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How to GEO: How to be found with your hotel in AI chatbots & AI systems
- July 02, 2025
You've probably already noticed: artificial intelligence is radically changing the digital guest journey - from classic Google searches to chatbots such as ChatGPT or Google Gemini. More and more guests are no longer asking Google, but AI systems directly.
The challenge: If you don't appear there, you won't be found.
For hotels, this means that SEO remains important - but is no longer enough. Visibility must be rethought: Keyword GEO - Generative Engine Optimization. The focus is on clear, structured content that precisely matches the user's intention.
How hotels become visible in ChatGPT, AI Overviews & Co.
What you need now:
1. structure content clearly and logically
Use concise headings, short paragraphs and clear statements. This way, even AI systems understand what it's about.
2. answer typical guest questions directly
Example:
"Is parking available?"
"Is breakfast included?"
This kind of information should appear directly on your website - preferably as FAQs.
3. use structured data (Schema.org)
Opening hours, room prices, availability or ratings - in machine-readable form, they help AIs to interpret your content correctly.
4. strengthen E-E-A-T: experience, expertise, authority & trust
Show why guests can trust you: with reviews, team introductions, awards or press articles.
5. increase regional visibility
Use local keywords such as "Wellnesshotel Lüneburger Heide" or "Hotel am See in Bayern". This helps enormously with voice-controlled searches.
6. keep content up to date
Seasonal offers, blog articles or news show that your site is alive - and the AI loves that.
7. strengthen your brand
The more often your hotel name appears on the web (e.g. in forums, articles or social media), the higher the chance that it will be mentioned in AI responses.
8. write AI-friendly texts
Clear, simple. Understandable. This way, ChatGPT & Co. understand what you're all about - and correctly reflect your offer.
GEO - what this means in concrete terms for the hotel industry
With the rise of AI-supported systems such as ChatGPT, Gemini & Co., Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is becoming a game changer for your online visibility. How your company benefits from it:
Hotels:
- Store structured data - e.g. on room prices, availability, ratings or opening hours. This way, the AI understands what you are offering.
- Answer typical guest questions directly - such as "Is breakfast included?" or "Is there parking on site?"
- Publish blog articles with real travel experiences or tips from employees - this strengthens personality and trust.
- Certifications and awards show - they increase your authority and credibility.
Restaurants:
- Make opening hours, menus & reservation options machine-readable - with the help of structured data (Schema.org).
- Use local keywords in a targeted manner - such as "best Italian restaurant in [city]" or "vegan restaurant in the old town".
- Highlight the qualifications of the kitchen team - e.g. through portraits, interviews or awards.
- Integrate guest reviews & press articles - for more trust and visibility.
Trust me, I'm a hotelier!
E-E-A-T stands for experience, expertise, authority and trust - and is an important quality criterion not only for Google, but also for AI systems such as ChatGPT & Gemini.
Especially in the hotel and catering industry, where trust plays a major role, you should rely on E-E-A-T. Because: content with real substance is preferably displayed - by people and machines.
What this means for hotels:
- Publish blog posts with travel experiences or tips from hotel employees
- Present certifications and awards to emphasize your authority
- Use press mentions and guest testimonials in a targeted manner - they strengthen trust in your offering
And for restaurants:
- Highlight the qualifications of the chef and service team - with faces if you like
- Prominently integrate customer reviews and press articles - ideally directly on the homepage or the online menu
AI overviews & new SERPs: what hoteliers should know now
Here we can see in the SEO tool Sistrix which pages are shown with which keywords in the Google AI Overview.
The classic search results pages (SERPs) are changing rapidly - primarily due to the introduction of AI Overviews, which provide compact answers directly on the Google results page. This means that many users no longer click on the actual websites.
But don't worry, you can do something about it! If your content is clear, precise and AI-readable, it will appear directly in these new formats.
That's why it's worthwhile for hotels:
- Optimize content for featured snippets to be visible in AI overviews
- Present offers and services compactly and clearly on the website
- Answer questions directly, preferably directly on the homepage or in an FAQ section
And for restaurants?
- Create FAQ pages that answer frequently asked questions about opening hours, reservations or menus
- Use structured data to appear in rich snippets with ratings, dishes or prices
These developments clearly show that hotels and restaurants must continuously develop their online presence in order to remain visible in the changing SEO landscape.
This means that AI integration, E-E-A-T implementation and adaptation to new SERP formats are not "nice to have", but crucial for future success.
Conclusion: GEO = SEO taken further
Many of the basic principles of classic SEO still apply - they just need to be adapted more specifically to the way AI systems work.
What counts at GEO:
- Clear structure & understandable language
- Directly answered questions (FAQs!)
- Schema.org & structured data
- E-E-A-T as an anchor of trust
- Up-to-date content & strong brand
Which still applies:
- Clean technology (meta data, links, loading time)
- Mobile first & good user experience
- Backlinks & brand mentions are still worth their weight in gold
- Keywords remain relevant - now in a semantic context
In short: GEO is not a radical change - but the next logical step in SEO.
How to make your hotel or restaurant fit for GEO & AI
Switching to GEO and AI-driven search systems may seem complex - but visibility can be significantly improved step by step. Technical basics, the right content strategy and trust-building content (E-E-A-T) are the keys.
Those who deal with the changes now and adapt their own content accordingly will secure a place in the field of vision of guests in the long term - both in traditional search engines and in chatbots and AI systems.
If you are looking for support, we will be happy to help you make your website fit for the future. Whether technical optimization, structured data, tailor-made content or trustworthiness checks - together we will ensure that your hotel or restaurant remains visible not only in traditional search engines, but also in chatbots and AI systems.
Get in touch with us!
Photos:
Marten Newhall, Souvik Banerjee