B&B.Com in USA Today

[gillumhouse]

TRIP ADVISOR. You may think it is worthless..but the reviews on the site DO show up HIGHLY in a Google Search. They are not a referrer to any sites, but people know it and go there first when trying to decide on inns. Even though most of us don't lke it...you can't fight it. Yes, I think most of us know about Google Local. We have discussed before ..but for newbies...get on it!.

TRIP ADVISOR. You may think it is worthless..but the reviews on the site DO show up HIGHLY in a Google Search. They are not a referrer to any sites, but people know it and go there first when trying to decide on inns. Even though most of us don't lke it...you can't fight it. Yes, I think most of us know about Google Local. We have discussed before ..but for newbies...get on it!

DW and I have traveled extensively and I never even heard of Trip Advisor until this forum. How well know could they be?
.

I never even heard of Trip Advisor until this forum. How well know could they be?
There are a lot of things I never heard of until recently but that does not mean they were not well known in their "area" or are of no value. There are a LOT of things I never heard of.
If you did not travel or were not in tourism you would have no reason to know about TA.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

TRIP ADVISOR. You may think it is worthless..but the reviews on the site DO show up HIGHLY in a Google Search. They are not a referrer to any sites, but people know it and go there first when trying to decide on inns. Even though most of us don't lke it...you can't fight it. Yes, I think most of us know about Google Local. We have discussed before ..but for newbies...get on it!.

TRIP ADVISOR. You may think it is worthless..but the reviews on the site DO show up HIGHLY in a Google Search. They are not a referrer to any sites, but people know it and go there first when trying to decide on inns. Even though most of us don't lke it...you can't fight it. Yes, I think most of us know about Google Local. We have discussed before ..but for newbies...get on it!

DW and I have traveled extensively and I never even heard of Trip Advisor until this forum. How well know could they be?
.

TRIP ADVISOR. You may think it is worthless..but the reviews on the site DO show up HIGHLY in a Google Search. They are not a referrer to any sites, but people know it and go there first when trying to decide on inns. Even though most of us don't lke it...you can't fight it. Yes, I think most of us know about Google Local. We have discussed before ..but for newbies...get on it!

DW and I have traveled extensively and I never even heard of Trip Advisor until this forum. How well know could they be?

TA is a portal to research and book rooms/flights/tours/cruises all in one place. Not to mention research on trips for restaurants, things to see and do. IMNVHO - It is the Frommer's guide of this tech age.
Open TA and you will see this:
"Get Advice from Real Travelers — 12,000,000 Travelers from 190 Countries Planned Trips Here This Week!"
Absence of proof is not proof of absence.
Many of our guests talk about TA helping them decide us over the other place they had in mind. There are also TA websites in quite a few other countries like the UK (one place our guests read our reviews religiousely - even moreso than our US guests)

 

[Proud Texan]

Here's my frequent stay program: Take care of 'em and they will come back!!.

I really wonder what percentage of reservations are actually a result of B&B.com and how many would have been made anyway with a good search engine ranking.
.

I like you wonder the same thing. If inns would look at their stats closely, I will just bet the top referrer is a organic google search and not bedandbreakfast.com
I had not looked at the site in ages, so this morning I did because Bree was mentioning their automatic renewal...
So much clutter and junk!!!! Lots of ads showing up...I saw an ad for Macys and thought I was on the wrong website. My eyes are drawn everywhere except to finding a b & b!!!
On another thought: I was checking out the top winners. This one has 504 REVIEWS...how is that possible????? Most have over 100..but that number is outrageous...how do they get that many????
.

I like you wonder the same thing. If inns would look at their stats closely, I will just bet the top referrer is a organic google search and not bedandbreakfast.com
I had not looked at the site in ages, so this morning I did because Bree was mentioning their automatic renewal...
So much clutter and junk!!!! Lots of ads showing up...I saw an ad for Macys and thought I was on the wrong website. My eyes are drawn everywhere except to finding a b & b!!!
On another thought: I was checking out the top winners. This one has 504 REVIEWS...how is that possible????? Most have over 100..but that number is outrageous...how do they get that many????

There has to be an incentive given for guests to review. Maybe someone with a high number of reviews on BandB.com can explain. Not sure what the statz are on those who actually do reviews and those who do not, but I guarantee it is less than 50% of your guests would be willing to even write a review.
Bandb.com was #18 on my referral list for my business month of October. #18 means virtually nothing comes from it if anything. Google searches are 600% more than the next 8 that follow it.
.

Just out of curiosity..I went to TA to see how many reviews they had... and the latest one was done June 26.( And only 81 reviews.
Yet the BandBone is yesterdays. Curious. Is it possible for innkeepers to post reviews on bandb.com? I don't know...just asking I wondered if the "copied and pasted" from their guest books or something..to get that many.
Then reading some of their comments led me to Inn at Honey Run.. and some of their comments. Funny...people expect to "party" in Millersburg in the heart of Amish country..."ain't no way" You would think they would do some research before booking. I have stayed there and have never been impressed..and the restaurant...just plain old cookin the last I ate.
.

Just out of curiosity..I went to TA to see how many reviews they had... and the latest one was done June 26.( And only 81 reviews.
Yet the BandBone is yesterdays. Curious. Is it possible for innkeepers to post reviews on bandb.com? I don't know...just asking I wondered if the "copied and pasted" from their guest books or something..to get that many.
Then reading some of their comments led me to Inn at Honey Run.. and some of their comments. Funny...people expect to "party" in Millersburg in the heart of Amish country..."ain't no way" You would think they would do some research before booking. I have stayed there and have never been impressed..and the restaurant...just plain old cookin the last I ate.

Any person can have as many email accounts as they want right? I am sure many can be written by innkeepers themselves or a group of friends. If they showed the email accounts I can guarantee most of them would be gmail, yahoo, etc online accounts. Not regular accounts from a provider where you can track the person down.
.

IMHO TravelAdvisor is absolutely worthless without a link back to your webpage. It does nothing for your Google ranking AND even if someone thought your B&B was interesting because of a review there, they would have to Google you anyway to find you.
A much much better choice is GOOGLE LOCAL. Set up a Google Local page (Yahoo Local too) and have guest review you there. Your not only linked to by Google, but your ranking will be increased. Also, go to MSN and get a free Yellow Pages listing.
I don't know if any of you have found it, but I paid for a link on www.discoverourtown.com and my ranking immediately went to #1...literally! Apparently, DOT provides listing to major search engines and reservation services etc. It is what you might consider a "quality" link. It costs $100 per year. You also get a few extras like access to write a travel blog and cross listing in more than one area.

 

[EmptyNest]

TRIP ADVISOR. You may think it is worthless..but the reviews on the site DO show up HIGHLY in a Google Search. They are not a referrer to any sites, but people know it and go there first when trying to decide on inns. Even though most of us don't lke it...you can't fight it. Yes, I think most of us know about Google Local. We have discussed before ..but for newbies...get on it!.

TRIP ADVISOR. You may think it is worthless..but the reviews on the site DO show up HIGHLY in a Google Search. They are not a referrer to any sites, but people know it and go there first when trying to decide on inns. Even though most of us don't lke it...you can't fight it. Yes, I think most of us know about Google Local. We have discussed before ..but for newbies...get on it!

DW and I have traveled extensively and I never even heard of Trip Advisor until this forum. How well know could they be?
.

VERY WELL KNOWN...and go take a look to see how extensive it is!!!

 

[egoodell]

Here's my frequent stay program: Take care of 'em and they will come back!!.

I really wonder what percentage of reservations are actually a result of B&B.com and how many would have been made anyway with a good search engine ranking.
.

I like you wonder the same thing. If inns would look at their stats closely, I will just bet the top referrer is a organic google search and not bedandbreakfast.com
I had not looked at the site in ages, so this morning I did because Bree was mentioning their automatic renewal...
So much clutter and junk!!!! Lots of ads showing up...I saw an ad for Macys and thought I was on the wrong website. My eyes are drawn everywhere except to finding a b & b!!!
On another thought: I was checking out the top winners. This one has 504 REVIEWS...how is that possible????? Most have over 100..but that number is outrageous...how do they get that many????
.

I like you wonder the same thing. If inns would look at their stats closely, I will just bet the top referrer is a organic google search and not bedandbreakfast.com
I had not looked at the site in ages, so this morning I did because Bree was mentioning their automatic renewal...
So much clutter and junk!!!! Lots of ads showing up...I saw an ad for Macys and thought I was on the wrong website. My eyes are drawn everywhere except to finding a b & b!!!
On another thought: I was checking out the top winners. This one has 504 REVIEWS...how is that possible????? Most have over 100..but that number is outrageous...how do they get that many????

I wanted to see where it says "Member since" but I think that is BBONLINE. The first BandB.com review was 08/07 so this place got 504 reviews in 15 months. Not even a year and a half, under that.
.

We have several B&Bs in our town that have reviews in the hundreds. I don't even try and compete. We do put the link in our thank yous, but I don't feel comfortable pushing it. We are fortunate in that we don't really have much compeition for the wine tours which bring many to our B&B for the wine tour/B&B package.
Riki

 

[Samster]

TRIP ADVISOR. You may think it is worthless..but the reviews on the site DO show up HIGHLY in a Google Search. They are not a referrer to any sites, but people know it and go there first when trying to decide on inns. Even though most of us don't lke it...you can't fight it. Yes, I think most of us know about Google Local. We have discussed before ..but for newbies...get on it!.

TRIP ADVISOR. You may think it is worthless..but the reviews on the site DO show up HIGHLY in a Google Search. They are not a referrer to any sites, but people know it and go there first when trying to decide on inns. Even though most of us don't lke it...you can't fight it. Yes, I think most of us know about Google Local. We have discussed before ..but for newbies...get on it!

DW and I have traveled extensively and I never even heard of Trip Advisor until this forum. How well know could they be?
.

We have been almost full in spurts for over the last couple of weeks & every person in the door said they booked because of our TA reviews. Every single traveler! Just thought I'd share that.