Most SEO agencies shy away from discussing a critical aspect of SEO for hotels – namely, the fierce competition for top-of-funnel keywords in sought-after destinations. For a small independent hotel, it might take months or even years to gain significant rankings. Even then, these rankings may not really translate to bookings as users of high-level research / inspiration keywords, might be months away from a transaction.
For independent hotels to achieve meaningful results from their SEO efforts, it’s imperative to adopt a strategic approach to keyword selection. The core principles of selecting keywords have remained consistent over the last decade; pick your keywords based on relevance, search volume and competition.
Before we deep dive into keyword selection, a brief overview of what these fundamentals mean:
Relevance is a two-part conversation.
1. Search Term Intent and funnel mapping – Search engines try to understand what a user actually wants when they use a specific search term. Algorithms then try to categorize this intent as informational, navigational, commercial, or transactional.
2. Who are you? – Are you an expert, are you an authority and are you a trustworthy source of content relating to this specific search term and user intent category?
The answers to these questions are key in convincing a search engine to rank your web page.
Search volume literally translates to how many searches on average per month, from a given location. Most hotel owners are automatically tempted to go for the keywords with the highest number of searches. Typically, the higher the search volume, the higher the likelihood of competition.
How many other websites of repute are competing for a keyword, what is the average domain authority like, and does it seem like a battle that you could win, are the questions to mull over.
Search engines will use 200+ ranking signals to determine who is the ‘most relevant’ for a given search term, listing websites in order of most relevant to least on SERPs.
Bearing the above principles in mind, consider the following scenario to illustrate the challenge of keyword competition and selection: Imagine you are a potential traveler conducting research on a destination. You use the search term “hotels in [City Name].”
From the perspective of a user, there’s a decision to be made regarding the type of search results that would be most beneficial. Would you prefer to navigate through individual hotel listings on Google Search, requiring you to click on each one to check rates and availability? Or would it be more convenient to visit a platform like Expedia or Booking.com, where a comprehensive list of properties, complete with rates, is available and can be filtered according to your preferences?
The likelihood is that most users would opt for the latter option, favoring listing sites that provide real-time rates and availability. This preference is reflected in the composition of Google Search results for such keywords, which are predominantly occupied by Online Travel Agencies (OTAs), destination marketing organizations, government websites, and tourism entities.
As an independent hotel, you could struggle for months to appear for a keyword like this, with little result.
Standing out in a sea of online hotel listings can feel like finding a hidden beach on a packed coastline. Here are our recommendations for crafting a results-driven SEO strategy for your hotel.
Start Broad, Refine Narrow: Begin your keyword research with foundational keywords like “[city name] hotels” or “[region name] accommodation to understand search volume, number of keywords and overall market size. From there, start to drill-down to identify less competitive keywords that might have decent enough search volume.
Go beyond the city level by targeting specific neighborhoods or landmarks near your hotel. Consider “boutique hotels in [trendy district]” or “romantic escapes near [historical landmark].”
Pro-Tip – We had a hotel client who was quite close to a large corporate office. By creating a dedicated landing page and offer targeting the keyword ‘hotel near
Does your hotel boast a unique selling point (USP)? Incorporate keywords related to your USP. For example, “pet-friendly hotels with in [city/district]” or “luxury spa retreats near [national park].”
Travelers progress through a decision-making journey. Initially, they focus on broad keywords with high search volume. As they get closer to booking, they target long-tail keywords with lower competition but higher conversion potential. Instead of just “hotels,” target “romantic weekend getaways for couples in
Identify popular events, festivals, or activities in your area. Target keywords related to these happenings. For example, if a music festival is coming up, target “hotels near [festival name]” or “accommodation for music lovers in [city].”
Package the Experience: Create targeted landing pages highlighting your hotel’s proximity to local events. Offer special packages combining accommodation with event tickets or activity bookings.
Canvas guest reviews that mention specific keywords and use the ‘add an update’ function to upload keyword rich captions. This can be a great way to get location specific keyword rankings via your business listing.
Use online tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to find leading hotels in your area that are already appearing on search. Analyze their websites to see which keywords they target and their current domain authority and page authority of ranking pages. While not an exact indicator, it may give you an idea of your ability to complete.
The skyscraper method simply is an effort to build a better page identifying their gaps, to try ‘replace’ their ranking. We use this method cautiously, if our client has a better domain authority.
For a hotel, your page count might be quite static. But a blog is a great way to keep adding content. We suggest using blogging to target low volume, very specific intent longtail keywords. Keywords such as “Honeymoon suites with private balconies in
While following these recommendations, do keep in mind general best practices; quality over quantity and regular checks and updates as keyword trends shift over time.