Local SEO for Hotels: Expanding Beyond Google

Did you know that between 50% and 60% of travelers use alternative search platforms other than Google to find hotels? While Google is the dominant player in local search, focusing solely on Google can limit your hotel’s online visibility. Alternative search engines, mapping services such as Apple Maps and Bing, and travel directories including Yelp and TripAdvisor can play a crucial role in improved reach and increased bookings. See how to get started with local SEO alternatives to take advantage of these and other benefits.

Why Hotels Need To Go Beyond Google for Local SEO

DuckDuckGo, Yahoo and niche travel search engines provide alternative channels for travelers to find hotels outside of Google. DuckDuckGo is particularly important for privacy-conscious users, while Yahoo still maintains a loyal user base. Niche travel search engines such as Kayak, Tripadvisor, Priceline and Hotels.com cater specifically to travelers looking for accommodations, making them valuable platforms for hotels to optimize their listings.

TripAdvisor, Yelp and other third-party directories are important for hotel visibility and reputation management, as many travelers rely on these review sites when making booking decisions. To significantly improve their online presence and credibility, hotels should optimize their profiles on these sites with accurate information, encourage satisfied guests to leave feedback, and respond to positive and negative reviews.

Apple Maps has a large user base: It is the default navigation tool for iOS users, and there are more than 1.5 billion active iOS devices worldwide. It makes sense that hotels with optimized Apple Maps listings are more likely to attract bookings from iPhone users searching nearby accommodations.

Additionally, Bing holds approximately 6% to 9% of the U.S. search market, and voice search is exploding, with more than 50 percent of searches now voice-based. 

Expanding local SEO for hotels to include these Google alternatives provides many benefits, including:

• Diversification of Traffic: Relying on multiple platforms reduces dependency on Google and Online Travel Agencies (OTAs).
• Competitive Advantage: Smaller or newer hotels can compete more effectively by optimizing for Bing, Apple Maps and travel directories, where competition may be lower than on Google.
• Reliance on Paid Results: Google’s increasing focus on paid ads has made organic ranking more difficult, so diversification is crucial.
• User Preferences: Some travelers prefer non-Google search engines or privacy-focused options like DuckDuckGo.
• Voice Search Growth: Siri, Cortana and Alexa pull data from various sources, impacting search visibility.

“Hotels that diversify their local SEO efforts across multiple search engines and directories will future-proof their online visibility and drive more direct bookings,” says Alyssa Foriska, Director of SEO.

Optimizing Hotel Listings on Apple Maps

Apple Maps is popular among iPhone users and integrates with Siri-based voice searches. These profiles are populated by information gathered from map data providers, crowdsourcing, user-generated content, and travel services such as Yelp, TripAdvisor and third-party booking systems—but that information can be incorrect or incomplete. By directly managing your Apple Business Connect Profile (formerly Apple Maps Connect), you ensure that Apple Maps has accurate and complete information, which increases the chances of your hotel appearing in relevant search results and reaching more Apple users.

How To Claim and Optimize Apple Maps Listings

The process to claim and manage your Apple Business Connect Profile and Apple Maps listing is straightforward.

1. Set Up Your Apple ID: If you don’t already have an Apple ID associated with your hotel, access the Apple Business Connect self-service website to create an Apple Account. This account will work across relevant Apple services.
2. Verify Your Business: Sign into Apple Business Connect to confirm your account.
3. Claim Your Business Location: Once verified, find and claim your hotel location and begin personalizing your listing.

   1. Ensure your listing includes accurate NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) as well as website, social media links and location details.
   2. Upload high-quality photos to showcase your hotel’s amenities and rooms. The right images can increase user engagement.
   3. Choose the correct category to ensure your hotel appears in relevant search results.
   4. Encourage guests to review your location on Apple Maps. Positive reviews can influence rankings and attract new customers.

Your Apple Place Card appears across the Apple ecosystem, such as in Maps, Siri, Calendar and Messages. While Apple does not currently support direct bookings through Apple Maps, it integrates with third-party reservation systems like OpenTable and Expedia. Keeping your listing current with location details, recent photos and special offers can increase engagement and drive more direct inquiries.

Managing Hotel Listings on Bing Places

There are an estimated 100 million daily active users on Bing, the default search engine on Microsoft devices. Bing Travel Instant Answers appear directly within search results, helping users find the information they need to make a booking decision, and Microsoft Bing Travel offers flight, hotel-booking and trip-planning tools for destinations worldwide. Bing also integrates with AI-powered search tools and Microsoft Edge, the second-largest web browser. By optimizing your Bing Places listing, you can tap into Microsoft’s ecosystem, which powers search results for platforms like Windows devices, Cortana and some third-party search engines.

How To Claim and Optimize Bing Places

1. Claim Your Listing: Access your property via Bing Places for Business to claim an existing listing — most businesses already have one — or add a new listing if your location is not included.
2. Verify Your Business: Request a PIN via email, phone or snail mail to verify your listing to prevent unauthorized changes.
3. Add Correct Business Details: Ensure your listing includes all relevant details, such as contact information, address, website, description and photos.

How To Optimize Hotels for Voice Queries and “Near Me” Searches

Optimizing your hotel listing for voice search by including conversational keywords and “near me” phrases can provide better discovery through AI-driven search via Cortana and Siri.

Get your listings spruced up for voice search with these tips:

• Ensure your website is mobile-friendly. Voice searches are most often completed on mobile devices, so ensuring mobile-friendliness while auditing your website is imperative.
• Use conversational keywords. Searchers are likely to use phrases like “hotel near me with free breakfast,” or “luxury hotel with an indoor pool.” Include more conversational keyword phrases in optimized content and informational pages to answer those voice queries and support discoverability.
• Use a Q&A format. Implementing FAQ schema markup can increase the chances of your hotel appearing in featured snippets, which are often used for voice search results.
• Leverage local intent. Featuring location-specific content, area FAQs and relevant local news helps optimize your website to meet the needs of potential guests.
• Encourage reviewers to mention the location. When reviews mention a location by name, it can support local SEO for hotels.
• Don’t overlook Google, though. Siri, Cortana and Alexa pull data from multiple sources, but Google Assistant relies on Google My Business, so hotels still need to optimize their Google My Business listings.

Local Search Ranking Factors (Beyond Google)

Keeping hotel details current across each platform — including Google My Business, Bing Places, Apple Maps and Yelp — is imperative. But don’t overlook other key factors that impact local search rankings.

• Reviews and ratings play a critical role in local search visibility, so keep online reputation management top of mind.
• Listing your business information consistently across directories like Yelp, Apple Maps, Bing Places and travel-specific sites reduces searchers’ potential for confusion from encountering varied listings. It also signals to Google that your hotel is trustworthy.
• Blog posts, social media updates, event announcements and other content relevant to your hotel’s location should play a role in your local SEO strategy.
• Once visitors find your Bing or Apple listing, ensure a terrific user experience: Click-through rates, active time on the website, and website events such as page views and making reservations are clear engagement signals that help support your ranking.

How Structured Data Helps Enhance Search Rankings on Alternative Platforms

Structured data markup such as schema.org helps search engines understand and display hotel information more effectively, making listings more attractive and informative for potential guests. Implementing schema markup (such as Hotel, PriceRange, StarRating and Review structured data) can boost visibility on Google, Bing and Apple Maps, leading to richer search results and increased engagement.

Ready to expand your hotel’s marketing strategy beyond Google? A well-optimized presence on Bing, Apple Maps and other platforms can drive more direct bookings, improve your search visibility and give you a competitive advantage. Contact TravelBoom for expert content solutions to help you get started optimizing your listings and standing out in local search!

About TravelBoom Hotel Marketing

TravelBoom specializes in developing and executing customized data-driven marketing solutions that drive direct bookings and growth for its clients. With over 25 years of experience in digital marketing for travel and hotels, TravelBoom leverages advanced data science and analytics to uncover insights and develop strategies that greatly enhance results for our clients and reduce reliance on third-party channels. TravelBoom is also host of the world’s #1 ranked Hotel Marketing Podcast and its quarterly Traveler Sentiment Study both of which can be found at www.travelboommarketing.com.