In today’s digital age, the success of accommodation businesses hinges significantly on their online presence.
Most travel planning and bookings occur online, making it crucial to stand out in search engine results.
At Seekom, we’ve curated essential search engine optimisation (SEO) best practices to enhance your website’s performance and visibility among prospective guests.
A non-negotiable for any successful website is clear, understandable language – it’s your digital handshake.
Beyond communicating clearly with the people browsing your website, you also need to make sure your site wins the favour of Google and other search engine algorithms to ensure it appears early in the results when someone is searching for accommodation in your area.
That’s where keywords come in – these are specific terms like “Nelson accommodation”, which potential guests might type into a search engine to find you.
Integrating keywords effectively into your website content is pivotal for improving SEO. This, combined with compelling headlines and subheadings that incorporate these keywords, will encourage visitors to explore your site.
Your website should serve as an inviting virtual tour of your property.
Utilise ‘H1’, ‘H2’, and ‘H3’ tags for headings on your website to organise your content clearly – H1 is used for main titles, H2 for section headings, and H3 for sub-sections.
This structured use of headings not only aids in streamlined navigation but also improves SEO by helping search engines understand the hierarchy and importance of the information on your pages.
Complement this layout with imagery that showcases your facilities, each accompanied by descriptive alternative text (usually added in the ‘alt text’ field for images in your content management system when you upload them). This alt text is a brief description that not only helps search engines understand the image content but also enhances accessibility for people using screen readers.
The effectiveness of ‘calls to action’ (CTAs) on your website cannot be overstated. Each page should guide visitors towards interacting with your services, either by making bookings or enquiring further.
Having enough useful content on your pages helps ensure they are useful and have adequate ‘content depth’ for Google and other search engines to rank them highly. Adequate content depth – typically around 800 to 1,000 characters per page – provides search engines with sufficient context to effectively determine the content of your site and display it in the search results for prospective visitors.
By incorporating clear communication and these SEO elements, you can create a website that's easy to find, engages and informs visitors, and reflects the unique qualities of your hospitality brand. In doing so, you will increase your chances of transforming casual browsers into booked guests.
Remember:
As we delve into how to optimise various pages of your site, remember that the key to effective SEO and a quality website is not just in the technical application of this advice, but also in maintaining a consistent tone and style that reflects your brand.
Regular updates and a focus on adding value for your visitors are crucial for keeping your content relevant and engaging.
Apply these principles diligently, and you'll see tangible improvements in how your site performs both in search rankings and user engagement.
Your ‘Homepage’ is your digital front door, setting the tone for your visitor’s experience. Here’s how to make it compelling:
This method efficiently highlights your accommodation's unique selling points – location, value, and personal touch. By including relevant keywords and crafting an inviting, user-friendly layout, it boosts SEO and engages potential guests. This approach addresses their main concerns: comfort, convenience, and a memorable experience.
Your ‘Booking page’ is where interest turns into action. To optimise it for higher conversions, consider the following:
This streamlined approach reduces booking obstacles, prompting guests to easily complete reservations. A clear, prominent CTA and detailed information about policies and benefits effectively address common concerns, boosting conversion chances.
Simplifying the booking process and highlighting benefits such as flexible policies and competitive rates enhances the user experience and encourages bookings.
Your 'Contact Us page’ is vital for establishing a connection with potential guests.
Here’s how to make it inviting and effective:
Providing various contact methods caters to diverse preferences, simplifying guest communication. Including a Google Map enhances local SEO and assists in location understanding, aiding guest decision-making. This approach transforms the 'Contact Us page’ into an effective tool for engaging guests and boosting bookings.
Your ‘Facilities page’ is where you highlight what makes your property special.
Here’s how to showcase them effectively:
Detailed descriptions alongside quality images effectively display your facilities, providing guests with a clear understanding of what’s offered. Emphasising
amenities like free Wi-Fi and breakfast differentiates you from rivals and influences traveller decisions. This method not only makes your ‘facilities page’ more engaging but also raises the potential for converting visits into bookings.
Your ‘Accommodation Options page’ is crucial for showcasing the variety and uniqueness of your offerings. Here’s how to optimise it:
Clear, detailed room descriptions help guests quickly identify their ideal choice, increasing booking chances. Using relevant keywords for room types and amenities improves SEO, attracting more organic traffic to the page.
Encourage guests to explore the area by highlighting local attractions:
Featuring local attractions not only improves the guest experience but also enhances local SEO. Using location-based keywords draws in guests interested in nearby attractions, leading to more booking prospects.
At Seekom, we specialise in boosting your online presence through bespoke SEO and optimal web design services tailored specifically for the accommodation and hospitality sector.
Whether you're enhancing an existing website or creating a new one from scratch, our expert team provides comprehensive support at every step.
Ready to elevate your website's performance? Contact us today to learn how our customised web design and management services can revolutionise your digital strategy, turning casual browsers into loyal guests.
Note: Something you may not know, is that we also build websites. Many of our customers have Seekom built, fully managed websites which we maintain, including SEO management. If you’re interested in finding out more about this, get in touch.
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