Online marketing and social media presence in online tourism are quickly taking over traditional strategies. However, now that the Internet is the primary source of information for travel planning, competition is tougher than ever. The buzz in the PR and Marketing industry is online marketing strategies and the utilization of SEO, but what exactly is SEO and what are the best practices to boost results?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. SEO is an attempt to improve overall search result rankings. In other words, where will your website fall in a google or other search engine query? Most clicks come from the first page of results on a google search on specific keywords. In fact, about 95% of users will select a result from the first page. Therefore, increasing your website’s ranking is the more important than ever.
Although SEO is important for any industry, in tourism, SEO is not just important, it is essential. Traditional travel agents are out and online travel tools are in. Studies show that 2 out of 3 travelers now use the internet as their primary tool when planning trips. In order to make sure that your site is at the top of their results, SEO is without a doubt the key to boosting search engine rankings. Whether your business is an online travel agency, a hotel, a restaurant or a fashion boutique, a tourism company or a travel portal, SEO is a key to success.
Here are 5 SEO Tips for Online Tourism:
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Utilize Landing Pages
Do not make people dig for the answers they are looking for. When planning a trip, people want direct and fast results. For example, if a traveler is planning a trip to Greece they want to see specific pages for Greek tourism at the top of their search. People do not want to dig through your website to find what they are looking for. Successful SEO makes it more likely for travelers to utilize your site. So creating specific landing pages and design them according to your public’s needs is crucial. Also, keep in mind that search engines rely on clear links to your pages, so make sure that the title of each landing page is clear.
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Key Words Equal Key Results
In order to understand what keywords should be utilized in your content it is important to research your industry for the top keywords or queries. In fact, an easy way to do this is to use google to your advantage. Google offers free tools for SEO, such as google trends, that allow you to find what terms are being used the most. Once you find which terms are being used the most, make sure to plug them into your content.
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Mind your word count
If a text is too short, chances are google search will not consider your text significant. At the same time, if your text is too long, chances are people will lose interest and skip it over. A good range for content should be between 250-500 words. Although there are popular sites that go over or under this count, they may have already established their rankings beforehand. Include inspiring call to action and always keep in mind that quality content is what counts in SEO.
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Quality and Visuals Still Matter
It is not enough to rely solely on keywords to drive people to your page. A compelling layout or picture as well as quality content are still extremely important. Although keywords, titles, and meta tags may draw people in, if there is no quality in the content, your drop off rate will be enormous, and as a result your ranking will quickly plummet. Google search cannot decode an image and its content, however it is important to remember that, especially in the tourism industry, images sell. One beautiful image can be the deciding factor when planning a trip. So make sure your images are good quality and capture the most attractive scenery.
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User Friendly Mobile Search
In this fast paced world, people are now utilizing their mobile phones throughout the day to handle business and planning. For some people, their mobile phone is the primary tool for internet use, not a computer or laptop. Creating a mobile friendly website that is easy to navigate will increase traffic to your site and help ensure a boost in mobile search rankings. Keep in mind that search results are different if the user is on a laptop or mobile phone, so mobile SEO is not the same.
The visibility of your website is a key factor to success. At Social Mellon we understand the importance of SEO in the travel industry and stay up to date concerning any algorithm changes and new developments, moreover we provide full On Site and Off Site services that will guarantee the maximum results in your rankings.
Contact us now for your personalized SEO strategy.