Choosing a marketing agency for a hotel or resort
What to ask a marketing agency before hiring them for a hotel or resort, and why understanding the OTA-versus-direct dynamic matters more than general creative flair.
4 min read
A guest searching a hotel or resort name usually finds MakeMyTrip, Booking.com or Agoda listings alongside or above the property's own website. Out-ranking OTAs directly on broad terms is difficult, but a hotel's own site can win on the specific detail an OTA listing summarises in only a line or two.
Own the detail an OTA listing cannot show well
Content about the local area, specific room categories, dining experiences and event capabilities gives Google — and a genuinely interested guest — far more to work with than an OTA's standardised listing format allows.
- A page per room category with real photos and specific detail, not just an amenities checklist.
- Local area guides covering attractions, distances and practical travel detail.
- Wedding, MICE or event-specific pages if these are part of your business.
Google Business Profile and reviews
For most travel searches, Google's own hotel results pull heavily from Business Profile data and reviews. Keeping this profile complete and actively managing reviews may matter more for visibility than any other single SEO effort.
A guest reading your website after finding you on Booking.com is deciding whether to book direct — give them a genuine reason to.
Direct booking as the real goal
SEO here ultimately supports a direct booking strategy, not just visibility — a guest who reaches your site through search but books through an OTA anyway has not delivered the commission-free outcome the effort is really aimed at.
The takeaway
Build content around the specific experiences and local area detail OTAs summarise poorly — this is where a hotel's own site can genuinely compete for attention.
Written by Fibvo — Bengaluru and Erode, India — working with clients in other time zones. Questions, or think we have it wrong? Tell us.
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