Michael Goldrich is the founder of Vivander Advisors, where he develops frameworks to drive AI adoption and integration. He's also the president of HSMAI New York City and has a deep hospitality background, having held roles at Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Wyndham Hotel Group, and Denihan Hospitality Group.
Search is evolving. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is fundamentally reshaping how travelers discover and engage with hotels. No longer confined to traditional search engine optimization (SEO) tactics, visibility now hinges on how AI-driven platforms interpret and reference your brand across the Internet.
For hotels, this means that success isn’t just about optimizing your website, it’s about ensuring your brand is recognized, referenced, and reinforced across multiple online platforms.
AI’s Growing Influence on Brand Mentions and Visibility
AI-driven search tools, from Google’s AI Overviews to large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, now generate responses by analyzing vast amounts of online content. The problem? These systems don’t rely solely on your website. They pull data from travel blogs, news sites, review platforms, and social media to construct an understanding of your hotel.
This shift poses a new challenge. If your brand is absent or inaccurately represented across these platforms, your hotel risks being overlooked in AI-generated recommendations. A fragmented digital presence can mean missed opportunities, even if your website is fully optimized.
To stay competitive, hotels must ensure AI encounters a strong, consistent, and positive brand presence across the web.
Strategies to Strengthen AI-Driven Brand Visibility
1. Optimize Content for AI Consumption
It’s not just about where your hotel is mentioned, it’s about how AI can understand those mentions.
- Use Structured Data Markup: Implement schema markup on your website to help AI models extract and process key details about your property.
- Maintain Consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) Information: Discrepancies across listings can confuse AI systems. Ensure your details are uniform across Google My Business, OTAs, social media, and third-party directories.
2. Boost Visibility by Becoming Your Own Publisher
AI-driven search doesn’t just rely on your website, it pulls data from across the web. With traditional PR opportunities shrinking, hotels must take control of their brand narrative by becoming their own publishers.
- Create Hyper-Local, AI-Friendly Content: Unlike mass media, which prioritizes broad appeal, hotel blogs can produce niche travel guides, behind-the-scenes stories, and expert recommendations that AI models recognize as authoritative sources.
- Leverage Internal and Community Expertise: Tap concierges, chefs, and local partners to highlight unique local experiences, ensuring AI surfaces your hotel in search results instead of generic third-party travel sites.
3. Amplify Your Presence Through Social Media and User-Generated Content
Social media isn’t just a marketing channel, it’s a data source that AI taps into for contextual insights about your brand.
- Promote Shareable Guest Experiences: Encourage guests to post about their stays, using branded hashtags that AI can track and associate with your hotel.
- Engage in Relevant Online Conversations: Participate in industry forums, Facebook travel groups, and LinkedIn discussions. AI values brands with an active presence across platforms.
4. Actively Manage Your Online Reputation
AI models factor in sentiment analysis when surfacing recommendations. Your hotel’s reputation across review sites, social media, and news platforms, directly impacts its AI-driven visibility.
- Encourage and Respond to Reviews: Engage with guests on Google Reviews, TripAdvisor, and Yelp. Hotels that regularly respond to reviews are seen as more reputable.
- Address Negative Mentions Proactively: AI doesn’t just register positive feedback, it also considers negative sentiment. Monitor online discussions and resolve issues before they define your brand.
5. Build a Strong Foundation with Digital PR
AI models prioritize authoritative sources. Your hotel’s mentions in high-quality publications, blogs, and review platforms help shape how AI interprets your brand.
- Secure High-Quality Press Mentions: Invest in digital PR efforts to land coverage in top-tier travel publications, lifestyle blogs, and regional news outlets. Platforms like Curacity streamline this process, helping hotels increase their editorial mentions by 40-50% annually.
- Leverage Influencer Partnerships: AI systems incorporate influencer-generated content, so working with travel influencers can increase the organic references to your hotel.
The Future of AI-Driven SEO in Hospitality
Traditional SEO alone no longer guarantees visibility. AI-driven search results now depend on a hotel’s broader digital presence, requiring a strategic approach that extends beyond its website.
By proactively managing online mentions, curating a consistent brand voice, and leveraging digital PR, hotels can increase their visibility in AI-powered search environments. The objective is clear. Ensure AI-driven recommendations include your hotel and position it as a top choice.
Hotels that embrace this shift will stand out in the next era of search, ensuring their brand remains discoverable, relevant, and consistently top of mind for travelers.
