Standing out in the crowded hospitality industry is no small feat, especially when your online presence plays such a pivotal role in driving bookings. With over 70% of travelers starting their trip planning with a Google search, hotels that don’t rank highly risk being overlooked.
One of the most effective ways to improve your hotel’s visibility is through link building—an often underutilized strategy in the hospitality sector. By earning backlinks from reputable websites, your hotel gains more authority in search engine algorithms, leading to better rankings and more potential guests.
This post will dive into essential link-building strategies designed specifically for hotels, helping you strengthen your online presence and attract more bookings. Whether you’re running a boutique hotel or a large chain, mastering these techniques can significantly boost your SEO efforts.
What is Link Building for Hotels?
Link building is the process of acquiring hyperlinks from other websites that point back to your hotel’s website. These backlinks are essential for search engine optimization (SEO) because they signal to search engines like Google that your website is credible and trustworthy. For hotels, securing high-quality backlinks from reputable sources not only boosts your authority but also improves your rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs).
A well-planned strategy goes beyond just improving rankings. It expands your hotel’s reach, introduces your property to new audiences, and can open doors to valuable industry partnerships. As you grow your backlink profile, you enhance your online presence and attract more targeted traffic, ultimately driving direct bookings.
The Purpose of Building Backlinks
Building backlinks isn’t solely about SEO; it’s also about increasing your hotel’s visibility and trustworthiness. Links from relevant, authoritative websites introduce your property to new potential guests, many of whom might not have discovered you otherwise. This exposure not only drives traffic but also creates opportunities for collaborations with travel bloggers, local tourism boards, and industry influencers.
However, not all backlinks hold the same value. Google emphasizes quality over quantity, making links from trusted, relevant sources far more impactful than those from random or unrelated websites. For hotels, focusing on securing high-quality backlinks from reputable sources is key to long-term SEO success.
What Makes a Good Backlink?
Understanding the elements of a quality backlink is essential to any successful link-building strategy for the hotel business. While metrics like Domain Authority (DA) and Domain Rating (DR) are often discussed, it’s important to remember that these aren’t direct ranking factors for Google. Instead, focus on what truly influences a backlink’s value:
- Organic Traffic: Backlinks from websites with strong organic traffic are highly valuable because these sites have already earned Google’s trust. Securing links from pages that rank well for travel-related keywords, such as “luxury hotels” or “top travel destinations,” can significantly enhance your hotel’s credibility and search rankings.
- Relevance: The relevance of the linking site is critical. Links from websites in related niches, such as travel blogs, tourism boards, or hospitality sites, are much more valuable than those from unrelated industries. Google favors backlinks that align contextually with your hotel’s content, signaling that your site is an authority in the hospitality sector.
- Anchor Text: The anchor text used in a backlink should be descriptive and relevant to your hotel’s offerings. While over-optimization can harm your rankings, using natural anchor text that accurately reflects the content of your page helps improve SEO performance. For example, using “luxury beachfront hotel” is more effective than vague phrases like “click here.”
- Placement & Characteristics: Backlinks placed within the body of a well-written article hold more value than those buried in sidebars or footers. Google places higher importance on links embedded in high-quality, relevant content because they are seen as more organic and trustworthy.
- Follow vs. Nofollow Links: “Dofollow” links pass SEO value directly to your site, helping with rankings, while “nofollow” links don’t pass SEO value but can still drive valuable referral traffic. Both types of links play a role in building a diverse, well-rounded link profile.
- Destination: Building backlinks to informative, content-rich pages on your site (like blogs or local guides) allows you to internally link those to your booking or service pages. This strategy helps boost the visibility of sales-focused pages that are typically harder to earn backlinks for directly.
Top Strategies for Link Building for Hotels
Link building for hotels follows similar principles to those in other industries, meaning the core strategies can be applied across various niches. Whether you’re building links for a rehab facility, a garage door e-commerce site, or a hotel site, acquiring high-quality backlinks is essential for boosting search rankings and driving organic traffic. For example, guest posting on relevant blogs and using link insertions in already-ranking content are just as effective for fashion brands, SaaS companies, or fitness influencers.
The key is to tailor these strategies to your industry and focus on earning links from sites that are authoritative and contextually relevant to your niche. Below, we explore how these two main strategies can effectively boost your hotel’s backlink profile.
1. Guest Posting on Industry-Relevant Websites
Guest posting remains one of the most reliable strategies for link building. It’s not just a quick fix — it’s a consistent and scalable way to earn authoritative backlinks while positioning your hotel as a leader in the hospitality space. By writing valuable content for travel magazine sites, tourism websites, or hospitality-focused publications, you can steadily grow your backlink profile and attract a larger audience.
This method stands out because it gives you control over the content and where your links appear. You get to choose the sites, pitch your ideas, and share your expertise—all while securing high-quality backlinks. Done well, guest posting can lead to a steady stream of links from relevant, high-traffic websites, offering long-term SEO benefits.
As your guest posts get published across various platforms, your reach expands, bringing more opportunities. Whether targeting niche travel blogs or broader lifestyle publications, guest posting consistently places your hotel in front of the right audience.
Actionable Step: Identify high-quality blogs and websites in the travel and hospitality niche. Develop guest post ideas that showcase your expertise, such as local travel guides, tips for travelers, or insights into the hospitality industry. Provide valuable content and include a natural link back to your hotel’s website within the article to secure impactful backlinks.
2. Link Insertions: A Fast Route to Backlinks
Link insertions, also known as “niche edits,” are another effective strategy for link building for hotels. While guest posting involves creating new content, link insertions allow you to capitalize on existing articles already ranking well in search results. This approach offers quick SEO benefits by placing your link in trusted, indexed content.
What makes link insertions attractive is the immediacy of the SEO boost. Instead of waiting for new content to rank, you can gain visibility by inserting your link into an already well-trafficked article. This is particularly useful for linking to your hotel’s booking page, special offers, or event pages that may not naturally attract backlinks.
Although link insertions often come with a fee, they are worth the investment when done strategically, providing one of the fastest ways to build valuable links and complementing other link-building efforts.
Risks of Paid Link Insertions
Paid link insertions can carry risks if not done carefully. Google frowns upon unnatural or excessive paid links. To avoid penalties, ensure you only pursue high-quality sites relevant to the travel and hospitality industry, and avoid those that sell links indiscriminately.
Actionable Step: Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to identify high-ranking articles in the travel, tourism, or hospitality space. Reach out to site owners and suggest adding a link to your hotel’s content where it fits naturally, offering added value to their readers. For example, if an article is about the best places to stay in your city, propose including your hotel as an option with a link to your site.
By adapting these proven strategies to the hospitality industry, you can effectively enhance your hotel’s online visibility. Focusing on guest posting and link insertions will not only improve your search engine rankings but also position your hotel as an authority in the travel sector, attracting more guests and increasing direct bookings.
Other Link Building Tactics for Hotels
Create Linkable Assets and Perform Outreach
Creating valuable, linkable assets is essential to a successful hotel link-building strategy. These are high-quality pieces of content that naturally attract links because they offer unique value to your audience. Hotels can leverage their expertise to produce content such as travel guides, local area insights, or event calendars to build authority and earn backlinks.
In-Depth Guides
Hotels are uniquely positioned to offer valuable insights into local attractions and activities. By creating comprehensive, easy-to-read guides on topics like “Best Local Attractions” or “Seasonal Travel Tips,” your hotel can attract backlinks from travel bloggers, tourism websites, and other relevant sites looking to cite trustworthy sources. A well-researched guide acts as a magnet for backlinks from high-authority, travel-related websites.
FAQ Pages
An FAQ page addressing common traveler concerns—such as hotel amenities, booking policies, or local transportation options—can become a valuable resource for websites looking to answer these same questions. Hotels can use their FAQ pages to attract backlinks from bloggers, journalists, or other travel industry professionals searching for reliable information to share with their readers.
Event or Local Guides
Publishing content that provides updated information on local events, festivals, or conferences is another excellent way to attract backlinks. By becoming a resource for travelers looking to attend these events, your hotel’s website can earn links from event organizers, local tourism boards, and media outlets.
Original Research
Hotels that publish unique research on travel trends, guest preferences, or booking behaviors can establish themselves as authorities in the industry. Original research often garners attention from major media outlets and travel industry publications, leading to valuable backlinks that enhance credibility and improve search rankings.
Actionable Step: Once you’ve created valuable assets, perform targeted outreach to relevant travel blogs, tourism websites, and journalists. Send personalized emails offering your content as a resource, and if your content provides real value, you’re likely to attract high-quality backlinks.
Blogging for Sustainable Link-Building
A well-maintained blog can be one of the most sustainable ways for hotels to build backlinks. Regularly publishing insightful content on trending travel topics, hotel industry trends, or local tourism tips can naturally attract backlinks from other sites referencing your blog as an authoritative source. Blogging offers flexibility in content types, allowing your hotel to cover a wide range of travel-related topics.
Topics That Attract Links
Certain blog topics are more likely to generate backlinks, including:
- Simplifying Travel Logistics: Blogs that break down complex travel logistics—like booking tips, local transportation guides, or visa information—are often linked by travel bloggers or tourism sites.
- Trending Travel Topics: Writing about new trends in the travel industry, like eco-tourism or luxury staycations, can attract backlinks from journalists covering similar subjects.
- How-To Guides: Step-by-step guides on travel planning, packing, or choosing accommodations tend to get linked by websites providing advice for their readers.
- Local Expertise: Analyzing local cultural events or providing unique insights into the area can lead to backlinks from bloggers and media outlets seeking expert knowledge on the destination.
Actionable Step: Develop a content strategy that addresses trending travel topics and keywords relevant to your location or hotel. Use tools like Ahrefs or Google Trends to find popular keywords, and publish high-quality content regularly. Promote your blog posts through outreach to travel websites, bloggers, and journalists.
Leverage Community Mentions
Building relationships within your hotel’s community or professional network can lead to valuable backlinks. Asking satisfied guests, business partners, or local tourism boards for backlinks is an often-overlooked strategy, but these individuals or businesses already have positive connections with your brand and are more likely to support you.
For example, you could ask for a backlink in exchange for providing a testimonial for a partner business or local attraction. Additionally, if a guest or travel blogger writes about your hotel in a post, request that they link back to your site.
Actionable Step: Reach out to satisfied customers, collaborators, or partners with websites and request a backlink. Offer something in return, such as a testimonial or social media mention, to make the exchange mutually beneficial.
Becoming a Source for Journalists
Journalists frequently need expert opinions on travel, tourism, and hospitality-related topics, offering hotels an opportunity to earn backlinks from major media outlets. Platforms like Help a Reporter Out (HARO) or Qwoted connect journalists with industry experts, making it easy for hotels to offer insights in exchange for a backlink.
By responding to journalist queries with timely, informative insights, hotels can earn authoritative backlinks from news articles, boosting both visibility and credibility.
Actionable Step: Sign up for HARO or similar platforms and set up alerts for queries related to travel, hospitality, or local tourism. Provide thoughtful responses to increase your chances of being featured and earning a backlink.
Get Easy Wins from Free Directories
Tourism directories offer an easy way to build backlinks. Listing your hotel on top travel directories helps potential guests discover your brand while also contributing to your backlink profile. While many directory links are “nofollow,” they still help diversify your link profile and increase your online visibility.
In addition to major directories, consider smaller, niche directories that are relevant to your hotel’s location or specific target market to secure more targeted backlinks.
Actionable Step: List your hotel on major travel directories and explore smaller, niche-specific directories relevant to your region or clientele. Check your competitors’ backlink profiles to see where they are listed, and replicate their efforts.
Discover Unlinked Mentions
Unlinked mentions occur when your hotel is mentioned online, but without a link back to your website. Finding these mentions and requesting a link is often an easy way to acquire a backlink, as the site already recognizes your brand.
Actionable Step: Set up Google Alerts or use tools like Ahrefs to track mentions of your hotel. When you discover unlinked mentions, reach out to the website owner and politely request that they link back to your site.
While these additional tactics are valuable for diversifying your backlink profile and building long-term SEO momentum, they may not deliver immediate results like guest posting or link insertions. However, they are excellent for gradually strengthening your link-building efforts, and when paired with more proactive approaches, they can significantly enhance your hotel’s SEO growth and visibility.
Tracking Your Link Building Results
Once you’ve implemented your link-building strategies, it’s crucial to track your results to ensure your efforts are paying off. Monitoring the success of your link-building initiatives helps refine your approach and ensures your tactics continue driving valuable SEO results. Remember, link building isn’t a one-time effort—it requires ongoing evaluation and adaptation to maximize its impact on your hotel’s search rankings and website traffic.
Tools for Tracking Backlinks
Several tools are available to help you monitor the success of your link-building campaigns. Below are some of the most popular options for tracking your hotel’s backlink profile:
- Ahrefs: This tool provides comprehensive insights into your backlink profile, including new and lost links, referring domains, and the authority of sites linking to you. Ahrefs also allows you to analyze your competitors’ backlinks, offering ideas and opportunities for improving your own strategies.
- SEMrush: Similar to Ahrefs, SEMrush tracks backlink growth, flags toxic links, and helps discover new link-building opportunities. Additionally, it provides keyword ranking data, allowing you to see how backlinks impact your SEO performance.
- Google Search Console: A free tool from Google, Search Console offers a basic overview of your website’s performance in search results. It allows you to monitor traffic and backlinks, providing useful insights into how your link-building efforts affect your hotel’s visibility.
These tools will help you assess both the quantity and quality of your backlinks. As your hotel earns more high-authority backlinks, you should start seeing improvements in search engine rankings and organic traffic.
Monitoring Keyword Rankings and Organic Traffic
One of the main benefits of successful link-building efforts is improved rankings for target keywords. As you acquire high-quality backlinks, your hotel website should start ranking higher for relevant search terms, such as “luxury hotels in [location]” or “best accommodations near [landmark].”
Tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush allow you to track the rankings of your target keywords over time. Watch for keyword ranking improvements that coincide with your link-building efforts, as this can help you pinpoint which strategies are driving the most success.
In addition to monitoring keyword rankings, track your hotel’s organic traffic using tools like Google Analytics or Google Search Console. Look for upward trends in traffic as you build more backlinks, and pay attention to traffic spikes after acquiring significant links from high-authority travel or tourism sites.
Adjusting Your Strategy
Link building is an ongoing process that requires regular adjustments. Periodically review your backlink profile, track your progress, and refine your strategy based on the data. If certain tactics—such as guest posting on travel blogs or securing backlinks from local tourism boards—are delivering strong results, focus more effort on those areas.
Conversely, if certain methods aren’t driving quality links or improving your SEO, it might be time to reassess those approaches. Staying flexible and data-driven is key to achieving long-term success in your hotel’s link-building efforts.
Actionable Step: To ensure you’re staying on track, perform monthly backlink audits using tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Google Search Console. During these audits, assess your backlink growth, evaluate the quality of the links you’ve acquired, and compare keyword rankings and organic traffic trends. These regular audits will help you continually optimize your hotel’s link-building strategy for maximum SEO impact and long-term success.
Elevating Your Hotel’s Online Presence
Link building is a powerful tool that can significantly boost your hotel’s visibility, drive more organic traffic, and ultimately increase bookings. From guest posting on relevant travel sites to securing valuable backlinks through outreach, each strategy plays a crucial role in strengthening your hotel’s SEO performance. By focusing on high-quality, authoritative links and continuously refining your approach, you position your hotel as a trusted resource in the hospitality industry.
Remember, successful link building is an ongoing process. Regularly track your progress, monitor your backlink profile, and adjust your strategies based on data insights. With a thoughtful, consistent approach, your hotel will not only climb the search engine rankings but also establish a strong online presence that keeps you ahead of the competition.
FAQs on Link Building for Hotels
How long does it take to see results from link building?
Link building is a long-term strategy, and results don’t happen overnight. Typically, it can take anywhere from 3 to 6 months to start seeing noticeable improvements in search engine rankings and organic traffic. Factors such as the quality of the backlinks, your existing SEO efforts, and the competitiveness of your niche will influence how quickly you see results. Consistency is key—continuously earning high-quality backlinks will lead to sustainable growth over time.
Should I focus more on quantity or quality when building backlinks?
Quality always outweighs quantity when it comes to link building. A few high-quality backlinks from authoritative and relevant websites are far more valuable than dozens of low-quality links. Search engines prioritize backlinks from sites that are trustworthy and relevant to your industry, so securing links from reputable travel blogs, tourism boards, or local guides will boost your hotel’s SEO much more effectively.
Can I buy backlinks to speed up the process?
While buying backlinks might seem like a quick fix, it’s generally not a recommended practice. Google’s algorithms are designed to detect and penalize websites that engage in manipulative link-building tactics, including purchasing low-quality or spammy backlinks. Instead, focus on earning organic links through content creation, outreach, and relationship-building.
What role does anchor text play in link building for hotels?
Anchor text—the clickable text in a hyperlink—plays an important role in link building. It helps search engines understand what your content is about. When other websites link to your hotel, using descriptive, relevant anchor text like “luxury beachfront hotel” or “best hotels near [landmark]” can improve your ranking for those terms. However, avoid over-optimizing anchor text, as Google may view it as manipulative.
Is it possible to lose backlinks?
Yes, backlinks can be lost over time. Links may be removed if a website updates its content, removes pages, or restructures its site. It’s important to regularly monitor your backlink profile using tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to identify lost links. When you notice valuable links disappearing, you can reach out to the site owner to see if it’s possible to restore them or build new relationships to earn fresh backlinks.
How do local backlinks benefit hotels?
Local backlinks are especially beneficial for hotels because they help establish relevance in your specific geographic area. Links from local tourism boards, event pages, or nearby attractions signal to search engines that your hotel is a key player in the local area, improving your rankings for location-based searches. Additionally, local backlinks drive targeted traffic from travelers specifically interested in your region
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