In travel and tourism, a great website isn’t enough to stand out online. It demands a strategic SEO approach tailored to the unique needs of the travel industry. This case study will explore the success of Choose Chicago. It’s a top destination marketing organization (DMO) for the city. We’ll see how Travel SEO Pro helped them achieve great SEO results.
The Challenge
Choose Chicago, the official tourism site for a top U.S. city, needed to attract more visitors by boosting its online visibility. The site had good authority and traffic. But, they wanted to improve their rankings for high-intent, local keywords. These included “things to do in Chicago,” “Chicago tourism,” and “best Chicago tours.””
The primary objectives for Travel SEO Pro were:
- Increase organic traffic from both local and international travelers.
- Improve authority score and maintain high-quality backlinks.
- Target more conversion-driven keywords to boost bookings for Chicago-based tours, hotels, and events.
The Metrics: Before Travel SEO Pro
Before Travel SEO Pro began work on Choose Chicago’s SEO, the site had strong domain metrics.
- Authority Score: 62
- Organic Traffic: 1.5M monthly visitors
- Backlinks: 1.4M
The metrics showed a solid foundation. But, Travel SEO Pro saw room for improvement. They needed to optimize local content and create targeted landing pages. Also, they needed to boost global visibility.
The Travel SEO Pro approach
Travel SEO Pro specializes in SEO for travel companies and tourism boards. Here’s how they leveraged their expertise to enhance Choose Chicago’s performance:
1. Keyword Strategy: Targeting Traveler Intent
Travel SEO Pro began with a keyword analysis. It aimed to find high-value search terms that potential visitors were using. They found long-tail keywords that targeted specific traveler intentions. They did this instead of focusing only on broad, high-competition terms.
For example, they optimized for search terms like:
- “Activities suitable for families in Chicago.”
- “Chicago summer events 2024”
- “Best Chicago architecture tours”
These keywords drove high-conversion traffic. They were from people planning trips to Chicago.
2. Local SEO: Owning Chicago’s Digital Map
Travel SEO Pro used Local SEO to dominate location-based search results. This included:
- Optimizing Choose Chicago’s Google My Business profile.
- Creating content hubs around local attractions, restaurants, and experiences.
- Encouraging Chicago businesses to link to Choose Chicago. This will improve the site’s local backlink profile.
Travel SEO Pro used local SEO to boost Choose Chicago’s search rank. It now appears in local results and Google Maps for key queries, like “top attractions near Navy Pier” and “Chicago art museums.””
3. Content Revamp: Storytelling for Travelers
One of Travel SEO Pro’s key strengths is content optimization. They understand that travelers crave authentic experiences and detailed guides. They revamped Choose Chicago’s content. It now has detailed, engaging posts for families, solo travelers, foodies, and adventurers.
They introduced content upgrades, such as:
- Interactive itineraries (e.g., “3 days in Chicago for food lovers”)
- Local tips and insider secrets differentiate themselves from competitors.
- SEO-friendly FAQ sections answering common travel-related queries like “Where to stay in Chicago?” or “What’s the best time to visit Chicago?”
The overhaul boosted engagement and drove more organic traffic to the site.
4. Backlink Strategy: Quality Over Quantity
Choose Chicago had a strong backlink profile. So, Travel SEO Pro shifted focus from quantity to quality. They got backlinks from high-authority travel blogs, news sites, and tourism boards. This improved the website’s authority and relevance for travel searches.
Some notable backlink sources include:
- Collaborations with travel influencers and bloggers who write about Chicago’s cultural scene.
- Guest posts on high-authority sites like Lonely Planet and National Geographic are valuable.
- Media coverage for major Chicago events and festivals.
Choose Chicago’s authority score stayed strong due to their high-quality backlinks. The links’ relevance helped improve their ranking stability.
5. Technical SEO: Optimizing for Speed and Mobile
Travel SEO Pro improved site speed and mobile usability. Many users search for travel info on mobile devices. This included:
- Optimizing images and videos (which are crucial for travel sites) to reduce load time.
- Implementing lazy loading for a better mobile experience.
- Enhancing the site architecture to ensure faster crawling by search engines.
These improvements boosted Choose Chicago’s mobile-first indexing. It was key to its better ranking in mobile searches.
The Results: A Story of Success
After Travel SEO Pro’s work, Choose Chicago saw big improvements in key metrics.
- Organic Traffic Growth: The site’s organic traffic grew by 35%. It attracts nearly 2 million visitors every month. This growth came from a mix of local, national, and global searches. Targeted keywords and improved content drove it.
- Authority Score Stability: The site’s authority score is a strong 62. This is excellent for the competitive travel industry. It has remained high despite a focus on quality over quantity for backlinks.
- Backlink Quality: The backlink profile grew. It gained more authoritative, relevant backlinks. This solidified Choose Chicago’s status as the top resource for Chicago travel info.
- Conversion-Driven Traffic: The content strategy increased bookings for local tours, hotels, and events at Choose Chicago, especially during peak travel seasons.
Why Choose Travel SEO Pro?
Travel SEO Pro’s success with Choose Chicago is no accident. Their decade of travel SEO experience gives them an edge. They understand what travelers search for and how to make travel sites stand out. Travel SEO Pro knows how to drive results for DMOs and travel brands. They use hyper-focused local SEO and high-quality content.
They tailor their approach to be data-driven and traveler-centric. It ensures that sites like Choose Chicago rank higher and provide real value to visitors.
Final Thoughts
Chicago’s SEO success shows the power of data-driven, traveler-first content. With Travel SEO Pro’s expertise, it boosted its online presence. It won the hearts of millions of travelers worldwide.
If you’re traveling and want similar results, partner with Travel SEO Pro. They can help you navigate the changing SEO landscape.