Google Things to Do Moving into Search Terms?
Beyond Point of Interest Searches
Google continues to experiment with how Things to Do content appears in search results. The program is expanding beyond its original scope of point-of-interest searches into broader, activity-related queries.
This is a significant shift. Previously, you'd only see Things to Do listings when searching for a specific attraction or landmark. Now, they're appearing for general activity searches too.
The Real Estate Impact
When Things to Do listings combine with paid carousel advertisements, they can claim an estimated 30-50% of the top real estate on a search results page. Once operator booking modules are fully integrated, this percentage could climb even higher.
For operators, this represents a massive visibility opportunity - and for OTAs, a growing competitive threat from Google itself.
Search Term Expansion
The feature is now appearing in searches for location-based activity types. Queries like:
- "New York bus tours"
- "San Francisco walking tours"
- "London food tours"
These searches are beginning to trigger a "Popular Tours" section that pulls directly from Things to Do data. This is different from the POI-based listings - it's activity-category-based, capturing a much broader range of search intent.
What This Means for Operators
If Google continues expanding Things to Do into general activity searches, operators who are already listed will have a significant first-mover advantage. Their products will appear in more search contexts, reaching more potential customers at more points in the booking journey.
Operator Booking Modules in Search
The integration of operator booking modules directly into Google Business Profiles is expected to further amplify this visibility. When combined with the expanded search term coverage, operators will have unprecedented direct access to travelers through Google.
The Bottom Line
Now is the time to ensure your products are properly connected to Google Things to Do. As Google expands the program's reach into more search contexts, early participants stand to gain the most visibility.