In 2024, SEO is also the main tool for attracting an audience. Here’s what you need to consider for a hiking website to be well-promoted. This article will provide useful tips. Both for local hiking websites and those who work with clients from abroad.
Standard SEO set for hiking websites
What doesn’t change in SEO? The first steps to take before you start promoting yourself. These are:
- Competitor analysis: Study not only those who occupy the tourism niche. Take the similar ones. It’s a good idea for the future. For example, if local tours appear on the site or the time comes to expand the service to neighboring countries.
- Technical audit: Here is a traditional scheme. You must remove unnecessary H1 headings. Write alt for pictures. Mark up all the content with high quality. Pay attention to the content of robots.txt and sitemap.xml.
- Internal optimization: In addition to the standard measures for speeding up, adaptability, and code cleaning, specific tasks may appear. For example, if you are promoting a multilingual travel website, you need to connect the language version to the corresponding region—for example, German for Germany. Search engines will definitely reward you for geolocation.
- Formation of a semantic core: It is about optimizing content and meta tags. The main thing is to avoid spamming.
These promotion rules have been in place for a long time, even before search engines began to tighten the screws on everything.
The same Google core update at the end of 2020 expanded the requirements for EAT factors (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) beyond medical, financial, and political websites. Those who want to promote their hiking website in 2024 should consider compliance with YMYL (Your Money or Your Life).
Bookatrekking – A Successful Example of Proper SEO for a Hiking Website
Bookatrekking is a successful example of a hiking website that effectively implements SEO. The cornerstone of their SEO success lies in their emphasis on blog articles. Bookatrekking invests in creating detailed and in-depth articles that cover various topics related to hiking, trekking, and outdoor adventures. These articles not only cater to the informational needs of their target audience but also serve as a significant driver of real traffic from Google.
The blog articles are crafted precisely, offering valuable insights, practical tips, and engaging narratives. The inclusion of diverse media, such as high-quality images, videos, and interactive content, enhances the user experience and contributes to the overall appeal of the content. This multimedia approach makes the articles more engaging and aligns with modern SEO preferences.
For example, Bookatrekking has many hiking trails in Switzerland for different durations and budgets. This hiking website has created an in-depth article answering over 10 questions and driving traffic from Google. And it has dozens of such articles, driving traffic to other destinations.
Furthermore, Bookatrekking actively engages in link building, a critical component of their SEO strategy. By securing high-quality backlinks from relevant and authoritative sources, they enhance their website’s authority and credibility in the eyes of search engines. This, in turn, positively impacts their search rankings and overall online visibility.
Promotion of a hiking website through E-E-A-T
E-E-A-T guides Google bots. They analyze certain factors of website performance and content to give them a score. It is very important: it will affect your hiking website ranking.
You need to have E-E-A-T at hand. It is useful for promoting a hiking site. And it has been since 2022. Below, we have collected what tourism and hiking websites will definitely need to rank high in Google search results.
More quotes
Refer to authoritative sources. Quote experts. This will help you win Google’s favor.
Schema markup
The main advantage of Schema semantic markup is an extended snippet in search results. On mobile devices, it can be full screen. Large snippets are clicked on much more often.
Comprehensive NAP
The relevance of each NAP element (Name, Address, Phone number) is important. This is especially critical for the promotion of hiking websites in 2024. If a hotel changes its phone number and yours remains the same, this can negatively impact your rankings.
Speed anywhere, anytime
A lightweight, cross-browser, mobile-friendly hiking website is a must-have for the travel industry. Most tourists are active people who use many different gadgets (phones, tablets, laptops). All of them should be comfortable, especially if they are from countries with poor Internet access.
Maps: the secret to promoting a hiking website in 2024
Many tourists book and search for hiking tours using mobile devices. Put your hiking business on all the maps you can get to. This will make you easy to find. A nice bonus is an additional source of reviews and ratings.
In addition to global maps, Google is interested in local results. It gives the effect faster. Maximum coverage will be provided by integration:
- Local Organic
- Google Local Pack
- Local Knowledge Graph
The latter is especially important for promoting hiking agencies with offline offices. How do you fill out the Local Knowledge Graph? You need to take data from Google My Business. It must also be filled in.
Top 5 tips for hiking websites SEO
These 5 tips will boost your SEO if you will adhere to them.
Trail descriptions and reviews
Develop detailed and informative content for each hiking trail on your website. Include essential details such as trail length, difficulty, elevation gain, and notable features. Encourage users to contribute trail reviews, ratings, and photos to build a dynamic and informative community-driven platform.
Long-tail keywords
Optimizing your website for search engines involves specific strategies tailored to attract relevant traffic. To begin, target long-tail keywords that resonate with your audience, focusing on terms related to hiking trails, gear reviews, and destination-specific queries. Incorporate natural variations and address common user questions to maximize your website’s discoverability.
Local SEO
Local SEO optimization is crucial for hiking websites. Ensure your Google My Business profile is well-optimized, providing accurate business information, including details about your hiking-related services, opening hours, and contact information. Create location-specific landing pages for popular trails, offering comprehensive information and maps and encouraging user-generated content to enhance engagement.
Rich media integration
Implement interactive trail maps with detailed markers, elevations, and user-friendly navigation. Optimize map content for search engines, including relevant keywords in alt text and descriptions. Rich media integration, such as high-quality images, videos, and interactive content, can showcase the beauty and experiences of hiking in different locations. Optimize media files for faster loading times and include descriptive file names and alt text.
Community engagement
Actively engage with the hiking community on social media, forums, and discussion platforms. Establish your website as a go-to resource by contributing valuable insights and information to relevant conversations.
Conclusion
Hiking website promotion is a constant work. You cannot reach a certain stage and stop. Remember: the competition is not asleep. Each of them will continue to invest in development. They will quickly overtake you. You can’t let that happen.
By implementing the strategies outlined in this guide, you’re well on your way to reaching new heights in search engine visibility for your hiking website. Remember, with the right tools and techniques, the sky’s the limit. For further assistance in maximizing your SEO potential, consider exploring our specialized SEO VPS solutions. Happy trails and happy optimizing!
This is definitely a saturated niche, but it amazingly is still possible to move up with good content. I’m finding that more personal experience and legit how-to’s are doing better than they used to. This article has it right though, this is a full speed ahead kind of niche. It takes constant work to grow.