In the SEO industry, we are always preparing for the next big algorithm update. And on September 26, 2022, the Google September Core Update finished rolling out.
This update has caused a lot of panic and confusion in the SEO community. So what do you need to know about this update? What does this update mean for tour operators, travel businesses, and the entire tourism industry?
In this article, we will discuss the impact of the Google September Core Update and some actionable tips for tour operators on how to optimize their websites for this algorithm change.
Google Announces September 2022 Core Algorithm Update
If you’ve spent any time browsing SEO and digital marketing topics on the internet, you’ve likely come across algorithm trackers sharing graphs of fluctuations in web traffic and rankings. Along with that, you may have observed the panic of site owners and the whole SEO community, bewildered about the possible effect and drastic changes in the Google Search results.
Now, we know that Google rewards good SEO behavior. We also know that good SEO effort means higher rankings. But with new the new algorithm updates, does this mean we need to start all over again?
The short answer is no. The long answer is, it depends on the quality of your website and how much you’ve been hit by the update.
The Google September Core Algorithm Update is one of the most significant updates that Google has rolled out in recent years. This update has caused major changes in Google Search results and how sites are ranked on Google with organic and paid search strategies.
So, what exactly is this update? Let’s take a look at what we know so far.
The September 2022 Update is a classic “broad core update." This means that it is not specific to any region, language, or website category.
Why is this a relief for tour operators and the whole tourism industry?
For the reason that it is not targeting a specific website or your individual actions. The only goal of this core update is to assess whether your website has the best content to answer user queries.
"Google’s goal is to provide answers to users. By now the search engine allows us to immediately find all the information we are looking for. . . This has recently led to major upheavals in the tourism and travel industry involving different players: airlines, hotels, restaurants, publishers." — Luigi Nervo, Digital & Content Marketing Expert
This update is different from other updates because it is not about a change in Google’s ranking algorithm. Instead, it is about Google’s assessment of the quality of your website’s content. In other words, Google is trying to amplify helpful content and demote content that is not helpful.
So, what does this mean for your tour and travel website and your SEO strategy?
How the Tourism Industry Can Respond to the Core Update
"Well, what should I be doing?" This question is top of mind for many webmasters and SEO professionals in the aftermath of any broad core algorithm update.
Here are a few actionable points on how you can optimize your website for the Google September update:
Take a look at your site’s overall content quality.
Your website’s content quality is important to Google, especially for organic search journeys. So, it is more important than ever to make sure that your travel website’s content is high-quality, relevant, and informative.
"Google's mantra has always been that there is not much you can do about an algorithm update and changes in rankings, except to keep improving your content quality." — GoodSignals
In the travel industry, you can try the following tips:
Keep your content updated
Fresh content is a key factor in the new SEO update. If your website’s content is outdated, it will be less relevant to users and Google will likely demote your website in the SERPs.
So in your Travel SEO strategies, make sure to regularly add new blog posts, photos, and videos and building quality backlinks, so that your website always has fresh content.
Additionally, you should update your tour descriptions and itineraries regularly so that potential customers always have accurate information.
Write engaging and accurate content
Your website copy should be well-written and should provide potential customers with all the information they need to know about your tour company and the tours you offer.
Also, before you publish anything on your website, double-check to make sure that the information is accurate. Nothing is more frustrating for a potential customer than wrong information.
For travel agents and operators, this means making sure that the dates and locations of your tours are correct, as well as the prices.
Keep your website design simple and clean.
Your travel website should be easy to navigate and should not be cluttered with too much information. Stick to the basics and make sure that your blog post and web content is well-organized.
Imagine if an interested customer lands on your travel website and can’t find the information about a tour or booking they’re looking for. They will likely leave your site and go to a competitor’s site that is easier to navigate.
Demonstrate good E-A-T both on and off your website
E-A-T stands for “Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness”. Ultimately, E-A-T is a concept that represents very real signals that Google evaluates for ranking.
So how can you show that your travel website has good E-A-T?
One thing you can do is showcase your press mentions and awards. This will show Google (and interested customers) that your tour company is reputable and trustworthy. In that way, you are more likely to appear in the Google search engine results.
Another best way to boost the authority score of your content is to engage in discussions and answer related questions that makes sense to your visitors. This will help you to build trust with your audience, drive more organic traffic, and show that you are an expert in your field.
You can also try to get involved in the travel community and collaborate with other travel bloggers and websites with social media presence. This will help build up your website’s authority as well.
Finally, use testimonials from satisfied customers for your content marketing. After all, nothing speaks louder than a happy customer.
Format your content in a way that helps users and search engines
The way we format our content can have a big impact on how well it performs, both for users and in search engines. That's why it's important to take the time to format our content in a way that makes it easy to read and digest.
If you're not making your content mobile-friendly yet, now is the time. Google's mobile-first indexing means that the search engine will primarily use the mobile version of your website for ranking.
Additionally, you should break up your content into smaller paragraphs and sections with headlines. This will make it easier for users to skim your content and find the information they're looking for.
For travel websites, this means making sure that your tour descriptions and itineraries are easy to find and read. No one wants to sift through a wall of text to find the information they need.
Make sure existing SEO mistakes are fixed and avoided.
You don't want to do nothing after the Google update. If you do, it would look something like this:
Granted, nobody’s perfect. But it is important to try to avoid making common SEO mistakes that can negatively impact your website’s ranking.
A few things you should avoid are:
- Keyword stuffing - putting too many keywords into your content in an attempt to rank higher for those keywords and in particular Google AdWords. Not only will this not help your ranking, but it will also make your content difficult to read. Instead, focus on adding better internal links.
- Creating duplicate content - having multiple pages on your website with the same or similar content. This can confuse Google and may result in a lower ranking for your website.
- Using thin content - writing content that is not informative or relevant. This type of content is not helpful for potential customers and can result in a lower ranking for your website.
Look at your website’s traffic data
We know it's easy to feel demotivated when your traffic drops, but it's important to remember the real reason why this happens. It's not always and only about your serious SEO issues. More than that, it is simply the result of Google finding better results for the search query.
For now, what you can do is monitor. You can also keep an eye out for your competitors and understand why they might be outranking you.
See if there were any significant changes after the update rolled out. If there was a drop in traffic, try to determine why. It could be due to a change in ranking for certain keywords or it could be that your website is not as relevant to users as it used to be.
For instance, looking into your fellow tour operator's website, you might find that they've started using customer testimonials on their tour pages. This is something you can easily add to your own website as well!
Utilize SEO Content Development and Copywriting Techniques
One of the key drivers of an effective SEO strategy is quality content. Creating well-written, informative, and engaging content is essential for both users and search engines.
When it comes to the September 2022 core update, your goal should be to create content that is converting and ranks well.
To do this, you'll need to utilize SEO copywriting techniques. This means writing content that is not only keyword-rich but also motivates your website visitor to be your customer.
Sometimes, though, you may notice that your content is not converting that much. So what can you do?
A good place to start is by looking at your website's conversion rate and design. If you're not happy with the number of leads or sales you're getting from your website, there are a few things you can do to improve it.
Look at your website's design
Is it easy to use and navigate? Are your call-to-actions (CTAs) clear and visible? If not, making some simple changes to your website's design can make a big difference.
"The call to action [acts] as a signpost that lets the user know what to do next. Without a clear CTA, the user may not know the next steps to take to purchase a product or sign up for a newsletter and is likely to leave the site without accomplishing their task." — Optimizely
Try A/B testing different versions of your website to see what works best. You can test things like the position of your CTAs, the colors you use, or the copy on your website.
Make sure your website is mobile-friendly
In today's world, your website must be accessible and easy to use on mobile devices. More and more people are using their smartphones to search for information online, so your website must be optimized for mobile. Or else, you're likely losing potential customers.
Integrate website features that can upsell your marketing
Do you know what percentage of online ticket sales are abandoned? Almost half! That means that for every two tickets sold, one is left in the shopping cart, never to be completed.
You would never let a customer walk out of your store without trying to upsell them, so why would you do it on your website?
There are a few things you can do to make sure you're not losing potential customers.
Add live chat
Try adding live chat to your website. This way, if someone is having trouble completing their purchase, they can get help right away.
Offer a discount
Another thing you can do is offer a discount for completing the purchase. This could be in the form of a coupon code or a percentage off the total price.
Make the whole process smooth
Finally, make sure your website's payment process is as smooth and easy as possible. No one wants to waste their time filling out long forms or dealing with complicated payment options.
Try Ticketinghub's Abandoned Cart Drip Campaign
TicketingHub can also help you recover these lost sales with our Abandoned drip campaign. We'll automatically send a series of emails to customers who abandon your shopping cart, enticing them to come back and complete their purchase.
With our Abandoned drip campaign, you can expect to see a significant increase in your conversion rate.
Below, you can see the real results of what our booking widget can do to your tour business.
If you're looking to increase your tour business' conversion rate and recover lost sales, TicketingHub is the solution for you.
Get your free demo here.
Key Takeaways
For sure, the Google September 2022 Core Update will have a big impact on the travel and tourism industry.
As a business owner in this industry, it's important to make sure your website is up-to-date and optimized for both users and search engines. Creating quality content, having a mobile-friendly website, and utilizing features that can upsell customers are all great ways to improve your website's conversion rate.
If you're looking for a booking widget that can help increase your tour business' conversion rate, look no further than TicketingHub.
Now that you know how the Google September 2022 Core Update will affect the travel and tourism industry, it's time to get started on optimizing your website.
What are your thoughts on the Google September 2022 Core Update? Let us know in the comments below!
