SEO is constantly evolving. New Google algorithms, insights and best practices emerge on a regular basis and it’s essential to keep on top of these changes if you want to beat your competition and get found in the search results by your guests.
Here are 4 important SEO trends you should be paying attention to as of now.
1. Social Sharing is Key
Social media has been an important component of digital marketing for years now, but it’s only fairly recently that the link between social activity and SEO is being talked about more.
One of the most effective ways to generate more visibility on the major social platforms, while building inbound links and social signals, is to drive social sharing throughout your hotel’s website. Encourage guests to share your blog posts. Have them share reviews. Suggest they share the exciting news of their upcoming holiday after completing the booking process. Keep your audience engaged with opportunities for social sharing wherever and whenever you can, and you’ll see a boost in your visibility across search engines and social media.
2. Video Content Is No Longer an Optional Extra
With the growth of Smartphone and tablet use, the popularity of video content has skyrocketed. YouTube videos are now displayed as rich media in search results and videos of every description have more potential to go viral than any other kind of content.
If you haven’t already begun incorporating video content into your hotel’s digital marketing campaign, you’re already behind the times. This type of content is only ever going to become more and more prominent, so make including videos on your blog, website and social pages a priority.
3. Mobile Optimisation is Critical
Earlier in the year, Google’s latest mobile update made mobile friendliness an essential ranking factor. But simply adhering to the search engine’s basic standards of mobile optimisation is no longer enough.
As mobile users multiply in number by the day, true mobile optimisation is about providing the best possible content and usability experience to your guests browsing from a small screen. Google is also starting to increasingly favour apps, which are likely to become more central to mobile search visibility in the not too distant future.
4. The Rise Of Voice Search
Up until fairly recently, digital assistants seemed somewhat gimmicky. They often failed to interpret voices accurately and provided jumbled and irrelevant results when they did.
Fast forward a few years and every major name in tech has their own sophisticated virtual assistant and growing numbers of people are relying on voice search to find the information they need online.
Savvy search marketers have started to capitalize on this trend, which sees more colloquial wording and long-tail phrases move to the fore.
Keep an eye on these 4 SEO trends to ensure your hotel’s campaigns stay relevant and that your property’s website remains visible online. It’s always hard to know exactly what’s round the corner when it comes to search marketing, so keep your campaign flexible, and be ready to capitalise on the latest developments before your competitors.
Do you follow any of these best practices as part of your hotel’s SEO campaign? Let us know in the comments below!
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