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.

The Essential Building Blocks of Hotel Brand Identity: How to Stand Out and Connect with Guests

Hotel brand identity isn’t just a buzzword - it’s the very fabric that shapes how guests perceive your property, long before they step through the lobby doors. Brand identity refers to the combination of distinct elements that form the hotel’s image and reputation, creating a silent conversation with customers that goes far beyond words. In fact, research shows that 93% of communication is non-verbal, making every design decision vital to expressing your brand’s true essence.

Brand Name

Philosophy & Values

Design Style & Visual Identity

Logo

Typography

Storytelling & Voice

Defined Offerings & Service

Conclusion

Brand Name: The First Impression

Your hotel’s name is more than just a label, it’s the first handshake with prospective guests. It must be authentic and memorable, instantly standing out from the competition and resonating emotionally. The right name lingers in the mind, evoking a scene or feeling every time it’s mentioned. From an SEO perspective, choosing a name that isn’t too generic or already saturated in online search results is crucial for digital visibility.

Ask yourself: Does your name conjure the right emotion? Does it help guests imagine your experience?

Core Philosophy & Values: The Hidden Signature

Behind every successful hotel brand lies a clear set of values. Your core philosophy, whether it’s sustainability, luxury, inclusiveness, or adventure, should inform every aspect of your guest experience. This isn’t something you say; it’s what you show, through your services, staff culture, décor, and even community involvement.

For instance, a hotel committed to sustainability must weave eco-friendly touches into every layer of its operations, from organic toiletries to green design features.

Design Style & Visual Identity: Painting Your Story

Guests form opinions through what they see far more than what they read. A coherent visual identity, shaped by logo, color palette, and imagery, is central to brand recognition.

An eco-hotel might opt for natural greens and earthy tones, while a beachfront property would shine with warm sand colors and ocean blues. Every photo on your website or social media should reinforce your core message; consistency creates trust.

Logo: The Visual Emblem

Your logo is the compact ambassador of your brand. It’s often the first thing that lodges in a guest’s memory. Sustainable hotels might use a leaf or tree icon; coastal resorts can utilize ocean waves. Modern branding calls for responsive logos that adapt beautifully across screens, preserving impact wherever they’re seen.

Typography: Speaking Without Words

Font choice isn’t trivial, fonts are deeply psychological. A boutique hotel exudes elegance with a script font, while a tech-forward hotel signals innovation with sleek, contemporary lettering. Choose typography that reflects your DNA and feels natural to guests.

Storytelling & Voice: Sharing Your Mission

Story isn’t just for literature; it’s at the heart of marketing. The story you tell sets expectations and creates emotional connection. Is your mission to offer guilt-free luxury to eco-conscious travelers?

Let guests know why you care, how you deliver, and what difference you’re making. Keep your voice consistent, matching the tone and personality of your brand across all platforms. If your brand is playful and lively, keep your language bright; if you’re refined and formal, speak accordingly.

Defined Offerings and Service: Delivering on the Promise

Ultimately, your brand is proven by guest experience. Your rooms, amenities, staff, menus, everything must echo the brand promise. Five-star service and luxury must be felt in every detail; promises of sustainability ought to be visible in everything from energy saving to waste reduction. Service is the living brand, and how you interact with the local community matters too.

Conclusion

Brand identity is the master key to hospitality success. Every choice, from name and logo to service and storytelling, must harmonize to articulate your hotel’s unique essence. By investing in these foundational elements, you ensure guests receive exactly what they expect, fostering loyalty, trust, and lasting impressions.

In today’s digital-first, guest-driven market, a strong and consistent brand identity is not just an advantage, it’s essential. A powerful brand isn’t just seen, it’s felt. To learn more about Branding, follow our blogs for the next 2 weeks - Simplotel Blogs