If you own or manage a resort, you may already be aware of the importance of local search engine optimization (SEO) to attract more guests and increase bookings. OTA’s such as Hotels.com and Booking.com take large commissions from each booking. That’s why direct bookings are so important. Here are some tips to help you use local SEO to increase bookings for your resort:
Optimize your website for local search
Make sure your website is optimized for local search by including your resort’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) on every page of your website. This will help search engines like Google to understand that your business is local and help potential guests find you. It’s important to also use local business schema to help your site rank for local searches such as “St. Lucia resort” or “resorts in Nassau”.
Claim and optimize your Google My Business listing
Claiming and optimizing your Google My Business (GMB) listing is critical to your local SEO strategy. Make sure your GMB listing is complete, accurate, and up-to-date. Include your resort’s name, address, phone number, website, hours of operation, photos, and reviews. This can help your business show up in local searches in Google.
Get listed in local directories
Get your resort listed in local directories like Yelp, TripAdvisor, and other travel review websites. Make sure your listings are accurate, up-to-date, and include all the necessary information, such as your resort’s address, phone number, and website. Google will begin to learn and understand that your business is local as a result. This can be a tedious task, which is why services such Moz Local can assist, as they aggregate your business information to multiple sites.
Use local keywords
Use local keywords in your website content, blog posts, and other online marketing materials. This will help potential guests find your resort when they search for specific keywords related to your location. The meta data should make reference to your locale, which will help with SEO and click through rates. But make sure to do this in a natural, non-spammy way.
Generate local backlinks
Backlinks are links from other websites to your resort’s website. Getting high-quality backlinks from local websites can improve your local SEO and help potential guests find your resort. Consider partnering with local businesses, such as restaurants, attractions, and other businesses in your area, to generate local backlinks. Also, look at where your competitors have backlinks, and see which ones you might want to obtain.
Create local content
Create blog posts, videos, and other content that is focused on your local area. This can also include long form guides as well as practical info about your area. This will help potential guests learn more about your location and increase the chances that they will book a stay at your resort. Over time, this content will help your site rank for local searches in Google such as “Miami resort” or “hotel on South Beach”.
Encourage guest reviews
Encourage your guests to leave reviews on your Google My Business listing, TripAdvisor, and other travel review websites. Positive reviews can help improve your local SEO and attract more guests to your resort. Using email marketing, having a QR code to scan, or incentivizing guests can help increase the frequency and quantity of your reviews
Local SEO Strategies
By implementing these local SEO strategies, you can increase the visibility of your resort to potential guests and ultimately increase your bookings. It takes time, and effort, but these are proven tactics that will work for your resort.
