Silverspoon
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2011
- Messages
- 2,182
- Reaction score
- 48
A bit of history...a few years ago we anted up for a business listing with TA. After looking at our stats for referrals we had our doubts that it was worth the $$ because our market tends to find us first and then check our reviews, so we didn't get many reservations from the listing. But the thing that put us over the edge and made us pull our business listing was that TA reordered their listings so that anyone searching for a B+B in our town had to wade through all of the hotel/motel listings before they got to us. All B+Bs came AFTER a LONG list of motels and hotels. So even though we were #1 in our town in the B+B listings, the searcher would have to scroll way down the page, past the worst of the motels to find us.
Still...we maintained our #1 position in the B+B category for our town because we maintained our reviews. At least when someone searched for a B+B in our town and we were listed first no the the list of B+Bs. But hmmmm, just took at look at TA to see that, although we are still listed as #1 B+B in our town, we are listed AFTER the #2 and #3 B+Bs who both have listings with booking engines like X pedia and Ho tels.com. Now when someone searches they see a list where the B+Bs are automatically ordered based on "Availability" not on ranking. There is a new search box with pull down menu that allows the searcher to see results based on ranking, but it is no longer automatic.
Sooooo, for a small fry like us, who does not subscribe to Bo oking.com or Or bits.com, it REALLY does not pay to have a TA business listing. If we were bigger, or trying to build our business, instead of just maintain what we have developed over the past 25 years, I might be tempted to sign up for one of the booking sites. But now? nope
Some of you, who do use booking engines might get a boost in the order of your listing from this new "Availability" re-ordering at TA. Take a look.
Still...we maintained our #1 position in the B+B category for our town because we maintained our reviews. At least when someone searched for a B+B in our town and we were listed first no the the list of B+Bs. But hmmmm, just took at look at TA to see that, although we are still listed as #1 B+B in our town, we are listed AFTER the #2 and #3 B+Bs who both have listings with booking engines like X pedia and Ho tels.com. Now when someone searches they see a list where the B+Bs are automatically ordered based on "Availability" not on ranking. There is a new search box with pull down menu that allows the searcher to see results based on ranking, but it is no longer automatic.
Sooooo, for a small fry like us, who does not subscribe to Bo oking.com or Or bits.com, it REALLY does not pay to have a TA business listing. If we were bigger, or trying to build our business, instead of just maintain what we have developed over the past 25 years, I might be tempted to sign up for one of the booking sites. But now? nope
Some of you, who do use booking engines might get a boost in the order of your listing from this new "Availability" re-ordering at TA. Take a look.