Aviation Seo Tips – 9 Tips To Improve Your Rankings
Using SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) for an airline’s website can dramatically help increase sales and make more people aware of their brand. 81% of customers find products and services through search engines? Surprisingly, many marketers in the aviation sector are missing out on the benefits of SEO in their digital plans.
What Is Aviation SEO?
Aviation SEO is a set of practices and strategies designed to enhance a website’s visibility and ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs). The primary goal of SEO is to optimise web content so that it appears higher in search engine rankings, ultimately driving more organic (non-paid) traffic to the site.
In 2022, 45.1% of all clicks on search results came from organic searches, showing how crucial SEO is for making a mark on the web. Less than 1% of people reach the second page of search results. So, gaining a top spot on the first page on Google is a must if you want your target audience to find you easily. Using the power of SEO is like having a spotlight that puts your content right where relevant audiences can see it.
With a staggering 5.44 billion unique mobile phone users globally, the significance of mobile optimisation in SEO can’t be overstated. Adapting SEO strategies to cater to mobile audiences is not just a best practice but is necessary. The sheer scale of mobile users signifies a shift in content consumption, making mobile-friendly SEO an integral part of any comprehensive aviation digital marketing strategy, especially in a competitive sector such as the aviation industry.
9 Aviation SEO Tips For Marketers
1. Get to Know Your Customers:
In the aviation industry, keyword research for SEO involves identifying and analysing keywords relevant to airline practices or keywords that relate to specific airline brands, i.e brand names. These are the terms potential customers use when seeking information, flights, or services within the aviation sector. By strategically incorporating these sector specific keywords into content and optimisation strategies, organisations can enhance search engine rankings, boost online visibility, and attract targeted traffic.
Objectives for keyword research include:
- Identifying both short term and long term relevant keywords.
- Analysing search volume and competition levels specific to the aviation industry.
- Aligning with user intent to address the audience needs.
- Creating keyword specific content.
2. Align with Google:
Being Google-friendly is vital for any airline as Google holds 92% of the search engine market share globally. Airlines can tailor their website to align with Google’s search algorithms and guidelines to provide a seamless user experience. To achieve this, it’s important to focus on incorporating relevant aviation keywords naturally into content, meta tags, and headers. Ensure that the website’s structure is clear and well-organised, making it easy for both users and search engines to navigate.
Optimising images with descriptive alt text and implementing proper schema markup can also enhance the understanding of your content by search engines. By adhering to these practices, airlines and other aviation companies can enhance their website’s chances of ranking higher in Google search results and improve its overall visibility within the aviation sector
3. Create Content Worth Shouting About:
There’s endless amounts of content available to online consumers so creating quality, informative content is vital to standing out and delivering engagement. Blogs, videos, and infographics should be educational, informative, and relevant to aviation topics to provide value to readers. Airlines can use artificial intelligence to streamline content creation and make this step much easier and quicker.
For the best chance of ranking, content needs to go further than just words on a page and needs to involve different types of media. For example, videos are a great way to share informative content and customers love to watch them as they have a 41% higher click-through rate than plain text results. Using exciting and relevant pictures also keeps people interested and makes people more likely to click.
Getting information from trustworthy sources, updating content with the latest aviation news and ensuring an error-free content structure are all important for getting the attention of a target audience. Don’t forget about voice searches either, make sure words sound natural so you are more likely to rank in this field.
4. Gain Credibility Through Link Building:
Link building in the aviation industry involves acquiring links from other aviation-related websites to establish authority and boost visibility in search engine results.
SEO link building is about getting high-quality links from reputable sites to boost your website’s credibility and search engine ranking. These links act as votes of confidence and organisations should focus on quality over quantity by building links from relevant and authoritative sources within the aviation industry. Strategies include guest blogging and creating shareable content. Be cautious of manipulative practices that could lead to penalties. A well-executed link-building strategy is essential for a strong aviation SEO foundation, improving a website’s overall visibility and trustworthiness.
5. Optimise Content For Mobiles:
With 58% of searches being conducted on a mobile device, search engines prioritise mobile-friendly content. To enhance mobile SEO, content should be formatted for smaller screens, ensuring readability and easy navigation. Page load speed is critical, as mobile users expect fast-loading pages. Additionally, optimising images and using responsive design principles contribute to a seamless mobile experience. Google’s mobile-first indexing emphasises the importance of prioritising mobile-friendly content, making it vital for websites to adapt and optimise their content for various devices. A mobile-optimised website not only improves user satisfaction but also aligns with search engine algorithms, positively impacting overall SEO performance.
6. Share Your Content Across Various Channels:
Utilise multiple channels such as social media platforms for content sharing and engagement within the airline industry. When an organisation distributes content on multiple channels, it increases visibility and reaches a broader audience. Social signals, such as likes, shares, and comments on an airline’s social media, are considered by search engines in their ranking algorithms. The more the content is shared across diverse platforms, the more search engines recognise its relevance and popularity. Additionally, each social media platform provides an opportunity to attract different audience segments. By tapping into various channels, you diversify your traffic sources which positively impacts SEO. Consistent and strategic content sharing on different platforms not only boosts online presence but also strengthens an overall SEO strategy by signalling to search engines that the content is valuable and widely appreciated.
7. Keep Your Website Up To Speed:
Website speed significantly influences user experience and search engine rankings. Search engines, particularly Google, prioritise delivering fast and efficient results to users. A slow-loading website can lead to higher bounce rates, where visitors quickly leave due to frustration with delays. In fact 53% of mobile users will leave a webpage if it takes more than three seconds to load. As a result, high bounce rates can negatively impact your SEO rankings.
On the other hand, a fast-loading website provides a positive user experience, keeping visitors engaged and encouraging them to explore more pages. Google takes into account page speed as a ranking factor, so optimising your website for speed can directly impact your search visibility. Faster-loading sites also tend to perform better on mobile devices, which is increasingly important as 92.3% of users access the internet on smartphones.
8. Track Your Closest Competitors:
Monitoring competitors’ activities provides valuable insights into industry trends, successful tactics, and potential gaps in your business approach. By understanding the keywords they target, content they produce, and backlinks they acquire, you can refine and strengthen your aviation SEO efforts. Tracking competitors helps identify emerging opportunities and allows your organisation to adapt to stay competitive in search engine rankings. Additionally, observing their successes and challenges provides a benchmark for evaluating your performance and setting realistic goals. Regular competitor analysis ensures that your SEO strategy remains dynamic and responsive to changes in the aviation sector.
9. Monitor and Measure Performance:
Metrics such as website traffic, conversion rates, keyword rankings, and user engagement provide valuable insights into what is working well and where improvements are needed. By identifying trends and patterns, you can adapt your strategy to capitalise on successes and address weaknesses. Monitoring performance also enables you to stay agile in the dynamic online environment, adjusting your approach in response to changes in user behaviour, search engine algorithms, and industry trends. This data can often be difficult to find and interpret so getting in contact with a team of accredited SEO specialists is a good way to help any airline get the most out of their website.
The Benefits of good SEO practice:
Surge in Website Traffic:
A good aviation SEO strategy will enhance your organisation’s website visibility in search engine results, making it more likely for users to discover your content. This increased visibility translates into higher organic traffic, as your website ranks higher for relevant searches.
Beat Your Competitors:
Online presence is crucial, especially in the airline industry. A robust aviation SEO strategy can give your organisation a competitive edge. By staying ahead in search engine rankings, your airline can outperform competitors, attract a larger audience and dominate the market.
Improved Conversion Rates:
Targeting the right keywords and optimising your content for user intent can attract visitors genuinely interested in your flights or holiday packages. This targeted traffic is more likely to convert into customers, contributing to the overall success of your business.
Decreased Bounce Rates:
Optimising content relevance, improving load speed, and enhancing user experience all helps to reduce bounce rates. Targeted keywords and quality content engage visitors, reducing the likelihood of quick exits.
Industry Authority Establishment:
Websites that appear at the top of search results are often perceived as more trustworthy and authoritative by users. A strong SEO strategy helps build credibility, as search engines recognise your site as a reliable source of information within the aviation industry.
Aviation SEO Tips Summary
Creating an effective SEO strategy for digital growth is an ongoing process, offering substantial benefits. While the initial steps may appear challenging, it’s crucial not to be discouraged.
With the right assistance, ambitious airline companies can kickstart their SEO journey promptly. Engaging with specialised experts in the field provides invaluable insights, enabling your digital team to learn and develop a sustainable, long-term strategy.
If your airline is ready to start their SEO journey, contact us. We’re here to support you and eager to share our expertise. Optimizely and SEO go hand in hand when it comes to creating meaningful digital experiences and at Ultimedia, we are a leading Optimizely partner bringing extensive experience in the world of airline digital transformation.