Case Study: Boosting Direct Bookings through Strategic SEO Optimization
Project Overview Over eight months, we implemented a strategic SEO optimization plan to help a hotel enhance its online visibility and drive organic search traffic for improved direct bookings. By focusing on technical audits, keyword strategy, on-page optimization, backlink development, and GBP/Google Maps revisions and citations, we transformed the hotel’s online presence and significantly increased […]
HOTELS Magazine Video Series: In Discussion with Stephanie Smith, CEO, Cogwheel Marketing
A hotel’s commercial strategy operates like a soccer team: The sales team offense; the marketing team midfield; the revenue management team defense. While sales focuses on building relationships and revenue management on providing actionable data, marketing makes the team tick—to be in front of the right guest at the right time. It takes collaboration to […]
GEO vs SEO for Hotels: 10 Comparisons
Key Takeaway: Your GEO should build on top of your SEO strategy. Let’s break down what changes and what stays the same. This blog was written as of Jul 16, 2025, and we will try to keep it updated as we learn more. 1 Unique Selling Points and Differentiators This still matters. Clearly define your […]
The Evolving Commercial Landscape: Key Takeaways from HSMAI’s 2025 Strategy Conference
Three members of our leadership team from Cogwheel attended The HSMAI Commercial Strategy Conference in Indianapolis in June 2025. The conference was dominated by three major themes: artificial intelligence’s impact on marketing, the realignment of commercial strategy through data storytelling, and the growing need for authenticity in audience segmentation. Each insight reflects not only where […]
Crafting a Hotel Marketing Budget: Goldilocks and the 3 Bears
At the HSMAI Commercial Strategy Conference on June 17, Stephanie Smith of Cogwheel tried to change mindsets about how backwards most hotel marketing budgets are created. There are 3 ways to create a hotel marketing budget: 1 – Too Little – Take last year’s budget and add 10% 2 – Too Much – Take your […]
The Invisible Guest: How Dark Social Impacts Hotel Marketing
If you’re tracking your hotel’s marketing performance the traditional way — through UTMs, analytics, and CRM data — you’re only seeing part of the picture. There’s a whole world of referral traffic happening behind the scenes, and it’s called dark social. For the hospitality industry, where word-of-mouth and personal recommendations are already king, dark social […]
Maximizing Your Spa’s Online Presence: A Comprehensive Guide
Establishing a strong online presence is crucial for the success of any spa. Stephanie Smith, CEO of Cogwheel Marketing & Analytics, during the 2025 iSPA Conference offered valuable insights and actionable strategies for spa directors and operators looking to maximize their online visibility and attract more clients. Balancing Operations and Marketing Many spa professionals struggle […]
Backlinks – Importance in SEO Strategy
A key component in a comprehensive off-page SEO strategy includes backlinking. What is a backlink? A backlink is a link from another website to a page on your website. Backlinks are a key ranking factor for search engines like Google and Bing. The more ‘quality’ backlinks you have is a contributing factor to increasing your […]
Maximizing Your Hotel’s Digital Launch: A Comprehensive Guide
Building your hotel’s digital presence requires meticulous planning and execution across various channels to ensure maximum visibility and seamless operations. From GPS submissions to paid marketing and content optimization, here’s how to effectively position your property for success. GPS: Getting Your Hotel Found Ensuring your hotel can be easily located is a foundational step in […]
Strategies for Marketing Your Pet-Friendly Hotel
When I think of pet-friendly hotels, I can’t help but remember how important my pets are to me and how they can affect my personal travel decisions. Years ago, my husband and I were traveling home to Ohio from North Carolina for Christmas with our dog when we hit the aftermath of a blizzard in […]