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The ABCs of SEO for hotels

At Simplotel we have built websites for over 2,000 hotels, and every single time we have been asked about how we drive traffic to a website. We have been asked by those who are usually suspicious of SEO because they paid for such services in past and may or may not have seen results. And we have been asked by our customers who see a 3x plus growth in their website traffic after coming to our platform – as to how we do it. While SEO can be a deep subject, today we will attempt to outline how one must think about SEO in this post.

At a high level SEO depends on three things –

  1. Technology and layout of the website 

  2. The content on the website

  3. Things happening outside your website
     

Technology and layout of the website

In order to determine the relevance of a website for a search term (also known as a keyword) search engines have a piece of software called a Bot (derived from the word Robot) that crawls (think of it as reads) content on your website. The Bot then stores the keywords that a website is most relevant for. This is known as indexing of a website.

Unlike users, bots see the code of the website and not what users see on a website (you can view the code of most websites by right clicking on a webpage and selecting view page source). The easier this code is for the search engines to understand, the better chance you have of conveying your content to the search engines and making sure that your content gets indexed correctly. Here again there are hundreds of things that matter. These include the load time of a website, the structure of website code, mobile friendliness, proper tags and sitemaps. Detailing these is a topic for a future blog.

The layout of your website also plays an important role in search engine optimization. Clean and simple navigation, easily readable content – they all add up towards SEO friendliness. 
To get these things right a website must be built for SEO from the ground up – retrofitting these things can often mean redoing the website. The good news is that Simplotel, out of the box, takes care of all this for your hotel website.
 

The content on your website

Now that we have gotten the technical aspects covered, the next most obvious thing about SEO is the content of the website. If your website’s content is about ice cream cones then your site will be indexed for ice cream cone searches and not for hotels. If your content is about a luxury hotel, then you won’t be indexed for budget hotels and consequently it is unlikely that you will show up for searches related to budget hotels.

Content also comes in many shapes. It includes the text on the website, the images that you put, the links you provide and the various tags (page titles page descriptions etc.). Each one of these have a significance and how and where you place them also matters. Content that is higher up on a page matters more than the content that is below. On things like page titles, the content that is to the left matters more than the content that is to the right. How you structure your content with various Headers (much like a word document) matters. How you name your images, how you name the links – they all matter.

All content on your website should be original content – copying of content from another website hurts your traffic – as the search engines and users skip past you believing you have nothing new to say. Adding fresh and relevant content has also shown to impact the SEO of a website.

There is also data about your hotel (meta data) that you can provide on your website, it is not visible to your customers but tells the bots the location, name, etc. of your hotel. Once again, Simplotel does this out of the box for your site.  Our experts write the content for your hotel website so that it is all set up well. This is another reason why our customers see a 3x plus growth in traffic.
 

Things happening outside your website

After the technology and the content on the website, there are things that happen outside your website that impact search engine optimization. These include your guest reviews, your listing on Google Maps and local listing sites, your mention in travel blogs, etc. – they all matter. Here are some suggestions,

  • Verify and own your Google My Business (GMB) page and make sure that the map marker is accurate.

  • Ensure that your hotel’s name, address and contact info is exactly the same on all online channels – your social media pages, local listings and classified listings. 

  • Get good reviews by taking care of customers and encouraging customers to write a glowing review. Also, respond to your reviews on various review channels time to time.

There are few silver bullets in SEO – so you must skin it with a thousand paper cuts. Please let us know your comments, questions and feedback at hello@simplotel.com.

Amarnath Yatra: A Spiritual Pilgrimage Fueling the Hospitality Boom in Kashmir

The Amarnath Yatra is not just a spiritual quest—it’s a transformative journey that merges devotion, adventure, and breathtaking Himalayan landscapes. Every year, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims trek to the sacred Amarnath Cave in Jammu & Kashmir to witness the naturally formed ice Shivling, believed to be a physical manifestation of Lord Shiva himself.

But beyond its profound religious significance, the Yatra also drives substantial economic activity, especially for the hospitality and hotel industry in the region. In this blog, we explore the unique blend of faith and commerce that defines the Amarnath Yatra and how hoteliers can better cater to this seasonal boom.

The Spiritual and Economic Impact of the Amarnath Yatra

The Amarnath Yatra is deeply rooted in Hindu mythology. According to legend, it was in the hidden cave of Amarnath that Lord Shiva revealed the secret of immortality to Parvati. Along the journey, he left behind his companions—from the bull Nandi to the moon on his head—symbolising the shedding of all attachments before revealing the ultimate truth.

This pilgrimage is more than just a trek; for many, it is a once-in-a-lifetime spiritual experience, while for others, it has become an annual ritual. Pilgrims from across India—young and old, wealthy and humble—embark on this 38-day odyssey (in 2025, scheduled from July 3 to August 9, concluding on Raksha Bandhan) to connect with divinity in the lap of nature.

Why the Amarnath Yatra is a Boon for Hotels

Massive Demand for Rooms
The influx of pilgrims directly translates into booming business for hotels. Towns like Pahalgam, the base camp for the longer route, experience near 100% occupancy during the Yatra season. Even Srinagar, a popular stopover, sees a sharp spike in bookings.

This surge presents a golden opportunity for hoteliers to optimize their revenue through targeted services and smarter positioning.

Strategies for Hoteliers to Maximize the Yatra Season


1. Capitalize on Location

  • Pahalgam hotels are in a prime position to attract pilgrims starting the trek. Promoting your property as a base camp option adds value.

  • Srinagar hotels can act as gateways, offering pilgrims a place to rest before or after the Yatra. Consider adding travel concierge services.


2. Create Pre- and Post-Yatra Packages

  • “Day 0” Stays: Offer comfort before the trek begins.

  • Recovery Packages: Market packages focused on rest and recovery after the strenuous journey.

  • Partner with tent providers or transport operators to create all-inclusive pilgrimage bundles.


3. Pilgrim-Centric Services

  • Luggage Storage: Crucial for those who switch routes (Pahalgam to Baltal). Offering safe, accessible lockers can build trust and convenience.

  • Transport Assistance: Help pilgrims with shared or private transport to campsites.

  • Early Check-ins & Breakfast: As most pilgrims start early (6–7 AM), offer early breakfasts or packed meals.


4. Enhance Comfort

  • Offer hot showers, clean beds, and early meal options.

  • Provide oxygen cylinders, first aid kits, and weather alerts, especially for high-altitude risks.

  • Allow pilgrims to book rooms just for nap breaks (a growing trend near the cave).


5. Target the Comfort-Seeking Pilgrim
While sadhus and ascetics embrace simplicity, many pilgrims now prefer convenience and safety. Focus your offerings on this comfort-seeking majority. Highlight services that set you apart from tents and shared dormitories.

6. Boost Online Visibility

  • Ensure your hotel is discoverable on booking platforms during the Yatra season.

  • Collaborate with tour operators, helicopter services, or even the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) for referrals.

  • Use SEO strategies to rank for keywords like “hotels in Pahalgam for Amarnath Yatra” or “Amarnath Yatra 2025 accommodation”.

Final Thoughts

The Amarnath Yatra is a journey of faith, endurance, and unity, but it also offers a unique business window for hotels in Jammu & Kashmir. With proper planning, marketing, and a pilgrim-first approach, hotels can not only maximize revenue during the Yatra season but also create meaningful guest experiences that align with the spiritual essence of the pilgrimage.

At Simplotel, we specialise in helping hotels across 26 countries improve online presence, bookings, and guest experience. If you’re looking to grow your hotel business during high-demand seasons like the Amarnath Yatra, reach out to us today.

Let’s make faith and hospitality go hand in hand.