Mastering Online Travel Agent (OTA) Visibility: Using Seasonal Strategies to Boost Bookings and Revenue

In the highly competitive world of short-term rentals and serviced accommodation, increasing visibility on Online Travel Agents (OTAs) like Airbnb, Booking.com, and Expedia is crucial to maximising revenue. The challenge for many operators is maintaining high occupancy during low seasons while ensuring they can charge premium rates in peak periods.

A well-planned seasonal pricing and visibility strategy can help you achieve both goals—by leveraging low-season discounts to boost your OTA ranking, which then increases visibility during high season when you can demand higher prices. This article will explore how to use seasonality to improve your OTA ranking, drive bookings in slow months, and command premium prices when demand is strong.

Understanding OTA Algorithms and Visibility

To take full advantage of OTAs, it’s essential to understand how their ranking algorithms work. While each platform has its own criteria, most prioritise:

• Booking Volume: More bookings generally push listings higher in search results.

• Conversion Rate: The ratio of views to actual bookings influences ranking.

• Price Competitiveness: Competitive pricing, especially with discounts, can boost ranking.

• Recent Activity: Regular updates and booking activity keep listings fresh in OTA searches.

• Guest Reviews and Response Rate: Listings with better reviews and faster responses tend to rank higher.

• Cancellation Rate: Lower cancellation rates improve your OTA ranking.

With this in mind, the goal is to increase booking activity in the low season so that your listing remains highly visible when peak demand returns.

Using Low Season to Build Visibility

During the low season, many accommodation providers struggle to fill their properties. However, instead of seeing this period as lost revenue, use it as an opportunity to boost your ranking and visibility on OTAs.

1. Offer Strategic Discounts to Attract Bookings

One of the most effective ways to maintain activity is to offer discounted rates during low season. Some effective discounting strategies include:

• Early bird discounts for guests booking months in advance.

• Last-minute deals to fill vacancies within the next few days.

• Extended stay discounts for guests staying 7+ or 30+ nights.

• Flash sales to create urgency and attract immediate bookings.

While discounts may reduce your profit per stay, the increased booking volume will improve your OTA ranking. When peak season arrives, your higher ranking will allow you to demand higher prices while maintaining strong visibility.

2. Use Promotions to Get Featured on OTA Platforms

Many OTAs, including Booking.com and Expedia, allow hosts to participate in promotions to gain additional exposure. These include:

• Genius Discounts (Booking.com) – A special program that increases visibility to loyal Booking.com customers.

• Preferred Partner Programs – Joining premium programs can increase ranking in exchange for discounts or commission increases.

• Seasonal Promotions – Platforms often run special promotions (e.g., Winter Deals, Summer Sales) where listings offering discounts get extra visibility.

By opting into these promotions during low seasons, you increase bookings, improve your ranking, and ensure your listing remains visible during high demand periods.

3. Encourage Reviews from Low-Season Guests

Guest reviews significantly impact OTA rankings. Use the low season to build up positive reviews, ensuring a strong reputation for high season. Strategies include:

• Offering discounted stays in exchange for honest reviews.

• Sending follow-up messages to encourage guests to leave feedback.

• Providing exceptional service to increase the chances of receiving 5-star reviews.

A higher volume of recent positive reviews will boost visibility just in time for peak season.

Preparing for High Season: Maximising Revenue

Once the high season arrives, you no longer need to rely on discounts. Instead, leverage the visibility you built during the low season to increase pricing and profits.

1. Use Dynamic Pricing to Optimise Revenue

Instead of setting fixed rates, use dynamic pricing tools like PriceLabs, Wheelhouse, or Beyond Pricing to adjust rates based on:

• Competitor pricing

• Occupancy trends

• Demand spikes for local events

Since your OTA ranking will already be strong from low-season activity, you can now charge premium rates while maintaining high visibility.

2. Implement Minimum Stay Restrictions

During peak season, reduce one-night stays to maximise revenue per booking. Consider:

• 3- to 5-night minimum stays during high demand periods.

• Saturday-to-Saturday bookings for holiday locations.

• Flexible check-in dates to fill gaps between longer stays.

This approach ensures maximum occupancy at the highest possible rates.

3. Close Out OTA Discounts and Prioritise Direct Bookings

Once peak season arrives, reduce reliance on OTAs by:

• Turning off discounts that were used for low-season visibility.

• Encouraging direct bookings via your website, social media, or email marketing.

• Using repeat guest promotions to drive direct traffic.

Since your OTA listing is already ranking well, you’ll still attract organic bookings while charging premium prices.

Additional Strategies to Sustain Year-Round Visibility

To keep your listing consistently visible on OTAs throughout the year, incorporate these additional tactics:

1. Keep Your Listing Active

Regular updates signal to OTAs that your listing is fresh and relevant. Try:

• Updating descriptions and photos seasonally.

• Adjusting pricing weekly.

• Responding to messages quickly to maintain high response rates.

2. Leverage Business Travel and Long-Stay Guests

To reduce seasonality dips, cater to business travellers and long-stay guests by:

• Offering corporate discounts.

• Listing on corporate housing platforms.

• Providing long-stay discounts (e.g., 10% off for stays over 14 nights).

This ensures consistent occupancy even during slow months.

3. Utilise Local Events for Visibility

Monitor events in your area (concerts, conferences, sporting events) and:

• Adjust pricing to reflect demand spikes.

• Include event keywords in your listing descriptions (e.g., "Perfect for the Stafford Food Festival").

• Offer packages (e.g., "Stay 3 nights, get a free breakfast").

This keeps your listing relevant and visible throughout the year.

Final Thoughts: Making Seasonality Work for You

The key to maximising revenue in serviced accommodation is understanding the relationship between OTA visibility, booking activity, and pricing strategies. Instead of viewing low season as a problem, use it as a tool to increase rankings, ensuring strong visibility when demand peaks.

By offering strategic discounts, participating in OTA promotions, collecting reviews, and maintaining activity during low seasons, you position yourself for higher pricing and full occupancy during peak periods.