Top 80 Local Citation Sites for Hotels
Should hotels use citation sites?
What is a citation for local SEO?
A citation is an online reference for a business found in directory websites. These contribute to local SEO by making it quicker and easier for people and search engines to find relevant businesses online.Â
Business citations include key information about the business, including its address, primary phone number, and website. Some businesses also choose to include photos, videos, and social media links to help enhance a reader’s search experience.
What are the benefits of directory submission sites for hotels?
When you list your hotel in a directory, you increase awareness for your brand among the public and between search engines. This is beneficial for your business in more ways than one.Â
- More Customers – Directories make it easier for travelers to find you. Most of them won’t be local, so they’ll be relying on searches of the area they are visiting for a list of lodging options. Directories can help you stand out in their search results.Â
- Greater Trust – The more places that you are listed online, the more you are considered to be a legitimate resource by search engines. In addition, searchers tend to check multiple directories before they make their decision on where to stay. If they see you in more than one place, they will be more likely to consider you a good choice.Â
- Useful Tools – Many directories have features that make it easier for you to incorporate ad campaigns and other marketing strategies right into your account. This helps streamline your marketing strategy so you can save time and money.Â
Â
By using online directories, you can improve your ability to intake more guests without breaking your budget. You’ll save time and effort making simple listings instead of planning out complex marketing campaigns.Â
Â
Important note:Â
Some directories will automatically create listings for popular searches. If your hotel is among those, you will just need to “claim” or “verify” the existing listing. Then, you can add or adjust details as needed to make the listing your own.
What is the purpose of business directories for hotels?
Citations are a great way to increase the visibility of your brand across the internet. The more often your business is found, the more often search engines will recommend it as a reliable resource for online searchers. The ultimate goal is to land a spot in the search engine’s top results for specific keywords related to your business. This would significantly increase your online presence.
For hotels in particular, this strategy can be especially helpful. This is because most of the people searching for lodging don’t actually live in the area. This means that they won’t be familiar with what the city has to offer. When they search online for a hotel, they’ll probably just be looking for “hotels in {city}”. If you can come up as one of the top 5 choices, you are much more likely to be chosen.
Best 80 Hotels Directory Submission Sites for Local SEO
What should you consider when creating local citations for lodging and hospitality?
While writing local citations for hospitality industry businesses, be sure to maintain the 4 key components of quality listings. By keeping these in mind, you will increase the effectiveness of your citations for maximum benefit.
- Consistency. Whether you list your business on 1 site or 10, be sure that all of the information that you include is the same. Don't put one phone number on one citation and a different one on another. Not only will this confuse your potential guests, it will actually repel search engines. When you have inconsistent information about your business online, search engines consider it to be less reliable.
- Quality. Make sure that your citations stay relevant to maintain the quality. This means choosing directories that are the most relevant to your business—and choosing content that is most useful to your customers. Including irrelevant information or using directories outside your service area or industry can confuse both search engines and clients and prevent them from choosing your business.
- Quantity. To maximize your time creating citations, choose directories that have higher site traffic. These are the ones that are going to be most referenced by users and search engines. So they'll be more likely to bring you the most new guests. You're welcome to list your business on other directories as well, but it's a good idea to prioritize the best ones.
- Priority. In hospitality, it's crucial to prioritize your guests at all times. The same goes for creating hospitality citations. When you write these out, keep in mind what your future guests will want to know to make their decision. Then craft a high quality citation to give them exactly that.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I create a citation for a hotel?
First, check the directory you want to use to make sure that your business isn’t already listed. You may just need to claim or verify it and then adjust the included information. If you do need to create a citation, you can do it yourself using a resource like Brightlocal. You can also pay Brightlocal to create citations for you. Freelancers, such as those listed on Fiverr or Upwork can create professional citations for you as well.
2. How much does it cost to list my hospitality business on online directories?
Actually, listing your business might not cost anything, since many directories don’t charge you to use them. The main cost is usually creating the citation. You can create your own for free, use a service like Brightlocal for about $2 per citation. Alternatively, you could hire a freelancer for as little as $5 per citation.
3. What are the different kinds of business citations?
There are structured and unstructured citations. These can be sorted into global, national, local, and industry-specific subcategories. Structured citations are created with specific directories in mind, usually related to specific industries. Unstructured citations are used on general directories.
4. What is local citation management for hotels?
Local citation management involves choosing directories that will be most likely to be resourced by local customers. The best sites will recommend your business and encourage customers to come to you when they get into your area. These directories have high authority and are most used by the general public. So they will also be more likely to bring you the most guests.
