How to Find the Best Keywords for Travel Websites
When a potential client searches for a term related to your business, you better be on Google’s top results, otherwise, you are leaving money on the table. If that’s not your case, don’t panic! Here you will learn how to find the best keywords for travel websites.
Did you know that Google handles 5.6 billion searches per day?
Among those searches, there are people looking for travel advice, destination information, and most importantly, looking for a travel company to book a trip or activity!
And how do they find your business?
That’s right, through keywords.
So it comes down to the question this blog aims to answer. How can I find the best keywords to place on my travel website?
That’s what we will discuss in the next sections. But first…
Why keywords are important for travel marketing
Since marketing has moved online, Search Engine Optimization (aka SEO) came under the spotlight. Mostly because of people’s habit to search for information on the Internet.
Queries on Google and other search engines happen with the use of words and phrases also called keywords.
The combination right keyword + Google’s first position is what every website owner and SEO professional is looking for.
The reason is simple. Relevant keywords will bring quality traffic to your website, which in turn has a higher chance to convert into bookings.
For this reason, it is so important to optimize your website to rank in Google’s first positions. That’s a free source of traffic for you!
How do I know if a keyword is good enough for my business?
The best keywords for travel websites are the ones with a high search volume, low competition and the right intent.
The first point is easy to understand. A high search volume means more traffic to your travel website. But not always the most searched keyword is the best fit for your business. You also need to look at the competition and intent.
As higher the competition on a certain keyword, the more difficult it is to rank on Google’s top positions.
You know if a keyword has a lot of competition by checking the total number of results returned by the query. You should also analyze if the first results come with the exact match of the keyword on their title and description.
Regarding the intent, there are basically three types:
For example, if you operate in Phuket, someone searching for “things to do in Phuket” has a higher chance to book a tour on your website than someone searching for “where is Phuket”.
The reason is that the first term shows a transactional intentof booking something to do in Phuket. On the other hand, the second term indicates that people searching for it are more interested in the information about where is this place rather than booking a tour in Phuket.
Finding the best keywords for your travel website
There are many tools available online for keyword research. Most are paid, but Google has its own tools that are free to use and can give you a direction about which terms can be the best fit for your travel website.
Google’s Search Box
The first tool I’ll present here is Google’s search box. The well-known box on Google’s home page can also be a source of insights for keyword ideas.
Just by writing there, Google will present you with suggestions for queries. Those are nothing but the most researched keywords containing the letters and terms that you have previously typed.
Try to insert relevant terms for your travel business and write down the keyword suggestions with transactional intent and the potential to drive quality traffic to your business.
Google Search Console
One of the first things you need to do after releasing your company’s website is linking it with Google Search Console.
This free tool is essential for monitoring your website’s health and ranking performance on Google.
Regarding keywords, Google Search Console’s Search Results is a report containing a list of queries for which your website is being shown.
Use this list to pick the most valuable keywords based on their transactional intention, number of impressions and clicks. Later on, optimize your website for them.
Google Keyword Planner
Keyword Planner is a feature inside Google Ads that helps marketers finding keyword suggestions for their paid campaigns. But you can use it for SEO purposes.
Before start using this tool, you need a Google Ads account. Once you have created yours, you are free to explore its Keyword Planner feature.
To find relevant keywords for your business click “ Discover new Keywords “.
The next step is adding terms related to your offer in the search box. Select a language and region, and click Get Results.
The biggest advantage of using Google Keyword Planner is the keyword suggestions this tool gives you. Also, it shows the search volume and competition level (for the paid results) for each keyword and keyword suggestion.
Keyword Search Tools
Those are the most complete solutions in the market for keyword research. Unfortunately, to use their full potential you need to enroll in a paid subscription plan.
Examples of Keyword Search Tools are SEMrush, Ahrefs and Moz. If you are serious with your SEO strategy, this is an investment that pays off.
Those tools provide complete reports with everything you need to know to find the best keywords for your travel website.
All you need to do is typing a seed keyword on their search mechanism, in other terms, generic keywords related to your business. In return, you will receive a list of related keywords that you can filter by monthly search volume, country, difficulty to rank on Google’s first position and even the search trends.
SEMrush stands out by offering a free plan. It is limited of course, but definitely a good start for small travel businesses.
To use it for free, just click Sign Up on their home page to create a new account with your email. On the next screen add the code they will send you. Done that you need to click Skip trial when asked about choosing a plan.
Congratulations, you have created a free SEMrush account!
Now you can start searching for the best keywords for your travel website using the Keyword Magic Tool.
Keyword examples for attracting the right audience to your travel website
Depending on your travel business, specific keywords will attract more quality traffic to your website.
For Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) it is important to attract people who are considering their destination as a vacation option.
Terms such as “ phuket travel” and “ phuket vacation “ show a travel intent to this specific location. Those are great keywords for a DMO’s website.
Travel agencies on the other hand sell travel packages. In this case, the keyword “ phuket travel packages “ is a good fit for their website.
Tour operators should bet on “ Things to do in…” keywords and also the combination location + tours (e.g. phuket tours).
When searching for the best keywords for travel websites, the more specific they are the better it is. If you are an adventure tour operator offering parasailing rides in Karon Beach, the main keyword for your website according to SEMrush is “ parasailing phuket karon beach “.
Conclusion
The best keywords for travel websites are the ones aligned with the business goals. They also need a high search volume, low competition and booking intention.
Finding the perfect keyword requires researching and an understanding of the traveler’s search behavior. For that purpose, you can use Google free tools or invest in a Keyword Search Planner.
Despite the tools used, be sure that finding the best keywords is an important step in your SEO strategy.
Have your keywords been placed on your website? How about downloading our free ebook Comprehensive Guide on Digital Marketing in Tourism for 2021? This guide will help you in giving the next steps on your digital marketing strategy.
Originally published at https://www.orioly.com on September 7, 2021.