreds of stories across various sectors in travel, connecting the dots across various global trends, and in these weekend posts we highlight the stories that tackle these trends. This one looks at top digital trends.

For all of our trends roundups, go here.

>>With Snapchat’s move towards becoming advertiser-friendly, it may be an opportunity for the travel industry to adapt to the new content-heavy platform: Snapchat Wants to Be More Ad-Friendly to Travel Brands

>>Can Kaufer really change consumer behavior and turn hotel review readers into bookers on TripAdvisor? Video: TripAdvisor CEO Is Committed to Instant Booking and Long-Term Growth

>>The future of the world is in cities and these startups want to play a part in that: 5 New Travel Startups Creating Common Sense Solutions for Navigating Cities

>>Google, which already has one of the largest travel businesses in the world, would be foolhardy to shoot its advertising business in the foot to become an online travel agency: Google’s Travel Business Is Already Twice the Size of Expedia’s

>>While Skyscanner mulls an IPO and other European travel companies and startups attracted venture capital funding in 2016, things might be trending downward: Skyscanner Leads Europe’s Record Year for Venture Capital Funding in Travel

>>New heavy-content social networks are beloved among the younger generation: Understanding Instagram and Snapchat User Demographics

>>The service’s inability to respond to queries about your existing travel itineraries is a huge missed opportunity: Google’s New Artificial Intelligence Assistant Doesn’t Know Much About Your Next Trip

>>Direct booking is not really a war where one side must lose: Can Direct-Booking Campaigns End Up With Both Sides Declaring Victory?

>>CMOs still don’t have any really good platforms to track the entire attendee journey: Event Technology Impacts Every Aspect of Meetings But Needs Wider Adoption

>>Booking.com’s pay-at-the-hotel system meshes much better with Southwest’s flexible fare structure than did Orbitz’s preponderous hotel bookings requiring prepayment: Booking.com Powers Hotels for Southwest, Its First U.S. Airline

>>Competing against business listings from companies like Google and TripAdvisor has taken its toll on Yelp: Yelp Gives Up on International Growth, Layoffs Probable

>>Facebook’s backstory on how it became mobile-first ahead of the pack is worth knowing: Video: How Facebook Became a Role Model for Mobile-First Companies

>>Restaurants and other in-destination experiences for locals and travelers will play an increasingly important role in TripAdvisor’s future: TripAdvisor Leads Funding of Social Dining Service EatWith

>>Learn how to take your email marketing to the next level in our first live webinar on Nov 22: Launching SkiftEDU Premium Webinars: Insights In An Hour From Industry Experts

>>Whether we’re discussing Instagram or conversational “chat bots,” more travel brands seem to be experimenting with ways to make online commerce more social. The question is, do consumers want that too? Travel’s Social Commerce Future — Digital Marketing News This Week