Latest report reveals why your hotel needs SEO more than ever

In the ever-evolving digital landscape, staying ahead of the curve is crucial, especially for accommodation and hotel owners. If you’re one of them, we’ve got some exciting news for you. A recent report has shed light on the significant role of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) in driving hotel bookings, even amidst the challenging COVID-19 era.

SEO: The Secret Weapon for the Hotel Industry During the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has undeniably shaken the hotel industry. However, some businesses managed to thrive, and the secret to their resilience lies in effective hotel SEO strategies. A recent study examined the SEO techniques applied on the websites of 309 top-listed Greek hotels during the pandemic. The results? A clear demonstration of how SEO techniques significantly impacted the amount of traffic these hotel websites received.

Key takeaways from the study

Read on to find out some insights that could boost your hotel and accommodation business’ online presence.

1. Key SEO Techniques Used by Successful Hotels

Most hotel websites are making use of basic SEO techniques such as SEO-friendly URLs, SSL certificates, title tags, and H1 tags.

• SEO-friendly URLs: These are URLs that are easy to read and include words that describe the content of the webpage. They help both visitors and search engines understand what the page is about.
• SSL certificates: These are used to secure the connection between the website and the visitor, which can help improve the website’s ranking in search engine results.
• Title tags: These are HTML elements that specify the title of a web page. They are displayed on search engine results pages as the clickable headline for a given result. Title tags are especially important for usability, SEO, and social sharing.
• H1 tags: This is the main heading of a page, often the same as the title, but not necessarily. It is important for SEO because search engines consider the words in H1 tags as an important signal of the page content.

2. Untapped SEO Potential for Hotels: AMP and Sitemap Techniques

Interestingly, none of the examined hotel websites utilised AMP and Sitemap SEO techniques, even though Google recommends them. This suggests an untapped potential for further optimising your hotel website and driving even more traffic.

3. WordPress-based hotel websites do not present more organic traffic than other websites

Simply using a popular content management system like WordPress does not guarantee higher organic traffic. Similarly, using the Yoast SEO plugin does not necessarily result in more organic traffic. This implies that other factors, such as the quality of content and the specific hotel SEO strategies used, may be more important for driving traffic.

4. The Power of Backlinks and Domain Authority in Hotel SEO

There is a strong correlation between backlinks and domain authority observed in the study.

An increase in backlinks by one unit results in an increase in web traffic of 0.020 visitors per month. When the beta value of keywords is increased by one unit, the hotels’ web traffic increases by 0.224 visitors per month.

This means that websites with more backlinks and the right keywords can be game-changers for your website’s visibility and traffic.

The study also found that the more keywords that have been used on the website, the more traffic it will get. This is a clear indication that high-quality backlinks and the right keywords can be game-changers for your website’s visibility and traffic.

5. The Role of Website Speed in Hotel SEO

Despite being mentioned as a critical SEO factor, website speed appears not to affect hotels’ web traffic. This is somewhat surprising as website speed is often considered a crucial factor in user experience and SEO. However, in this specific context of hotel websites, it seems that speed may not be as critical for attracting traffic as other factors.

SEO plays a vital role in boosting hotel bookings

While the study does not provide direct proof that increased web traffic leads to more bookings, it does suggest a strong correlation between the implementation of SEO techniques, increased web traffic, and the potential for increased bookings and sustainability for hotels.

As travel restrictions have been lifted and the world gradually returns to normal, the importance of hotel SEO in driving hotel bookings becomes even more pronounced.

Transform Your Hotel Business with SEO and Digital Marketing

Imagine this: your hotel, villa, or other accommodation business thriving with increased bookings, all thanks to the power of SEO. Picture your business not just surviving, but flourishing in the post-pandemic world. This isn’t just a dream – it can be your reality.

At Top4 Marketing, we’re not just offering you award-winning digital marketing services and end-to-end digital solutions. We’re offering you a chance to transform your business, to reach new heights of success. We use our proprietary technology to get you leads fast, but more than that, we offer you a partnership, a journey towards growth and prosperity.

So, are you ready to unlock the full potential of your business? Are you ready to see your bookings soar? Get in touch with us today and let’s turn that vision into reality. Your journey to more hotel bookings via SEO and digital marketing success starts here.