B&B.Com in USA Today

Bed & Breakfast / Short Term Rental Host Forum

Help Support Bed & Breakfast / Short Term Rental Host Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Rohrbachs

New member
Joined
Jul 5, 2008
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
An 11/3 article in USA Today titled "B&Bs try to draw more guests with frequent-stay plans" by Gary Stoller

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/travel/2008-11-03-bed-and-breakfast-frequent-stay_N.htm
Includes this information:
"BedandBreakfast.com, which lists about 18,000 of an estimated 20,000 B&Bs, inns and guest houses in the USA, estimates that 1,500 to 1,800 offer their own frequent-stay program or participate in one with other B&Bs, says spokeswoman Marti Mayne. BedandBreakfast.com plans next spring to start its own program that "will be the most extensive and flexible B&B frequent-stay program ever," says CEO Eric Goldreyer."
Will our occupancy and customer contact data that they now have from Webervations help implement this new scheme?
 
Here's my frequent stay program: Take care of 'em and they will come back!!
 
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.
 
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.
.
Today, that is a valid question. Back many, many moons ago when I started, if you were in Podunk you would have never gotten off the ground without the printed and online directories. People today are much more computer savy and online oriented and will just Google as often as they will go to a Directory. Today, you have a much better chance of being found with a great web site (you will still struggle if it is only a good web site).
 
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????
 
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????
.
catlady said:
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.
 
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????
.
catlady said:
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.
.
Google is consistently #1 for me also. I do think it is partly though because of all the places I am listed and linked by that makes that happen. Just having an optimized web site will not do it alone in my very, VERY uneducated opinion.
 
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????
.
catlady said:
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.
 
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????
.
catlady said:
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.
.
catlady said:
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.
 
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????
.
catlady said:
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.
.
JunieBJones (JBJ) said:
catlady said:
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.
With no incentives whtsoever and just a nice email to ask for a review, I get about 10% leaving a review. Without the nice email and the link? About 1% will do it on their own.
Even guests who find us on bandb don't leave reviews when given the link in an email.
I think I just got 2 reviews on bandb and they weren't the best reviews I've ever had.
 
I used to have a listing with them and they were a top 10 referrer for me.
 
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!
 
There is an incentive both for guests to review (they can win a gift card) and for innkeepers, as every so often bedandbreakfast.com offers featured property dollars per review.
Yes, of course an innkeeper could write their own review (or more than one), but at some point they will run out of steam and I think you would see it coming out in their writing style. (I have never contributed one however hmm maybe I should, LOL only kidding).
I send an email to every guest after checkout, offering 3 locations for them to post a review. Some do some don't, I generally don't know who wrote which review unless they say something specific that would give me a clue, as some write months or weeks after their stay.
I only have 4 rooms and know how many reviews I have, and therefore don't think that it is inconceivable that a B&B with 8 rooms, that may have short stays could have that number of reviews.
 
There is an incentive both for guests to review (they can win a gift card) and for innkeepers, as every so often bedandbreakfast.com offers featured property dollars per review.
Yes, of course an innkeeper could write their own review (or more than one), but at some point they will run out of steam and I think you would see it coming out in their writing style. (I have never contributed one however hmm maybe I should, LOL only kidding).
I send an email to every guest after checkout, offering 3 locations for them to post a review. Some do some don't, I generally don't know who wrote which review unless they say something specific that would give me a clue, as some write months or weeks after their stay.
I only have 4 rooms and know how many reviews I have, and therefore don't think that it is inconceivable that a B&B with 8 rooms, that may have short stays could have that number of reviews..
agoodman said:
I only have 4 rooms and know how many reviews I have, and therefore don't think that it is inconceivable that a B&B with 8 rooms, that may have short stays could have that number of reviews.
Believe me, it's inconceivable...unless they have been garnering the reviews for years. We generally have around 500+ guests/couples each year and have reviews going back to 2002 on TA. We have around 35 reviews. Advertising the $250 GC got not a single review on bandb.com. Leaving the review cards in the rooms got no response at all. Asking guests to leave reviews got less than 10% buy in.
To my mind there has to be some pressure on guests to get that kind of response. Unless they have thousands of one-nighters every year. And one-nighters are less likely to even remember your name, much less want to waste their time on a review.
 
There is an incentive both for guests to review (they can win a gift card) and for innkeepers, as every so often bedandbreakfast.com offers featured property dollars per review.
Yes, of course an innkeeper could write their own review (or more than one), but at some point they will run out of steam and I think you would see it coming out in their writing style. (I have never contributed one however hmm maybe I should, LOL only kidding).
I send an email to every guest after checkout, offering 3 locations for them to post a review. Some do some don't, I generally don't know who wrote which review unless they say something specific that would give me a clue, as some write months or weeks after their stay.
I only have 4 rooms and know how many reviews I have, and therefore don't think that it is inconceivable that a B&B with 8 rooms, that may have short stays could have that number of reviews..
agoodman said:
There is an incentive both for guests to review (they can win a gift card) and for innkeepers, as every so often bedandbreakfast.com offers featured property dollars per review.
Yes, of course an innkeeper could write their own review (or more than one), but at some point they will run out of steam and I think you would see it coming out in their writing style. (I have never contributed one however hmm maybe I should, LOL only kidding).
I send an email to every guest after checkout, offering 3 locations for them to post a review. Some do some don't, I generally don't know who wrote which review unless they say something specific that would give me a clue, as some write months or weeks after their stay.
I only have 4 rooms and know how many reviews I have, and therefore don't think that it is inconceivable that a B&B with 8 rooms, that may have short stays could have that number of reviews.
I have 6 rooms and send out a tu email with TA link and BandB.com link to EVERY GUEST and get nothing the number of reviews that I see others get. They write nice things in our book here. Many are first time B&B goers and email back they do not wish to "sign up" on those websites.
 
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????
.
catlady said:
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.
 
I was going to answer this but would probably get slammed so I will just say nothing.
 
I was going to answer this but would probably get slammed so I will just say nothing..
I was going to answer this but would probably get slammed so I will just say nothing.
It would have done everyone better if you had said nothing rather than this.
IF you feel you are going to get "slammed" by the "sharks" when you post, my question is WHY do you hang around? I think many here have gone out of their way to try to welcome you, have extended an "olive branch" only to get their hand and the olive branch cut off with a chain saw. If I felt that way about the regulars on the Forum I do not believe I would stay around.
Suggestion: Do an attitude adjustment or kiss us off.
 
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!.
catlady said:
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!.
catlady said:
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?
.
Proud Texan said:
catlady said:
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?
Given the number of reviews on TA? VERY well known. We used TA when we were looking at properties to buy 5 years ago. GREAT way to get a REAL idea of what the place was like rather than relying on the not-so-honest brokers we ran into.
If you look closely, many times the TA reviews are listed in slots 2-3 on a Google search. And all those reviews on Google local/Google maps? TA for the most part.
 
Back
Top