How to market your small hotel: The complete guide to website marketing for independent hoteliers

Your hotel website not only marks the starting point of the guest journey, but it is the center of your digital marketing strategy.

From guests’ point of view, your website is the online calling card of your hotel, B&B, hostel or vacation rental. This is where first impressions are made. It gives potential customers a glimpse of what a stay at your property feels like; what services you offer, what the atmosphere is like and how cozy or luxurious the room interiors are.

From your perspective, your website is your virtual fishing net to capture direct customers. Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Search Engine Advertising (SEA) and content marketing are the core tactics that allow you to cast a bigger net – and even add some tempting bait if you do it right.

In this guide, we’ll explain exactly how you can leverage each of these website marketing tactics for your hotel.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

What is Search Engine Optimization?

Search Engine Optimization is the practice of enhancing your website to help it rank higher in the organic (free) search results on SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages) from, for example, Google or Bing. 

Search engines rely on web crawlers (bots) to browse websites and learn what they’re about in order to provide relevant results to searchers. The easier it is for these bots to gather information from your website – and the more relevant your content is to travelers’ searches – the better your ranking will be. 

With basic SEO tactics, you can really lay the foundation of a strong hotel website that’s easy for potential guests to find online. 

Why you should leverage Search Engine Optimization

No visibility, no bookings. It sounds harsh, but it’s the truth. Generating direct bookings starts with travelers finding their way to your website – and SEO is a crucial way to achieve just that. 

Applying SEO tactics to your hotel website helps you:

• Tap into the largest audience: The majority of travelers use search engines like Google to gain inspiration or look for accommodation. Millions use Google’s hotel metasearch platform every day to easily compare and book hotels. This is where you want your hotel or B&B to be visible, as it allows you to reach a huge audience. 

• Improve online visibility at no cost: As an independent property without far-reaching brand awareness, being present alone isn’t sufficient. You need to make an effort to appear high enough in the search results for potential guests to notice you. SEO is essentially a free marketing tool with a big impact on your property’s online findability. It takes some effort, but you don’t pay Google each time someone visits your site.

• Reach the right people and drive bookings: Most travelers begin with Google Search or Google Maps when researching destinations and looking for a place to stay. SEO ensures your website ranks higher in search results where travelers are actively searching – increasing your chances of securing bookings.

• Build trust from the start: A helpful, well-structured site makes guests feel confident, which increases direct bookings and reduces repetitive questions via email.

• Create a positive snowball effect: True, advanced SEO requires more time to implement, but the long-term gains are well worth it. SEO is the gift that keeps on giving. When more users access your website and stay there longer (thanks to an improved user experience), search engines view it as relevant and credible, which benefits your ranking again.

If you have a solid website, applying basic SEO tactics is pretty straightforward and you don’t need to be a tech wizard to do it. Usually, websites come with designated SEO fields and features – all you have to do is use them as intended. 

How to implement SEO tactics for your hotel website

Whether you have an existing website or are in the process of creating one, make sure it ticks the SEO requirements below to ensure it’s both technically sound and user-friendly. Your web developer and dedicated site audit tools (e.g., Screaming Frog or Sitebulb) will be able to help you spot issues and put these criteria into practice.

• Linked from your Google Business profile (more below)

• Secure domain with HTTPS encryption

• Logical site structure (hierarchy) and navigation

• Sitemap push to search engines

• Meta titles, meta descriptions and headings for each page

• Fast loading times of pages

• High-quality images with a maximum size of 1 MB

• Descriptive file names and alt texts for images

• No faulty links that lead to 404 pages

• Correct and up-to-date information

• Mobile-friendly, responsive design

These are just the basic SEO requirements each website should meet, but to take this strategy to a whole new level and get the results you want, you should apply additional local SEO tactics. 

While regular SEO improves visibility on a broader scale, local SEO focuses on boosting your hotel's ranking in search results for potential guests specifically seeking accommodation in your area. It helps you stand out where it matters: your actual location. 

Local SEO tactics include:

• Backlinks: Establishing links to your website from reliable external sites (e.g., news outlets, blogs, tourism boards)

• Keyword usage: Weaving in frequently searched local keywords like “luxury hotel in Amsterdam” in meta data, headings and paragraphs in a way that feels natural

• Schema markup: Adding local business schema markup (labels containing extra information for crawlers) to elements of your web pages

For more practical tactics and tips, be sure to read our full local SEO guide for hotels.

The rise of GEO: AI is transforming online search

While SEO is still relevant, artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the rules of the game at a rapid pace. With the rise of AI-powered search, a new approach called Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is emerging. It focuses on optimizing your content for AI-generated answers that are now increasingly shaping how travelers discover and choose accommodations. 

To better understand the AI shifts that are currently happening in the hospitality industry, discover what independent hotels should know about AI here.

Changed booking behavior

Google continues to dominate travel-related searches. Many travelers opt for Google Search and Maps when trying to find and compare accommodation options. However, another trend has been developing: instead of googling hotels, travelers increasingly use Large Language Models (LLMs) like OpenAI’s ChatGPT to plan upcoming trips, entering conversational prompts like:

“Find me an ideal destination in Europe for a family trip with interesting outdoor activities for two small kids, and suggest a few budget-friendly hotels (below €150/night) to stay at.” 

And it doesn’t stop there. Instead of merely providing text answers, upcoming AI Agents will actively book flights, stays, rental cars and activities based on a simple prompt.

Changed visibility on SERPs

Traditional search results on Google are now often preceded by AI Overviews: to-the-point answers to users’ search query that combine and summarize snippets of text from various sources. 

With AI influencing what appears on top of search results, it’s no longer just about keywords and backlinks. In order for your hotel to be picked up by the AI algorithm, you need to be perceived as a reliable source by providing accurate, well-structured and trustworthy information. 

How to optimize your hotel website for AI search

Here are a few ways you can adapt:

• Demonstrate topical authority: Reference reliable, up-to-date statistics and include quotes from real people (like guest reviews or expert insights).

• Structure your content clearly: Break down information by using headings, bullet points and FAQ-style formats.

• Use conversational language: Incorporate long-tail keywords and phrases that mirror users’ evolved style of prompting and searching.

• Front-load answers: Begin your page content with scannable, direct answers to common questions – similarly to how AI Overviews work.

For more practical GEO tips, read our 5-step guide on how to improve your hotel website for AI search.

Search Engine Advertising (SEA)

What is Search Engine Advertising?

In short, Search Engine Advertising or SEA is paid visibility on search engines. This marketing tactic has the same objective as SEO: improving your website’s visibility on search engines like Google. The main difference is that SEA is a paid method to have your links listed above the organic search results for added exposure.

When marketeers talk about SEA, they’re usually referring to ads on Google’s . Businesses can bid on certain keywords that indicate users may be potential customers to have their advertisement – indicated by “Sponsored” or “Ad” – shown to them. The more you bid, the higher your ad will appear in the paid search results.

For hospitality businesses, Google offers a specific kind of paid advertising: Hotel Ads. It allows properties to display their listing and direct booking link more prominently on Google’s hotel metasearch platform.

Why SEA works well for independent hotels

A paid strategy like Search Engine Advertising can increase your visibility significantly in front of the right target audience. The advantages for independent hotels are clear:

• More reach quickly: Advertising can often help you reach more people faster than you could through organic (free) channels. Because so many people use Google as their starting point to research and book travel, being more visible on this platform is incredibly valuable.

• More precise targeting: Online ads’ big advantage is that they are highly targeted in terms of demographics, region and search query. You can even launch personalized retargeting (or remarketing) ads to remind past website visitors about pending reservations, nudging them to complete their bookings.

• Fast and flexible set-up: Google Hotel Ads are relatively quick to set up and flexible to tweak. You don’t need an entire marketing department to set up an effective ad campaign. If something isn’t producing the desired results, adjust the settings and re-evaluate.

• No big budgets required: Large corporations sometimes have huge advertising budgets, but you don’t need to spend exorbitant amounts to see results. By choosing a results-based bidding model like cost-per-click (CPC), you will only pay commission when your ad receives clicks. Start small, learn what converts, then scale what works.

How to set up Google Ads for your hotel

With Google Ads, you can feature any page on your website at the very top of the search results of users entering certain keywords. You can either launch stand-alone campaigns or reinforce any organic (non-paid) marketing efforts in order to bolster results.

These highly targeted ads can be especially profitable to hotels with 15+ rooms or properties with venues and other facilities they want to promote.

1. Set up your Google accounts

If you don’t have a Google account for your business yet – and you should – create one using your hotel’s official email address. Also set up a Google Ads account, filling out your business details.

2. Conduct keyword research

For your ad to drive results, it of course needs to be shown to the right person at the right time to capture travel demand. That’s why thorough keyword research is crucial. 

Start with a brainstorm session, placing yourself in a potential guest’s shoes. What would you type into Google if you were researching your destination or looking for a hotel like yours? Write down all the keywords that come to mind. There are numerous tools available that can help you uncover what your target audience is actively looking for online (e.g., Google Keyword Planner, Semrush or Ahrefs).

Identify the most important keywords (10-15) you wish to target. Make sure these have a healthy monthly search volume, as they will make up your core ad group(s). Leverage keyword variations to tap into less competitive, high-intent searches at a significantly lower cost. By targeting specific needs and wants, you can connect directly with ready-to-book guests without the expense of broad, highly competitive queries.

Here are key keyword types to target:

• Amenity-focused: These keywords include specific features or services guests are looking for in a hotel.

• Descriptive: These terms relate to the style, atmosphere or unique qualities of your accommodation.

• Long-tail: These are longer, speech-like phrases indicating a very specific need or intent from the searcher.

Utilizing these keyword variations ensures your marketing budget reaches the most relevant audience, driving valuable bookings without unnecessary expenditure on generic, expensive terms. This strategic approach allows smaller hotels to compete effectively and sustainably.

Now, you also want your property to show up when people Google it, so you might need to bid on a few branded keywords that contain your hotel’s name (and location). Try searching for these keywords in an incognito window and see how high your website ranks organically. If it’s buried under links from OTAs or even competitors’ websites, revisit your SEO and consider targeting those keywords with paid campaigns if needed.

3. Configure campaign settings and ad groups

To become an expert advertiser, you should understand the nuances of Google ads and get your settings right from the start. 

Go to your Google Ads account and create a new campaign. Start your campaign on ‘Maximize clicks’ to drive as much traffic to your site as possible, allowing Google to learn what types of users convert on your account. After 1-3 weeks of learning from this increased traffic, make the switch to ‘Maximize conversions’ to watch bookings soar.

Strategically grouping similar keywords into concise, themed ad groups is vital for budget-conscious hoteliers. It allows for highly focused campaigns that target specific needs without broad, costly reach. This segmentation will also guide your ad copy, so it speaks precisely to the searcher's intent, boosting click-through rates and ad quality scores, which ultimately decreases your ad costs.

4. Write your ad copy

Now, it’s time to convince potential guests to click through to your website. When writing your ads, focus on clear headlines and descriptions that match your keywords as closely as possible. 

A few best practices for successful ads:

• Fill out all 15 headline variations available, ensuring you cover these three basic elements:
  1. Keyword matching: The targeted keyword in your ad group should appear in the copy.
  2. Branding/messaging: Convey your main brand message and unique strength (unique selling point or USP).
  3. Call to action (CTA): Compel the user to perform a certain action (e.g., ‘Book today’)

• Fill out all four description options. Ensure that you have two descriptions detailing your most popular amenities or services and two descriptions calling the user to make an action.

5. Set your daily budget

Your allocated budget controls how many people will see your ads. Google will suggest an amount, but you can modify this as you wish. 

6. Launch and monitor your ad campaign

After you’ve reviewed everything, your campaign is ready to launch. Once reviewed by Google, your ads will start showing and you can begin monitoring results. Make sure tracking is set up properly via Google Tag Manager, so you can see which ads lead to actual bookings.

How to set up Google Hotel Ads

With Google Hotel Ads – shown within Google’s popular hotel metasearch platform – you can boost visibility in front of travelers specifically looking for accommodation in your destination. And it doesn’t necessarily require big budgets. 

You can both promote your hotel listing as a whole and your direct booking channel within the list of available rates by integrating your website booking module. 

1. Set up your Google accounts

If you haven’t yet, create a Google account using your hotel’s official email address. Then, set up or claim your hotel’s profile in Google Hotel Center, ensuring all information is accurate and up to date. Link these two accounts so they can exchange data seamlessly.

Having a Google Business Profile is always a must – even if you don’t want to set up paid campaigns. It’s a listing that allows businesses to display essential information on Google Search and Maps. In order for the next step to work, make sure to indicate in the settings that you are a hotel, bed & breakfast, guest house or motel.

2. Optimize your Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile is often a guest’s first impression of your hotel or B&B. Ensure your listing is complete, with accurate contact details, website link, high-quality photos, up-to-date amenities and a brief description of your property. 

With a Google-certified booking engine, you can display your real-time direct rates and availability as well – along with a direct link to the booking module on your website. Lighthouse can help here, so don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about our direct booking solutions.

Adding this direct booking link is initially free, but you can make it appear more prominently through paid Hotel Ad campaigns (next step). Ask your software provider to set up the direct booking integration for you. 

3. Configure your Hotel campaign

In Google Ads, start a new campaign, select “Hotel” as the campaign type and link your Hotel Center account. Configure your campaign settings: name, bidding strategy, budget, devices, network (Google Search) and target audience (user location).

Don’t forget to select your hotel using the correct Hotel ID from your linked Hotel Center account.

4. Set up tracking and launch your campaign

Before launching, make sure conversion tracking is set up properly between Google Tag Manager, Google Analytics, your website and booking module. Check with your software provider if your booking engine can be connected. This will help you measure the effectiveness of your campaign – especially how many bookings come directly from your ads.

Double-check all campaign settings, add your billing information and then launch your campaign.

5. Monitor results and adjust where necessary

Once your ads are live, don’t just set them and forget them. Check in regularly to monitor results, such as click-through rates (CTR) and cost-per-click (CPC). Based on what’s performing well, adjust your bids, targeting, keywords or budget. Ongoing optimization helps you get the most value from your ad budget.

Content marketing for hotels

What is content marketing?

Content marketing means publishing helpful content that answers travelers’ questions and inspires them. The idea behind content marketing is to provide value to your target audience by creating and sharing useful or entertaining content through meaningful storytelling. That way, you attract more travelers to your website and can convince them to book.

Content can take various forms: blog posts, podcasts, YouTube videos, social media updates and even your own online magazine.

Examples that work well for small hotels:

• Destination guides

• Seasonal event calendars

• “How to get here” and parking guides

• Pet-friendly travel tips

• Weekend itineraries

• FAQ pages that reduce repetitive calls and emails

The focus lies on offering value rather than blatantly selling your products or services. However, you can (and should) subtly promote your offerings whenever relevant within your content. 

Why hotels should leverage content marketing

Content marketing is a powerful tool for hospitality businesses, as travelers conduct extensive online research before booking a trip. This gives you the opportunity to inspire them at the right moment in their journey. 

Done well, content marketing will help you increase brand awareness, strengthen guest relationships and generate more bookings. Here are the key advantages:

• Build trust and credibility before guests are ready to book: Content marketing is often seen as the new go-to way of marketing. Consumers have become increasingly immune to traditional forms of marketing. They even purposely avoid and ignore intrusive ads trying to sell them something. That’s why marketeers shifted to producing content that potential customers actually want to see or read. It relies on helpful content instead of aggressive sales tactics, benefitting your brand image.

• Attract new and repeat bookings: By sharing engaging content like travel tips, destination guides and guest stories, you can introduce your property to travelers in the early stages of their journey. It also allows you to maintain guest relationships and stay top of mind, decreasing your acquisition costs.

• Enhance your visibility on Google: This marketing strategy is also extremely valuable from an SEO perspective. It’s another free or low-cost way properties can enhance their online presence and increase website traffic by targeting the right keywords.

How to develop a hotel content marketing strategy

1. Define clear goals

First things first: set specific content marketing goals by thinking about what you want to achieve with your content. Your content goals might include:

• Building brand awareness

• Increasing website traffic

• Boosting direct bookings

• Fostering guest loyalty

• Or all of the above

Of course, these goals should contribute to the broader marketing goals you defined earlier. Clear goals help guide your content topics, formats, and platforms—and give you something to measure against later on.

Clear objectives help guide your content topics, formats and promotion channels – and give you something to measure against later on to keep you on track.

2. Understand your audience

Great content starts with knowing who you’re talking to. It should address (potential) guests’ interests, needs, questions and concerns. Revisit your target audience segments, as their characteristics should inspire your content decisions.

To generate some initial ideas, a brainstorming session is a good place to start. Ask yourself what your target audience cares about or which questions they may have. There are various tools available online to help you discover common queries and themes, such as AnswerThePublic or People Also Ask.

Your content should not only cater to different traveler types, but also match where they are in their booking journey in order to guide them through tuhe funnel. Aim for a good mix of top-of-funnel, middle-of-funnel and bottom-of-funnel content to diversify your appeal.

• Top-of-funnel content (inspiration)
  Travelers in this early research phase might be looking for their next destination and probably aren’t ready to book yet. Content here should be helpful and spark curiosity.
  Examples:
  - 8 surprising destinations in Asia you should consider for your next trip 
  - Why [your destination] is Europe’s best hidden gem for slow travel

• Middle-of-funnel content (consideration)
  Now that they’ve narrowed down their options, travelers seek helpful, relevant information and insider tips about the destination(s) they’re considering.
  Examples:
  - Best family-friendly activities near [your city]
  - What to do and see in [your country or region] in Spring
  - Traveling with a dog to [your city or region]: How to plan a pet-proof vacation

• Bottom-of-funnel content (conversion)
  This content focuses on your property, the services you offer and what sets you apart. Designed to encourage bookings, it should be persuasive and reassuring – removing any potential doubts and often leveraging customer testimonials.
  Examples:
  - 5 reasons solo travelers love staying at [your hotel]
  - An exclusive peek inside our luxury suite with in-room jacuzzi
  - Mother’s Day discount: Book now and enjoy 10% off!

3. Keyword research 

Once you’ve identified topics, turn them into target keywords. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Semrush or Ahrefs to discover keyword variations your audience is actively searching.

Key metrics you should check are:

• Search volume: Is the keyword relevant enough to target?

• Keyword difficulty: How hard will it be to rank for this keyword?

Choose both short-tail and long-tail keywords to target. Short-tail keywords (e.g., Paris hotels) are typically higher in search volume, but often more competitive. Long-tail keywords (e.g., affordable romantic hotels near Eiffel Tower) are lower in volume, more specific and often easier to rank for.

4. Pick the right formats

A format gives you a clear framework within which to create content. Choose the right ones based on your message, target audience and channel.

Potential digital content formats are:

• Blog posts

• Instagram/Facebook Reels

• TikTok videos

• Travel checklists 

• Destination guides

• eMagazines

• Local event calendars

• Marketing emails and monthly newsletters

• Podcasts

• Testimonials

One piece of content can be repurposed into multiple formats – a great way to increase exposure and reinforce your message. For example, a blog post can be summarized in an email and teased through a video on social media.

5. Create authentic content

Now that you have a clear sense of direction, it’s time to start creating. Whether you’re writing, filming or designing, your content should always reflect your property’s brand identity, values and unique strengths. 

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Destination guide with tips from locals (blog post, pdf file, podcast or video series)

• Spotlight blogs around local events and attractions

• Guest stories and testimonials (written reviews, photos or videos)

• Behind-the-scenes looks at your property (Reels or TikTok videos)

• Collaborations with local businesses (videos, emails, giveaways or blog posts)

To create strong content that resonates, there are a couple of important tactics you should keep in mind:

• Convey your unique strengths and personal story to stand out.

• Keep a consistent brand personality, visual style and tone of voice.

• Apply SEO and GEO best practices, as explained previously. 

• Speak the language of your (potential) clients, both literally and figuratively.

6. Promote across different channels

Content isn’t bound by one single channel – promoting it across various channels is key. For example, you can share new blogs in emails, Instagram stories, ads or via partners to increase exposure. Pick relevant platforms, keeping in mind who you’re trying to reach.

7. Measure results and optimize efforts

To analyze your campaign performance where it matters, refer back to the goals you set. If, for example, your objective is to increase website visitors, verify which campaigns, content pieces or channels drove the most website traffic. Use these insights to refine your strategy and improve results over time.

Turn website traffic into bookings

Hotel website marketing is not about doing everything. It’s about doing the basics consistently:

• Help guests find you (SEO + local SEO)

• Add visibility when you need it (Google Ads + Hotel Ads)

• Give travelers a reason to choose you (content that answers real questions and builds trust)

Once guests find your site, make the final step easy: a fast, trustworthy booking experience.

If you’re getting traffic but not enough direct bookings, your booking path usually needs work: clear availability and pricing, flexible payment options, or fewer steps to complete the reservation.

Want to turn more of your website visitors into direct guests? Lighthouse helps independent hotels bring pricing, distribution, direct bookings, payments, and daily operations into one simple platform so you can save time, reduce OTA dependence, and grow revenue without adding extra admin. Discover our all-in-one platform for independents here or book a free demo with our team.

If you want to know more about promoting your hotel or B&B online, be sure to check out our complete guide on hotel digital marketing.