{"id":178972,"date":"2024-08-27T11:11:19","date_gmt":"2024-08-27T16:11:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/?p=178972"},"modified":"2024-08-27T11:11:22","modified_gmt":"2024-08-27T16:11:22","slug":"travel-seo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/travel-seo\/","title":{"rendered":"Travel SEO: 8 Strategies From Actual Travel Publishers and&nbsp;SEOs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"intro-txt\"><!-- notionvc: 8fba8ac5-ba68-42c3-bde2-02370a212256 -->SEO is critical in the travel industry. While most travelers might gain inspiration on TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram, they will still search on Google before purchasing.<\/div><!-- notionvc: 8fba8ac5-ba68-42c3-bde2-02370a212256 -->\n\n\n\n<p>In fact, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.growth-memo.com\/p\/travel-industry-20241\">Kevin Indig<\/a>, travel was the fifth largest industry on the web by organic visibility in June&nbsp;2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"915\" height=\"566\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/chart-for-ssis-top-10-verticals-by-search-visibil.png\" alt=\"Chart for SSI's top 10 verticals by search visibility \" class=\"wp-image-178973\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/chart-for-ssis-top-10-verticals-by-search-visibil.png 915w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/chart-for-ssis-top-10-verticals-by-search-visibil-680x421.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/chart-for-ssis-top-10-verticals-by-search-visibil-768x475.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 915px) 100vw, 915px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to generate more bookings or get more customers, you will need to do <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/what-is-seo\/\">SEO<\/a>. To write this guide on travel SEO, I interviewed seven experienced travel SEOs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/matthewjbarker\/\">Matthew Barker<\/a>, co-founder and CEO at <a href=\"https:\/\/horizonguides.com\/\">Horizon Guides<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/alexgalinos\/\">Alex Galinos<\/a>, Head of SEO &amp; SEO Product Manager at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hoppa.com\/en\">Hoppa<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/tristan-heaword-40389643\/\">Tristan Heaword<\/a>, co-founder at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.threeandsix.agency\/\">three&amp;six<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/brennenbliss\/\">Brennen Bliss<\/a>, CEO at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.propellic.com\/\">Propellic<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jaredalster\/\">Jared Alster<\/a>, Chief Strategy Officer &amp; co-founder at <a href=\"https:\/\/dune7.co\/\">Dune7<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/ninaclapperton\/\">Nina Clapperton<\/a>, travel blogger and CEO of <a href=\"https:\/\/sheknowsseo.co\/\">She Knows&nbsp;SEO<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/katiehammel\/\">Katie Hammel<\/a>, Director of Content at <a href=\"http:\/\/point.me\">point.me<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/kevinindig\/\">Kevin Indig<\/a> also very kindly shared his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.growth-memo.com\/p\/travel-industry-20241\">paid publication on travel SEO<\/a> with&nbsp;me.<\/p>\n\n\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-179025\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/1-travel-seo.jpg\" alt=\"Our travel SEO experts\" width=\"1820\" height=\"1658\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/1-travel-seo.jpg 1820w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/1-travel-seo-467x425.jpg 467w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/1-travel-seo-768x700.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/1-travel-seo-1536x1399.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1820px) 100vw, 1820px\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"intro-tok\" id=\"intro_tok\" style=\"display:none;\"><div class=\"intro-title\">Contents<\/div><a href=\"#\" class=\"expand-dots\"><span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span><\/a><\/div><!-- notionvc: 7c6f4ee7-1556-4141-8b35-fe24dc4cafb6 -->\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"The unique challenges of travel SEO\" data-section=\"unique-challenges\"><!-- notionvc: 0312fe07-4e92-4b9b-85b7-10d1aae9613b -->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-178972-_aw6y4pj83frb\"><\/a>The unique challenges of travel SEO<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><!-- notionvc: 182d41fc-4291-48c3-9115-1588248eaa66 -->\n\n\n\n<p>The basics of SEO are the same for every industry. You need to create high-quality content, earn backlinks, and make sure your site is free of technical issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But travel SEO has some unique challenges:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Travel isn\u2019t just one industry but is <strong>made up of many different industries and players<\/strong>\u2014there are online travel agencies, comparison sites, hotels, airlines, cruise operators, tour operators, car rental companies, travel technology companies, travel bloggers, and even travel insurance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>You\u2019re<\/strong> <strong>competing with Google itself. <\/strong>Google has its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/travel\/\">own travel product<\/a>, which it\u2019s happy to insert into the SERPs. Google also dominates the SERPs by showing<strong> many different SERP features for travel-related keywords<\/strong>, which usually answer the query (e.g., things to do in Barcelona).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Popular keywords are also dominated by <strong>huge international brands like TripAdvisor and Booking.com<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Many travel companies, such as tour operators, <strong>only<\/strong> <strong>serve a particular local area<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Many travelers don\u2019t visit or book trips via a business\u2019s website. <\/strong>This is especially true for airlines and hotels. Instead, travelers might search via Skyscanner or Booking.com.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Seasonality and real-world events (e.g., terrorism, pandemics, natural disasters)<\/strong> can impact your search visibility.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1720\" height=\"652\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/british-holidymakers-cancelling-trips-to-mallorca.png\" alt=\"British holidymakers cancelling trips to Mallorca following protests, showing that real-world events affect SEO\" class=\"wp-image-178974\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/british-holidymakers-cancelling-trips-to-mallorca.png 1720w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/british-holidymakers-cancelling-trips-to-mallorca-680x258.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/british-holidymakers-cancelling-trips-to-mallorca-768x291.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/british-holidymakers-cancelling-trips-to-mallorca-1536x582.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1720px) 100vw, 1720px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p><p>In this article, we\u2019ll show you how to solve these problems.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"1. Focus on keywords that drive travel bookings\" data-section=\"target-keywords-with-business-potential\"><!-- notionvc: 29965edc-46ea-49a7-a87a-4fc39af3d8b8 -->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-178972-_aoqcdf1hdlpl\"><\/a>1. Focus on keywords that drive travel bookings<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><!-- notionvc: 182d41fc-4291-48c3-9115-1588248eaa66 -->\n\n\n\n<p>The most popular travel-related keywords are dominated by Google, SERP features, and big&nbsp;sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1418\" height=\"1510\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/an-example-of-google-showing-its-own-product-in-th.png\" alt=\"An example of Google showing its own product in the SERPs\" class=\"wp-image-178975\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/an-example-of-google-showing-its-own-product-in-th.png 1418w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/an-example-of-google-showing-its-own-product-in-th-399x425.png 399w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/an-example-of-google-showing-its-own-product-in-th-768x818.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1418px) 100vw, 1418px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1434\" height=\"1580\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/an-example-of-serp-features-for-a-travel-keyword-t.jpg\" alt=\"An example of SERP features for a travel keyword that answers the query directly\" class=\"wp-image-178976\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/an-example-of-serp-features-for-a-travel-keyword-t.jpg 1434w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/an-example-of-serp-features-for-a-travel-keyword-t-386x425.jpg 386w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/an-example-of-serp-features-for-a-travel-keyword-t-768x846.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/an-example-of-serp-features-for-a-travel-keyword-t-1394x1536.jpg 1394w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1434px) 100vw, 1434px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1402\" height=\"846\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/sites-with-high-domain-rating-dominate-the-serps.png\" alt=\"Sites with high domain rating dominate the SERPs\" class=\"wp-image-178977\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/sites-with-high-domain-rating-dominate-the-serps.png 1402w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/sites-with-high-domain-rating-dominate-the-serps-680x410.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/sites-with-high-domain-rating-dominate-the-serps-768x463.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1402px) 100vw, 1402px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Coupled with Google\u2019s insistence on rolling out AI Overviews (now in <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.google\/products\/search\/new-ways-to-connect-to-the-web-with-ai-overviews\/\">six more countries<\/a>, besides the U.S.), many terms are out of reach for most travel websites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is why most of the experts I spoke to are now focusing on keywords that <em>actually <\/em>drive business. Typically, these are middle- to bottom-of-the-funnel topics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1464\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/the-marketing-funnel.png\" alt=\"The marketing funnel\" class=\"wp-image-178978\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/the-marketing-funnel.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/the-marketing-funnel-464x425.png 464w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/the-marketing-funnel-768x703.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/the-marketing-funnel-1536x1405.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, instead of targeting top-of-the-funnel (TOFU) terms like \u201clondon tour\u201d or \u201cthings to do in London\u201d, a London-based tour operator could target keywords like \u201charry potter walking tour for muggles in london\u201d or \u201cworld war 2 walking tour london\u201d (provided they offer those&nbsp;tours.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"654\" height=\"514\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/bofu-keywords-that-has-business-potential-for-a-tr.png\" alt=\"BOFU keywords that has business potential for a travel website\" class=\"wp-image-178979\" style=\"width:401px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/bofu-keywords-that-has-business-potential-for-a-tr.png 654w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/bofu-keywords-that-has-business-potential-for-a-tr-541x425.png 541w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 654px) 100vw, 654px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While search volume may not be high, these keywords demonstrate intent. Someone searching for \u201charry potter walking tour for muggles in london\u201d is close to the purchase decision\u2014they\u2019ve already decided to visit London or are perhaps <em>already <\/em>in London. They\u2019re likely to convert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This keyword is also easier to compete for: <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/keyword-difficulty\/\">Keyword Difficulty (KD)<\/a> is only 6 and there are sites ranking in the top 10 with low <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/glossary\/domain-rating\">Domain Ratings<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1258\" height=\"1106\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/the-keyword-harry-potter-walking-tour-for-muggles.png\" alt=\"The keyword \u201charry potter walking tour for muggles in london\u201d has a low KD\" class=\"wp-image-178980\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/the-keyword-harry-potter-walking-tour-for-muggles.png 1258w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/the-keyword-harry-potter-walking-tour-for-muggles-483x425.png 483w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/the-keyword-harry-potter-walking-tour-for-muggles-768x675.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1258px) 100vw, 1258px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To find these keywords with business potential, enter a few seed keywords into Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keywords-explorer\">Keywords Explorer<\/a> and go to the <strong>Matching terms <\/strong>report. For example, as a London-based tour company, I might enter the locations I cover (e.g., Westminster, Kensington, Paddington, Soho).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1098\" height=\"922\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/matching-terms-report-in-ahrefs-keywords-explorer.png\" alt=\"Matching terms report in Ahrefs' Keywords Explorer\" class=\"wp-image-178981\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/matching-terms-report-in-ahrefs-keywords-explorer.png 1098w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/matching-terms-report-in-ahrefs-keywords-explorer-506x425.png 506w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/matching-terms-report-in-ahrefs-keywords-explorer-768x645.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1098px) 100vw, 1098px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ll go through the report and pick out the keywords that are relevant to my site. I could even narrow down the report by specifically looking for keywords with the words \u201ctour\u201d or \u201ctours\u201d:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1108\" height=\"1148\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/using-the-include-filter-to-search-for-tour-keyw.png\" alt=\"Using the Include filter to search for &quot;tour&quot; keywords\" class=\"wp-image-178982\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/using-the-include-filter-to-search-for-tour-keyw.png 1108w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/using-the-include-filter-to-search-for-tour-keyw-410x425.png 410w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/using-the-include-filter-to-search-for-tour-keyw-768x796.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1108px) 100vw, 1108px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you have your list of keywords, you\u2019d want to score them on their \u2018business potential\u2019, or <strong>how commercially relevant they are to your website<\/strong>. The simplest way is to ask whether your product or service fits in the topic. This is how we do it at Ahrefs too:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1267\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/table-on-how-to-score-business-potential.png\" alt=\"Table on how to score business potential\" class=\"wp-image-178983\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/table-on-how-to-score-business-potential.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/table-on-how-to-score-business-potential-537x425.png 537w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/table-on-how-to-score-business-potential-768x608.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/table-on-how-to-score-business-potential-1536x1216.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alternatively, you can go in deeper with numbers and use this formula, as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/brennenbliss_travelmarketing-travelseo-travelgrowth-activity-7224766480347803648-HAik\/\">suggested by Brennen<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><\/p><p>(Monthly Search Volume) x (Keyword Click-through Rate) x (Website Conversion Rate) x (Avg. Gross Margin or Revenue per Transaction)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Through this formula, you can see that even if traffic potential is low, as long as it\u2019s commercially relevant, it can still be impactful to your company\u2019s bottom line:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1718\" height=\"846\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/brennen-blisss-formula-for-calculating-economic-i.png\" alt=\"Brennen Bliss's formula for calculating economic impact of keywords\" class=\"wp-image-178984\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/brennen-blisss-formula-for-calculating-economic-i.png 1718w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/brennen-blisss-formula-for-calculating-economic-i-680x335.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/brennen-blisss-formula-for-calculating-economic-i-768x378.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/brennen-blisss-formula-for-calculating-economic-i-1536x756.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1718px) 100vw, 1718px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"2. Target less popular destinations\" data-section=\"target-less-popular-destinations\"><!-- notionvc: 06dfaf69-1641-4913-aecf-611dc934077e -->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-178972-_4i7hiy6mnwch\"><\/a>2. Target less popular destinations<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><!-- notionvc: 182d41fc-4291-48c3-9115-1588248eaa66 -->\n\n\n\n<p>To get around competing with big sites in the SERPs, a common SEO strategy is to start with <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/low-competition-keywords\/\">low-competition keywords<\/a>. In the travel space, as Alex shared, this can manifest as targeting keywords for less popular destinations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, look at the difference in search volume and keyword difficulty between these two keywords:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Things to do in London<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Things to do in Southampton<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"776\" height=\"218\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/difference-in-search-volume-and-kd-for-two-keyword.png\" alt=\"Difference in search volume and KD for two keywords\" class=\"wp-image-178985\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/difference-in-search-volume-and-kd-for-two-keyword.png 776w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/difference-in-search-volume-and-kd-for-two-keyword-680x191.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/difference-in-search-volume-and-kd-for-two-keyword-768x216.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 776px) 100vw, 776px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It would be easier to target the keyword \u201cthings to do in Southampton\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This would work even if you\u2019re a London-based tour operator. You could easily create an article about the things to do in Southampton\u2014and include a day trip to London as one of the items. (And pitch your tour, of course!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To find keywords about these less popular destinations, Google for a list of cities or towns in your target country. For example, a search for \u201ccities in England\u201d brings up a list of cities from GOV.UK:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"910\" height=\"928\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/list-of-english-cities.png\" alt=\"List of English cities\" class=\"wp-image-178986\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/list-of-english-cities.png 910w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/list-of-english-cities-417x425.png 417w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/list-of-english-cities-768x783.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 910px) 100vw, 910px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Copy and paste the cities into <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keywords-explorer\">Keywords Explorer<\/a>. Then, go to the <strong>Matching terms<\/strong> report, click Clusters by Parent Topic, select the Include filter, and add a few common modifiers, like \u201cthings to do\u201d, \u201cwhere to eat\u201d, and \u201cwhere to stay\u201d. (James Brockbank has a list of <a href=\"https:\/\/digitaloft.co.uk\/seo-for-travel-websites\/\">common travel modifiers here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"924\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/using-modifiers-to-find-keywords.png\" alt=\"Using modifiers to find keywords\" class=\"wp-image-178987\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/using-modifiers-to-find-keywords.png 1024w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/using-modifiers-to-find-keywords-471x425.png 471w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/using-modifiers-to-find-keywords-768x693.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p><p>Going through the report will surface keywords for less popular destinations that we can target.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"3. Create content around trending topics and events\" data-section=\"target-trending-events\"><!-- notionvc: e63594e6-0854-4e1d-a272-0c23941bff99 -->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-178972-_yu5za5yj2ew5\"><\/a>3. Create content around trending topics and events<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><!-- notionvc: 182d41fc-4291-48c3-9115-1588248eaa66 -->\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTaylor Swift\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If there was something surprising I heard from many of my interviews, it was the global superstar. The reason: She\u2019s currently holding her <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Eras_Tour\">Eras Tour<\/a> all around the world. And search volume for her tour locations is spiking:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1700\" height=\"1178\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/spike-in-searches-for-taylor-swift-london.png\" alt=\"Spike in searches for &quot;taylor swift london&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-178988\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/spike-in-searches-for-taylor-swift-london.png 1700w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/spike-in-searches-for-taylor-swift-london-613x425.png 613w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/spike-in-searches-for-taylor-swift-london-768x532.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/spike-in-searches-for-taylor-swift-london-1536x1064.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1700px) 100vw, 1700px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Which means: An opportunity for travel companies to take advantage of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Impact_of_the_Eras_Tour\">Swiftonomics<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"942\" height=\"518\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/an-article-about-taylor-swifts-tour-in-london.png\" alt=\"An article about Taylor Swift's tour in London\" class=\"wp-image-178989\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/an-article-about-taylor-swifts-tour-in-london.png 942w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/an-article-about-taylor-swifts-tour-in-london-680x374.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/an-article-about-taylor-swifts-tour-in-london-768x422.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 942px) 100vw, 942px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s not just Taylor Swift. The Olympics, Tomorrowland, and even the Asian food festival in your local area could be topics you create content about. These trending events or topics may have low search volume but they could be the <strong>main <\/strong>reason why someone is traveling. It\u2019s important to capture these opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As Kevin pointed out in his newsletter, only KLM bothered to seize the moment to rank for \u201cflight paris Olympics\u201d:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1180\" height=\"1172\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/only-klm-ranked-for-flight-paris-olympics.jpg\" alt=\"Only KLM ranked for &quot;flight paris olympics&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-178990\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/only-klm-ranked-for-flight-paris-olympics.jpg 1180w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/only-klm-ranked-for-flight-paris-olympics-428x425.jpg 428w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/only-klm-ranked-for-flight-paris-olympics-768x763.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/only-klm-ranked-for-flight-paris-olympics-120x120.jpg 120w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1180px) 100vw, 1180px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The easiest way to find trending topics or events is yourself. If you\u2019re based in the area, you should be aware of most of the events that are happening. Alternatively, you can use <a href=\"https:\/\/trends.google.com\/trends\/\">Google Trends<\/a> or enter your location (e.g., \u201cLondon\u201d) into <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keywords-explorer\">Keywords Explorer<\/a>. Then, click on the <strong>Growth <\/strong>column to sort by the most growth in search volume.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"810\" height=\"1126\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/sorting-the-matching-terms-report-by-the-growth-me.png\" alt=\"Sorting the matching terms report by the Growth metric\" class=\"wp-image-178991\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/sorting-the-matching-terms-report-by-the-growth-me.png 810w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/sorting-the-matching-terms-report-by-the-growth-me-306x425.png 306w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/sorting-the-matching-terms-report-by-the-growth-me-768x1068.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can see why so many travel websites are targeting Taylor Swift (and don\u2019t forget her boyfriend, Travis Kelce too!). There\u2019s also interest in flying to Austin, Texas from London:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"462\" height=\"180\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/the-keyword-flights-to-austin-texas-from-london-h.png\" alt=\"The keyword &quot;flights to austin texas from london heathrow&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-178992\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"4. Build topic clusters around travelers\u2019 journeys\" data-section=\"build-topic-clusters\"><!-- notionvc: 510f0632-8566-4129-a358-15d2418e7eaa -->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-178972-_bdhzv9mbf4yt\"><\/a>4. Build topic clusters around travelers\u2019 journeys<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><!-- notionvc: 182d41fc-4291-48c3-9115-1588248eaa66 -->\n\n\n\n<p>Topic clusters, or <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/content-hub\/\">content hubs<\/a>, are interlinked collections of content about a similar topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"1140\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/what-a-content-hub-looks-like.png\" alt=\"What a content hub looks like\" class=\"wp-image-178993\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/what-a-content-hub-looks-like.png 900w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/what-a-content-hub-looks-like-336x425.png 336w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/what-a-content-hub-looks-like-768x973.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, our <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\">beginner\u2019s guide to SEO<\/a> is a content hub that links to the major aspects of&nbsp;SEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"693\" height=\"2048\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/our-beginners-guide-to-seo.jpg\" alt=\"Our beginner's guide to SEO\" class=\"wp-image-178994\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/our-beginners-guide-to-seo.jpg 693w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/our-beginners-guide-to-seo-144x425.jpg 144w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/our-beginners-guide-to-seo-520x1536.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 693px) 100vw, 693px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p><p>In the travel industry, you can make content hubs based on a potential traveler\u2019s journey. Nina explains:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\"><!-- notionvc: c471d1c8-2bc1-476a-a60f-787073497262 -->\n\n\n\n<p><\/p><p>Start from \u201cwhat would my audience need to know to plan a trip to this specific location based on their specific travel style?\u201d Map out at least 10 posts in a topic cluster that helps someone go from \u201chmmm where should I go this summer?\u201d to \u201cI\u2019ve got a fully booked trip and a great tour I can\u2019t wait to go&nbsp;on!<\/p><\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Nina Clapperton\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/nina-clapperton.jpeg\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Nina Clapperton,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">Travel blogger<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Then rinse and repeat with different clusters, so that the blog becomes a one-stop shop for a person\u2019s trip planning.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What does a typical traveler\u2019s journey look like? Here\u2019s a diagram from Brennen that showcases the five stages of traveler intent:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1156\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/phases-of-traveler-intent.png\" alt=\"Phases of traveler intent\" class=\"wp-image-178995\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/phases-of-traveler-intent.png 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/phases-of-traveler-intent-680x384.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/phases-of-traveler-intent-768x434.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/phases-of-traveler-intent-1536x867.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, for an adventurous traveler, you could recommend a destination like Uzbekistan. A content hub for Uzbekistan may look like&nbsp;this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Why you should visit Uzbekistan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>When is the best time to visit Uzbekistan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Things to do in Uzbekistan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Best cities to visit in Uzbekistan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The best Uzbek dishes you should try<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Where to stay in Uzbekistan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Best restaurants in Tashkent<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Best restaurants in Samarkand<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Silk Roads tour Uzbekistan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Uzbekistan Kygyrszstan 10 days&nbsp;tour<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Horse riding in Kygyrszstan and Uzbekistan<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You can then take those ideas and put them into <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keywords-explorer\">Keywords Explorer<\/a> to see how searchers are searching for them and whether they have search volume:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"620\" height=\"1046\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/keywords-with-search-volume.png\" alt=\"Keywords with search volume \" class=\"wp-image-178996\" style=\"width:405px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/keywords-with-search-volume.png 620w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/keywords-with-search-volume-252x425.png 252w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"5. Infuse your first-hand travel experience into your content\" data-section=\"infuse-first-hand-experience\"><!-- notionvc: a407e832-b23c-4e2a-90ba-7f62a880bd62 -->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-178972-_j385rnl803f\"><\/a>5. Infuse your first-hand travel experience into your content<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><!-- notionvc: 182d41fc-4291-48c3-9115-1588248eaa66 -->\n\n\n\n<p><\/p><p>Jared said something that surprised me during our interview:<\/p><blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p><p>People are still using offline, high-street travel agents because they want that first-hand experience.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Jared Alster\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/jared-alster.jpeg\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Jared Alster,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">co-founder,<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Travel is very personal. Every travelers aspires to a different itinerary\u2014some want to see every touristy attraction, while others want to go off the beaten track. Some just want to laze on the beach, while others don\u2019t mind the challenging climb up Kilimanjaro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is what Google is trying to do in the SERPs as well. They\u2019re trying to prioritize content that demonstrates expertise, experience, authority, and trust (also known as <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/eeat-seo\/\">EEAT<\/a>). And the travel SEOs I talked to agree with infusing first-hand experience into your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p><p>The best way is to visit those locations in-person. As Nina tells&nbsp;me:<\/p><blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p><p>I do lots of research before I go somewhere, take heaps of photos, and take notes along the way. I speak to locals as much as I can, and speak to other travellers because my experience may not be indicative of everyone\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Being honest about what you do and don\u2019t know is incredibly important. Being okay with sharing the negatives will build more trust than sugar-coating everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Make sure you\u2019re not boring your audience with random nonsense, but add in your experience face planting in the cobblestones when you tried to wear high heels or that the restaurant says it has parking but you\u2019ll need to turn down the side street to access it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p><\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Nina Clapperton\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/nina-clapperton.jpeg\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Nina Clapperton,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">Travel blogger<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>But this strategy has limitations. After all, it\u2019s impossible to visit every location. So, another way is to hire freelance writers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You shouldn\u2019t hire just any freelancer though. It seems outrageous, but freelance writers can <em>lie<\/em>, as Katie experienced once. A freelance writer told Katie she went to a particular class and so was qualified to write about it. Turns out, after some fact-checking with the teacher of the class, she was never a student. She merely took something similar and thought she could write about it anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, you\u2019d want to seriously vet these writers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s what Katie suggests:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Look at their writing portfolio<\/strong> \u2014 Have they written about the location or experience before? Do they live there currently and have lived there for a long&nbsp;time?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ask for photos from the writers<\/strong> \u2014 Real-world photos are less likely to be&nbsp;faked.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>\u201cGrill\u201d them about the specifics of their experience<\/strong> \u2014 For example, Katie might ask them about their best airline points redemption. That answer can\u2019t be generated from AI or cobbled together from the top-ranking pages.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Matthew does things differently\u2014he goes straight for the best. Most of his contributors have written for major publications and guidebooks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1916\" height=\"1458\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/contributors-to-horizon-guides.jpg\" alt=\"Contributors to Horizon Guides\" class=\"wp-image-178997\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/contributors-to-horizon-guides.jpg 1916w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/contributors-to-horizon-guides-559x425.jpg 559w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/contributors-to-horizon-guides-768x584.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/contributors-to-horizon-guides-1536x1169.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1916px) 100vw, 1916px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most of these writers are themselves entities on <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/google-knowledge-graph\/\">Google\u2019s Knowledge Graph<\/a>, which contributes to the EEAT of his site. Additionally, since they also write for other publications, they occasionally link back to their articles on Horizon Guides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When it comes to first-hand experience, Matthew looks at what\u2019s already on the SERPs, interrogates LLMs (ChatGPT, Claude) to find out what\u2019s already known, then goes to his contributors and asks if they disagree with any of it or whether they can add something new.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An example he gave me was the topic \u201chiking in Vietnam\u201d. Most websites that rank for that keyword want to sell the visitor a trip to Sapa. But in reality, at least in his opinion, Sapa is simply too busy and too touristy, which may make for a poor trip for someone who\u2019s flying hours to Vietnam. So, they offer alternatives instead of following what everyone else is writing about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How do they hire writers? It all comes down to relationships. Decades in the industry have built both Matthew and Katie a rolodex of writers they can reach out&nbsp;to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p><p>Katie also recruits from travel writing groups she belongs to and&nbsp;X:<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/twitter.com\/KatieHammel\/status\/1783199194423177533<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"6. Build links by attracting media publications to link to you\" data-section=\"digital-PR\"><!-- notionvc: e2f2b81d-becf-44e5-8343-ec85e80b8243 -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-178972-_v1emubv72uw7\"><\/a>6. Build links by attracting media publications to link to&nbsp;you<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><!-- notionvc: 182d41fc-4291-48c3-9115-1588248eaa66 -->\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/how-to-get-backlinks\/\">Backlinks<\/a> are an important <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/google-ranking-factors\/\">Google ranking factor<\/a>. However, given how saturated the travel industry is, it\u2019s incredibly difficult to build links to important commercial pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The one strategy that most of the experts I talked to use is <strong>digital PR<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, Katie ran a campaign where they used their internal data to find the best and worst U.S airports for cheap international flights. The page got a total of 91 backlinks from 76 referring domains:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1400\" height=\"554\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/number-of-links-pointing-at-going-coms-guide.png\" alt=\"Number of links pointing at Going.com's guide\" class=\"wp-image-178998\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/number-of-links-pointing-at-going-coms-guide.png 1400w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/number-of-links-pointing-at-going-coms-guide-680x269.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/number-of-links-pointing-at-going-coms-guide-768x304.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most of these links were from media sites like USAToday, LA Times, SFGate, and TimeOut:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-178999\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/top-sites-are-linking-to-going-coms-guide.png\" alt=\"Top sites are linking to Going.com's guide\" width=\"352\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/top-sites-are-linking-to-going-coms-guide.png 628w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/top-sites-are-linking-to-going-coms-guide-187x425.png 187w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 352px) 100vw, 352px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Likewise, one of Jared\u2019s digital PR campaigns for his client yielded a respectable 68 backlinks from 58 referring domains:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1520\" height=\"558\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/number-of-links-pointing-at-exploreworldwides-gui.png\" alt=\"Number of links pointing at Exploreworldwide's guide\" class=\"wp-image-179000\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/number-of-links-pointing-at-exploreworldwides-gui.png 1520w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/number-of-links-pointing-at-exploreworldwides-gui-680x250.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/number-of-links-pointing-at-exploreworldwides-gui-768x282.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1520px) 100vw, 1520px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Again, this campaign got links from media publications like USAToday, San Diego Union-Tribune, and Frommers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-179001\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/top-sites-are-linking-to-exploreworldwides-guide.png\" alt=\"Top sites are linking to Exploreworldwides guide\" width=\"420\" height=\"710\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/top-sites-are-linking-to-exploreworldwides-guide.png 684w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/top-sites-are-linking-to-exploreworldwides-guide-251x425.png 251w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are no surefire tips for making a digital PR campaign work, but here are some tips from the&nbsp;pros:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Use your company\u2019s internal data<\/strong> \u2014 For example, both Going and Hoppa used their booking data to create <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/link-bait\/\">linkbait<\/a> campaigns.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Third-party data also works <\/strong>\u2014 Don\u2019t give up just because you don\u2019t have access to internal data. You can also use third-party data, like what Jared did for the best cities for biking campaign.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Look at what\u2019s trending or what people are talking about<\/strong> \u2014 What\u2019s the cultural or societal hook? Jared\u2019s campaign worked because there was a rise in interest in cycling due to the pandemic.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Make your campaign hyper-local or design it to have a hyper-local angle <\/strong>\u2014 Local publications typically have less to report about, so they\u2019re happy to feature or link to an interesting piece of content. For example, the best airports and best cities for cycling have individual hyper-local angles built in\u2014the PR manager can reach out to each city\u2019s newspaper to tell them they\u2019ve been featured.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Come up with multiple angles<\/strong> \u2014 When pitching journalists, don\u2019t just use one angle. Brainstorm multiple angles \u2014 a national publication might be interested in the entire post, but an LA-based publication might only be interested that LA is featured.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p><p>You can learn more about digital PR in our guide: <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/digital-pr\/\">Digital PR: The Beginner\u2019s Guide to Making Your Brand Unmissable<\/a><\/p><div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"7. Speed up your webpages\" data-section=\"speed-up-webpages\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-178972-_msdelwfl6esz\"><\/a>7. Speed up your webpages<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><!-- notionvc: 182d41fc-4291-48c3-9115-1588248eaa66 -->\n\n\n\n<p>According to Brennen\u2019s experience, page load time is strongly correlated with rankings in the travel industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Which makes sense, considering that pages for travel websites are media-heavy with lots of images, photos, and videos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1960\" height=\"1700\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/horizon-guides-guide-to-peru.jpg\" alt=\"Horizon Guide's guide to Peru\" class=\"wp-image-179002\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/horizon-guides-guide-to-peru.jpg 1960w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/horizon-guides-guide-to-peru-490x425.jpg 490w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/horizon-guides-guide-to-peru-768x666.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/horizon-guides-guide-to-peru-1536x1332.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1960px) 100vw, 1960px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, you\u2019d want to make sure your site loads fast. To check your website\u2019s speed, run a crawl with Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-audit\">Site Audit<\/a>. Then, head to the <strong>Performance <\/strong>report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1976\" height=\"674\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/performance-report-in-site-audit.png\" alt=\"Performance report in Site Audit\" class=\"wp-image-179003\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/performance-report-in-site-audit.png 1976w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/performance-report-in-site-audit-680x232.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/performance-report-in-site-audit-768x262.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/performance-report-in-site-audit-1536x524.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1976px) 100vw, 1976px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you connect your API key from <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/pagespeed-insights\/\">Google PageSpeed Insights<\/a> to Site Audit, you can even check your Core Web Vitals, the three metrics that Google uses to measure a user\u2019s experience on a webpage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p><p>You can learn more about what Core Web Vitals are and how to improve them in our guide: <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/core-web-vitals\/\">What Are Core Web Vitals (CWVs) &amp; How To Improve Them<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"8. Retarget your organic visitors with paid marketing\" data-section=\"retargeting\"><!-- notionvc: dae5942b-d0f1-4d36-96ff-966286d1e993 -->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-178972-_shxiuhwpnhbv\"><\/a>8. Retarget your organic visitors with paid marketing<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><!-- notionvc: 182d41fc-4291-48c3-9115-1588248eaa66 -->\n\n\n\n<p>Many travel queries are highly commercial. Even a TOFU query like \u201cthings to do in Barcelona\u201d has tons of sponsored results:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1434\" height=\"1014\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/sponsored-ads-for-things-to-do-in-barcelona.jpg\" alt=\"Sponsored ads for &quot;things to do in Barcelona&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-179004\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/sponsored-ads-for-things-to-do-in-barcelona.jpg 1434w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/sponsored-ads-for-things-to-do-in-barcelona-601x425.jpg 601w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/sponsored-ads-for-things-to-do-in-barcelona-768x543.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1434px) 100vw, 1434px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The truth is that while you may rank high, get lots of organic traffic, and educate travelers on a destination, they might run a Google search and simply click on a paid result and end up purchasing from that&nbsp;page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You need paid marketing to convert customers in the travel industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s why Brennen suggests that travel websites should run paid marketing campaigns too, specifically retargeting campaigns. For example, if someone has read your article on \u201cthings to do in Samarkand\u201d, you might want to retarget them with your Silk Road tour or Samarkand tour&nbsp;pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-178972-_u8tyschox1q7\"><\/a>Final thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Travel is an extremely saturated and competitive industry. If you want to compete with the giants in the SERPs, you\u2019ll need first-hand experience, targeting keywords that drive conversions, and creating content that people want to link&nbsp;to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This guide should give you everything you need to rank high and get more bookings or affiliate income for your travel website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Did I miss something? Let me know on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/si-quan-ong\/\">LinkedIn<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/siquanong\">X<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In fact, according to Kevin Indig, travel was the fifth largest industry on the web by organic visibility in June&nbsp;2024. If you want to generate more bookings or get more customers, you will need to do SEO. To write this<span class=\"ellipsis\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\">Read more \u203a<\/div>\n<p><!-- end of .read-more --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":146,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[335],"tags":[],"coauthors":[339],"class_list":["post-178972","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general-seo","odd"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Travel SEO: 8 Strategies From Actual Travel Publishers and SEOs<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"I interviewed 7 travel SEO experts to bring you these unique travel SEO insights.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link 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