Actually, we've already moved. If you subscribe to this blog through our Feedburner RSS feed, you're good to go and probably didn't even notice the change. If you visit this blog manually, note the new address: http://webdesign.wfosterphoto.com/blog/
You'll also note that we are changing the business name. Due to some internal changes, all our services will fall under the William Foster Photography umbrella. We'll blog about it over at the new digs. Hope you like the look and feel.
[Read the full article.]
May 21, 2009
May 16, 2009
Changes Are Afoot Around Here...
It's been a few weeks since our last post. For all the regular readers, we apologize for what looks like an abandoned blog, but a few changes are underway. The biggest is the migration of this blog to something that looks more like one we would develop for a bed and breakfast client. The Blogger platform is a great way to start a blog and get online quickly, but Wordpress is a much more rich format. With free and premium themes, the posssibilities are endless on the Wordpress infrastructure. With the change in platform, we'll also be migrating to a new URL. Don't worry, we'll provide the link here.
[More after the jump]
In addition to blog migration, we've been marketing our services to bed and breakfasts that may be interested in a refresh of their own. There is quite a bit of excitement about the Hanford House website and people are impressed. We're hoping that people realize how a quality website attracts visitors. After all, first impressions count, especially on the web.
Lastly, we're just working on our actual product line. We've been spending some time researching and honing our service offerings to match what's happening in the online marketing world. We stay on top of the latest changes and trends so you don't have to. You can focus on your core business...running an inn.
Look for our new blog this coming week and for a refresh of our website by the end of May.
[Read the full article.]
[More after the jump]
In addition to blog migration, we've been marketing our services to bed and breakfasts that may be interested in a refresh of their own. There is quite a bit of excitement about the Hanford House website and people are impressed. We're hoping that people realize how a quality website attracts visitors. After all, first impressions count, especially on the web.
Lastly, we're just working on our actual product line. We've been spending some time researching and honing our service offerings to match what's happening in the online marketing world. We stay on top of the latest changes and trends so you don't have to. You can focus on your core business...running an inn.
Look for our new blog this coming week and for a refresh of our website by the end of May.
[Read the full article.]
April 23, 2009
Strategic Relationships to Bring In More Guests
I'm not an innkeeper, but sometimes having someone help you look at your business from the outside can spur some good ideas. I was talking with some innkeepers about ways to get more inbound links to their website. If you're a regular reader or are working on your own Search Engine Optimization, you know that having inbound links to your website is a very important part of getting your site to rank well on search engines.
The discussion began with with talking to their vendors and other obvious sources about putting a link on their website. Quickly, we figured that this may result in a few links at most, which is good for SEO. Realistically, how many guests are booking rooms because they saw a link to your site on the Gilchrist and Soames list of B&Bs that feature their products?
What about seeking out inbound links that work a little harder for you? Links that not only help with page rank, but also ones that your potential audience might see and click. This kind of link is usually based on some kind of relationship or networking with some key decisionmakers. It also requires a bit of creativity and time investment.
(Ideas after the jump)
Start by thinking outside the box. If your inn is located somewhat near a convention center or large hotels that hold conferences, it's worth your time to do some research. Calendars are typically available that says what conventions and conferences are coming up. If it's a well organized association or PR firm that's planning the event, they list local lodging that's available to attendees. Getting listed in the brochure is a great way to book some rooms. They may also provide links on the conference website. If you're willing to offer the same rate as the convention hotel, you just may get some guests who would rather have a home-like environment instead of the convention hotel. This will take some research and networking, but could pay off. Getting to know the banquet or conference manager may be a valuable relationship.
What if you're not exactly near the convention center, but maybe a university or college. There are certain events in the school year that draw a lot of out of towners. The obvious one is graduation. In addition, consider the week before school starts when parents escort their kids to orientation and moving into the dorms. Plus, most parents visit several times per year. I'm sure there's more. How do you market to those parents? Easy! Go through the school. It's likely they have information packets that get sent out to incoming students. It's possible they have a list of local lodging for parents. If not, ask if you can put advertisements in the dorms. You'll have to get approval, but if you catch the attention of the students, they'll likely recommend places for their parents to stay. Do a little digging around with the Campus administration to find out the best approach.
Lastly, what if you're not near anything like this? Consider other strategic relationships. Even the most remote towns have an annual festival or other gatherings. Talk to local wineries, restaurants and other businesses that may be in a position to recommend lodging for an event. Talk to wedding planners and consultants, the local chamber of commerce or an association of businesses.
The bottom line is, if you want to attract more guests, you have to get out of the inn. Make your website work as hard as you can, but you'll also have to build relationships with people who are in a position to recommend you to potential guests.
Posted by: Sacramento Photographer, William Foster
[Read the full article.]
The discussion began with with talking to their vendors and other obvious sources about putting a link on their website. Quickly, we figured that this may result in a few links at most, which is good for SEO. Realistically, how many guests are booking rooms because they saw a link to your site on the Gilchrist and Soames list of B&Bs that feature their products?
What about seeking out inbound links that work a little harder for you? Links that not only help with page rank, but also ones that your potential audience might see and click. This kind of link is usually based on some kind of relationship or networking with some key decisionmakers. It also requires a bit of creativity and time investment.
(Ideas after the jump)
Start by thinking outside the box. If your inn is located somewhat near a convention center or large hotels that hold conferences, it's worth your time to do some research. Calendars are typically available that says what conventions and conferences are coming up. If it's a well organized association or PR firm that's planning the event, they list local lodging that's available to attendees. Getting listed in the brochure is a great way to book some rooms. They may also provide links on the conference website. If you're willing to offer the same rate as the convention hotel, you just may get some guests who would rather have a home-like environment instead of the convention hotel. This will take some research and networking, but could pay off. Getting to know the banquet or conference manager may be a valuable relationship.
What if you're not exactly near the convention center, but maybe a university or college. There are certain events in the school year that draw a lot of out of towners. The obvious one is graduation. In addition, consider the week before school starts when parents escort their kids to orientation and moving into the dorms. Plus, most parents visit several times per year. I'm sure there's more. How do you market to those parents? Easy! Go through the school. It's likely they have information packets that get sent out to incoming students. It's possible they have a list of local lodging for parents. If not, ask if you can put advertisements in the dorms. You'll have to get approval, but if you catch the attention of the students, they'll likely recommend places for their parents to stay. Do a little digging around with the Campus administration to find out the best approach.
Lastly, what if you're not near anything like this? Consider other strategic relationships. Even the most remote towns have an annual festival or other gatherings. Talk to local wineries, restaurants and other businesses that may be in a position to recommend lodging for an event. Talk to wedding planners and consultants, the local chamber of commerce or an association of businesses.
The bottom line is, if you want to attract more guests, you have to get out of the inn. Make your website work as hard as you can, but you'll also have to build relationships with people who are in a position to recommend you to potential guests.
Posted by: Sacramento Photographer, William Foster
[Read the full article.]
April 21, 2009
Website Launched: Hanford House Inn
As mentioned in a previous blog post, we are looking for 10 portfolio websites. The first one launched today and I couldn't be more excited! Our goal is to produce a site that the innkeepers are proud to display as a representation of their business.
In the case of the Hanford House Bed and Breakfast Inn in Sutter Creek, CA, I think we did just that. This is representative of the vision we have for innkeepers websites. A guest's first impression of a bed and breakfast is typically on the web these days and it is up to us to make sure it's a good one. Our philosophy on websites and marketing on the internet is "don't give them a reason to check out another inn."
(Find out more about our approach after the jump)
Every website we design is custom from the ground up. We begin by working up a layout with one of our graphic designers. By using one of several graphic designers, we are able to choose who's style and point of view is the best match for an inn. Nothing is re-used from site to site to ensure our design is totally matched to the personality of your inn.
During the design phase, we come out and completely photograph the inn. By spending time at your inn during the design phase, we are able to get a feel for the inn while the design is still flexible. While we're onsite, we'll finalize the design, because upon returning to the office with design and photos in hand, we'll begin the build process.
As the site gets built, we stay in constant communication with the innkeepers. The site gets uploaded to a testing server to allow you to test buttons, review slideshows and content and provide feedback.
If you'd like to talk with us about a website redesign for your inn, check out the Fresnel Marketing website for details about our services and full contact information.
Join the Internet for Innkeepers group or become a fan of Fresnel Marketing on Facebook.
[Read the full article.]
April 14, 2009
Facebook's Fastest Growing Group....
In a CNN article which cites Facebook statistics tracking website (www.allfacebook.com), the fastest growing user segment is female users 55 and over. In the last 6 months the segment grew 550% to 1.5 million users. While 1.5 million represents a relatively small number compared to their 200 million total users, the growth is astounding and doesn't appear to be slowing down. By comparison, growth in the larger user segments was approximately 20%.
Reasons for for new users joining vary, but by and large, may of the older users reported a desire to have a connection with family members they would not otherwise keep in close touch. Many adults say they have kids on Facebook and seeing how it's not going away, they want to find out what's involved and how it works to keep closer tabs on what their kids are doing. Regardless of the reasons for joining, once someone sets up a profile, the viral nature of Facebook entices most users to continue using. What's in it for B&B owners?
(More after the jump)
From where I stand, the small inn industry is unique in that it's based on relationships. For example, many of your guests would be willing to add you as a friend on Facebook. On the other hand, I've never received a friend request from the General Manager of the Grand Hyatt I stayed at in San Diego last summer, even though I spent the better part of $1,000 for 5 nights. If I stayed at your bed and breakfast for 5 nights and paid $925 for it, you can bet we'd at least be Facebook friends. We'd also know each other pretty well. You'd write me a handwritten thank you note and probably invite me to come back and discount my stay the next time.
With the exponential growth happening in a demographic that likely represents the lion's share of your guests, you can bet that many of your guests either already have accounts or are probably going to have one within the next year.
So what? That means your bed and breakfast needs to have a business profile. Every email you send needs to have a link to your Facebook Business Page and ask the recipients to become a fan. For an example of what a business page on Facebook looks like, here's mine. The upshot is, your business profile is public, so if someone does click the link, they'll at least be able to see details about your business.
Once you have either friended someone or they have become your fan (ideally, both), information about your business can be proliferated very quickly to their friends. In addition, you can use Facebook to post blog articles, send messages to fans, post current specials, or anything else. The sky is the limit.
If you need help getting a handle on social media marketing, let us know.
Posted by: Sacramento Photographer, William Foster
[Read the full article.]
Reasons for for new users joining vary, but by and large, may of the older users reported a desire to have a connection with family members they would not otherwise keep in close touch. Many adults say they have kids on Facebook and seeing how it's not going away, they want to find out what's involved and how it works to keep closer tabs on what their kids are doing. Regardless of the reasons for joining, once someone sets up a profile, the viral nature of Facebook entices most users to continue using. What's in it for B&B owners?
(More after the jump)
From where I stand, the small inn industry is unique in that it's based on relationships. For example, many of your guests would be willing to add you as a friend on Facebook. On the other hand, I've never received a friend request from the General Manager of the Grand Hyatt I stayed at in San Diego last summer, even though I spent the better part of $1,000 for 5 nights. If I stayed at your bed and breakfast for 5 nights and paid $925 for it, you can bet we'd at least be Facebook friends. We'd also know each other pretty well. You'd write me a handwritten thank you note and probably invite me to come back and discount my stay the next time.
With the exponential growth happening in a demographic that likely represents the lion's share of your guests, you can bet that many of your guests either already have accounts or are probably going to have one within the next year.
So what? That means your bed and breakfast needs to have a business profile. Every email you send needs to have a link to your Facebook Business Page and ask the recipients to become a fan. For an example of what a business page on Facebook looks like, here's mine. The upshot is, your business profile is public, so if someone does click the link, they'll at least be able to see details about your business.
Once you have either friended someone or they have become your fan (ideally, both), information about your business can be proliferated very quickly to their friends. In addition, you can use Facebook to post blog articles, send messages to fans, post current specials, or anything else. The sky is the limit.
If you need help getting a handle on social media marketing, let us know.
Posted by: Sacramento Photographer, William Foster
[Read the full article.]
April 10, 2009
Follow Up Emails - May Mean Great Reviews, More Repeat Business
I travel a lot. That means I rent cars a lot. Generally when I return my rental car at the airport, the agency sends me a "Thank You" email within seconds. While I can see that someone in the marketing department thought that would be a nice gesture, getting a form email upon my return doesn't exactly give me the warm fuzzies. I don't get the message and think to myself "Wow, Alamo Rent-a-car really cares about me."
On the other hand, a business that is known for personal service, individual attention and quality experience could benefit from timely, personal follow up emails. Here's how. In this day and age, it's safe to assume all your guests have an email address. It's imperative to be collecting them whether your guests book online or on the phone. These email addresses can mean gold over time.
(More after the jump)
When guests check out, it's not unreasonable for them to expect to receive a follow up email. This email can be the perfect way to assure them you appreciate their business, but there's more. Ask them to write a review of their stay and let them know that through email, they will receive a periodic update of changes to the inn, specials, announcements, etc. Here's an example:
The important thing to remember is each email should be personal and include something that lets them know you wrote it, not the automatic reservations system. You can store the email as a template and simply change the first paragraph to customize it for the individual guests. Taking a few minutes each day to send follow up emails may mean more repeat bookings later.
There's additional benefits for you. Google likes user edited content when it comes to ranking websites. The more reviews in Google, Yelp, TripAdvisor and other places your business receives, the better your site is likely to rank better in the Local Business Results and organic search results.
Lastly, use all those email addresses you collect to send out a monthly update. Write a personal message to all your former guests and provide lots of links to your blog, your website, review portals, etc. Done right, your monthly email campaign can generate business, referrals and may be a welcome email for most recipients.
Need help building an email marketing campaign? we can help.
[Read the full article.]
On the other hand, a business that is known for personal service, individual attention and quality experience could benefit from timely, personal follow up emails. Here's how. In this day and age, it's safe to assume all your guests have an email address. It's imperative to be collecting them whether your guests book online or on the phone. These email addresses can mean gold over time.
(More after the jump)
When guests check out, it's not unreasonable for them to expect to receive a follow up email. This email can be the perfect way to assure them you appreciate their business, but there's more. Ask them to write a review of their stay and let them know that through email, they will receive a periodic update of changes to the inn, specials, announcements, etc. Here's an example:
Dear Joe and Mary
Thanks so much for staying with us at the Backwoods Bed and Breakfast. It was a joy to have you with us for a couple days. We hope our suggestion for dinner at the Backwoods Winery was delightful.
A great way to give us feedback and let other potential travelers know how you feel about us is to write a public review. Would you please take a few minutes to review the Backwoods B&B? The following links will take you right to our business listings:
TripAdvisor Yelp Google (Make sure you link them to YOUR business listing)
Thank you again for staying with us. We look forward to having you again when you travel in our area. Remember, returning guests are always entitled to a 10% discount. Be sure to check our blog for monthly specials, local attractions and more. Come back soon!
Mike and Bev
The important thing to remember is each email should be personal and include something that lets them know you wrote it, not the automatic reservations system. You can store the email as a template and simply change the first paragraph to customize it for the individual guests. Taking a few minutes each day to send follow up emails may mean more repeat bookings later.
There's additional benefits for you. Google likes user edited content when it comes to ranking websites. The more reviews in Google, Yelp, TripAdvisor and other places your business receives, the better your site is likely to rank better in the Local Business Results and organic search results.
Lastly, use all those email addresses you collect to send out a monthly update. Write a personal message to all your former guests and provide lots of links to your blog, your website, review portals, etc. Done right, your monthly email campaign can generate business, referrals and may be a welcome email for most recipients.
Need help building an email marketing campaign? we can help.
[Read the full article.]
March 24, 2009
The Innkeeper's Blog
The question I'm getting frequently is "Why do I need a blog? Who wants to read what I have to say anyway?" As an innkeeper, it is your job to attract guests to your business. One of the ways to do that is to establish a personal connection with potential guests. In the electronic age, there are people who consider themselves friends with other people they have never met in person. Meeting and getting to know people through the things they write in forums, on blogs and through social networking has become an acceptable way to get to know people.
So, what would I put on my blog? Simple...whatever you want. When people are considering staying in your neck of the woods for business or vacation, they may want to know what is happening around there now. Your blog is the perfect vehicle to welcome them with constantly updated news.
Things to consider writing about on your blog:
Upcoming local events (annual, seasonal, etc.)
Review of recent local events with photos
Local restaurant reviews and updates (openings, closures, expansions)
Photos from seasonal changes
Interesting recent guests and what they did during their stay
New recipe or maybe a recipe of the month
Possible day trips guests could take
review of local winery or spa
Local history and people/places of interest
Local individuals of note
Local artists and galleries
Funny stories about innkeeping
Fun entries in the guestbook
Monthly specials
The list goes on.....
Don't underestimate the power of a blog to draw in visitors and get them excited about staying in such an interesting place. A blog can predispose your guests to having a memorable stay by letting them know what a great place your town or region is and the exciting adventures it holds.
There's two main things that hold people up from getting involved with blogging. First: "I'm not a very good writer". Baloney! Blogs are not a place to show off your grammatical prowess and eloquent speech. They are intended to be personal and they can be unpolished and quirky. Good grammar and spelling certainly are a plus, but when you write from the heart, people will take notice.
Second: "I dont' have the time." Sure you do! When it comes to marketing your business, you better have the time. Plus, blogging takes a lot less time than you'd think. The hardest part is getting started and making the first entry. There's a slight learning curve to it, but it's easy to figure out. Plus, there's about a million articles and how to's out there to help you along. One of the great features of blogs is "future posting". Tell the blog when you want it to post and it will. For example, let's say on a Monday afternoon, you write 4 or 5 articles and give them each a posting time in the future (one immediately, one Wednesday, one Thursday, etc.).
Finally, there's secondary benefits to blogging regularly. Consider the value of having constantly fresh content for Google and other search engines to crawl. Having links back to your main inn website helps in your search engine optimization. Another benefit is not having to constantly update your main website. Use your blog for information that changes frequently.
Good luck!
[Read the full article.]
So, what would I put on my blog? Simple...whatever you want. When people are considering staying in your neck of the woods for business or vacation, they may want to know what is happening around there now. Your blog is the perfect vehicle to welcome them with constantly updated news.
Things to consider writing about on your blog:
Upcoming local events (annual, seasonal, etc.)
Review of recent local events with photos
Local restaurant reviews and updates (openings, closures, expansions)
Photos from seasonal changes
Interesting recent guests and what they did during their stay
New recipe or maybe a recipe of the month
Possible day trips guests could take
review of local winery or spa
Local history and people/places of interest
Local individuals of note
Local artists and galleries
Funny stories about innkeeping
Fun entries in the guestbook
Monthly specials
The list goes on.....
Don't underestimate the power of a blog to draw in visitors and get them excited about staying in such an interesting place. A blog can predispose your guests to having a memorable stay by letting them know what a great place your town or region is and the exciting adventures it holds.
There's two main things that hold people up from getting involved with blogging. First: "I'm not a very good writer". Baloney! Blogs are not a place to show off your grammatical prowess and eloquent speech. They are intended to be personal and they can be unpolished and quirky. Good grammar and spelling certainly are a plus, but when you write from the heart, people will take notice.
Second: "I dont' have the time." Sure you do! When it comes to marketing your business, you better have the time. Plus, blogging takes a lot less time than you'd think. The hardest part is getting started and making the first entry. There's a slight learning curve to it, but it's easy to figure out. Plus, there's about a million articles and how to's out there to help you along. One of the great features of blogs is "future posting". Tell the blog when you want it to post and it will. For example, let's say on a Monday afternoon, you write 4 or 5 articles and give them each a posting time in the future (one immediately, one Wednesday, one Thursday, etc.).
Finally, there's secondary benefits to blogging regularly. Consider the value of having constantly fresh content for Google and other search engines to crawl. Having links back to your main inn website helps in your search engine optimization. Another benefit is not having to constantly update your main website. Use your blog for information that changes frequently.
Good luck!
[Read the full article.]
March 23, 2009
Pay Per Click Article Update - ReachLocal Information Corrections
It appears that in my previous blog post, my information about ReachLocal is incorrect. After speaking directly with Seth Winterer, Director of Strategic Partnerships & MultiLocal Development at ReachLocal, I promised I would post an update to my posting to ensure the information is correct. This post is intended to be further information about ReachLocal's services.
ReachLocal was started as a software development company several years ago. One main piece of software they developed was intended to interact with Google's AdWords and as such, ReachLocal was born and offered as a service to clients. ReachLocal does not actually offer Search Engine Optimization services, instead they only manage their client's AdWords campaigns. They do this by utilizing a unique combination of automated software and human interaction.
ReachLocal begins with an analysis of the client's business and utilizing predetermined categories and lists, they set up AdWords campaigns that are customized to the business. Once the keyword list is set up, a monthly budget is determined and the back-end proxy is set up. Here's how it actually works.
Within the AdWords campaign, a reverse proxy of your site is set up with a custom telephone number. This means when your ad appears at the top of a listing, the link goes to a special version of your website with the custom telephone number. When a potential client calls this number, the calls are recorded and visits to the customized page are tracked like any other AdWords campaign.
So, how much does it cost? Seth was only able to give me average ranges which were $500 to $1,000 for an average setup of new clients. Average monthly payment is determined by your budget, but minimum is approximately $400.
So, is it worth the investment? That is a question only answered by the business owner. In my opinion, I can see ReachLocal's service offering being valuable for certain business models, regions and situations, but, like any other product, it's not a magic pill. Bed and breakfast businesses are a unique bunch and what works in one region or for one business may not necessarily work for another.
In this business climate, it is our recommendation to consider very carefully where every marketing dollar is going. We recommend utilizing pay per click campaigns to supplement a well executed Search Engine Optimization campaign in many circumstances. Even then, it depends.
Many thanks go to ReachLocal for providing clear information about their services. Should you consider using them for your pay per click campaign management, ask a lot of questions and be sure you know exactly what you are paying for and how it will bring you additional revenue. ReachLocal does employ a minimum of 4 months on their contracts in addition to the initial setup fee. Be sure in advance you will bring in enough additional business to justify the cost.
[Read the full article.]
ReachLocal was started as a software development company several years ago. One main piece of software they developed was intended to interact with Google's AdWords and as such, ReachLocal was born and offered as a service to clients. ReachLocal does not actually offer Search Engine Optimization services, instead they only manage their client's AdWords campaigns. They do this by utilizing a unique combination of automated software and human interaction.
ReachLocal begins with an analysis of the client's business and utilizing predetermined categories and lists, they set up AdWords campaigns that are customized to the business. Once the keyword list is set up, a monthly budget is determined and the back-end proxy is set up. Here's how it actually works.
Within the AdWords campaign, a reverse proxy of your site is set up with a custom telephone number. This means when your ad appears at the top of a listing, the link goes to a special version of your website with the custom telephone number. When a potential client calls this number, the calls are recorded and visits to the customized page are tracked like any other AdWords campaign.
So, how much does it cost? Seth was only able to give me average ranges which were $500 to $1,000 for an average setup of new clients. Average monthly payment is determined by your budget, but minimum is approximately $400.
So, is it worth the investment? That is a question only answered by the business owner. In my opinion, I can see ReachLocal's service offering being valuable for certain business models, regions and situations, but, like any other product, it's not a magic pill. Bed and breakfast businesses are a unique bunch and what works in one region or for one business may not necessarily work for another.
In this business climate, it is our recommendation to consider very carefully where every marketing dollar is going. We recommend utilizing pay per click campaigns to supplement a well executed Search Engine Optimization campaign in many circumstances. Even then, it depends.
Many thanks go to ReachLocal for providing clear information about their services. Should you consider using them for your pay per click campaign management, ask a lot of questions and be sure you know exactly what you are paying for and how it will bring you additional revenue. ReachLocal does employ a minimum of 4 months on their contracts in addition to the initial setup fee. Be sure in advance you will bring in enough additional business to justify the cost.
[Read the full article.]
March 3, 2009
Sorry, Kermit...It IS Easy Being Green
Are you green? Do your potential guests know it? One of the hottest topics these days is going green. More and more people are concerning themselves with protecting the environment, even in small ways. The hospitality industry has been particularly aware of the impact they make collectively. It is rare these days to stay at a hotel of any size and not have the option to use your linens and towels more than one day to reduce the use of water and detergents around the globe.
Bed and breakfasts are no different. Guests who are environmentally conscious may be on the lookout for innkeepers who are doing their part as well. It may sound somewhat trivial at first, but even the small things count. If you are practicing good ecological awareness at your inn, it should be on your website.
(More after the jump)
Consider having a small, unobtrusive link somewhere that lets guests know "We're Green." A dedicated page that lets your guests know what you're doing to preserve our planet is a great idea.
If you're looking for things you might put on there, consider this list to start:
• use environmentally friendly cleaners and detergents
• cultivate an organic garden
• Build or purchase a composter for yard clippings and kitchen scraps
• Use your compost in the organic garden
• Install low flow water fixtures
• Landscape with plants that use less water
• Power something with solar or wind energy
• Use fluorescent or LED lamps in all fixtures
• Purchase locally grown fruits and vegetables
• Consider using composting toilets
• Install gas or pellet fireplaces
• Install timers on lamps and fixtures
• whatever else you can think of
If you're consciously making an effort to be green, let people know. It may make a difference for some of your guests.
[Read the full article.]
Bed and breakfasts are no different. Guests who are environmentally conscious may be on the lookout for innkeepers who are doing their part as well. It may sound somewhat trivial at first, but even the small things count. If you are practicing good ecological awareness at your inn, it should be on your website.
(More after the jump)
Consider having a small, unobtrusive link somewhere that lets guests know "We're Green." A dedicated page that lets your guests know what you're doing to preserve our planet is a great idea.
If you're looking for things you might put on there, consider this list to start:
• use environmentally friendly cleaners and detergents
• cultivate an organic garden
• Build or purchase a composter for yard clippings and kitchen scraps
• Use your compost in the organic garden
• Install low flow water fixtures
• Landscape with plants that use less water
• Power something with solar or wind energy
• Use fluorescent or LED lamps in all fixtures
• Purchase locally grown fruits and vegetables
• Consider using composting toilets
• Install gas or pellet fireplaces
• Install timers on lamps and fixtures
• whatever else you can think of
If you're consciously making an effort to be green, let people know. It may make a difference for some of your guests.
[Read the full article.]
March 2, 2009
PPC Money Better Spent...
At some point, a smooth talking salesman will call your inn and try their best to sell you online advertising in the form of a Pay Per Click campaign. Many of these businesses are quite large and are able to hire extremely adept sales people. It's helpful to know exactly what they are selling before they call.
First of all, what is a Pay Per Click campaign? It works like this: an ad is created (by you or them) and placed either on websites using AdWords or in a directory like YellowPages.com. Each time someone clicks your ad to visit your website, your account is charged. How much do you get charged? That depends on how much you bid for placement. If you're willing to pay more per click, your listing will appear higher in the list and more frequently to potential clickers. Sometimes people are paying $2.00 per click into their site. It wouldn't take very long to rack up a significant bill at the end of the month on your credit card.
(More after the jump)
I get asked frequently if ReachLocal or YellowPages.com is a good idea. After all, their salesmen make promises like increased traffic and Search Engine Optimization. They make it sound like you'll draw a lot of extra website traffic. I don't think it's a good idea at all. Here's three reasons why.
One: they promise Search Engine Optimization, but not for your site exactly. They optimize a page in their directory which happens to rank well on search engines. That's nice while you're paying the monthly fee, but as soon as you unsubscribe from the service, your directory page is removed and you are back to where you started. Bottom line: They aren't optimizing your actual site, just a listing.
Two: It's expensive. Add up the monthly fee of $150 or more for basic service plus the cost of the pay per click campaign they create can add up quickly. Specifically, ReachLocal operates a highly expanded AdWords campaign on your behalf, but it's my impression that much of the traffic is irrelevant or unqualified. This means you may generate a lot of clicks, but no real customers from them. Which leads me to the final point.
Three: Since they are serving lots of customers, they rely on automated systems and computerized approaches to manage your account. What this means is there's no real personal attention to optimizing your site for real potential search terms. They cast an extremely wide net and hope people click the ads. Each month, they present you a report telling you how much website traffic you generated. More often than not, the website traffic generated is irrelevant or unqualified meaning most of the website visitors you get (and pay for) aren't there to buy your service (or book rooms).
So, what is a better approach? Here's what we do for our clients. It begins with a thorough analysis of keywords and competition. Next, we work closely with the innkeeper to explain the results of our analysis. Then, we thoroughly optimize your actual website; not a copy, not a directory listing. Lastly, we monitor the results for 4 months making tweaks here and there to keep things improving. Each month, we'll give you a detailed report about how things are looking and how your site is ranking. Consider this: a site that ranks well and draws qualified traffic doesn't require an expensive pay per click campaign. I would rather have 100 website visitors per month that actually book rooms instead of 1,000 paid clicks from people who are probably looking for something else.
As a final note, the large companies I mentioned earlier don't care if they sell their services to two inns down the street from each other. It's just money to them. On the other hand, we won't undermine your SEO campaign by helping the other inns in the area. Our services are limited to the first client in a geographic area whether it's SEO or website design.
[Read the full article.]
First of all, what is a Pay Per Click campaign? It works like this: an ad is created (by you or them) and placed either on websites using AdWords or in a directory like YellowPages.com. Each time someone clicks your ad to visit your website, your account is charged. How much do you get charged? That depends on how much you bid for placement. If you're willing to pay more per click, your listing will appear higher in the list and more frequently to potential clickers. Sometimes people are paying $2.00 per click into their site. It wouldn't take very long to rack up a significant bill at the end of the month on your credit card.
(More after the jump)
I get asked frequently if ReachLocal or YellowPages.com is a good idea. After all, their salesmen make promises like increased traffic and Search Engine Optimization. They make it sound like you'll draw a lot of extra website traffic. I don't think it's a good idea at all. Here's three reasons why.
One: they promise Search Engine Optimization, but not for your site exactly. They optimize a page in their directory which happens to rank well on search engines. That's nice while you're paying the monthly fee, but as soon as you unsubscribe from the service, your directory page is removed and you are back to where you started. Bottom line: They aren't optimizing your actual site, just a listing.
Two: It's expensive. Add up the monthly fee of $150 or more for basic service plus the cost of the pay per click campaign they create can add up quickly. Specifically, ReachLocal operates a highly expanded AdWords campaign on your behalf, but it's my impression that much of the traffic is irrelevant or unqualified. This means you may generate a lot of clicks, but no real customers from them. Which leads me to the final point.
Three: Since they are serving lots of customers, they rely on automated systems and computerized approaches to manage your account. What this means is there's no real personal attention to optimizing your site for real potential search terms. They cast an extremely wide net and hope people click the ads. Each month, they present you a report telling you how much website traffic you generated. More often than not, the website traffic generated is irrelevant or unqualified meaning most of the website visitors you get (and pay for) aren't there to buy your service (or book rooms).
So, what is a better approach? Here's what we do for our clients. It begins with a thorough analysis of keywords and competition. Next, we work closely with the innkeeper to explain the results of our analysis. Then, we thoroughly optimize your actual website; not a copy, not a directory listing. Lastly, we monitor the results for 4 months making tweaks here and there to keep things improving. Each month, we'll give you a detailed report about how things are looking and how your site is ranking. Consider this: a site that ranks well and draws qualified traffic doesn't require an expensive pay per click campaign. I would rather have 100 website visitors per month that actually book rooms instead of 1,000 paid clicks from people who are probably looking for something else.
As a final note, the large companies I mentioned earlier don't care if they sell their services to two inns down the street from each other. It's just money to them. On the other hand, we won't undermine your SEO campaign by helping the other inns in the area. Our services are limited to the first client in a geographic area whether it's SEO or website design.
[Read the full article.]
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