Please excuse this statement of the obvious:
If guests can’t find your property, they can’t stay with you.
These days, “finding you” starts long before they jump in a cab and affects more than their ability to make it to your front desk.
With Google’s recent updates and the growing importance of local search listings, ubiquitous map presence has become a critical component of hotel internet marketing.
Recent changes to Google’s local search algorithms allow the omnipotent search engine giant to look more closely at location details. Now, Google searches are more accurate when it comes to distance and ranking. And if you want to compete, your map presence must be current and accurate across all major local search directories and mapping tools.
Fortunately, improving your map presence is relatively simple compared to other SEO tips:
Start with Creating a CONSISTENT Map Identity
Wherever you publish your property location, make sure your property name, address, and phone number (NAP) are listed exactly as they are shown on your contact page of your website:
Your map identity should include:
1. NAP: consistent name, address, phone across all mapping tools.
2. Up-to-date contact information and operational hours. (Don’t assume operational hours for your hotel are listed as 24 hours. Somebody may be searching for your restaurant hours. This is the time to check.)
3. Use location and product keywords in your title. (Instead of saying, The Clubhouse, call yourself, The Clubhouse Resort of Tampa.)
4. Choose a few visually arresting photos that represent your property well.
2 Key Places to Update Your Map Identity
Now that you have a consistent, accurate identity, you only need to update it two main places. Most online maps are controlled by HERE (formerly known as Navteq) or Google My Business.
HERE is a mapping service that feeds information to Yahoo! Maps, Bing, and GPS services, including Garmin, Lowrance, and NDrive.
To change information with HERE, go to their website. Go to Map Creator.
Find your location and right click. Choose Report Map changes. Make your changes and send.
Google My Business is the marriage of Google Places and Google+ dashboard. The combination makes updating your information even easier. It also makes having current information more important. Chances are you already on Google My Business. But now is the time to check your map identity on the site.
While you’re on their page, double check the pictures that represent you property. Change old photos out for newer, better quality pictures.
Automating your mapping and local listings
New services from Neustar and Moz make it easy to avoid falling into the map gap. These affordable services allow you to create and edit your listing in one place, then publish it to hundreds of sources simultaneously.
Now that you know how easy it is to give yourself the online map advantage, check your identity today!
