How To Improve Your Travel SEO In 10 Steps

How To Improve Your Travel SEO in 10 Steps

239 views

Travel SEO helps turn people searching online into real guests. But getting noticed can be tough when big websites like Booking.com, TripAdvisor, and Expedia take up most of the space.
It may seem hard to stand out, but small businesses can still do well. This guide will show how to build a strong travel SEO plan, including:

  • How to match what travelers are searching for
  • 10 ways to show up higher than big travel websites
  • Easy website fixes to improve your ranking fast

These are real strategies that work, not just general advice.

The Travel SEO Landscape

In the travel world, many websites are trying to get seen. Big travel booking sites, airline websites, and travel search engines often appear first.

There are also travel blogs, tourism websites, and hotel or tour pages. All of them are trying to be seen in the search results. For example, there are about 89.3 million searches each month in the U.S. for words that include “flights.” But search results are changing fast. Google now shows many new features, like AI Overviews, which give quick answers right on the search page. These features mean people often don’t click on normal website links anymore. This lowers the number of visitors most websites get.

Some tools, like “People Also Ask,” can still help bring traffic. But others, like Google Flights and Google Hotels, keep users on Google’s site and give fewer chances for other websites to be seen. Since things keep changing, it’s important to stay updated. Just like guiding travelers through a new place, you need to guide your website through changing search results.

Now, let’s go through the steps to take control of your travel SEO.

Step 1: Define Your Travel SEO Strategy

Having a clear plan is very important when working on travel SEO. It helps find challenges, set simple rules, and make clear steps to follow.

Find the Problems

Every website has different SEO problems. Start by looking at how your travel website is doing right now.

Check important things like:

  • How much traffic do you get from search engines
  • How much money does the site make
  • How users behave on your site

Also, check if your website loads quickly, works well on phones, ranks for important keywords, and has good backlinks.

Step 2: Do Keyword Research

Google says we should create content for users, not just for search engines. But without the right keywords, your content will not rank well or bring bookings.

Start Wide

Keyword research is the base of your SEO plan for the next year or longer. While travel trends change, the main keywords stay steady.

For example, if you are promoting The Bahamas, use many keywords related to it.

Using paid tools like Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool can make this work easier. It shows the best keywords and helps you pick the right ones for your audience.

But remember, more data is not always better. Focus only on important numbers:

  • Search Volume: How many times people search for a keyword each month
  • Keyword Difficulty (KD%): How hard it is to rank for a keyword
  • Search Intent: Why a person is searching (buying, learning, comparing, or finding something)

Sticking to these basics will guide your keyword plan in the right way.

Find Commercial Opportunities

The value of a keyword is different for every business. A keyword that is good for one business might not work for another.

For example, if you run top-rated resorts in Mexico, the keyword “all-inclusive resorts in Mexico” could be a strong one. But if you manage an outdated and overpriced resort, it may not help much.

When looking at keywords, ask: Will this page turn visitors into guests?

Sort each keyword into:

  • 0. Not Likely: We do not offer what the user wants
  • 1. Unlikely: We offer something, but it is not a great match
  • 2. Potential: We offer something that could meet the user’s needs
  • 3. Likely: We offer exactly what the user is looking for

This way, you can focus on keywords that are more likely to bring results. By matching what users want, you will get better traffic and more bookings.

Step 3: Build a Keyword Map

After gathering your keywords, the next step is making a keyword map. This will show clearly which page targets which keyword.

Here’s what to do:

  • List your pages: Use a tool like Screaming Frog to find all your website pages.
  • Remove pages you don’t need: Take out any pages that won’t help with SEO. Focus on pages that can bring visitors.
  • Match pages with keywords: Use Google Search Console to see what searches bring people to each page.
  • Assign a target keyword: Give one main keyword to each good page.

Make sure only one page targets each keyword. This stops your pages from fighting against each other in search results.

In travel SEO, many pages are about destinations or services. By linking each page to the right keyword, you will know where to improve old content and where to create new pages.

Step 4: Create a Content Plan

Now that keyword research and keyword mapping are done, it’s time to build a simple content plan. To bring in more bookings and revenue, it’s smart to focus first on keywords that show strong buying intent.

These are the words people use when they’re close to making a travel decision. Working on this part first helps bring faster results.

Focus on Keywords That Can Bring Bookings

In the keyword sheet, look for words that have a commercial score of 2 or 3. These words match what we offer and can turn visits into bookings. Some examples include “Cancun resorts,” “flights to Hawaii,” and “Punta Cana excursions.”

For each keyword:

  • If a page is already ranking, improve its content to perform better.
  • If no page ranks yet, think about creating a new one or updating an old one.

Then, make a simple schedule.

This will help keep everything moving in the right direction.

Build Trust Through Useful Topics

After working on the main commercial content, move to keywords in the middle stage. These might be “things to do in Miami” or “best beaches in Puerto Rico.” They don’t always bring bookings right away, but they help us look like experts.

Group similar topics together. This shows search engines that our website gives helpful, in-depth information. Usually, blogs work best for this, but landing pages can also be used.

Create a Topic Map

Until now, we’ve used keywords to guide our content. Now, let’s find even more topic ideas. Tools like ChatGPT or Claude can give lists of topics for different travel spots.

Ask something like:

“Give a table with categories, subcategories, and topics about travel in Mexico.”Put this into a sheet and use tools like Whimsical Diagrams to see it clearly.

Repeat for every destination we cover. Add these new topics to the content plan. This keeps our content fresh and useful for both users and search engines.

Use the Travel Loop

People go through a cycle when they plan a trip:

  • First, they see a beautiful place (Inspiration)
  • Then they learn more about it (Education)
  • Then they book the trip (Booking)
  • After the trip, they dream of the next one (Inspiration again)

Our content should match each stage. Inspiration works best with pictures and videos, often on social media. Education is where SEO content fits in, helping answer questions.

Let’s say we publish a blog like “Best Time to Visit Costa Rica.” We can also share a beautiful photo or video of Costa Rica on social media. This way, both work together to keep users engaged and moving toward booking.

Step 5: Plan How to Make the Content

Now that we know what to write, let’s plan how to create it step by step.

Here’s a simple flow:

  • Pick keywords: Choose main and supporting keywords from the content calendar
  • Write briefs: Give clear instructions to writers
  • Write: Make content that is detailed and different from others
  • Edit: Match the brand tone and make it easy to scan
  • Optimize: Fix headings, add links, and improve SEO parts
  • Add photos: Use good images that make the page better
  • Publish and share: Put the content live and promote it on social media, email, etc.
  • Translate: Reach more people by creating content in other languages

Should We Use AI?
AI can help, but it shouldn’t do everything. It’s easy to get lost in the sea of AI-made content. To stand out, we need real stories and personal touches.

For example, if writing about “best restaurants in Amsterdam,”we should visit places, talk to locals, and share honest experiences.

AI can help with outlines, topic ideas, and checking facts. But the heart of the content should still come from people. This mix helps us create strong, one-of-a-kind articles.

Step 6: Set Up Tracking

To see what’s working, we need to track results. Start by measuring current performance using tools like Google Analytics 4.

Track two kinds of actions:

  • Big actions (macro conversions): Bookings, revenue
  • Small actions (micro conversions): Account sign-ups, brochure downloads, info requests

Add SEO tools like Google Search Console (GSC) to understand search performance. Use tools like Semrush’s Position Tracking to see how rankings change over time.

Finally, bring all the data together into easy-to-read dashboards. These reports help us check progress and show results during meetings.

Step 7: Make Your Google Business Profile Better

Local SEO helps more people find your business online. This is very helpful for places like tourist spots, restaurants, bars, and hotels in busy areas. A well-made Google Business Profile (GBP) can bring quick results.

Here’s how we can do it:

Make a Profile for Each Location:
If we run our travel business in more than one place, we should create a separate profile for each location.

Pick the Right Category:
Choosing the correct main category (like “Hotel,” “Restaurant,” or “Tourist Attraction”) is important. This helps Google show our business to people who are looking for something like what we offer.

Fill Out All the Details:

Make sure the profile is complete. It should include:

  • Business name
  • Address
  • Phone number
  • Website
  • Opening hours
  • Extra features (like “Free Wi-Fi” or “Pool”)

Write a Good Description
We can’t write custom descriptions for hotels or tourist spots. But we can write one for restaurants and bars. Use simple words and include useful keywords so people can find us easily.

Add Great Photos and Videos
High-quality pictures and videos show what we offer. They help people understand what to expect from us. We should update them often so our profile stays fresh and up to date.

Use the Questions and Answers Section
Add common questions and answer them clearly. Talk about services, rules, or what guests can expect. This helps future customers know more before they visit.

Post Updates Often
We can share news, offers, or events through the updates section. This keeps our visitors interested and informed.

Ask for Reviews and Reply to Them
Ask happy customers to leave reviews. Always respond to both good and bad reviews quickly. This shows that we care and helps build trust. It can also help our profile appear higher in search results.

Following these steps can help us reach more people looking for travel services nearby.

Step 8: Make Sure Google Can Find Your Website

One important part of SEO is making sure Google can read all of our web pages. If Google doesn’t find and save a page, that page won’t show up in search results. This means fewer people will find us, and we may get fewer bookings.

To check our site, we can use a tool like Screaming Frog. It helps find out if all our pages are easy to find by search engines. We can also use Semrush’s Site Audit tool. It finds technical problems that may stop our pages from being seen.

For a single page, we can use Google Search Console. It shows if a page is saved by Google and when it was last visited. We can click the “request indexing” button to ask Google to look at the page again.

Check If Only Part of the Page Is Saved
Sometimes, a page is saved, but not all the content is shown. This happens if the content needs JavaScript to load, like sliders or hidden text.

To check this, we can use the Web Developer Chrome extension. It turns off JavaScript and reloads the page so we can see what’s missing. We can also use the View Rendered Source extension. It shows what Google sees and compares it with the full version.

Avoid Duplicate Content
Having the same content in many places can hurt our site. Google may not know which page to show and might ignore some of them. This can lower our rank or even lead to a penalty.

  • Common types of duplicate content on travel websites include:
  • Using the same destination info on different pages
  • URLs that change when filters like “sort=price” are used
  • Pages that are part of a list (like page 1, 2, 3) that look the same
  • URLs with tracking codes like “?utm_source=social-media”
  • Pages created for A/B testing
  • Pages with session IDs
  • Mobile versions of pages (like m.example.com) that aren’t linked to desktop ones

Add Structured Data

Structured data is extra information added to our website’s code. It helps Google understand our content better. It can also show details like prices or star ratings in search results. This can make more people click on our links.

Step 9: Make Your Website Easy to Use on Phones

Today, most people use their phones to plan trips. Even if they book on a computer, they often decide on their phones. That’s why we need to make sure our website works well on mobile. A fast website is important. Google and other search engines like websites that load quickly.

Use Data to Improve Speed
We can check our website using Google PageSpeed Insights. This tool shows how real users experience the site.
Look at the three main parts:

  • LCP (Largest Contentful Paint): How fast the main part of the page loads.
  • INP (Interaction to Next Paint): How fast the page reacts when someone taps or clicks.
  • CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift): If the layout moves while loading.

For example, if LCP is 3.8 seconds, we know it needs to be faster. Fixing these helps our site work better and makes it easier to find online.

Make Speed a Team Effort
Improving speed is not just one person’s job. We need help from our tech team. But just sending a request isn’t enough. We should make speed an ongoing goal and track it often.

Design Pages for Phones
Put the most important things at the top of the page. Use a strong image that grabs attention. Let users imagine their dream trip.

Show why our service is special. Add reviews, awards, or anything that shows we are trustworthy. Make sure there’s a clear button or message that tells people what to do next.

Step 10: Build Strong Links to Your Website

Content shows what we do. Links from other websites show we are trusted. Both help us rank better on Google.

Use Business Connections
We already work with tourism boards, travel partners, and suppliers. Ask them to link to our website. This can help boost our SEO.

Run Digital PR Campaigns
Good PR can get links from big websites. This improves our online authority.

We can share:

  • Travel guides
  • Tools or calculators
  • Reports with data
  • Interactive maps
  • Sweepstakes or contests

Work with the PR team to create stories that get attention and links.

Write for Other Travel Websites
Guest posts let us write for other travel blogs or sites. This helps us get links and bring new visitors.

Focus on:

  • Guest blogging
  • Adding helpful internal links
  • Working with partners
  • Running PR campaigns

These steps help build our authority and get us more traffic.

Partner with our Digital Marketing Agency

Ask Engage Coders to create a comprehensive and inclusive digital marketing plan that takes your business to new heights.

Contact Us

Turn Visitors into Happy Guests with Travel SEO

Travel SEO is not just about getting clicks. It’s about helping people at every stage, from dreaming of a trip to booking one.

People want real experiences and helpful advice. Many travel companies pay for SEO help, but we can get great results by using the steps in this guide.

Be creative, use data, and stay honest. Our website can become a trusted place where travelers come again and again.
Are we ready to grow our travel SEO even more?

Share this post