As an hotelier, host or accommodation owner, you certainly are curious about your hotel’s google ranking. After all, your Google ranking can directly impact the number of bookings you receive. However, trying to find your hotel’s search engine ranking on Google while using your own computer or mobile phone is a waste of time. In this article, we will discuss three main reasons why this is the case, as well as provide 10 best methods for finding your hotel’s true search engine ranking.
Have you ever noticed that every time you search for your accommodation on Google, it always seems to come up in the top results? And have you ever searched for “the top 10 Accommodations in your location” only to find that your property always seems to appear on top? A bit weird, isn’t it?
Why does this happen?
The answer is quite simple. Google’s goal is to make your search experience relevant and useful to you. So they make sure they give you what you want. And what better way than to show your lovely B&B, 4 star hotel or holiday home at the top of search results when you search for it.
3 Best ways to find your true Accommodation's Ranking
TL;DR
- Do a search using a ranking tool like SERP Robot.
- Do a search using a VPN like NordVPN
- Check your website analytics to see how you rank
Table of Contents
What are the top reasons why searching for your hotel ranking on Google is a waste of time?
#1 One of the biggest issues searching for your hotel’s ranking is using your own computer or mobile. Google tailors its search results based on a user’s search history, cookies, and other factors. This means that if you search for your hotel on Google using your own computer, you are likely to see personalised results that may differ from someone else’s search results. As a result, this makes it difficult to accurately determine your hotel’s true ranking.
#2 Another key factor to consider is location. Google’s search results are heavily influenced by a user’s location. This means that if you search for your hotel while located in your hotel’s area, your search results may be skewed towards local results.
#3 Thirdly, search rankings change all the time. Google’s algorithms are designed to provide users with the most relevant and useful search results. This means that search rankings can fluctuate from day to day, depending on a variety of factors. Therefore, trying to determine your hotel’s ranking based on a single search is not an accurate reflection of your hotel’s true ranking.
So, if searching for your hotel’s ranking on Google is not the best approach, what can you do instead?
10 best methods for finding your hotel's true ranking
1. THE EASIEST WAY: Use a ranking tool to find your google ranking.
There are a variety of tools available that can help you track your hotel’s search rankings over time. These tools provide detailed reports on your hotel’s performance in search results, allowing you to track changes and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Here is an excellent tool:
Serprobot. Super simple. We use it regulary.
https://www.serprobot.com/serp-check
Start by choosing your region and your device. Then fill out your domain name to see how your holiday accommodation ranks. You can even keep an eye out on the competition by filling out your competitors URL’s.
Once you done that, you enter your keywords for your accommodation for which you want to find your rankings. The keywords you use for your property can vary depending on the context, your specialty and user intent. However, some commonly searched keywords related to hotels include:
- Your own Hotel name
- Your own Hotel name + Destination
- Top 10 Accommodations in + Destination
- Boutique hotels + Destination
- Best hosts to book + Destination
- Last-minute hotels + Destination
- Hotel deals + Destination
- Hotel booking + Destination
- All-inclusive hotels + Destination
- Pet-friendly hotels + Destination
These keywords often help users find hotels and other accommodations that cater to their specific needs, preferences, and budget. Keep in mind that travellers may also include the destination name, landmarks or specialty in their search queries to find hotels in a particular area. This pattern can be something like;
- [your hotel name] + [your hotel’s destination]
- Top 10 hotels in [your destination]
- Best [your specialty] hotels in [your destination]
- Hotels in the centre of [your destination]
- Accommodations near [landmark]
Once you hit “Check Serp Now” you will then get results for each of your keywords. As you can see bellow, there are different search results for desktop or mobile search. There will also be different results if you choose a different country. Just experiment around a bit.
Congratulations! You are for your won hotel on the top place! When you click on TOP TEN in your hotel’s search result, you will see what other pages are listed on Google.
When you click on -> RUN SEARCH instead, depending on your cookies and history, you might now see who is actually advertising for your property. The much better way to see this is to use a VPN (virtual private network).
All in all, using a SERP robot to find an accurate search result for your hotel is a quick and easy way to see how your accommodation performs on Google.
2. THE BEST WAY: Use a VPN [Virtual Private Network]
By using a VPN, you can change your IP address and location to see search results as if you were located in a different area. This will give you a better idea of where your hotel ranks compared to your competitors in many different locations taking into account where most of your guest are coming from.
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a tool that allows you to browse the internet privately and securely. When you connect to a VPN, your internet traffic is routed through an encrypted tunnel, which protects your data and hides your IP address from prying eyes.
In the context of hotel search rankings, a VPN can be used to mimic a potential guest’s search by changing your virtual location. For example, if you’re located in London but want to see how your hotel ranks in search results for people in New York, you can connect to a VPN server in New York and perform your search. This way, your search results will be personalized as if you were searching from New York, and you can see how your hotel ranks in that location.
*Find out who is running Google Ads for your Property*
The added bonus of searching for your property using a VPN, is that you can see who and what type of Google ads are running for your accommodation. Your competitors, and yes that is also booking .com, will be only be running ads for keywords when they think it is worth convincing a traveller.
Have a look bellow. The hotel is based in Austria. A keyword search from Berlin (left side) shows an Ad from Booking.com. The same keyword search from Vienna (right side) shows no sponsored content at all (and the hotel on first place).
Did you know that in 2019 Booking .com spend 1.000.000.000$ per quarter on Google Ads? Find out more about Booking .com and Brandjacking tactics. Subscribe to our newsletter.
The Best VPN to use for Accommodation Search
Here are 3 of the most popular VPNs for your hotel, which you can use to search on your computer and on your mobile phone or tablet.
- NordVPN
- Express VPN
- Cyberghost
NordVPN offers the most servers worldwide. This translates into more locations for you to search from.
Overall, using a VPN is by far the best tool for hosts who want to get a more accurate idea of how their accommodation ranks in different locations. By mimicking a potential guest’s search, you can get a better understanding of how your hotel compares to your competitors in different locations and adjust your SEO strategy accordingly.
3. THE INTEL WAY: Analyze your Website Analytics.
Your website analytics can provide valuable insight into the keywords and search terms that drive traffic to your website. By analysing this data, you can get a better idea of how your hotel is performing in search results for specific keywords over time.
4. Use a different browser.
Browsers such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari can all provide slightly different search results, even for the same query. By using a different browser, you can see if your hotel’s ranking changes in search results.
5. Use private browsing or incognito mode.
Private browsing or incognito mode can help eliminate the personalized search results that Google uses to tailor search results for individual users. By opening a private browsing window or incognito tab, you can get a more accurate idea of your hotel’s true ranking.
6. Clear your cookies and search history.
Clearing your cookies and search history can also help eliminate personalized search results. By clearing your browser history and cookies, you can see search results as if you were a new user searching for hotels in your area for the first time.
7. Log out of Google.
If you are logged into a Google account, your search results may be influenced by your search history and other factors associated with your account. By logging out of Google, you can see search results as if you were not logged in.
8. Use a search engine other than Google.
While Google is the most popular search engine, it’s not the only one. Search engines such as Bing and Yahoo can provide different search results, which can be useful for getting a more complete picture of your hotel’s true ranking.
9. Monitor your competitors.
Keeping an eye on your competitors’ search rankings can give you a better idea of how your hotel is performing in comparison. This can help you identify areas where you need to improve your SEO strategy to stay competitive.
10. Ask your guests.
Your guests are the ones who are actually searching for and booking your hotel. By asking them how they found your hotel, you can get a better idea of how you are performing in search results and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Your Hotel's Search Engine Ranking is a moving Target
Your search engine ranking is a moving target because it can vary depending on a number of factors, including a searcher’s location, search history and device. Even if two searchers use exactly the same search terms, they may see different results based on these factors. This means that your hotel’s search engine ranking can be difficult to pin down and can fluctuate over time as these factors change.
What is important to consider is your presence on high quality platforms. This includes not only Google, but also other international travel platforms such as BookBetterDirect.
Being present on these platforms can help improve your hotel’s visibility and increase your chances of appearing in search results. Building backlinks to these specialised platforms can also help improve your search engine rankings. Backlinks are links from other websites that point to your hotel’s website and vice versa. They are an important factor used by search engines to determine the authority and relevance of your website. Find out how BookBetterDirect helps your hotel get more visibility on search.
Key Takeaways
Trying to determine your hotel’s ranking on Google by searching on your own computer in your hotel’s location is not an accurate reflection of your hotel’s true ranking. Instead, consider using a VPN, ranking tools, website analytics, competitor analysis and guest feedback to get a better idea of how your hotel is performing in search results.
By joining platforms such as BookBetterDirect and building backlinks, you can improve your search rankings, get an extra webpage for Google and attract more potential guests to your hotel.
BookBetterDirect offers accommodations a unique opportunity to promote their direct booking advantages and obtain unique exposure. By joining BookBetterDirect, you not only gain global brand recognition, boost your marketing power, increase booking productivity, and boost your profitability in the long-run; it also helps to create trust with guests and make aware that they always book better direct.
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