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INNtelligent Tidbits Newsletter - April 2005 - Issue
1
- Exciting New B&B Directory
 For
the first time in a long while we're excited about a new B&B directory!
While new B&B directories from unknown companies seem to pop up
every day, few are worth your time. So why is this one different? Because
it was created by Marcus Collins formerly the voice and talent behind
the B&B directory TheInnkeeper.com. With years of experience in
the industry and a heart for helping innkeepers, Marcus knows how to
promote Bed and Breakfast Inns.
Visit www.MyInns.com
for more information
- Bed and Breakfast Lodging Guide Shootout
 We
put 67 online lodging guides through a grueling series of search engine
tests to see who ranked. Come check our list to ensure you're listed
with the best and questioning the rest before you spend your next dollar
on marketing. Read the full article here: http://www.inntelligent.com/learning-guide-ranking-report.html
For California Innkeepers, be sure to check out the California
B&B Lodging Guide Shootout where we tested a whopping 185
online lodging guides in the Golden State.
- Internet Marketing Q&A -- Pay Per Click Confusion!
Is it true Microsoft is creating their own pay-per-click search
engine to compete with Overture and Google? If so, how does this affect
me and which service should I use?
Gives us five minutes and we'll give you the skinny on all the latest
in the pay-per-click search engines.
There has been a lot of action on the Pay-Per-Click side of things recently!
Overture has changed its name to reflect its parent company (Yahoo),
Google is adding CPM advertising options, and, yes, MSN is building
a Pay-Per-Click search engine to be released in the next year.
- BBExplorer.com Partners with State Associations
The online directory Bed and Breakfast Explorer (BBExplorer.com)
has partnered with state associations to provide complimentary listings
to all their members. However, many state association officers have
yet to respond on behalf of their members.
If you'd like to see the members of your association receive a free
listing on BBExplorer.com, be sure to have your association president
or webmaster email support@bbexplorer.com
- Marketing Tip -- TripAdvisor, the 900
Pound Gorilla
TripAdvisor.com has become the new 900 lb gorilla in lodging guides.
If you're not on friendly terms with this beast yet, read our quick
tips on how you can improve your placement in this most important
of lodging guides!
TripAdvisor.com came out of nowhere last year and is quickly becoming
the 900 lb gorilla of the lodging industry. Guests love the independent
reviews, especially since this is one of the few lodging guides boldly
presenting both negative and positive comments. While innkeepers are
struggling to figure out how to tame this beast, many inns are suffering
from very low placement on this important site.
If you want to tame this beast, throw it a few bananas! How? It is
really quite simple. TripAdvisor succeeds as a guide because potential
guests come looking for reviews whether good or bad. In this case,
reviews are the bananas this gorilla feeds on so if you want to make
them happy, give them lots of reviews of your property. Instead of
faking them (as many innkeepers have), simply ask your contented guests
to submit reviews for you. With each positive review, your listing
will rise higher in the standings and you'll receive the attention
you crave.
One last thing: Every once in a while a dissatisfied guest will leave
a nasty review that will hurt your standing. To respond, don't shout
at the darkness, turn on a light! Simply ignore the bad review and
overwhelm them with so many more good reviews that the bad is buried
forever. With these tips in hand you can safely tame this beast!
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