🌞 It's not easy to make your way under the sun in the Google universe for a hotel. Between rules of the game that the Mountain View giant is constantly changing and OTAs with unequalled firepower, hoteliers are struggling to make themselves visible on the world's No. 1 search engine. However, nearly 90% of Internet users only consult the top ten results. So, how do you act to establish yourself on the web? Here are three unstoppable methods.
Method 1: Exploit the full potential of a hotel's Google Business Profile
🤔 Let's start by recalling what Google Business Profile is for a hotel? This is the establishment sheet that appears when you search on Google Search, Maps or Travel. Note in passing that Google Business Profile is the ex-Google My Business (and yes, its name changed in 2021!)
📝 Complete all fields
Services, equipment, health and safety policies... nothing should be forgotten. Highlight your strengths by indicating the main characteristics of your offer. They appear as colored icons next to your services. Make a difference by communicating about your commitments for the planet. Check back regularly to see if Google has added new features.
📷 Publish your best photos
Don't let travelers take control of your visual identity. No longer keep your best photos for your website. Post them on Google. Vacationers are more likely to see them here than on your own communication media.
💬 Collect customer ratings and reviews
Encourage your customers to post reviews on this platform and also remember to moderate them. How? All the answers are in our article on Hotel customer reviews in 3 questions.
The undoubted advantages of the free Google booking link
The war between Google and OTAs to become the largest online travel agency is for once profitable for hoteliers. Since 2022, you have the possibility to add a free reservation link if you have a Google Business Profile and an own online reservation solution (and not that of Booking for example).
Thanks to this link, a traveller can compare the rates of several tourist accommodations in the blink of an eye and directly access the hotel's reservation system. A great showcase to gain organic traffic at no cost and increase your direct sales.
From your Google Hotel Center account, you also have access to metrics and reports on your audience. A gold mine to improve your hotel service!
⚠️ This feature is not a replacement for Google Hotel Ads. You won't be able to show your entire price list or promotional offers.
Method 2: Boost the SEO score of your website
What is the point of having an ultra-designer website if it is not known to search engines? It's like having a 5 star hotel on the moon. 🌙 You can count your customers on the fingers of one hand.
Betting on natural referencing — the famous SEO — should be your priority. It is based on 3 pillars: technique, content and Netlinking. Let's get to the first two points already.
Technique: 1st pillar of a well-optimized hotel site
We see you coming... Getting your hands dirty on your website makes you uncomfortable. And that is quite normal. The best solution is to hire a web developer.
In the meantime, you can check a few things that could impact your position: is your website adapted to all screen sizes? Is the loading speed of your pages less than 3 seconds? Do your images weigh more than 200 KB? Are your hyperlinks functional?
💡 Numerous free online tools exist to identify the main areas for improvement.
Content: 2nd pillar of a well-positioned hotel site
Having an excellent level in French is not enough to perform on the web. Your texts should make you want to click on the “book” button, but also please Google (and these mysterious algorithms!).
We share some best practices with you.
- Look for keywords likely to be entered by your target and integrate them naturally into your content (texts, titles, images, links). Be careful not to abuse it. Keyword stuffing is now penalized by Google.
- Write quality texts with high added value for your audience. Exit the uninteresting pavements!
- Structure your pages with properly tagged titles and subtitles.
- Update your site and regularly enrich it with new content such as blog posts.
- Include internal links. You help robots and Internet users navigate your site.
🔎 Focus on the importance of location-based content : it is not enough to add the name of your city or region to each paragraph. You have every interest in broadening the lexical and semantic field linked to your destination. Take the example of a hotel in Antibes. Referring to Marineland is obvious. But it is just as important to mention the Baie des Anges, the Pissaladière, the Nuits Carrés festival or to also include questions frequently asked by Internet users (What to do in Antibes with the family? — Why go to Antibes?).
Method 3: Building Successful Partnerships
In the previous method, we mention the Netlinking as the 3rd pillar of SEO. Also known as Backlinks, the Netlinking is a technique that consists of obtaining quality links from other websites that point to yours.
Being well referenced is also a matter of links 🔗, therefore partnerships 🤝, but not just any one!
- Register on online booking platforms (Booking, Expedia...): they devote a significant budget to advertising campaigns on Google and often appear in the TOP 3 of Google results.
- Develop your ecosystem and share your content on social networks. If it is useful and interesting, it could be relayed by others, thus generating audience to your site.
- List your establishment on serious directories and guides: review platforms (Tripadvisor) or Metasearch (Kayak, Trivago), tourist guides (Le Routard, Le Petit Futé), destination management organizations (tourist offices, departmental and regional tourism committees).
- Reach out to bloggers or content creators to write an article about your business.
- Reach out to local businesses like restaurants, tourist attractions, etc. They may be inclined to recommend you on their website.
- Take care of your public relations: participate in local events, fairs, and charitable activities to be mentioned on news sites.
Note that quality takes precedence over quantity when it comes to Netlinking. An ethical and authentic approach is essential for building a solid online reputation.
💡 Finally, a tip: stay on the lookout for changes in search engines and check your positioning regularly. You can be 1st one day and 10th the next day! The Google Search Console tool will be a great help for this.
▶️ After increasing your direct sales thanks to these effective methods, continue to boost your turnover by promoting your extras. GetWelcom offers you a simple and user-friendly upselling solution to discover quickly!
