However, certain mistakes can hold you back and undermine your efforts. Let’s review some of the most common issues—and how to fix them.

1. Writing That Focuses on the Organization Instead of the Visitor

An important concept to keep in mind is that your blog is aimed at people who may never have heard of you before. It should serve as a gateway to your offering.

The visitor who lands on your blog clicked because the topic interests them—not because of your organization. At this stage, they are not particularly concerned about who you are.

Always return to one simple question: What is the reader looking for here?

Before publishing an article, clearly identify:

• Their intent (to learn, plan, compare, dream, etc.)
• Their level of knowledge (first-time visitor, returning traveler, local, etc.)
• Their concrete concerns (budget, accessibility, seasonality, logistics, etc.)

Then adjust your writing accordingly.

1. Talk about benefits before talking about yourself.

If you need to introduce your organization, do it briefly and at the right moment—never at the beginning of the article. Your introduction should immediately deliver on the promise made in the headline.

2. Write with “experience” in mind rather than “institution.”

Describe what visitors will see, feel, and discover. Replace “we”-centered phrasing with language that projects the reader into the experience: “you can…”, “you’ll discover…”, “plan for about…”

3. Structure around the traveler’s needs.

Organize your article around practical questions:

• What can you do there?
• When is the best time to go?
• How long should you plan for?
• Who is it ideal for?

4. Subtly integrate your offering.

Your blog is an entry point. Use natural, helpful calls to action (detailed itineraries, booking pages, full guides, newsletters) instead of promotional paragraphs.

Your organization is the framework—the visitor’s experience is the subject. The more your content focuses on them, the more relevant it becomes.

2. Misunderstood Tourism Jargon

We sometimes forget that certain words or expressions mean nothing to the general public. Whether they are industry terms, internal expressions, or acronyms, they may seem unclear to an unfamiliar visitor.

A travel blog is written for a broad audience. As soon as the language becomes institutional, technical, or overly marketing-driven, you create unnecessary distance between yourself and your reader.

Common examples include:

• Internal terms: tourism product, experiential offering, target clientele
• Vague expressions: authentic destination, dynamic region, immersive experience
• Unexplained acronyms
• Local jargon that isn’t universally understood

These words are not inherently wrong—they are simply poorly suited to a blog post designed to inspire and guide.

Adopt a simple rule: write as if you were explaining the destination to a friend planning a trip.

1. Replace internal terminology with concrete descriptions.

Instead of “nature-based experiential offering,” describe what people can actually do: hike through the forest, observe wildlife, paddle on a quiet lake.

2. Briefly explain cultural or local terms.

If you reference something unique to your region, add a short clarification. You are not simplifying your content—you are making it accessible.

3. Avoid empty words.

If you write “authentic destination,” ask yourself what makes it authentic. The architecture? Local markets? Living traditions? Be specific.

4. Think SEO and search intent.

People search for concrete answers: “What to do in winter?”, “Where to stay?”, “How much does it cost?” Your vocabulary should reflect real questions—not internal language.

An effective travel blog doesn’t try to impress with jargon. It informs clearly, inspires genuinely, and guides usefully. Clarity is always more persuasive than complexity.

3. Text Not Optimized for Mobile

We’ve been saying it for over a decade: websites must be responsive and adapted to different screen sizes. According to StatCounter, around 60% of global internet traffic now comes from mobile devices. If your blog is comfortable to read only on a desktop computer, you’re cutting yourself off from nearly half of the world’s online traffic.

On mobile, dense text quickly becomes discouraging. Even relevant content can be abandoned simply because it feels difficult to read.

A strong travel article should be easy to scan. If your layout does not support that behavior, you lose the reader’s attention. Poor mobile adaptation doesn’t just hurt user experience—it also affects time on page, bounce rate, and SEO performance.

The solution? Adopt a writing style designed for small screens.

1. Shorten your paragraphs.

On mobile, three to five lines are more than enough. Add regular spacing to avoid intimidating text blocks.

2. Use clear and informative subheadings.

They help readers quickly navigate to what interests them: budget, best season, practical tips, accessibility.

3. Use lists when relevant.

Lists improve readability and structure information, especially in “top” style articles.

4. Craft strong opening lines.

Attention spans are fragile on mobile. A concise, direct, benefit-oriented introduction encourages readers to continue.

5. Always test your article on a phone.

Before publishing, open it on a mobile device. If it feels heavy or confusing to you, it will feel the same to your audience.

A high-performing travel article isn’t just well written—it’s pleasant to read on any device. Mobile optimization is no longer optional; it’s a basic requirement.

The issue may also stem from the website itself—for example, a poorly configured CMS. Not comfortable with the technical side? Contact me—I can also help with your website.

4. Missing or Unclear Calls to Action

When writing a blog post, it’s important to keep the end goal in mind. Your blog is a marketing tool, and your articles should act as a lever for visitor action.

A common mistake is focusing entirely on the writing, assuming that great content alone will be enough. While a strong article is important, its impact remains limited if the reader has no opportunity to become a lead.

A clear and engaging call to action is the culmination of your article. Its absence is a missed opportunity.

To create an effective call to action, always think about the logical next step.

1. Align your call to action with the article topic.

If you publish a “Top 10 Winter Activities,” suggest a detailed guide, an interactive map, or a winter planning page. The transition must feel coherent.

2. Be specific and benefit-driven.

Instead of “Learn more,” use:

• “Read our complete guide to planning your weekend.”
• “Download the detailed 3-day itinerary.”
• “Discover nearby accommodation options.”

3. Limit yourself to one or two main calls to action.

Too many options dilute attention. A clear objective increases conversion potential.

4. Integrate them naturally into the content.

A call to action can appear at the end of the article, but also within the body when it adds relevant value.

An effective travel blog doesn’t just inform—it guides. A clear call to action doesn’t force a decision; it simply makes the next step easier.

L’article 4 Common Mistakes in Travel Blog Writing (and How to Avoid Them) est apparu en premier sur Valère Brable.

Why Traditional SEO Is No Longer Enough

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) refers to the set of methods used to improve your online ranking — in other words, getting as close as possible to the top of search engine results. If your business has a website, you are likely already familiar with this acronym: SEO is vital for helping users discover your site, and therefore your business.

For years, SEO strategies have been built around keywords. It has long been the gold standard for online visibility — a standard now being challenged by the rise of conversational search engines and generative AI.

You’ve probably noticed, on your favorite search engine, the appearance of AI previews — short, AI-generated text answers to your query, displayed directly at the top of the page so you don’t even need to click on any link. These are powered by tools such as Google SGE, Bing Copilot, ChatGPT, or Perplexity. These tools no longer just list links — they synthesize information and provide clear, direct answers. Here’s an exemple with a research on mountain bike centres in

AEO / GEO: What Are They?

Traditional SEO, focused on ranking in search results, is now being complemented — and in some cases overtaken — by new approaches. Users are being offered a new way to search: instead of exploring links themselves, they rely directly on the AI-generated answer.

This creates a new challenge for businesses: simply ranking high in search results is no longer enough — you must now be referenced by AI tools themselves. That’s where two emerging concepts come into play: AEO and GEO.

• AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) is about optimizing content for conversational search engines and generative AI so they can extract and present direct answers to user questions.
• GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is about making your business visible and relevant to generative AI models, which can not only find information but also create content and suggest itineraries.

A Metaphor to Understand the Difference

Imagine a huge library containing billions of books organized by topic. This library is the internet, and each book is a website.

• SEO is like writing a book for that library: you place keywords strategically, design an attractive layout, and ensure your content is high quality to maximize your chances of being well indexed, hoping visitors will find and read it.
• AEO is like writing a ready-to-use answer sheet for a personal assistant. The reader doesn’t have time to browse the entire library, so they ask their assistant a question. If your site has a well-structured, answer-formatted page, the assistant is likely to quote you.
• GEO is like ensuring your site appears on an intelligent map. AI doesn’t just read your content — it also looks for your address, online reviews, and the geographical relevance of your content.

In short: AEO focuses on your business’s content; GEO focuses on your business’s metadata.

AEO vs GEO: Which Should You Prioritize?

Should these two concepts be approached in the same way? Not exactly — they don’t have the same purpose.

AEO is generally the first priority for two main reasons:

1. Content is at the heart of the answer and proves your relevance. A business can be locally well established with a strong GEO score, but if its content is shallow or poorly structured, AI will not use it in its responses.
2. It’s more universal. AEO works regardless of where your business is located. If you provide general information on a specific topic, AI won’t care about your location.

On the other hand, GEO aims to make your business visible and relevant for generative AI models that can create content and suggest itineraries. A GEO strategy is highly relevant (in addition to AEO) for inns, restaurants, outdoor activity centers — any business where location plays a strategic role. In tourism, this means your online presence must be designed to be directly usable by these new interfaces, going beyond simple search results page listings.

Why This Matters

“Yes, but why bother? People already visit my website.”

If your business already has a solid reputation — congratulations! In a sense, you have a head start since AI tools mostly rely on existing online content. But be careful: AEO/GEO strategies are all about discoverability.

Today, the internet is the main source of information for anyone searching for details or a business. In an age where online search is increasingly “no click,” users often make decisions based on what AI recommends first. In other words, if you don’t appear in AI previews, your chances of being discovered by new clients shrink drastically. You risk becoming invisible — replaced by a competitor who embraced AEO/GEO early.

We are still at the very beginning of this new era. Few businesses have actually taken concrete steps. That makes now the perfect time to act. As with the early days of SEO or the shift to mobile, those who move first will gain a lasting competitive advantage. Those who wait will regret it in a few years.

The train is in the station — get on board before it leaves.

So, how can you actually do it? What strategies should you implement to adapt to this new reality? We’ll cover that in the next article.

L’article AEO vs GEO: Boost Your Online Visibility in AI Era est apparu en premier sur Valère Brable.

1. The Francophone Market: A Broader Audience Than You Might Think

When we think of dominant languages in North America, English comes to mind first, of course. But limiting your website to just one language means cutting yourself off from a significant portion of the market. French is spoken by over 10 million people in Canada, including almost the entire population of Quebec, as well as a large part of Eastern Ontario and New Brunswick. On top of that, there’s the international Francophone tourist base, particularly from France (Canada’s third-largest overseas market and first non-english-speaking market in 2023 with over 618,000 visitors), Belgium, Switzerland, North and West Africa, and the Caribbean.

In other words, translating your website into French isn’t just about adapting to local Canadian realities—it’s about tapping into a global network of potential visitors.

2. A Better User Experience

Imagine a traveler planning their vacation. They speak only French, or have limited English skills. Francophones in Canada, France, or Belgium will not type “whale watching tour Vancouver” in Google: they’ll search “croisière baleines Vancouver.” If your site isn’t available in French, you’re simply invisible in those results. When they land on your site to book an activity or a place to stay, if your site isn’t translated, they’ll have to either use automated translation tools (often inaccurate), or leave your site altogether to find a more understandable alternative.

Clear, relevant content tailored to their native language not only helps them better understand what you offer, it also builds trust. This is especially important for key pages like your homepage, booking information, descriptions of activities, and your blog. Clarity leads to conversion. A translated website helps remove friction from the decision-making process.

3. A Matter of Credibility (and Professionalism)

Offering a multilingual website also sends a strong message: you care about making your services accessible, you adapt to your audience, and you value linguistic diversity. In an industry where brand image is everything, that kind of positioning boosts your credibility. Plus, by offering a bilingual website, you immediately stand out in the crowd. You show that you understand the importance of communication and that you’re ready to serve a wider clientele.

Conversely, a site that is English-only can be seen as a barrier or a lack of effort for part of your audience. Especially in an officially bilingual country like Canada.

4. AEO: The Next Level of SEO

AI-powered search tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google SGE are playing a growing role in how people find information. To show up in their results, your content must be relevant, well-structured, localized, and multilingual. This is called Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), or Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).

Translating your site into French helps you rank not only on traditional search engines like Google and Bing, but also in AI-generated responses when users search in French for queries like: “Quoi faire à Whitehorse en hiver” or “Randonnée en Alberta”

5. Translation Is an Investment, Not an Expense

Some businesses hesitate to translate their website because they see it as an unnecessary cost. But the reality is that translation is an investment in visibility, credibility, and ultimately, revenue. It’s a one-time effort that can deliver long-term benefits, especially when combined with a solid SEO strategy and a focus on high-quality content, with tangible returns such as:

• Stronger customer loyalty
• Increased traffic from Francophone markets
• Higher visitor conversion rates
• Lower bounce rates
• Improved search engine visibility (SEO)

Whether you run a small business, manage a destination, or promote a tourism product, multilingual content is one of the most effective ways to grow your reach and increase your impact.

Conclusion: Don’t Let Language Become a Barrier

English may be dominant in North America, but ignoring French means turning your back on millions of potential travelers. Translating your tourism website into French is a smart move that reflects cultural awareness, business acumen, and a true commitment to hospitality.

Need help translating your content or creating blog articles tailored to the French-speaking audience? I’d be happy to help. Get in touch, and let’s talk about how to make your message travel.

L’article Why French Content Boosts Your Tourism Business Visibility est apparu en premier sur Valère Brable.