Get Chosen by AI Search! MEO & AIO for Nagoya Accommodations

Searching for 'Hotels Nearby'—Has How Customers Search Changed?

Hello. I'm an AIO and MEO marketing specialist based in Nagoya, supporting customer acquisition for local businesses, including hotels and inns.

"What's a hotel near Nagoya Station with a great view and delicious breakfast?" or "Find me a ryokan with parking for a family of four this weekend."

Have you noticed the dramatic shift in how customers search for accommodations over the past few years? Instead of just typing keywords into a search bar, more and more people are looking for lodging by speaking to AI assistants with specific requests, as if talking to a concierge. This is due to the rapid spread of generative AI like Google's SGE (Search Generative Experience), ChatGPT, and Gemini.

This new search behavior has a major impact on customer acquisition for accommodations. That's because AI doesn't just list search results; it interprets the user's intent and recommends a specific facility, saying, "This hotel is the perfect one for you."

In this article, I will provide a concrete and practical guide for owners of hotels and inns in Nagoya on how to become a facility that gets "recommended by AI" in the coming AI search era. Let's update your existing MEO knowledge and take the first step toward the next generation of customer acquisition strategy: AIO (AI Optimization).

The Terrifying Future of Accommodations 'Ignored' by AI

"We're doing a good job with our Google Maps strategy (MEO), so we're fine."
Some owners might think this way. However, traditional MEO alone may not be enough in the age of AI search.

Conventional search engines displayed a list of websites and Google Business Profiles (GBPs) that they determined were highly relevant to the keywords a user entered (e.g., "Nagoya hotel"). The user would then compare the information from that list and decide which facility to book.

AI search, on the other hand, is different. AI pre-learns and organizes vast amounts of information from the web and deeply understands the context and intent of a user's question (prompt). It then narrows down countless options to the 1-3 facilities that are "most likely to meet the user's needs" and presents them along with the reasons. For example, it might generate a response like this:

"If you are looking for a hotel near Nagoya Station where you can concentrate on work in a quiet environment, I recommend 'Premier Hotel Nagoya.' All rooms are equipped with a large desk and high-speed Wi-Fi, and it has particularly high ratings from business travelers. There is also a work lounge exclusively for guests on the top floor."

What would happen if your facility was left off this AI recommendation list? To the customer, it would be as if you don't exist. They might complete their booking with one of the few facilities the AI recommends, never even reaching your website or reservation page. This is the true terror of being "ignored" by AI.

To adapt to this change, a new concept called AIO is essential. AIO refers to the practice of optimizing all your online information so that an AI can understand your facility's details correctly, deeply, and attractively, making it want to recommend you to users. It is a broader, more strategic approach that encompasses traditional MEO.

3 Common Traits of Accommodations AI 'Wants to Recommend'

So, how exactly can you become an accommodation that gets chosen by AI? Based on our consulting work with many accommodation facilities in Nagoya, here are three key points that "AI-chosen businesses" commonly practice.

1. An Overwhelming Amount of Information to Establish Context

AI tries to decipher the user's vague "context" and "intent," such as "want to use for a business trip," "want to enjoy a family vacation," or "want a special experience for an anniversary." To do this, AI needs comprehensive and detailed information about your facility. If the information is fragmented or insufficient, the AI cannot determine if your facility meets the user's needs and will exclude it from the recommendation candidates.

Specific Action Plan

• Complete Your Google Business Profile Thoroughly:
  In the "Info" section, fill out "Amenities" as completely as possible. Check off everything that applies, such as "Free Wi-Fi," "Parking," "Pool," "Fitness center," "Pets allowed," and "Wheelchair accessible." Items like "High-speed Wi-Fi" and "Workspace available" are particularly important factors for business-related AI searches. For example, one business hotel in Nagoya saw a 30% increase in impressions for queries like "Nagoya business trip fast Wi-Fi hotel" after thoroughly completing these items.
• Strategic Use of the "Description" Field:
  The 750-character "Description" field is your best opportunity to present your facility to an AI. Don't just write a simple introduction; describe specifically "who you can provide what kind of experience for."
  (Bad example) "A business hotel a 5-minute walk from Nagoya Station. We pride ourselves on our comfortable rooms and delicious breakfast."
  (Good example) "A 5-minute walk from Nagoya Station, accessible from the Shinkansen exit without getting wet. All rooms feature Simmons beds and soundproof double-glazed windows, providing a quiet space to heal your tired body after a business trip. Our free high-speed Wi-Fi and large desks are also perfect for remote work in your room. Power up for the day with our breakfast buffet, popular for its freshly baked croissants."
• Expand Your Official Website's Content:
  AI references information not only from your GBP but also from your official website. The "Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)" page is a treasure trove of information. By providing comprehensive answers to everything from basic questions like "What are the check-in/out times?" and "Is a reservation required for parking?" to more specific ones like "Is there a convenience store nearby?" and "Do you offer baby crib rentals?", you enable the AI to answer a wide variety of user queries.

2. Third-Party Evaluations Solidify AI's Trust

AI values "objective third-party evaluations"—in other words, customer reviews—as much as, or even more than, the primary information disseminated by the facility itself. This is because reviews are a highly reliable source of information that shows what kind of experience the facility actually provides. The "quality," "quantity," and "response rate/content" of reviews significantly influence AI's evaluation.

Specific Action Plan

• Collect and Analyze High-Quality Reviews:
  Create a system to naturally encourage customers to post reviews, such as through post-stay thank-you emails or by presenting a QR code at checkout. It's important not just to read the reviews you collect, but to analyze them. If positive keywords like "delicious breakfast," "wonderful staff," and "clean rooms" appear frequently, these are your facility's "strengths." Conversely, if negative keywords like "slow Wi-Fi" or "small bath" are common, these are "issues" that need to be addressed.
• Strategic, AI-Conscious Review Responses:
  Aim to reply to all reviews within 24 to 48 hours. The key here is to avoid using canned responses and to reply by specifically addressing the customer's comments. This is extremely important from an AIO perspective.
  (Example reply to a review saying, "The night view from the room was beautiful.")
  "Dear [Guest Name], thank you very much for staying with us at Premier Hotel Nagoya. We are so pleased to hear that you enjoyed the night view of the Nagoya Station area from your room. The view from our high-floor deluxe rooms, in particular, offers a panoramic look at the JR Central Towers and Midland Square, and is very popular with many of our guests. All of us here look forward to welcoming you again."
  By naturally incorporating the facility's features and related keywords (bolded parts) into your reply, the AI learns the context that "this hotel has a beautiful night view and you can see the buildings near Nagoya Station." This increases the likelihood of being recommended in AI searches like "hotels in Nagoya with a beautiful night view." One study shows that facilities with a review response rate of 90% or higher have an average of 1.8 times more inquiries via GBP than those that do not.

3. Conveying Information Correctly to AI with Structured Data

When they hear "structured data," many owners may feel it's "too technical and difficult." However, this is a highly effective method for accurately conveying your facility's information to an AI.

Simply put, structured data is the process of adding "labels" that AI can understand to the information on your website, such as "this is the facility name," "this is the address," and "this is the price range." Information that is immediately obvious to a human can look like a mere string of characters to an AI (or a search engine crawler). By correctly implementing structured data, you can prevent AI misunderstandings and ensure your facility's information is accurately registered in its database.

Specific Action Plan

• Implement schema.org for Accommodations:
  For accommodations, use structured data types like Hotel or LodgingBusiness. This allows you to accurately convey detailed information to the AI, such as the facility name, address, phone number, price range, star rating, check-in/out times, and amenities (amenityFeature).
• Example in JSON-LD Format:
  Written in the currently mainstream JSON-LD format, it would look like this. You would embed this into your website's HTML source code, such as within the <head> tag.

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Hotel",
  "name": "プレミアホテル名古屋",
  "description": "名古屋駅徒歩5分。ビジネスと観光に最適なラグジュアリーホテル。",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "中村区名駅1-2-3",
    "addressLocality": "名古屋市",
    "addressRegion": "愛知県",
    "postalCode": "450-0002",
    "addressCountry": "JP"
  },
  "telephone": "+81-52-123-4567",
  "priceRange": "¥15,000 - ¥50,000",
  "starRating": {
    "@type": "Rating",
    "ratingValue": "4.5"
  },
  "checkinTime": "15:00",
  "checkoutTime": "11:00",
  "amenityFeature": [
    {
      "@type": "LocationFeatureSpecification",
      "name": "無料Wi-Fi",
      "value": true
    },
    {
      "@type": "LocationFeatureSpecification",
      "name": "駐車場",
      "value": true
    },
    {
      "@type": "LocationFeatureSpecification",
      "name": "フィットネスセンター",
      "value": true
    }
  ],
  "image": "https://example.com/hotel-image.jpg",
  "url": "https://example.com/"
}
</script>

If implementing this yourself is difficult, we recommend consulting with your website development company or using tools like Google's Structured Data Markup Helper. This extra step can significantly influence your evaluation by AI.

Start Tomorrow! 3 Steps to Get Chosen by AI Search

So far, we've explained the three key points for getting chosen by AI. Even if you understand the theory, you might not know where to start. So, we've broken it down into three concrete steps you can begin tomorrow.

Step 1: Assess and Thoroughly Improve Your Google Business Profile (Timeframe: 1 week)

1. First, log in to your GBP: Search for "My Business" on Google to log in and check if your profile is 100% complete. A low completion rate will result in a lower evaluation from AI.
2. Fill in all incomplete fields: Prioritize enriching the "Amenities" and "Description" sections. It's also effective to check what items nearby competing accommodations have listed.
3. Add photos and videos: Register at least 20 high-quality photos that convey the charm of your facility, including the exterior, lobby, guest rooms, restaurant, and large public baths. 360° photos and short videos are also effective.
4. Maintain the Q&A section: An effective technique is to post frequently asked questions yourself and then answer them. This is perfectly acceptable under the guidelines.

Step 2: Systematize Review Responses and Re-evaluate Your Official Website (Timeframe: 1 month)

1. Create rules for review responses: Decide on internal rules for who will respond, by when, and with what content. It's important to make it a habit to check reviews at least once a day.
2. Prepare response templates (but don't copy-paste): Preparing several patterns for words of thanks, apologies, and sentences that highlight your facility's strengths will improve efficiency. However, always remember to customize them to match the customer's comments.
3. Conduct an information audit of your official website: Check if the information on your site is outdated and if the prices and service details match the current situation. Ensure there are no discrepancies with your GBP information, especially on the "Guest Rooms," "Facilities," and "Access" pages, and update them with more detailed information.

Step 3: Implement Structured Data and Measure Performance (Timeframe: 3+ months)

1. Consult with an expert: If you outsource your website management, talk to the person in charge about implementing structured data for accommodations. Showing them the code example from this article will make the process smoother.
2. Verify after implementation: Once the structured data is implemented, use Google's Rich Results Test tool to confirm that it is being recognized correctly. If there are any errors, they need to be fixed.
3. Measure performance: Like MEO, the effects of AIO do not appear immediately. Use GBP's Insights feature to track metrics like "Impressions," "Website clicks," and "Direction requests" for at least three months. If you see an increase in impressions for more specific keywords like "Nagoya business trip recommendation," it's a sign that your efforts are paying off.

For Nagoya Accommodations: Winning in the AI Era

The arrival of the AI search era is forcing a major transformation in how local businesses acquire customers. However, this is not something to be feared. Rather, it should be seen as an opportunity to respond more accurately to the needs of each individual customer.

At the core of the AIO strategy we've introduced is a very simple idea: "to convey the appeal of our facility in a way that is easy to understand, accurate, and complete." Communicating information correctly to AI ultimately leads to delivering correct information to customers. You could call it the ultimate form of online "omotenashi" (hospitality).

Enriching your Google Business Profile information, responding to each review with care, and keeping your website information up-to-date—the accumulation of these steady efforts will win the trust of AI and create a future where you are recommended with the words, "This is the perfect lodging for you."

If you find yourself stuck with your own efforts or feel you need more expert advice, please feel free to consult with us. We would be delighted to help your business continue to shine in the AI era here in Nagoya.