Bed and Breakfast Associations

[Proud Texan]

I think regional associations are more likely to have region specific marketing in place. Which is more likely to serve as good marketing for you. They are more likely to have referral systems in place (check their website for an organized referal method... some of the methods range from high tech to something more resembling tin cans and smoke signals.... high tech good...tin cans bad).
The state associations tend to not market as well for the various regions. In many cases I would consider them less valuable in terms of traffic. However, the state association is likely to have more clout with the legislatures regarding laws and codes. They are also more likely to have more robust conferences.
Just as with any directory...if they show up well in searches for your area, good...if not....
Some associations see their primary role as marketing...some do not..

I think regional associations are more likely to have region specific marketing in place. Which is more likely to serve as good marketing for you. They are more likely to have referral systems in place (check their website for an organized referal method... some of the methods range from high tech to something more resembling tin cans and smoke signals.... high tech good...tin cans bad).
The state associations tend to not market as well for the various regions. In many cases I would consider them less valuable in terms of traffic. However, the state association is likely to have more clout with the legislatures regarding laws and codes. They are also more likely to have more robust conferences.
Just as with any directory...if they show up well in searches for your area, good...if not....
Some associations see their primary role as marketing...some do not.

But, to restate my original point, who in their right mind searches for a B&B association? The most popular keywords are going to be "Bed and Breakfast" and the name of the area where you want to find one. Why would anyone go to the extra step trouble of Googling a Bed and Breakfast association, which in most instances doesn't even list everything that's available?
.

Sorry but if you put in VA Bed and Breakfast..our association website came up #1 in Google for the 5 years I was their webmaster. And I see...other than bbonline they are still # 3. IF an association has a good website and has SEO'd correctly they will show up well as well as the cities where inns are located. after our new site came on line, that quickly happened as well.
And, the same company did the Texas site and they come up 4th on a Google Search I just did. Have you ever tried that search?
Texas Bed and Breakfast Association[/h3]
.

Sorry but if you put in VA Bed and Breakfast..our association website came up #1 in Google for the 5 years I was their webmaster. And I see...other than bbonline they are still # 3. IF an association has a good website and has SEO'd correctly they will show up well as well as the cities where inns are located. after our new site came on line, that quickly happened as well.
And, the same company did the Texas site and they come up 4th on a Google Search I just did. Have you ever tried that search?
Texas Bed and Breakfast Association[/h3]

No. But Texas is awfully big. Most individuals will narrow their search by region or city.

 

[EmptyNest]

I think regional associations are more likely to have region specific marketing in place. Which is more likely to serve as good marketing for you. They are more likely to have referral systems in place (check their website for an organized referal method... some of the methods range from high tech to something more resembling tin cans and smoke signals.... high tech good...tin cans bad).
The state associations tend to not market as well for the various regions. In many cases I would consider them less valuable in terms of traffic. However, the state association is likely to have more clout with the legislatures regarding laws and codes. They are also more likely to have more robust conferences.
Just as with any directory...if they show up well in searches for your area, good...if not....
Some associations see their primary role as marketing...some do not..

I think regional associations are more likely to have region specific marketing in place. Which is more likely to serve as good marketing for you. They are more likely to have referral systems in place (check their website for an organized referal method... some of the methods range from high tech to something more resembling tin cans and smoke signals.... high tech good...tin cans bad).
The state associations tend to not market as well for the various regions. In many cases I would consider them less valuable in terms of traffic. However, the state association is likely to have more clout with the legislatures regarding laws and codes. They are also more likely to have more robust conferences.
Just as with any directory...if they show up well in searches for your area, good...if not....
Some associations see their primary role as marketing...some do not.

But, to restate my original point, who in their right mind searches for a B&B association? The most popular keywords are going to be "Bed and Breakfast" and the name of the area where you want to find one. Why would anyone go to the extra step trouble of Googling a Bed and Breakfast association, which in most instances doesn't even list everything that's available?
.

Sorry but if you put in VA Bed and Breakfast..our association website came up #1 in Google for the 5 years I was their webmaster. And I see...other than bbonline they are still # 3. IF an association has a good website and has SEO'd correctly they will show up well as well as the cities where inns are located. after our new site came on line, that quickly happened as well.
And, the same company did the Texas site and they come up 4th on a Google Search I just did. Have you ever tried that search?
Texas Bed and Breakfast Association[/h3]
.

Sorry but if you put in VA Bed and Breakfast..our association website came up #1 in Google for the 5 years I was their webmaster. And I see...other than bbonline they are still # 3. IF an association has a good website and has SEO'd correctly they will show up well as well as the cities where inns are located. after our new site came on line, that quickly happened as well.
And, the same company did the Texas site and they come up 4th on a Google Search I just did. Have you ever tried that search?
Texas Bed and Breakfast Association[/h3]

No. But Texas is awfully big. Most individuals will narrow their search by region or city.
.

I am NOT telling you to google the association!!! I am telling you to type in Texas bed and breakfast. That link was the result I got when I did that.
So what if it is a big state? If the association link comes up in the top of a google search, many people will just click on it to find the city they are interested in.

 

[Proud Texan]

I think regional associations are more likely to have region specific marketing in place. Which is more likely to serve as good marketing for you. They are more likely to have referral systems in place (check their website for an organized referal method... some of the methods range from high tech to something more resembling tin cans and smoke signals.... high tech good...tin cans bad).
The state associations tend to not market as well for the various regions. In many cases I would consider them less valuable in terms of traffic. However, the state association is likely to have more clout with the legislatures regarding laws and codes. They are also more likely to have more robust conferences.
Just as with any directory...if they show up well in searches for your area, good...if not....
Some associations see their primary role as marketing...some do not..

I think regional associations are more likely to have region specific marketing in place. Which is more likely to serve as good marketing for you. They are more likely to have referral systems in place (check their website for an organized referal method... some of the methods range from high tech to something more resembling tin cans and smoke signals.... high tech good...tin cans bad).
The state associations tend to not market as well for the various regions. In many cases I would consider them less valuable in terms of traffic. However, the state association is likely to have more clout with the legislatures regarding laws and codes. They are also more likely to have more robust conferences.
Just as with any directory...if they show up well in searches for your area, good...if not....
Some associations see their primary role as marketing...some do not.

But, to restate my original point, who in their right mind searches for a B&B association? The most popular keywords are going to be "Bed and Breakfast" and the name of the area where you want to find one. Why would anyone go to the extra step trouble of Googling a Bed and Breakfast association, which in most instances doesn't even list everything that's available?
.

Sorry but if you put in VA Bed and Breakfast..our association website came up #1 in Google for the 5 years I was their webmaster. And I see...other than bbonline they are still # 3. IF an association has a good website and has SEO'd correctly they will show up well as well as the cities where inns are located. after our new site came on line, that quickly happened as well.
And, the same company did the Texas site and they come up 4th on a Google Search I just did. Have you ever tried that search?
Texas Bed and Breakfast Association[/h3]
.

Sorry but if you put in VA Bed and Breakfast..our association website came up #1 in Google for the 5 years I was their webmaster. And I see...other than bbonline they are still # 3. IF an association has a good website and has SEO'd correctly they will show up well as well as the cities where inns are located. after our new site came on line, that quickly happened as well.
And, the same company did the Texas site and they come up 4th on a Google Search I just did. Have you ever tried that search?
Texas Bed and Breakfast Association[/h3]

No. But Texas is awfully big. Most individuals will narrow their search by region or city.
.

I am NOT telling you to google the association!!! I am telling you to type in Texas bed and breakfast. That link was the result I got when I did that.
So what if it is a big state? If the association link comes up in the top of a google search, many people will just click on it to find the city they are interested in.
.

I am NOT telling you to google the association!!! I am telling you to type in Texas bed and breakfast. That link was the result I got when I did that.

After re-reading your original response, I edited mine. Searching Texas bed and breakfast is like searching Italy Bed and Breakfast, the search results are too broad. No one searches like that.

 

[EmptyNest]

I think regional associations are more likely to have region specific marketing in place. Which is more likely to serve as good marketing for you. They are more likely to have referral systems in place (check their website for an organized referal method... some of the methods range from high tech to something more resembling tin cans and smoke signals.... high tech good...tin cans bad).
The state associations tend to not market as well for the various regions. In many cases I would consider them less valuable in terms of traffic. However, the state association is likely to have more clout with the legislatures regarding laws and codes. They are also more likely to have more robust conferences.
Just as with any directory...if they show up well in searches for your area, good...if not....
Some associations see their primary role as marketing...some do not..

I think regional associations are more likely to have region specific marketing in place. Which is more likely to serve as good marketing for you. They are more likely to have referral systems in place (check their website for an organized referal method... some of the methods range from high tech to something more resembling tin cans and smoke signals.... high tech good...tin cans bad).
The state associations tend to not market as well for the various regions. In many cases I would consider them less valuable in terms of traffic. However, the state association is likely to have more clout with the legislatures regarding laws and codes. They are also more likely to have more robust conferences.
Just as with any directory...if they show up well in searches for your area, good...if not....
Some associations see their primary role as marketing...some do not.

But, to restate my original point, who in their right mind searches for a B&B association? The most popular keywords are going to be "Bed and Breakfast" and the name of the area where you want to find one. Why would anyone go to the extra step trouble of Googling a Bed and Breakfast association, which in most instances doesn't even list everything that's available?
.

Sorry but if you put in VA Bed and Breakfast..our association website came up #1 in Google for the 5 years I was their webmaster. And I see...other than bbonline they are still # 3. IF an association has a good website and has SEO'd correctly they will show up well as well as the cities where inns are located. after our new site came on line, that quickly happened as well.
And, the same company did the Texas site and they come up 4th on a Google Search I just did. Have you ever tried that search?
Texas Bed and Breakfast Association[/h3]
.

Sorry but if you put in VA Bed and Breakfast..our association website came up #1 in Google for the 5 years I was their webmaster. And I see...other than bbonline they are still # 3. IF an association has a good website and has SEO'd correctly they will show up well as well as the cities where inns are located. after our new site came on line, that quickly happened as well.
And, the same company did the Texas site and they come up 4th on a Google Search I just did. Have you ever tried that search?
Texas Bed and Breakfast Association[/h3]

No. But Texas is awfully big. Most individuals will narrow their search by region or city.
.

I am NOT telling you to google the association!!! I am telling you to type in Texas bed and breakfast. That link was the result I got when I did that.
So what if it is a big state? If the association link comes up in the top of a google search, many people will just click on it to find the city they are interested in.
.

I am NOT telling you to google the association!!! I am telling you to type in Texas bed and breakfast. That link was the result I got when I did that.

After re-reading your original response, I edited mine. Searching Texas bed and breakfast is like searching Italy Bed and Breakfast, the search results are too broad. No one searches like that.
.

According to the last stats I read on our association site...the top search bringing people to the site was Virginia bed and breakfast. and we averaged 12,000 unique visitors a month.
Joe Average Guest does not know or care about your association.
This may be the case...but when a guest has a complaint, they know there is someone they can call who will follow up on it.
I can't tell you how many calls I got as president, only to have to tell the complainer "sorry there is nothing we can do, they are not members of our association."
Some people put a great deal of credence into the fact that an inn has gone through a rigorous inspection program and will choose one of them over one who has not.
"different strokes for different folks"

 

[swirt]

I think regional associations are more likely to have region specific marketing in place. Which is more likely to serve as good marketing for you. They are more likely to have referral systems in place (check their website for an organized referal method... some of the methods range from high tech to something more resembling tin cans and smoke signals.... high tech good...tin cans bad).
The state associations tend to not market as well for the various regions. In many cases I would consider them less valuable in terms of traffic. However, the state association is likely to have more clout with the legislatures regarding laws and codes. They are also more likely to have more robust conferences.
Just as with any directory...if they show up well in searches for your area, good...if not....
Some associations see their primary role as marketing...some do not..

I think regional associations are more likely to have region specific marketing in place. Which is more likely to serve as good marketing for you. They are more likely to have referral systems in place (check their website for an organized referal method... some of the methods range from high tech to something more resembling tin cans and smoke signals.... high tech good...tin cans bad).
The state associations tend to not market as well for the various regions. In many cases I would consider them less valuable in terms of traffic. However, the state association is likely to have more clout with the legislatures regarding laws and codes. They are also more likely to have more robust conferences.
Just as with any directory...if they show up well in searches for your area, good...if not....
Some associations see their primary role as marketing...some do not.

But, to restate my original point, who in their right mind searches for a B&B association? The most popular keywords are going to be "Bed and Breakfast" and the name of the area where you want to find one. Why would anyone go to the extra step trouble of Googling a Bed and Breakfast association, which in most instances doesn't even list everything that's available?
.

But, to restate my original point, who in their right mind searches for a B&B association? The most popular keywords are going to be "Bed and Breakfast" and the name of the area where you want to find one. Why would anyone go to the extra step trouble of Googling a Bed and Breakfast association, which in most instances doesn't even list everything that's available?
I agree, that's why any association that has been paying attention will have the site well set up for regional terms without limiting it to include the term "association" That was a bit of my point. The regional association will usually be better at performing well in that region.
Example: the regional association shows up number 1 for the big search for this region, while the state association is essentially invisible (page 6).
The marketing value of the regional association is pretty large, but they offer no conference or anything other than a get-together. The state association doesn't generate that much traffic, but puts on a decent conference.