Tips on how to get more traffic to your website
Travel websites must provide original, authoritative content and avoid repeating information available elsewhere on the web to attract more traffic, digital marketing experts said this week.
Sites can no longer rely on littering their content with keywords to lure visitors as the largest search engine Google has become so sophisticated it can weed out those that try so-called ‘black hat’ tactics.
Richard Brooks, director of search strategy at digital agency Fresh Egg, said recent changes to Google’s algorithms had been designed to punish those sites that were overly-aggressive in optimising their sites for search engines.
The latest Google update, known as Penguin, caused those travel companies that relied heavily on key words to draw visitors to their sites to lose a large proportion of their search engine traffic.
Speaking at a Travel Babble SEO seminar organised by Fresh Egg, Brooks said it was now vital that travel sites made sure their content was relevant and authoritative to avoid falling foul of Google. "If you are not relevant to your audience, you don’t get a second shot," he said.
"It is very important that you manage what you say, your voice must be authoritative."
Quality not quantity is now key, said Expedia inbound marketing director Martin Macdonald. "People are looking for content that is original, not brochure quality," he added.
Travel sites should be looking to add videos, he said, and make better use of tools such as Foursquare.
By Linsey McNeill
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season