SEO & GEO Strategy Case Study

SEO & GEO Strategy Case Study

How Aró Increased Non-Branded Search Visibility Across Multiple Hotel Brands

The Shift In Hotel Search Behaviour

The way travellers discover hotels online is changing rapidly.

Traditional SEO remains critically important, but search behaviour is increasingly influenced by AI-powered discovery, conversational search, and Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO). Travellers are increasingly searching using natural language, highly specific intent queries, and experience-led searches.

To help hotel clients adapt to this evolving landscape, Aró Digital Strategy developed a scalable content optimisation framework designed specifically for hospitality brands. The strategy is focused on improving discoverability, increasing non-branded visibility, and capturing more direct booking demand through structured, informative, and AI-friendly content.

The Aró SEO & GEO Methodology

Across all hotel clients, Aró first analysed the strongest-performing non-branded pages to identify the characteristics driving search visibility. These learnings were then applied across weaker-performing pages, newly created landing pages, and destination-led content.

Phase 1: Analysed Existing High-Performing Content

The first stage involved analysing top performing clients’ strongest-performing non-branded pages outside of the homepage.

The objective was to identify:

·         Which content structures performed best

·         Which formatting styles improved discoverability

·         Which page types aligned best with AI-powered search behaviour

Key Learnings: Across all hotel clients, the strongest-performing pages consistently included:

• Comprehensive informational content, typically exceeding 800 words per page
• Strong integration of relevant long-tail keywords aligned with real guest intent
• Use of structured information including clear inclusion of offers, packages, services, activities, events, and destination information
• FAQ sections designed around real guest questions and conversational search behaviour
• Readable formatting using short paragraphs, bullet points, section headings, and concise sentence structures
• Strong visual hierarchy supported by imagery, CTAs, and scannable layouts
• Regularly refreshed seasonal and destination-focused content

These characteristics aligned strongly with both traditional search visibility and emerging AI-driven discovery systems.

Phase 2: Applied Learnings Across Weaker & New Pages for a key contingent of long-term client

Aró implemented GEO-friendly content structures, FAQ optimisation, AI Answer Box content, improved keyword targeting, destination-led informational content, and conversational search optimisation across key existing and new pages for a test group of clients. The clients selected had worked with Aró on SEO growth for several years, continuously refining the hotel’s content strategy to increase direct visibility for non-branded searches.

Once high-performing content patterns had been identified, Aró applied those learnings across weaker-performing pages and newly created destination content for the test group.

The optimisation strategy included:

• Expanding key landing pages to between 800–1500 words of high-value informational content

• Integrating relevant long-tail keywords aligned with real guest search intent

• Adding structured FAQs designed to support conversational and AI-powered search discovery

• Including clear package details, pricing references, offers, dates, distances, and local activity information

• Strengthening room, dining, spa, concierge, and destination content across commercial pages

• Improving readability through shorter paragraphs, bullet points, section headings, and stronger content hierarchy

• Adding stronger calls-to-action, testimonials, imagery, and supporting visual content

• Creating new destination-led landing pages targeting experiential and non-branded searches

• Reviewing and refreshing older content pages with updated seasonal topics, events, and guest interests

SEO & GEO Enhancements Applied

Over the course of 3 months, Aró implemented an SEO & GEO strategy focused on improving the test cohort hotels’ new and weaker-performing content.

These content structures aligned strongly with both traditional Google search visibility and AI-powered search discovery.

Aró enhanced seasonal and event-led content to improve visibility for experiential and destination-based searches linked to tourism and local events.

The result was significant growth in non-branded search visibility across multiple hotel brands.

Results

Source: Google Search Console | Period Compared: Last 3 Months vs Previous Year

The SEO & GEO strategy delivered significant growth in non-branded organic visibility across multiple hotel brands, particularly for high-intent commercial, seasonal, gifting and destination-led searches.

Following implementation, hotels within the test group experienced substantial year-on-year increases in organic clicks across newly optimised and newly created pages, including:

Growth Examples in Non-Branded Organic Traffic

·         Spa Gift Vouchers: +7075%

• Restaurants [Destination Name}: +5500%
• Things To Do In [Destination Name] On A Rainy Day: +3133%
• Golden Years Breaks: +765%
• Bridge Breaks In [Destination Name]: +750%
• Easter Breaks [Destination Name}: +580%

The strategy also generated measurable growth across spa, dining, concierge, seasonal campaign and experiential content pages, helping hotels expand visibility beyond traditional branded searches.

Importantly, many newly created destination-led pages generated strong search visibility despite previously having no historical organic traffic.

The results demonstrate the effectiveness of combining:

• Long-tail keyword targeting
• Conversational search optimisation
• AI-friendly content structures
• Experience-led destination content
• Readable, high-depth informational content
• Structured FAQs and Answer Box optimisation

Together, these enhancements improved discoverability across both traditional search engines and emerging AI-powered search experiences.

Key Outcomes

Newly created destination-led pages quickly generated non-branded visibility despite having no previous search traffic.

Existing commercial pages also achieved additional growth through AI-focused content enhancements.

Concierge-led informational pages also generated substantial new discovery traffic.

Key SEO & GEO Learnings

The strongest-performing pages combined seasonal and destination-led content with strong keyword targeting, readable formatting, informational depth, bullet points, and highly relevant event-focused search content.

Natural-language phrasing and readable structures also supported stronger visibility for conversational and AI-driven searches.

Why This Strategy Worked

Across all of the hotel client brands, the strongest-performing pages consistently shared the same core characteristics:

·         Relevant long-tail keyword targeting

·         Strong informational depth

·         Structured formatting

·         FAQ integration

·         Experience-led content

·         Short readable paragraphs

·         Natural-language optimisation aligned with AI-powered search behaviour

Applying this approach for the test hotel group helped:

·         Increase non-branded visibility

·         Improve discoverability within AI-powered search experiences

·         Capture earlier-stage discovery traffic

·         Strengthen destination authority

·         Increase direct bookings

As AI-powered search, conversational discovery and guest search behaviour continue to evolve, hotels must adapt their content strategies to remain visible, competitive and commercially effective online.

Ready to Future-Proof Your Hotel’s Search Visibility?

At Aró Digital Strategy, we specialise in helping hotels grow direct bookings through advanced SEO, GEO, website strategy and performance-driven digital marketing.

To learn how your hotel can increase non-branded visibility, improve discoverability in AI-powered search, and drive more direct revenue, contact us.