Written by: A case study showing how a regional accommodation provider increased organic traffic and reduced reliance on paid advertising by using Local SEO, long-tail keyword targeting, service pages, geo-relevant content, and local guides. The strategy focused on winning local search visibility against larger competitors such as Airbnb and Booking.com.
Over the years, I’ve worked with many local accommodation providers across Australia, and one thing is clear: competing with the big players-like Airbnb, Booking.com, and the hotel chains-is tough, especially in competitive markets. But it’s not impossible. Take it from a campaign I’ve been managing since 2017. It started as a local accommodation business in a regional city (population: around 500,000), where we were up against the giants from the get-go. We knew that relying solely on paid ads for generic terms like “hotel accommodation” wasn’t going to cut it. Instead, we took a different approach, focusing on what the bigger brands often overlook: local SEO, niche keywords, and highly relevant content.
The Strategy: Playing Smart, Not Big
From the outset, I made one thing clear to the client: we weren’t going to outbid the likes of Airbnb or Booking.com on generic accommodation terms. Instead, we decided to double down on long-tail keywords-the more specific search terms that often have lower competition but are highly relevant to the people we wanted to attract. The first step was to optimise the website. Back in 2017, the website was a mess-no clear keyword targeting, no service pages, and not even a hint of SEO. So, I went in and built about 10 service pages, each targeting a different aspect of accommodation. Think: “Long-term accommodation for tradies in Ballarat” or “Pet-friendly serviced apartments in Geelong”. These pages weren’t just about driving traffic; they were about building relevance for specific customer segments.
Why Content is King (Even for Smaller Businesses)
The next piece of the puzzle was content creation. The client had a lot of potential to rank for location-based content, so we started creating blogs that gave people real value. These weren’t your generic posts about “how to choose a hotel”-we went hyper-local. We published 200+ blogs about everything to do with the local area: the best places to eat, the top fishing spots, even things like “Top 5 dog parks in Ballarat”. This type of content helped us establish geo-relevance. Big players like Airbnb and Booking.com don’t have the same local expertise to write about specific areas. But we did, and Google began to see us as a trusted source for all things Ballarat accommodation.
Local Guides = Local Trust
We didn’t stop at blogs. I started building out listicle directories (think: “best places to eat”, “things to do in town”, etc.) to increase site engagement and enhance our SEO presence. These posts not only provided value to our visitors but also reinforced the relevance of the site for anyone searching for long-term stays in Ballarat. For example, a listicle on local cafes was strategically built around the idea that tradies and business travellers (our core audience) needed good places to grab a coffee while working away from home. This wasn’t just for SEO; it was to build trust with our target audience. After all, if a customer is planning an extended stay in a city, they’ll want to know where to eat, what to do, and how to feel at home. And, by the way, they’ll probably end up booking their accommodation through us too.
Embrace the Giants (But Don’t Let Them Win)
A common misconception is that to compete with Airbnb or Booking.com, you have to avoid them entirely. In reality, traffic diversification is crucial. Early on, I recommended that my client list their properties on Airbnb and Booking.com-even though it meant giving up a small commission. Why? Because these platforms bring huge amounts of traffic. And that traffic helped drive more attention to the client’s site and raised the overall authority of their brand. But here’s the kicker: we didn’t rely on them. We still focused on direct bookings via the website, using the extra visibility from these platforms to attract more people to our own booking engine.
The New Strategy for 2025: Evolving with the Times
Fast forward to today, and I’m in the middle of rebuilding the website again. So, what’s changed? For one, AI has entered the game. Tools like ChatGPT and others are now producing generic content that resembles what we were doing back in 2017. So, we’ve had to step up our game. We’ve reworked our old blog posts, compressed similar articles into more comprehensive guides, and added more personality to the content. Google loves fresh, original content, so we’re making sure our voice stands out. We’ve also made our listings more transparent, especially since security and privacy are key concerns for our customers. While we’ve always kept some listings hidden for security reasons, we’re now building dedicated listing pages that clearly outline the apartment’s features and location, with images and detailed descriptions-think: “pet-friendly apartments in the heart of Ballarat.”
Results? Less Paid Ads, More Traffic
One of the best outcomes of this strategy? We no longer rely on expensive Google Ads or Facebook ads. Over the years, we’ve built up enough organic traffic that paid ads aren’t necessary anymore. Sure, we’ll use them for specific promotions or for some hyper-targeted keywords, but the bulk of our bookings now come from organic search and word of mouth. By consistently providing real value through localised content and building a trustworthy online presence, we’ve made ourselves the go-to option for people looking for long-term stays, especially in industries like construction and law.
What Can You Learn from This?
If you’re running a local accommodation business, whether it’s in a competitive city or a smaller town, here are some key takeaways:
- Niche down: Focus on long-tail keywords that match your unique offerings-don’t try to compete for broad, expensive terms like “hotel accommodation”.
- Geo-relevance is your friend: Build content that speaks directly to the location you serve, whether it’s through blog posts, listicles, or guides to local spots.
- Content is key: Regularly publish content that adds real value to your audience. Think beyond simple booking info and provide your customers with everything they need to know about the area.
- Diversify traffic sources: Don’t shy away from listing on platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com. Just make sure you have a strategy to drive bookings back to your own site for maximum profit.
It’s a long game, but with the right strategy, your business can not only survive but thrive-even in the shadow of the giants.
Real-World Case Studies
Case Study: Local Accommodation Business – Accommodation Provider – Ballarat, Victoria
The Challenge: Competing against the likes of Airbnb, Booking.com, and hotel chains in a mid-sized city (population: 500,000). The client needed a strategy that allowed them to rank well locally without competing on generic hotel keywords. The Strategy:
- Focused on long-tail keywords like “long-term accommodation for tradies” and “pet-friendly serviced apartments in Ballarat”.
- Overhauled the website in 2017, focusing on SEO-optimised pages for these keywords and added service pages for specific needs.
- Created high-quality, geo-targeted blog content and local “listicle” directories on topics like “best dog parks in Ballarat” and “local cafés for tradies”.
- Shifted from being entirely self-contained to leveraging booking platforms (Airbnb, Booking.com) to boost traffic and bookings.
The Results:
- Increased organic search traffic by 45% over three years.
- Improved Google rankings for long-tail terms such as “long-term accommodation Ballarat” and “serviced apartments for work”.
- Reduced reliance on paid ads; no longer needed Google or Facebook ads.
The Lesson: By focusing on niche markets (long-term stays, pet-friendly units, etc.) and creating geo-relevant content, the business can outrank the bigger players for local searches. Diversifying traffic sources with booking platforms also provides crucial exposure. Industry Application:
- For tradies, medical professionals, or anyone needing longer stays, tailoring accommodation options to specific groups can help businesses differentiate themselves.
- Local businesses in competitive cities should use content marketing to reinforce authority and relevancy in their area.
