Episode 17

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Published on:

1st Feb 2026

Search Everywhere Optimization: What Hotel Owners Need to Know Now | The Room Key

In this episode of The Room Key, I’m joined by Chris Zhao, CRME—Senior Product Manager for SEM/SEO at Travel Media Group—to talk about the reality of hotel digital marketing in 2026: every channel is crowded, every click is paid, and “rank higher” isn’t a strategy anymore.

Chris lays out a framework he calls Trust-led Multichannel Growth—the idea that the real bottleneck for most hotels isn’t traffic or tech…it’s trust. When travelers trust your hotel, every channel performs better: higher conversion, stronger loyalty, and more stability when the market gets weird. We also unpack what AI is changing in search, why “authenticity” is replacing old-school ranking as a trust signal, and how to think about distribution across OTAs, direct, metasearch, social, and emerging AI discovery without getting lost in attribution chaos.

If you’re an owner/operator trying to grow bookings without lighting money on fire, this is a practical reset: what to focus on, what to ignore, and how to build a channel mix that holds up over time.

We cover:

  1. Why “trust” is the new performance lever in hotel marketing
  2. SEO/SEM in an AI-search world: what changes, what doesn’t
  3. A clean way to think about multichannel distribution
  4. Why content and reputation signals matter more than most owners think
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About the Podcast

The Room Key
Where Hotel Owners, Investors & Insiders Talk Shop with Chase Keller
The Room Key is where hotel owners, investors, lenders, brokers, and hospitality professionals come to talk shop. Hosted by Chase Keller, CCIM, a national hotel broker with Franchise Clearly. Each episode dives into the real stories, challenges, and insights that drive the hotel industry. Whether you're a first-time owner, a seasoned investor, or someone who just loves the business of hospitality, The Room Key offers candid interviews, market trends, and practical takeaways you won’t find anywhere else. Unlock behind-the-scenes conversations with the people who power the places we stay.

About your host

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Chase Keller, CCIM

Chase Keller is a dedicated hotel advisor and the Head of the Hospitality Division at Franchise Clearly, a brokerage redefining how hotel transactions are done. With over 16 years of real estate experience and CCIM training, Chase specializes exclusively in helping hotel owners and investors buy and sell hospitality properties across the U.S. His deep knowledge of franchise brands and independent hotels allows him to provide data-driven insights and strategies that maximize value for his clients.

At Franchise Clearly, Chase leads a team-based approach that sets the firm apart from traditional brokerages. Instead of relying on one person to handle every aspect of a transaction, Franchise Clearly brings together a team of specialists—each operating in their area of strength—creating a seamless process and delivering superior results for clients.

Known for his client-first mindset and meticulous attention to detail, Chase ensures that every deal is handled with precision, professionalism, and care.
Contact Chase today to explore your hotel investment opportunities with Franchise Clearly.