Essential SEO Checklist for Accommodation Websites: Attract More Guests Directly

We all know, your potential guests are overwhelmingly starting their search for the perfect getaway online. Whether they’re looking for a cosy B&B in the Cotswolds, a self-catering cottage by the sea, or a chic city hotel, their journey likely begins with a search engine like Google. If your accommodation website doesn’t appear prominently in those search results, you need to review our SEO Checklist as you’re missing out on valuable direct bookings.

This is where Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) becomes crucial. SEO is the practice of improving your website’s visibility on search engines for relevant searches. Done correctly, it drives organic (unpaid) traffic to your site, connecting you directly with travellers actively seeking accommodation like yours. Why focus on direct bookings? They cut out costly Online Travel Agent (OTA) commissions, give you greater control over the guest relationship, and ultimately boost your bottom line.

Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t be. While SEO can be complex, understanding the fundamentals is achievable. This essential checklist covers the foundational SEO tasks specifically for UK accommodation providers, helping you attract more guests directly.

This SEO Checklist is designed to guide accommodation providers in optimising their websites effectively.

Understanding SEO for Accommodation

Before diving in, remember the goal: making it easy for search engines and potential guests to find and understand your website. This sounds simple but is the key elements great accommodation web design should be based around. Search engines want to provide the best, most relevant results. Your job is to show them that your website offers exactly what users searching for accommodation in your area need.

The Essential SEO Checklist for Accommodation

1. Master Local SEO: Be Found in Your Neighbourhood

For accommodation, where you are is paramount. Local SEO helps you appear when people search for places to stay in your specific town, city, or region (e.g., “bed and breakfast near Honiton,” “hotel in central London”).

• Claim & Optimise Your Google Business Profile (GBP): This free listing is arguably your most powerful local SEO tool. It appears in Google Search results and on Google Maps.
  • Claim/Create: Ensure you have control of your profile.
  • Verify: Complete the verification process.
  • NAP Consistency: Ensure your Name, Address, and Phone number are exactly the same here as on your website and other directories. Consistency is key.
  • Categories: Choose the most accurate categories (e.g., ‘Hotel’, ‘Bed & Breakfast’, ‘Holiday Cottage Rental Agency’).
  • Attributes: Select relevant attributes (free Wi-Fi, parking, pet-friendly, accessibility features).
  • Photos: Upload high-quality, appealing photos of your rooms, exterior, common areas, and local scenery.
  • Description: Write a compelling description incorporating relevant keywords.
  • Q&A: Monitor and answer questions promptly.
  • Posts: Use Google Posts to share updates, offers, and events.
  • Reviews: Actively encourage and respond to guest reviews (more on this below).
• Build Local Citations: List your business on relevant online directories. Consistency in NAP is vital here too. Think beyond the giants – consider local tourism board websites, regional directories, and niche travel sites (e.g., TripAdvisor, Yell, local council tourism pages).
• Encourage & Manage Reviews: Positive Google reviews significantly impact local rankings and build trust. Develop a simple strategy to ask satisfied guests to leave a review (e.g., a follow-up email with a direct link). Always respond professionally to all reviews, good and bad.

2. Smart Keyword Research: Speak Your Guests’ Language

Keywords are the terms people type into search engines. You need to understand what potential guests are searching for to find accommodation like yours.

• Think Like a Guest: Brainstorm terms related to your property type, location, features, and nearby attractions.
• Types of Keywords:
  • Branded: Your property’s name (e.g., “The Old Rectory B&B”).
  • Non-Branded: More general terms (e.g., “luxury hotel Peak District”).
  • Short-Tail: Broad terms (e.g., “Cornwall cottages”).
  • Long-Tail: More specific phrases (e.g., “dog friendly self catering cottage Lake District with hot tub”). Long-tail keywords often have less competition and attract guests with clearer intent.
• Location is Key: Combine keywords with your location (e.g., “guest house York city centre,” “holiday let near Bath”).
• Consider Intent: Are searchers just researching (e.g., “things to do in Dorset”) or ready to book (e.g., “book B&B Edinburgh”)? Target keywords that align with booking intent for your core pages.
• Tools: Use tools like Google Keyword Planner (free within Google Ads) to discover keywords, check search volumes, and get ideas.

3. On-Page Optimisation: Polish Your Website Pages

This involves optimising individual pages on your website to rank higher and earn more relevant traffic.

• Title Tags: The clickable headline shown in search results. Make it unique for each page, include your primary keyword near the beginning, and keep it concise (around 50-60 characters). Example: Luxury Dog-Friendly Cottage in Honiton | Book Direct.
• Meta Descriptions: The short description below the title tag in search results. While not a direct ranking factor, a compelling description encourages clicks. Include keywords naturally and a call-to-action (around 150-160 characters). Example: Escape to our charming dog-friendly cottage near Honiton. Sleeps 4, private garden, stunning views. Check availability & book direct for best rates!
• Header Tags (H1, H2, etc.): Use headers to structure your content logically. Use only one H1 tag per page (usually the main page title), incorporating your main keyword. Use H2s and H3s for subheadings.
• URL Structure: Keep URLs short, descriptive, and include relevant keywords (e.g., yourwebsite.co.uk/rooms/deluxe-king-room instead of yourwebsite.co.uk/page?id=123).
• Quality Content: Write detailed, engaging, and unique descriptions for your rooms, amenities, and local area. Naturally weave in relevant keywords researched earlier. Think about what makes your place special and highlight it.
• Image Optimisation: Search engines can’t “see” images. Use descriptive alt text (alternative text) for each image, incorporating keywords where appropriate (e.g., alt="Master bedroom with four poster bed at The Old Rectory B&B"). Also, ensure images are correctly sized and compressed to help page loading speed.
• Internal Linking: Link relevant pages on your site together. For example, link from a blog post about local walks back to your booking page, or from your homepage to specific room pages. This helps search engines understand your site structure and distributes authority.

4. Create Content Around Local Attractions & Your USPs

Beyond optimising your core pages, actively creating content is key to attracting guests with specific interests. Think about why people visit your area and what unique features your property offers.

• Identify Local Draws: Brainstorm all the reasons someone might travel to your location. Is there a prominent golf course nearby that hosts tournaments? A popular wedding venue? A historic building or National Trust property? Famous walking or cycling trails? Even annual festivals or events can be content opportunities.
  • Example: If you’re near a major golf course, a blog post or page titled “Accommodation Near [Golf Course Name] for the [Tournament Name]” can attract attendees searching specifically for that.
• Highlight Your Unique Selling Points (USPs): What makes your accommodation stand out? Do you offer something competitors don’t? This could be anything!
  • Example: An actual client of ours with stabling facilities created content around “holidays with your horse” or “accommodation with horse stabling near [Location]”. They now rank highly for these specific searches, attracting equestrian enthusiasts. Other USPs might include exceptional accessibility features, specialist workshops, EV charging points, or specific pet amenities beyond just being “pet-friendly”.
• Dedicated Content: Each significant local attraction or USP often deserves its own dedicated page or blog post. This allows you to go into detail and specifically target relevant long-tail keywords. A page might work best for a permanent feature (like stabling), while blog posts suit events or guides (like “Top 5 Walks Near Our B&B”).
• SEO Benefit: This strategy helps you rank for niche, high-intent search terms. It establishes your local expertise, provides genuinely useful information for potential guests, and can even attract links from the attractions or organisations you write about. Remember to link from these content pieces to your relevant room or booking pages.

5. Mobile-Friendliness is Non-Negotiable

The majority of travel searches now happen on smartphones. If your website isn’t easy to use on a mobile device, you’ll frustrate users and harm your rankings.

• Responsive Design: Your website should automatically adapt its layout to fit any screen size (desktop, tablet, mobile). This is standard practice for modern web design.
• Mobile User Experience: Ensure text is readable without zooming, buttons and links are easy to tap, and navigation is straightforward on smaller screens.
• Page Speed: Mobile users are impatient. Slow loading times lead to high bounce rates. Compress images, minimise code, and ensure good hosting. You can test your site’s speed using Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool.

Bringing It All Together

SEO isn’t a one-off task; it requires ongoing effort, especially content creation. By consistently working through this checklist – optimising your local presence, understanding your keywords, refining your web pages, creating valuable content about your unique appeal, and ensuring a seamless mobile experience – you lay a strong foundation. The reward? Increased visibility in search results, more direct bookings, reduced reliance on OTAs, and ultimately, a healthier business. Start ticking off these essentials today and watch your direct bookings grow.

Implementing these SEO essentials takes time and ongoing effort. If you’d prefer an expertly built website designed to attract direct bookings and handle the technical foundations for you, find out more about our Smart Websites for accommodation businesses: