SEO doesn’t have to be hard. But finding the right keywords is a critical and often challenging part of this process.
NB: This is an article from Revinate
Choosing the right focus keywords is what makes or breaks most SEO strategies. Pick something too broad and you’ll get lost in the crowd. Pick something too specific, and you risk alienating prospective guests looking for your unique hotel experience.
To learn more, take a look at our SEO best practices.
3 types of keywords that can get your hotel’s website found faster
How do you rank in Google’s top 10 search results? Consistently create quality content that targets the right keywords and is useful for your audience.
Although there are many ways to choose your focus words, these three are the most effective:
- Long-tail keywords
- “Trending” keywords and current events
- Already-ranking keywords
Disclaimer: Google works to ensure that marketers can’t game their system. These keywords can help you make it onto page one of search results, but they’re not the whole solution.
1. Target Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are search terms or phrases that are more detailed and descriptive. They help you rank higher, faster because they’re more specific and have lower search volume.
It’s the difference between “golf club” and “left-handed titanium golf club”
While it’s possible to rank for shorter, more competitive keywords, it won’t happen overnight. Depending on your hotel’s offerings and your market competition, it could take months.
Long-tail keywords are especially useful for prospective guests who have very specific searches and will likely take action when they find it. It’s better to have 10 people on your site who are ready to book right now than 1,000 people who are only semi-interested.
How do you find long-tail keywords?
This requires research, but you can target the actual language your prospective guests use. This is an effective way to learn how they describe their needs and the words they would type into a search engine.
Study your online reviews. How are guests describing your services and amenities? How are people describing your competitors? This is where you can find your valuable long-tail keywords.
2. “Trending” Keywords
Another way to get your content ranking on Google is to be one of the first sources of information on a breaking topic or event, also known as Newsjacking. Newsjacking can be a hit or miss, but it can be helpful.
When you create content on trending topics, it’s more likely to show up at the top of Google’s News section or get picked up in Google’s organic rankings. Their algorithm is constantly searching for trending content and recently-updated pages.
If you can be one of the first to report on an event and your site ranks high organically, you may get a lot of referral traffic from articles that quote your piece as a source.
Again, this can be tricky. You won’t be the only one creating content on these topics. Inject your reporting with your own unique insights on the subject to stand out.
How do you find trending keywords/topics?
Beat the competition by being proactive and staying ahead of the game. Google Trends, Twitter Moments, and Facebook Trends are great sources for trending news. Keep in mind that you’ll be competing with other publications and that time is of the essence, so figure out which topics are top of mind for your guests.
3. Already-Ranking Keywords
If you’re already creating content for your hotel’s website, you have a big advantage. Chances are, you’re getting traffic and already ranking for keywords that you never even created content for.
Google Analytics can help you find these keywords. Look at the search queries in your analytics dashboard that have resulted in organic traffic. Make a list of the following items:
- Keywords relevant to your hotel’s amenities and services, but you haven’t created content for yet
- Keywords you’ve written about that still have the potential for more content
- Keywords that are like existing content, but you haven’t targeted them
Your new content will rank for these keywords, and your existing content with similar keywords will likely get a boost as well.
Time + Keywords = Traffic
SEO compounds over time. The sooner you start using the keywords your audience is using to search for a hotel, the better results you’ll get over time.
