What To Prioritize In Your Marketing

want to walk you through one specific focus: the next best step you can take when your marketing strategy feels overwhelming or like it’s falling apart. Whether you’re building a new plan or reconstructing one that’s gone off track, this is the one thing I recommend putting your energy into this week: keyword research.

Why Keyword Research? Why Now?

Keyword research may not be what you expected to hear from me. I’m not an SEO expert (though I recently had Eden from Maven Made Copy on the podcast, and if you haven’t listened to that episode yet, go do that next!). But what I am is someone who understands how the rapid changes in the online marketing space affect the way we reach our ideal audience.

In just the last few weeks alone, major shifts have taken place that now make keyword research even more impactful, not just for websites, but for platforms like Instagram. If you feel paralyzed trying to keep up, I’m here to guide you back to a clear and simple path forward.

How Keyword Research Touches Everything You Do

When done intentionally, keyword research becomes the thread that ties together your:

• Website
• Blog content
• Social media posts (yes, especially Instagram)
• Even your Pinterest and email marketing

Why? Because when you identify the exact words and phrases your potential clients or guests are searching for, you increase your visibility across every channel. You become easier to find, which means more inquiries, bookings, and revenue.

Understanding the Guest’s Mindset
Let’s break it down with a real-life example. My short-term rental property in Kentucky sits perfectly in the middle of the Bourbon Trail, nestled between Louisville, Lexington, and Bardstown. But when travelers begin researching their trip, they’re not immediately searching for “where to stay.”

They’re starting with the experience. In this case:

• “Bourbon trail itinerary”
• “Best distilleries in Kentucky”
• “What to wear on the bourbon trail”

That’s where the keyword journey begins. If I can show up early in their planning process—before they’re even looking for accommodations. I can get on their radar and guide them back to my property when they are ready to book.

The Power of Consistency Across All Channels

Here’s the key: once you identify your keywords, you need to use them everywhere.

Consistency across your website, blog, social media captions, and hashtags signals to Google that you are an authority on that topic. And that authority matters. It helps you climb in search rankings and appear more frequently in relevant queries.

Keyword Tools to Get Started

Here are a few free (or freemium) tools to help you kick off your keyword research:

• Google Keyword Planner – Requires a Google Ads account, but you don’t need to run actual ads to access insights.
• Ubersuggest – A free tool (with account creation) that was also recommended by Eden in her SEO interview.
• ChatGPT – Yep, you can ask ChatGPT to help you brainstorm keyword ideas based on your business, audience, and niche.
• Answer the Public – This one is SO helpful. Type in a keyword and see what questions people are searching in relation to it.

For example, I typed in “bourbon trail” and here’s what came up:

• Where to stay when I visit the bourbon trail
• When is the best time to go?
• Which airport do I fly into?
• What should I wear?
• Can you Uber around the bourbon trail?

Those questions are content gold. If I want to rank for “bourbon trail Airbnb,” I can create blogs, Instagram posts, Pinterest pins, and even affiliate-style “what to wear” guides around these topics—all roads that can eventually lead back to booking my property.

Why Instagram Just Became a Bigger Player in SEO

As of July 10th, Instagram made a major change:

Instagram content can now appear in Google search results.

That means optimizing your Instagram posts isn’t just about the algorithm anymore—it’s about getting found on Google too.

There’s a catch, though:

1. Your Instagram account must be public
2. It must be a professional account

This update is a huge opportunity, but only if you’re optimizing correctly. Google pulls keywords from your:

• Instagram captions
• Alt text
• Hashtags

Not your videos. Not your Canva graphics in a carousel. The text matters more than ever now.

Caption Strategy: It’s All About the Keywords

You still need engaging video content to hook your audience and earn follows but if your captions are weak, you’re missing out on being found by new people.

Make sure your captions:

• Include long-tail keywords (3–5 word phrases like “luxury Airbnb on bourbon trail”)
• Clearly describe what your content is about
• Reinforce your niche and location

For example, instead of just writing “New post up!” use:

“Planning a trip along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail? Here’s your guide to the best places to stay, eat, and sip—plus what to wear for a day of distillery hopping.”

Hashtags Are Back (Sort Of)

You’ve probably heard the debate—are hashtags dead? The answer: not anymore.

Hashtags are now searchable via Google in addition to Instagram. For STRs especially, this is a game-changer. Use location-specific hashtags like:

• #bourbontrailairbnb
• #louisvilleairbnb
• #lexingtonrental

Keep your hashtag strategy consistent with your keyword strategy so everything reinforces your niche and area of expertise.

How ChatGPT Is Reshaping the Way Guests Search—and What It Means for Your Keywords

The second major shift you need to know about? People are no longer just going to Google to type in their questions—they’re going straight to ChatGPT.

Search behaviors are evolving. In some cities, there’s already a noticeable shift away from traditional Google searches in favor of AI-powered platforms like ChatGPT. Users are drawn to the way ChatGPT understands context, past conversations, and intent. They’re using it to ask the kinds of detailed questions that used to be reserved for Google.

Why does that matter for your marketing strategy? Because it reinforces the importance of long tail keywords.

Long Tail Keywords Are the Bridge Between Questions and Bookings

When people use ChatGPT for search, they’re not typing single-word prompts. They’re entering full, detailed questions like:

• “What’s the best luxury Airbnb near the Bourbon Trail?”
• “Where should I stay if I’m visiting Louisville and Lexington?”
• “What are the top family-friendly places to stay along the Bourbon Trail?”

Those questions are long tail keywords. And ChatGPT is pulling its answers from indexed web results: your website, your blog, your Instagram captions. So if your content is optimized with those same long tail keywords, guess what? You’re more likely to show up in AI search results, even when people aren’t Googling.

It all comes full circle. When you align your keywords across all channels, you’re increasing the chances of being discovered on Google, on Instagram, and now, even through ChatGPT.

SEO, Instagram, and ChatGPT: Why Consistency Is the Key

Let’s review the two major digital shifts we’ve covered:

1. Instagram posts can now show up in Google search results
2. ChatGPT now pulls live web content, including your social media and blog posts, to answer user questions

And in both cases, consistency is what makes the difference.

If your Instagram is saying one thing, your blog another, and your website something entirely different, Google (and ChatGPT) won’t know how to categorize you. It confuses the algorithm—and confused algorithms don’t reward you with visibility.

By contrast, when your keywords are consistent and strategic, you’re telling every platform:

“This is what I do. This is who I help. This is where I’m located. And here’s why I’m the expert.”

That builds authority. And authority builds searchability, and ultimately, bookings.

Recap: Where to Use Your Keywords for Maximum Visibility

Let’s tie it all together with a practical checklist.

On Instagram:

• Use long tail keywords in your captions
• Include location-based hashtags
• Add alt text to your images that supports your niche and location

On Your Website:

Don’t forget image alt text here, too

Use the same long tail keywords in your homepage copy, blog posts, and landing pages

Optimize meta titles and descriptions

Your One Action Step This Week

If you take away one thing from this episode, let it be this:

Focus on your keyword strategy.

It’s the foundational piece that connects your marketing ecosystem—from Instagram to your website to how AI tools like ChatGPT recommend your property. When you focus your efforts here, you create a ripple effect across every platform, making it easier for your ideal guest to find and book with you.

And if all of this still feels overwhelming? I’ve got you!