In late September 2025, Google quietly rolled out a change that’s reshaping how SEO performance is measured and achieved. Known as the “10-Result Update,” this change limits search result pages to roughly ten organic listings, removing the ability to view or track deeper rankings using the old &num=100 parameter. It may sound like a small technical adjustment, but for hotels, the implications are significant.
NB: This is an article from ARO Digital
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What Changed
Until recently, marketers and SEO tools could request up to 100 search results per page for analysis or rank tracking. Google’s new limitation now caps this at about 10 results per page, aligning with the traditional “first page” view users see.
The update, first observed in late September 2025 and confirmed across SEO industry publications in early October, has affected everything from keyword tracking to impression data in Google Search Console.
For hotels, this means the battle for organic visibility just became harder.
Why It Matters for Hotels
Hotels have always competed in some of the most crowded search spaces online e.g. from “luxury hotels in Dublin” to “family resort Algarve.” Now, with only ten results visible per page, being on page two or three carries even less value.
Here’s what that means in practice:
- Less visibility for keywords ranking beyond the top 10.
- Disrupted SEO reporting, as rank-tracking tools and Search Console metrics shift.
- Greater pressure to hold or reach top positions for destination-based searches.
- More importance on conversion once a visitor lands on your site because fewer will get that chance.
How to Adapt Your Hotel SEO Strategy
Here’s how hotels can respond effectively to the new search reality.
- Focus on High-Value Keywords
- Review your keyword list and identify the top 20–30 phrases that truly drive bookings or brand visibility – think “5-star hotel Galway city centre” or “boutique spa hotel in Lisbon.”
- Use those insights to strengthen your most important landing pages, rather than spreading your efforts across dozens of lower-impact terms.
- Tip: If your hotel ranks in positions 11–20 for key queries, invest in on-page optimisation, internal linking and backlinks to push those pages into the top 10
- Optimise for Destination + Experience
- Search intent is shifting toward “experience-driven” travel. Combine destination SEO with what makes your property unique e.g., “eco-friendly luxury hotel in Connemara” or “seafront resort with spa on the Algarve.”
- Ensure your meta titles, headers, and on-page content reflect both location and experience keywords.
