Introduction

Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) such as Booking.com, Expedia, Agoda, and Trip.com hold a massive share of global hotel bookings. But there’s a catch: your property’s visibility on these platforms depends heavily on your OTA ranking.

A higher OTA rank means:

• More visibility
• More clicks
• More bookings
• Better occupancy
• Higher revenue

However, ranking high isn’t luck; it’s strategy. OTAs reward hotels that provide accurate content, competitive pricing, strong guest experience, and consistent availability. If you optimise your listing smartly, your ranking can shoot up within weeks.

In this blog, we break down practical, proven ways to improve your hotel’s OTA ranking using listing optimisation, guest experience improvements, and strategic pricing.

Why Your OTA Ranking Matters

Before optimising, understand why ranking is so important.

A high position gives you:

✔ More impressions (visibility)

✔ Higher click-through rates

✔ Better conversion

✔ Reduced dependency on paid promotions

✔ Competitive advantage over nearby properties

Most travellers don’t scroll past the first few listings. If your hotel appears on page 3 or lower pages, you’re invisible.

So improving your OTA ranking should be a core part of your revenue strategy.

1. Optimise Your OTA Listing Content (Your Ranking Foundation)

Your listing is your storefront on the OTA. The more accurate, attractive, and complete it is, the higher your visibility.

Key things to optimise:

✓ High-quality images

Hotels with professional images get 60% more clicks and 40% more bookings.

Include photos of:

• Rooms (multiple angles)
• Lobby
• Bathrooms
• Amenities
• Breakfast
• Exterior
• Nearby attractions

OTAs prioritise listings with 20+ HD photos.

✓ Accurate room descriptions

Avoid generic content like “spacious rooms.” Instead, describe:

• Size (sq. ft.)
• Bed type
• View
• Amenities
• Unique features

OTAs reward listings with clear, detailed descriptions.

✓ Update amenities list frequently

Travellers filter by amenities. If your listing is incomplete, you lose visibility.

Make sure your OTA shows:

• Wi-Fi
• Parking
• Breakfast
• Pool / Gym
• 24/7 front desk
• AC
• Room service
• Pet-friendly (if available)
• EV charging (if available)

The more accurate your amenity list, the higher your match with guest search filters.

2. Improve Your Review Score (The Biggest OTA Ranking Factor)

OTAs rank hotels with better reviews higher simply.

Focus on:

✔ Cleanliness
✔ Staff friendliness
✔ Check-in experience
✔ Accuracy of listing
✔ Room comfort

A hotel with a score above 8.5 gets:

• Better ranking
• More visibility
• Higher conversions

How to improve your review score:

• Respond to all reviews within 24 hours
• Fix repeated issues immediately
• Offer small gestures when guests face inconvenience
• Encourage happy guests to review
• Use automation to request reviews post-checkout

Your review score is the most powerful ranking driver; prioritise it.

3. Maintain Accurate Inventory & Rate Parity

OTAs want reliability. If your hotel constantly shows “sold out” or “not available,” your ranking drops.

Keep:

✔ Real-time inventory
✔ Accurate rates
✔ Consistent availability

Avoid:

❌ Overbooking
❌ Rate mismatches between OTAs
❌ Marking rooms sold out too often

Using a Channel Manager helps keep everything synchronised, increasing your OTA score.

4. Use Competitive Pricing Strategies

OTAs reward competitive rates. They don’t want overpriced hotels because it reduces conversions.

Best pricing practices:

• Monitor competitor rates
• Keep pricing dynamic
• Offer mobile-only rates
• Provide early-bird / last-minute discounts
• Use seasonal pricing
• Utilize length-of-stay discounts

When your property performs well on conversion, your OTA ranking climbs.

5. Leverage “Preferred” or “Boost” Programs

Most OTAs offer premium ranking programs, such as:

• Booking.com Preferred Partner
• Expedia BOOST
• Agoda Growth Program

These programs improve visibility, but only if your listing meets criteria like:

• High review scores
• Good conversion rates
• Competitive pricing
• Low cancellation rates

Becoming a preferred partner boosts your ranking significantly.

6. Maintain Low Cancellation Rates

OTAs track cancellation ratios. High cancellations reduce trust and lower your placement.

How to reduce cancellations:

• Offer non-refundable rates
• Send pre-arrival confirmations
• Provide flexible cancellation windows
• Use deposit policies for high-demand dates

A healthy cancellation ratio boosts your ranking further.

7. Improve Your Response Time & Guest Communication

OTAs measure how quickly hotels respond to:

• Guest inquiries
• Reservation questions
• Special requests

Fast replies lead to better scores and improved rankings.

Aim for:

Response time: Under 3 hours

Hotels with higher communication scores get better search placement.

8. Add Unique Selling Propositions (USPs)

Your listing should highlight what makes your property different.

Examples:

• Rooftop dining
• Lake view rooms
• Free airport pickup
• Pet-friendly rooms
• Smart rooms
• Eco-friendly hotel

The more unique your listing, the higher your click-through rate, which boosts your OTA ranking.

9. Keep Your Calendar Updated at All Times

Never show old rates or outdated room details.

If OTAs detect poor management, your ranking falls.

Maintain:

• Future rates
• Minimum stay rules
• Blackout dates
• Promotions

A clean, active listing equals higher priority on the OTA.

10. Use Smart Promotions to Increase Visibility

OTAs reward listings that use:

• Flash sales
• Mobile-only deals
• Geo-based discounts
• Early-bird offers
• Free breakfast promotions
• Long-stay deals

Having active promotions gives your listing a boost compared to hotels without offers.

Table: Key OTA Ranking Factors & How to Improve Them

Conclusion

Your OTA ranking is not luck, it’s strategy. By optimising your listing, improving reviews, maintaining pricing and inventory accuracy, and joining OTA programs, you can significantly improve your visibility.

Hotels that consistently optimise their OTA listings enjoy:

• Higher bookings
• Better occupancy
• Stronger online reputation
• More revenue
• Lower acquisition cost

Small changes in your OTA presence can make a massive difference in your ranking and your bottom line.

FAQs

1. How long does it take to improve OTA ranking?

Most hotels start seeing improvements within 30-60 days if they optimise content, reviews, and pricing consistently.

2. What is the most important factor for OTA ranking?

Review score and conversion rate are the top two ranking signals across all major OTAs.

3. Are promotions necessary to improve ranking?

Not mandatory, but promotions significantly boost visibility and conversions.

4. How does a channel manager improve OTA ranking?

It ensures real-time availability, accurate rates, and zero overbookings, key signals that OTAs reward.

5. Can small hotels compete with big brands on OTAs?

Absolutely. OTAs prioritise performance, not size. A small hotel can outrank big brands with better review scores and optimised listings.