Organic traffic to your website is considered the gold dust of digital interactions. While the term might sound fancy, it refers to a visit to your website or app by somebody who has searched and found it by using a search engine like Google or Bing.
When it comes to accommodation businesses, people who visit your website in this way are actively seeking a place to stay, making them likely to book your accommodation if they like what they see.
After a deep dive into data for the websites we managed for accommodation businesses in 2024, we found that just over half of the visits came from organic traffic. That’s well above the travel and hospitality industry average of 31% – a result we’re proud of. Organic traffic doesn’t involve paid advertising, but it does require an investment in effort to
ensure your website’s online presence is powerful enough to pull in the traffic you’re angling for.
In this month’s article, we explain why organic traffic matters and how to boost the number of people finding your website via organic search.
Our data reveals that organic traffic not only makes up the lion’s share of visits to the websites we manage, but the people arriving in this way are 23% more likely than other visitors to view photos, check room availability, make a booking or submit an enquiry.
These are the visitors you really want because they are more likely than others – including those arriving at your site by clicking a link from another website or arriving via paid advertising – to interact deeply and to make a booking to stay at your accommodation.
Out of the 290,838 total number of visits to the websites we managed in the year to November 2024, the number of new users was 224,620 – a whopping 77%. Organic traffic brought in a significant portion of these new users, helping to make potential guests aware of accommodation offerings and creating opportunities for them to book.
According to the 2024 Organic Search Traffic Benchmarks Report, organic traffic makes up 31% of website activity in the travel and hospitality sector, while organic traffic for websites Seekom manages sits at a significantly higher 50.4%.
This is a result we are thrilled with – by funnelling unpaid, high-intent traffic to client websites, we can be sure we are delivering real value to their businesses.
Our approach to improving website search results focuses on key areas that help businesses show up more often when people search online. If you manage an accommodation website, there’s no reason why you can’t use the same techniques to your advantage.
We write helpful, interesting content that relates to what people are searching for. This means when someone looks for information about travel, accommodation, or services, the content is easy to find and appears in the right place.
We design websites that are simple to navigate, work well on phones and tablets, and help search engines understand how everything connects. Think of it like creating clear road signs that guide both customers and search engines smoothly through your website.
We make sure websites load quickly, have clean and professional behind-the-scenes coding, and are set up in a way that search engines like Google or Bing can easily read and understand. Slow load speeds, messy code or poor website architecture can result in a website appearing lower down in the search results – often outside of the first page – which makes finding it more difficult. There are some important online tools you can use to achieve this including schema markup, Google Business Profile and similar platforms.
Imagine giving search engines a cheat sheet about your business. Schema markup is like that – it helps search engines show interesting and relevant information about your property when people search online. Instead of just seeing a boring website link, potential guests can see your business name, photos, ratings, or special offers in their search results, making people more likely to click on your listing. We’ve previously written about the value of schema markup in our blog – have a read if you want to harness it for your website.
We use several online tools to help people find your business more easily including, Google Business Profile, Bing Places, Webmaster Tools and IndexNow. These platforms help us share your website and information across the internet, making sure you show up prominently in search results, including local ones.
When someone types "affordable motels near me" into Google or Bing, the page of results they see is a search engine results page (SERP). The higher your business appears on this page, the more likely people are to notice you and have a closer look at your accommodation offerings. It’s like having a well-presented shop in a prime location on the main road of a city – everyone’s going to notice you.
By focusing on the actions mentioned above for the websites we manage for accommodation providers, we help them show up more often in search results, thereby nurturing organic growth to attract more potential customers, and boost their business through online bookings.
If you’re thinking that doing all this yourself sounds a bit too technical, why not let us handle the heavy lifting? Our team offers tailored strategies that combine content, structural, and technical expertise to drive organic traffic to your website and lift online engagement.
A growing number of accommodation businesses around the world trust us to take care of their websites with fully-managed search-engine-optimisation plans. Find out how you can too by contacting us today. We’d love to help.
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Phone (NZ) : +64 4 974 9588
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Owner and manager: Fizz Hunter-Weston
After using Seekom to run unique Central Otago motel Clyde Central for over four-and-a-half years, owner and manager Fizz Hunter-Weston says she can’t believe she only started using SeekomPay six weeks ago.
“It’s absolutely brilliant – we just wish we started using it earlier.”
Before upgrading to SeekomPay, Fizz and her team had to manage all their payment card transactions manually using Seekom’s vault.
“It’s all done instantly now,” she says.
SeekomPay saves Fizz more than 50 hours a year and links seamlessly into the Seekom booking system embedded in Clyde Central’s website, with Xero integration also making the financial management of her accommodation easier.
Fizz enjoys the freedom of not having to be on-site to handle her business.
“SeekomPay allows me to run my accommodation from anywhere – I don’t need anyone to be on-site to take payments.”
She says SeekomPay fits right in with her innovative approach to business, with Clyde Central excelling at catering for two niche demographics – dog lovers and cycling enthusiasts – in addition to travellers who are just looking for an outstanding place to stay.
The motel offers popular "dog retreats" and a “Gravel Riders Bash” plus bike hire and e-bike charging. It also contains a mini bike shop as well as bike storage and a bike cleaning and maintenance station.
“It’s not like a traditional hotel or motel, it’s a cool little boutique place.”
Clyde Central is located an hour’s drive from Wanaka and Queenstown and two-and-a-half hours’ drive from Invercargill and Dunedin, attracting cycling enthusiasts looking for a change of scene and the prospect of cruising some of New Zealand’s most epic cycle trails.
Nestling at the start of four of New Zealand’s Great Rides – Otago Central Rail Trail, Lake Dunstan Trail, Roxburgh Gorge Trail and Clutha Gold Trail – Fizz’s establishment lives up to its name of being central in more ways than one, she says.
“Lots of guests come to do the rail trails, and the river and lake are right next door too. We have a nice outdoor area with a fire that guests like to sit around to roast marshmallows or just chat and enjoy a drink in the evening.”
Clyde Central’s eight units range from one to three bedrooms and are like small apartments with cooking facilities, designed to allow guests to be self-sufficient if they want to be, she says.
Fizz says when she bought Clyde Central in 2020 it was easy to decide on Seekom’s property management software.
“I looked at just about every system available and I chose Seekom because it ticked the most boxes.”
Fizz says she loves Seekom’s automated SMS and email guest-messaging functionality that she uses to keep guests informed about key details, especially as the communication options support the self-check-in process and offer her the flexibility to operate off-site.
After a quiet winter period Fizz says summer at Clyde Central is hotting up with strong booking numbers and a waiting list for the next dog retreat, after the last one sold out.
Now she’s got all her financial ducks in a row with SeekomPay, Fizz is ready to get all the dogs and bikes in a row and take care of business for the peak season.
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.
One of our amazing business development managers will be in touch to showcase our product to you and talk you through how we can help grow your business.
Our fully scalable Property Management System can provide you the tools and integrations you need to scale and grow your business year round. With the added functionality of a fully integrated channel manager, connect your property or properties to as many channels as you'd like.
Smarts to help you operate more effectively and efficiently. From guides of our systems and integrations to tips and tricks you can use every day - we've got you covered.
Contact Us
PO Box 9300, Marion Square, Wellington 6141
Phone (NZ) : +64 4 974 9588
Phone (UK) : +44 20 3835 5939
Support: support@seekom.com
Websites: webhelp@seekom.com
Copyright 2024 © Seekom Limited (NZ owned)
At Seekom we’re on a constant mission to make your life easier. That’s why we’ve collated a host of key dates for 2025 that offer you the chance to run a promotion, offer a special deal, create a themed event to delight your guests, or simply be ready to take advantage of an auspicious day or holiday period. Knowledge is power!
From worldwide days of significance that sneak up on you, to Australian and New Zealand public holidays and quirky internationally recognised days that you could leverage to engage your guests, we’ve put them together in a handy calendar.
While some of the world has slowed down over the new year period, get ahead of your competitors by planning some promotional offers to tie in with public holidays or the Chinese New Year.
Why not share the love by setting up a special offer for a couples’ get away on Valentines Day, or target savvy Kiwis looking to use the Thursday of Waitangi Day in 2025 to enjoy an extra-long weekend with a discount for a longer stay.
March provides some ideal opportunities to create some drinks specials if you’ve got a bar or restaurant at your accommodation. Or you could celebrate International Woman’s Day with a special discount on your rates or services for your female guests.
April is a golden opportunity to cash in on the school holidays or public holidays like ANZAC Day in Australasia and the extra-long Easter weekend where you could keep your younger guests entertained with Easter-games and egg hunts. If you’re planning to break a few eggs and promote some brunch specials at your accommodation’s café or restaurant, National Brunch Month means it’s an ideal time all April long.
May is a great time to put your creative ‘force’ to good use, from Star Wars-themed events to offering Mums a free bonus offering. Alternatively May is a great opportunity to highlight your support of the rainbow community using your social media.
If you’re looking for an excuse to ramp up your accommodation’s social media game, there’s no better time than in the month that contains World Social Media Day! Make the most of the opportunity to celebrate the Australasian public holidays relevant to your location and lure in guests looking to make the most of the long weekends available to them.
There’s not that much going on in the way of globally-recognised occasions in July, so it might be a good time to take stock, have a breather, and plan for the rest of the year. You could however rustle up some American-style food and lay on some food and drinks specials at your accommodation’s bar or restaurant for American Independence Day. Maybe even hold a fun chess tournament at your campsite if you’ve got an outdoor chess set.
August is also a bit of a dry month in the international days of significance stakes, but don’t let that stop your hotel bar hosting a beer-tasting session or crafting some beer specials to draw in your guests on the first of August.
This month gets a bit livelier. Gear up for the school-holiday period if you’re in New Zealand, tie in some Father’s Day promotions or arrange some excursions to local experiences on World Tourism Day to help your guests get the most out of their stay.
As the weather starts to warm up in the Southern Hemisphere, October offers a range of opportunities to engage your guests plus a smattering of public holidays to take advantage of. From International Coffee Day to the spooky celebrations of Halloween, there are plenty of reasons to get creative with your promotional offerings.
The lead up to the holiday season kicks off in November. Take advantage of increased travel demand and plan some fun competitions around the Melbourne Cup. To support the men’s mental health cause, you might want to offer a special gift to any customer growing a ‘mo’ for Movember.
December brings the peak summer season and holiday festivities to Australasia – presenting a gift to accommodation providers and making it your time to shine.
Whether it's offering Christmas lunch packages, organising festive activities for families, or promoting special New Year's Eve deals, it's time to showcase your accommodation's unique offerings and position it as the ideal seasonal getaway to maximise your bookings.
Last but not least, let’s not forget the school holidays, which can be a goldmine for accommodation providers offering fantastic family-friendly get-aways. Australian school holiday dates vary by state, while New Zealand school holiday dates are more straightforward.
Smarts to help you operate more effectively and efficiently. From guides of our systems and integrations to tips and tricks you can use every day - we've got you covered.
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PO Box 9300, Marion Square, Wellington 6141
Phone (NZ) : +64 4 974 9588
Phone (UK) : +44 20 3835 5939
Support: support@seekom.com
Websites: webhelp@seekom.com
Copyright 2024 © Seekom Limited (NZ owned)
Seekom users can now manage promotional codes and make it easy for guests to use them when making online bookings at their accommodation, thanks to a recent update that re-introduces the feature alongside some other small but helpful improvements.
These changes are designed to support marketing efforts and make management of last-minute bookings simpler.
We’ve added the promo code feature back to our new online booking screens, making it simple for you to allow guests to enter a discount code you have made available as part of a special offer.
This could be used to support an advertising campaign or promotional offer, or harnessed to offer a discounted rate for returning guests when they use the promo code for their next booking with you.
To set up a promo code check out our promo code help guide. Once set up, you can make the code live on your booking screens by visiting the Website Booking Templates screen in Seekom iBox, selecting General Fields, and then Other Options.
Last, but not least, we have given you finer control over the after-hours cut-off time you can set in our system for your property’s needs.
The after-hours cut-off time is an optional setting that can be used to automatically change the selling method of any remaining available units at your accommodation to 'on request.' Any online bookings made after a ‘cut off time’ you set will be processed as a request, rather than instantly accepted, allowing you to either confirm or reject the booking.
Our latest update allows you to select a cut-off time in any 15-minute block, rather than on the hour, as was previously the case.
By setting a cut-off time in Seekom that is slightly ahead of when your office closes, you can avoid situations where a customer booking on the day of their stay starts their booking online shortly before the cut-off time but finishes it afterwards, resulting in their booking being instantly confirmed after your office closes and them turning up with no one to check them in.
Please have a read through our help guide on how to set the after-hours cut off.
Smarts to help you operate more effectively and efficiently. From guides of our systems and integrations to tips and tricks you can use every day - we've got you covered.
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Contact Us
PO Box 9300, Marion Square, Wellington 6141
Phone (NZ) : +64 4 974 9588
Phone (UK) : +44 20 3835 5939
Support: support@seekom.com
Websites: webhelp@seekom.com
Copyright 2024 © Seekom Limited (NZ owned)
According to global SMS messaging company Modica Group, there are now more than 7 billion phones in the world, 91% of adults keep their phones within arm’s reach at all times, and 98% of SMS messages are opened in the first three minutes.
That’s a whole lot of reasons to consider using more SMS messaging to improve the guest experience and make life easier for staff at your accommodation business.
From before guests arrive to after they leave, our recent Seekom SMS upgrade can help ensure their experience is the very best possible.
Not only that, but it can save staff time and increase your business’ revenue by making guests aware of all the additional free and paid services you can offer.
Here are just a few ways you can harness Seekom’s new SMS messaging at your place.
First impressions matter. So why not send guests a friendly “We’re looking forward to having you stay with us” message, accompanied by some of the highlights of your local area, or accommodation, to whet their appetite and get them excited about their upcoming visit
For guests arriving outside of regular hours, automated text messages sent a day or so prior to their arrival can guide them through where to park and after-hours check-in processes, reducing stress and informing them of your normal reception hours.
Additionally, confirming contactless check-in services via text may be convenient for some of your guests, while also reducing reliance on your staff to complete the check-in process.
From an upsell perspective, a day or two before your guests arrive could be the ideal time to dangle the carrot of an enticing room upgrade.
Consider continuing the smooth flow of information with a welcome text on the day of arrival coupled with those essential Wi-Fi details to set a positive tone for your guests’ stay and make them feel appreciated.
If there are any ongoing nearby roadworks or impending weather issues, a group SMS to all guests staying with you to pass on helpful logistics or safety information can go a long way. Proactive communication helps guests adjust their plans and avoid potential inconveniences, demonstrating your commitment to their comfort and safety.
You might also take advantage of the new SMS messaging feature to advertise all the upsell options you offer – your guests need to be aware of them to take advantage of them. For example, you might set up an automated text message to all guests staying with you alerting them to gear hire opportunities or offering them the option to extend their stay with a late check-out for an additional fee.
Lastly, informing guests about local attractions, events and seasonal activities is another way you can add value, positioning you as an insider resource for guests looking to get the most out of their stay with you.
When guests check out, it need not be the final goodbye. Why not use Seekom’s text system to request online feedback or a review to gather valuable insights and boost your online reputation? You could also encourage guests to follow your property’s page on social media or share favourite photos from their stay.
A charmingly crafted thank-you text can leave a lasting positive impression that may increase the likelihood of repeat bookings. Additionally, you could boost repeat business by offering a discount on a guest’s next booking to incentivise their return and build loyalty.
These are just a few of the many ways you can make the most of our new SMS functionality to enhance your guests’ experience, drive additional revenue through upselling, and distinguish your property as a customer-centric destination that goes above and beyond to ensure guest satisfaction.
The great thing about text messages is that the vast majority of people receive and read them almost immediately. And once you set the wheels in motion, the automated messaging takes care of itself – saving you time. The power is now in your hands.
To start making the most of automated and group SMS messaging, make sure to read our SMS upgrade help guide. Our support team is happy to assist you in getting things set up.
Smarts to help you operate more effectively and efficiently. From guides of our systems and integrations to tips and tricks you can use every day - we've got you covered.
Sign Up For Updates
Contact Us
PO Box 9300, Marion Square, Wellington 6141
Phone (NZ) : +64 4 974 9588
Phone (UK) : +44 20 3835 5939
Support: support@seekom.com
Websites: webhelp@seekom.com
Copyright 2024 © Seekom Limited (NZ owned)