This document provides an overview of search engine optimization (SEO) best practices for tourism websites. It discusses important on-page SEO elements like keywords in domain names and URLs, optimized meta tags and titles, internal linking structure, image alt text, XML sitemaps, and listing the site with directories. It also covers off-page elements like getting backlinks from high-authority sites, travel reviews sites, directories, and social media mentions. The goal is to design and optimize websites to rank highly in organic search results.

1. Enhancing visibility: Search Engine Optimization Website promotion workshop > Tourism sector January 2012 :: Joost van der Kooij :: Alfons van Duijvenbode SEO

2. What is SEO SEO success factors Examples Assignments Agenda

3. Search Engine Marketing “ … A form of internet marketing that seeks to promote websites by increasing visibility in search engine result pages (SERPs) SEM methods include SEO Paid listings (Adwords) Source: Forrester, 2011 “ Natural search brings 61% of website visitors ”

4. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) “ … process of designing and improving a website so it ranks high in search engine results when someone who doesn ’ t know your business searches for the services or products you offer …

5. SEO success factors Domain name and Search Engine Friendly URLs Meta tags Listing with search engines www.google.com/addurl Google maps ‘ places ’ Headers and keyword rich content Link structure Alt tags XML sitemap Listing with DMOZ (www.dmoz.org) Linking Trip Advisor, Travel directories, Travel blogs High ranking sites (bizz directories, ref. www.onewaytextlink.com) Social media ( ‘ mentions ’ with links) 301 Redirect Monitor linking and ranking

6. SEO success factors Domain name and Search Engine Friendly URLs Meta tags Listing with search engines www.google.com/addurl Google maps ‘ places ’ Headers and keyword rich content Link structure Alt tags XML sitemap Listing with DMOZ (www.dmoz.org) Linking Trip Advisor, Travel directories, Travel blogs High ranking sites (bizz directories, ref. www.onewaytextlink.com) Social media ( ‘ mentions ’ with links) 301 Redirect Monitor linking and ranking

7. Domain name and SEF URLs Keywords in the domain name Possible to redirect multiple domain names to 1 site Check availability of domain names e.g. www.eurodns.com

8. Domain name …. and SEF URLs

9. Domain name …. and SEF URLs

10. non SEF URL …

11. Availability of domain names

12. Assignment 4a Domain names

13. SEO success factors Domain name and Search Engine Friendly URLs Meta tags Listing with search engines www.google.com/addurl Google maps ‘ places ’ Headers and keyword rich content Link structure Alt tags XML sitemap Listing with DMOZ (www.dmoz.org) Linking Trip Advisor, Travel directories, Travel blogs High ranking sites (bizz directories, ref. www.onewaytextlink.com) Social media ( ‘ mentions ’ with links) 301 Redirect Monitor linking and ranking

14. Meta tags Title tag Company name + most important keywords Optimize for max 70 characters For every page … Visible (Top of browser and SERP) Description tag Sentences with most important keywords Optimize for max 160 characters Trigger for users to click For every page … Visible (in SERP) and bold when the keywords match a user ’ s query… Keyword tag --------------------- Not relevant anymore Example

15. Meta tags Title Tag Description Tag Trigger to click!

16. Meta tags Trigger to click! Title Tag Description Tag

17. SEO success factors Domain name and Search Engine Friendly URLs Meta tags Listing with search engines www.google.com/addurl Google maps ‘ places ’ Headers and keyword rich content Link structure Alt tags XML sitemap Listing with DMOZ (www.dmoz.org) Linking Trip Advisor, Travel directories, Travel blogs High ranking sites (bizz directories, ref. www.onewaytextlink.com) Social media ( ‘ mentions ’ with links) 301 Redirect Monitor linking and ranking

18. Add url / submit to Google Add new domain / url to Google: http://www.google.com/addurl/ Also country specific Google databases Same goes for XML sitemap Tip: use Google Webmaster Tools

19. Assignment 4b Meta Tags and submit to Google

20. SEO success factors Domain name and Search Engine Friendly URLs Meta tags Listing with search engines www.google.com/addurl Google maps ‘ places ’ Headers and keyword rich content Link structure Alt tags XML sitemap Listing with DMOZ (www.dmoz.org) Linking Trip Advisor, Travel directories, Travel blogs High ranking sites (bizz directories, ref. www.onewaytextlink.com) Social media ( ‘ mentions ’ with links) 301 Redirect Monitor linking and ranking

21. Google Maps business listing – ‘ places ’

22. Google Maps business listing – ‘ places ’

23. Google Maps business listing – ‘ places ’

24. Assignment 4c Google Maps

25. SEO success factors Domain name and Search Engine Friendly URLs Meta tags Listing with search engines www.google.com/addurl Google maps ‘ places ’ Headers and keyword rich content Link structure Alt tags XML sitemap Listing with DMOZ (www.dmoz.org) Linking Trip Advisor, Travel directories, Travel blogs High ranking sites (bizz directories, ref. www.onewaytextlink.com) Social media ( ‘ mentions ’ with links) 301 Redirect Monitor linking and ranking

26. Headers and keyword rich content Headers (H1) get bigger weight in the ranking…. Include keywords Fill your content with keywords Be creative and think of derivates and synonyms of popular keywords Brainstorm keywords based on your core offerings For core offerings: do not only focus on your main activity (e.g. accommodation) but also your services (e.g. snorkeling tour) Helpful tool for keyword research: https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

27. Keyword rich content Related services

28. Tool for keyword search https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

29. Tool for keyword search https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

30. Assignment 4d Keywords

31. SEO success factors Domain name and Search Engine Friendly URLs Meta tags Listing with search engines www.google.com/addurl Google maps ‘ places ’ Headers and keyword rich content Link structure Alt tags XML sitemap Listing with DMOZ (www.dmoz.org) Linking Trip Advisor, Travel directories, Travel blogs High ranking sites (bizz directories, ref. www.onewaytextlink.com) Social media ( ‘ mentions ’ with links) 301 Redirect Monitor linking and ranking

32. Link structure Navigation bar on all pages essential for users and search engines – to index your pages Include hyperlinks in the content to indicate relevance to both users and search engines Name hyperlinks effectively: Keywords in the hyperlink text! ‘ Click here ’ informs the search engine that the topic of the page is ‘ click here ’ ….

33. Link structure

34. Submenu Mega menu

35. Identify relevant links that you plan to use in your navigation menu or content Assignment 4e

36. SEO success factors Domain name and Search Engine Friendly URLs Meta tags Listing with search engines www.google.com/addurl Google maps ‘ places ’ Headers and keyword rich content Link structure Alt tags XML sitemap Listing with DMOZ (www.dmoz.org) Linking Trip Advisor, Travel directories, Travel blogs High ranking sites (bizz directories, ref. www.onewaytextlink.com) Social media ( ‘ mentions ’ with links) 301 Redirect Monitor linking and ranking

37. Alt tags Note: Picture title and description are equally important for SEO

38. SEO success factors Domain name and Search Engine Friendly URLs Meta tags Listing with search engines www.google.com/addurl Google maps ‘ places ’ Headers and keyword rich content Link structure Alt tags XML sitemap Listing with DMOZ (www.dmoz.org) Linking Trip Advisor, Travel directories, Travel blogs High ranking sites (bizz directories, ref. www.onewaytextlink.com) Social media ( ‘ mentions ’ with links) 301 Redirect Monitor linking and ranking

39. XML site map A list of all the pages on your website Dynamically generated Helps Google to know about all the pages on your website XML file: Include every page of your website Use protocol / code of www.sitemaps.org Use Google Webmaster Tools to submit More information http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=156184

41. SEO success factors Domain name and Search Engine Friendly URLs Meta tags Listing with search engines www.google.com/addurl Google maps ‘ places ’ Headers and keyword rich content Link structure Alt tags XML sitemap Listing with DMOZ (www.dmoz.org) Linking Trip Advisor, Travel directories, Travel blogs High ranking sites (bizz directories, ref. www.onewaytextlink.com) Social media ( ‘ mentions ’ with links) 301 Redirect Monitor linking and ranking

42. DMOZ

43. SEO success factors Domain name and Search Engine Friendly URLs Meta tags Listing with search engines www.google.com/addurl Google maps ‘ places ’ Headers and keyword rich content Link structure Alt tags XML sitemap Listing with DMOZ (www.dmoz.org) Linking Trip Advisor, Travel directories, Travel blogs High ranking sites (bizz directories, ref. www.onewaytextlink.com) Social media ( ‘ mentions ’ with links) 301 Redirect Monitor linking and ranking

44. Trip advisor, travel directories, blogs “ … 33% of leisure travelers changed their hotels based on what they read on blogs or other travel related community sites (Forrester Research)

45. Examples of tourism specific directories: Adventure.Travel - http://www.adventure.travel (for members of the Adventure Travel Trade Association) EcoTour Directory - http://www.ecotourdirectory.com (eco tourism) TouristClick.com - http://www.touristclick.com (travel directory) Travel Quest - http://www.travel-quest.co.uk (UK travel directory, focused on specialist and adventure holidays) Travel Library - http://www.travel-library.com (travel directory) Yahoo Travel - http://travel.yahoo.com (travel guides about destinations, travel plans, shows paid links by keywords and provides the option to compare rates with its ‘ FareChase ’ ) YouGoDo! - http://www.yougodo.com (collects tours and activities) Linking / Directories Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries | March, 2011

46. SEO success factors Domain name and Search Engine Friendly URLs Meta tags Listing with search engines www.google.com/addurl Google maps ‘ places ’ Headers and keyword rich content Link structure Alt tags XML sitemap Listing with DMOZ (www.dmoz.org) Linking Trip Advisor, Travel directories, Travel blogs High ranking sites (bizz directories, ref. www.onewaytextlink.com) Social media ( ‘ mentions ’ with links) 301 Redirect Monitor linking and ranking

47. Link to high ranking sites

48. Google toolbar – Page Rank

49. Google toolbar – Page Rank

50. Identify portals / directories that you want to submit your site to. Assignment 4F

51. SEO success factors Domain name and Search Engine Friendly URLs Meta tags Listing with search engines www.google.com/addurl Google maps ‘ places ’ Headers and keyword rich content Link structure Alt tags XML sitemap Listing with DMOZ (www.dmoz.org) Linking Trip Advisor, Travel directories, Travel blogs High ranking sites (bizz directories, ref. www.onewaytextlink.com) Social media ( ‘ mentions ’ with links) 301 Redirect Monitor linking and ranking

52. SEO success factors Domain name and Search Engine Friendly URLs Meta tags Listing with search engines www.google.com/addurl Google maps ‘ places ’ Headers and keyword rich content Link structure Alt tags XML sitemap Listing with DMOZ (www.dmoz.org) Linking Trip Advisor, Travel directories, Travel blogs High ranking sites (bizz directories, ref. www.onewaytextlink.com) Social media ( ‘ mentions ’ with links) 301 Redirect Monitor linking and ranking

53. 301 Redirect Include a 301 redirect to avoid duplicate content (which causes problems to search engines) 1 www versus non-wwww http://yourdomain.com redirect to http://www.yourdomain.com Example: Adventureshop 2 Extra domain names with your service Example: ecolodgesgalapagos.com  surtrektours.com.ec Adventuretoursecuador  sierraviajes.com.ec

54. 301 Redirect Further tips Employ canonical link tag Redirect to relevant sections of your website Mind your objectives

55. 301 Redirect

56. 301 Redirect

57. SEO success factors Domain name and Search Engine Friendly URLs Meta tags Listing with search engines www.google.com/addurl Google maps ‘ places ’ Headers and keyword rich content Link structure Alt tags XML sitemap Listing with DMOZ (www.dmoz.org) Linking Trip Advisor, Travel directories, Travel blogs High ranking sites (bizz directories, ref. www.onewaytextlink.com) Social media ( ‘ mentions ’ with links) 301 Redirect Monitor linking and ranking

58. Page rank and Link popularity

59. Page rank and Link popularity

60. Link popularity

61. Evaluate your SEO > SEO rank checker Example: www.mikes-marketing-tools.com/ranking-reports/

62. SEO rank checker

63. And finally …. Don ’ t forget to forget about Flash Don ’ t use frames show show

64. Flash

65. Frames