Practical Assets to Win In The Age Of AI Search

Winning in the Age of AI Search:

After our recent webinar, "LLMs Are Stealing Your Travel Bookings," the feedback was clear: you need a practical plan. We listened, and we've created a full resource hub to guide you.

Here you'll find:

• A step-by-step tutorial to make your content "AI-resistant" and highly citable.
• An actionable checklist to apply our proven AI Visibility Framework to your brand.
• And of course, a link to the full webinar for a deeper look at the data and strategy.

A Tutorial for Travel Brands

The way travelers find and book their next trip has fundamentally changed. Large Language Models (LLMs)—the technology behind AI chatbots and Google's AI Overviews—are now the new travel agents, answering questions and providing recommendations directly in search results. This means your potential customers may never even see your website.

This tutorial, based on the insights from travel marketing agency Propellic's webinar, "LLMs Are Stealing Your Travel Bookings," provides an easy-to-follow guide to not just survive but thrive in this new AI-driven landscape.

Part 1: Understanding the New Reality

Traditional Search Engine Optimization (SEO) focused on ranking your website for specific keywords. The new reality is about becoming a trusted source that AI models cite and recommend.

The Challenge:

• Zero-Click Searches: AI Overviews and chatbots directly answer user questions, reducing the need for users to click through to your website.
• Competitor Recommendations: AI can recommend your competitors, even if you have strong traditional SEO.
• Loss of Traffic: Many travel brands are already seeing a decline in organic traffic as AI-powered search becomes more prevalent.

The Opportunity:Brands that adapt can gain a significant advantage by becoming the go-to source for AI-powered travel planning, capturing bookings from competitors who are slow to change.

Part 2: Your Action Plan: The AI Visibility Framework

This framework outlines the essential steps to make your travel brand a favorite of AI search tools.

Step 1: Create "AI-Resistant" Content

While AI can summarize basic information, it struggles with content that requires deep, nuanced understanding and a human touch. Focus on creating:

• Detailed, Step-by-Step Guides with Visuals: Create comprehensive guides for complex travel processes (e.g., "A Complete Guide to Navigating the Venice Ferry System with a 3-Day Pass," complete with photos of the terminals and ticket validation machines). AI can't easily replicate this level of detail.
• First-Hand Experiences and Itineraries: Share unique, personal travel stories and detailed itineraries that go beyond generic suggestions. For example, "A 3-Day Food Lover's Tour of Mendoza's Uco Valley," featuring specific restaurants, recommended dishes, and booking tips.
• Opinionated and Niche Content: Write for specific traveler personas. Instead of "Things to Do in Paris," create "The Ultimate Guide to a Rainy Day in Paris for Art Lovers."

Step 2: Optimize for AI Overviews with the F.L.I.P. Framework

Even with AI-resistant content, you still want to be cited in the AI-generated answers. Use the F.L.I.P. framework to guide your content strategy:

• F - Freshness: Regularly update your content with new information and clearly display the last updated date. This signals to AI that your information is current and reliable.
• L - Local Intent: Embed specific geographic information in your content. Mention neighborhoods, cross-streets, and local landmarks. This helps AI confidently recommend your business for location-based queries.
• I - In-depth Context: Become a comprehensive resource on your specific travel topics. If you're a hotel, create content about the surrounding area, local events, and travel tips.
• P - Personalization: Address the needs of different traveler types. Create content that speaks to families, solo travelers, budget-conscious visitors, or luxury seekers.

Step 3: Strengthen Your Technical Foundations

Ensure that AI crawlers can easily access and understand your website.

• Fast Server Response Time: Your website should load quickly (ideally under 2 seconds).
• Clean HTML: Use a simple and clean website structure. Avoid relying heavily on JavaScript to display essential content.
• Allow AI Crawlers: Check your robots.txt file (e.g., yourwebsite.com/robots.txt) to ensure you are not blocking crawlers from AI services like Google and Anthropic.

Step 4: Build a Multi-Platform Presence

Don't rely solely on your website. AI models pull information from a variety of trusted sources.

• YouTube: Create video content that complements your written guides. YouTube is heavily cited in Google's AI Overviews.
• Travel Aggregators: Maintain and optimize your listings on major platforms like TripAdvisor, Expedia, and Booking.com. Encourage and respond to reviews on these sites.
• Strategic Partnerships: Collaborate with high-authority travel blogs and online publications to get your brand mentioned and linked to.

The Future is Proactive

The rise of LLMs in travel search is not a distant threat; it's a present-day reality. By moving beyond traditional SEO and embracing a strategy that focuses on creating valuable, in-depth content and building a strong, multi-platform presence, you can ensure that when a traveler asks an AI for advice, your brand is the one providing the answer.

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