Buyer's guide
How to find the best marketing agency for hotels in Kerala
Hotel marketing in Kerala is dominated by OTAs (MakeMyTrip, Booking.com, Agoda) taking 15-25% commission. The right partner shifts your booking mix toward direct — through HEO, AI travel queries, GBP, and direct-booking funnel optimisation.
Target query:“best marketing agency for hotels in Kerala”
Criteria
What to evaluate.
- 1
Direct booking funnel competence
Most stays leak 60%+ at the booking widget. Ask if they audit the funnel + what specific changes they'd recommend.
- 2
AI travel query optimisation
ChatGPT + Perplexity now influence travel decisions. Ask how they make hotels appear in AI travel recommendations.
- 3
GBP + local SEO depth
Property in Maps + AI travel results = direct bookings. Test their GBP knowledge with specific questions about photos, services, Q&A.
- 4
Photography + videography integration
Hospitality is visual. Ask if they do photo + video shoots in-house or via partners, and at what cost.
- 5
OTA strategy without abandonment
Best partners help shift the mix (75% OTA → 50% OTA) without dropping OTAs entirely. Dropping OTAs = killing discovery.
Red flags
What to avoid.
- Suggests deactivating OTAs immediately
- No AI travel query optimisation in scope
- GBP audit reveals huge gaps they missed
- Stock photography on hotel landing pages
Questions to ask
What to ask before signing.
- What's our current direct booking %?
- How do you optimise for ChatGPT travel recommendations?
- Do you handle property photography?
- What's a realistic direct-booking shift in 12 months?
Where Adsomia fits
Our honest take.
Adsomia works with Kerala hospitality brands (resorts, houseboats, boutique stays). Typical engagement: Be Found Sprint (₹1.95L founding) for HEO + direct booking optimisation, then Local SEO retainer (₹39K/mo) + Content Production for ongoing visibility.
Common questions
FAQs.
Should I leave Booking.com / MakeMyTrip?
No — keep them for discovery. The goal is shifting the mix toward direct booking, not eliminating OTAs.
Can you help with houseboat marketing specifically?
Yes — Alappuzha + Kumarakom houseboat operators are a recurring segment. AI travel query work + Instagram + WhatsApp lifecycle for repeat guests.
Considering Adsomia?
30-min discovery call. We listen first; written scope inside 48 hours; first deliverable in 14 days. If we're not the right fit, we'll say so.