Keeping up with the blog?

[happykeeper]

So now that we have started our blog, the questions for those of you that have a blog is...
Have you been keeping up with it?
Has it improved your exposure?
Has it created any new partnerships?
Does it improve your search position?
What would you do differently?
Have any of your guests mentioned that they saw it?

 

[Samster]

Kinda. Yes. Yes. Yes.
I would keep up with it more. JBJ really does a great job with her blog as well as Bree and Muirford. They are my role models

 

[swirt]

Does it improve your search position?
One thing that is important to keep in mind is that even if your blog doesn't cause your main site to climb from number 4 to number 3 for a search, it still increases your traffic because with each page it means you are showing up for a greater number of searches and likely more long tail searches. It adds to your overall traffic even if it doesn't cause a jump in the position of your main site for the major search terms.
It is unlikely that your blog will have any impact on your main site's position for major searches for at least a few years.

 

[MooseTrax]

So now that we have started our blog, the questions for those of you that have a blog is...
Have you been keeping up with it? not as much as i want to.
Has it improved your exposure? depends on the search terms. some of the blog posts help a lot, others do nothing.
Has it created any new partnerships? yes. other bnbs as well as locals.
Does it improve your search position? it can in that the search terms used mean that something about my bnb comes up even if not the main website itself.
What would you do differently? not much.
Have any of your guests mentioned that they saw it? yes, but not as much as jbj. her blog is amazingly informative.

 

[happykeeper]

Does it improve your search position?
One thing that is important to keep in mind is that even if your blog doesn't cause your main site to climb from number 4 to number 3 for a search, it still increases your traffic because with each page it means you are showing up for a greater number of searches and likely more long tail searches. It adds to your overall traffic even if it doesn't cause a jump in the position of your main site for the major search terms.
It is unlikely that your blog will have any impact on your main site's position for major searches for at least a few years..

Purely antidotal, but we seemed to have had a surge after title and name changes, addition of mag link, and blog link to an independent page. Wondered how much the blog was a factor?

 

[happykeeper]

So now that we have started our blog, the questions for those of you that have a blog is...
Have you been keeping up with it? not as much as i want to.
Has it improved your exposure? depends on the search terms. some of the blog posts help a lot, others do nothing.
Has it created any new partnerships? yes. other bnbs as well as locals.
Does it improve your search position? it can in that the search terms used mean that something about my bnb comes up even if not the main website itself.
What would you do differently? not much.
Have any of your guests mentioned that they saw it? yes, but not as much as jbj. her blog is amazingly informative.

.

It is starting to look like we have a role model we can follow! Thanks for blazing the trail JBJ

 

[swirt]

Does it improve your search position?
One thing that is important to keep in mind is that even if your blog doesn't cause your main site to climb from number 4 to number 3 for a search, it still increases your traffic because with each page it means you are showing up for a greater number of searches and likely more long tail searches. It adds to your overall traffic even if it doesn't cause a jump in the position of your main site for the major search terms.
It is unlikely that your blog will have any impact on your main site's position for major searches for at least a few years..

Purely antidotal, but we seemed to have had a surge after title and name changes, addition of mag link, and blog link to an independent page. Wondered how much the blog was a factor?
.

Purely antidotal, but we seemed to have had a surge after title and name changes, addition of mag link, and blog link to an independent page. Wondered how much the blog was a factor?

A good tracker would make that non anecdotal

 

[happykeeper]

Does it improve your search position?
One thing that is important to keep in mind is that even if your blog doesn't cause your main site to climb from number 4 to number 3 for a search, it still increases your traffic because with each page it means you are showing up for a greater number of searches and likely more long tail searches. It adds to your overall traffic even if it doesn't cause a jump in the position of your main site for the major search terms.
It is unlikely that your blog will have any impact on your main site's position for major searches for at least a few years..

Purely antidotal, but we seemed to have had a surge after title and name changes, addition of mag link, and blog link to an independent page. Wondered how much the blog was a factor?
.

Purely antidotal, but we seemed to have had a surge after title and name changes, addition of mag link, and blog link to an independent page. Wondered how much the blog was a factor?

A good tracker would make that non anecdotal
.

Perhaps it would be an antidotal elixir for my anecdotal information.

 

[EmptyNest]

IF you all want a good example of a blog and someone who really keeps it up...see JBJ's post. She does an excellent job!!!

 

[happyjacks]

So now that we have started our blog, the questions for those of you that have a blog is...
Have you been keeping up with it?
I generally post 3-4 times/month.
Has it improved your exposure?
I definitely get click-thrus from my blog to my website. Some post topics do very well in organic searches, others not. My posts on specific winter activities were successful in getting me exposure and bookings.
Has it created any new partnerships?
Not what I would call partnerships at this point, but good will. Some of the local businesses I mention in my posts have said they appreciate it and, I think, will be more likely to think of me when the opportunity comes to refer guests. It also means they will call or email me to let me know about events rather than me having to actively look for things. And at least one local service provider has added a link to me on his 'where to stay' page.
Does it improve your search position?
I look at it as casting another line in the water.
What would you do differently?
More frequent and shorter posts. But that just doesn't suit me so I doubt I'll change my ways.
Have any of your guests mentioned that they saw it?
Yes, many. I swear some have read the entire thing. Others just read the posts relevant to their stay. A guest last month told me she tried one of the recipes I posted (good results). In the winter I posted about what type of clothing and gear to bring for certain activities and I directed guests to it in my confirmation email.

 

[Samster]

IF you all want a good example of a blog and someone who really keeps it up...see JBJ's post. She does an excellent job!!!

.

JunieBJones ROCKS!!! I honestly don't know where she finds the time.... Except I do know that she loves to do that There is a post-innkeeping job for her in promoting her area. I think she should be the local tourism director and they should pay her big bucks!!!

 

[Morticia]

So now that we have started our blog, the questions for those of you that have a blog is...
Have you been keeping up with it?
I generally post 3-4 times/month.
Has it improved your exposure?
I definitely get click-thrus from my blog to my website. Some post topics do very well in organic searches, others not. My posts on specific winter activities were successful in getting me exposure and bookings.
Has it created any new partnerships?
Not what I would call partnerships at this point, but good will. Some of the local businesses I mention in my posts have said they appreciate it and, I think, will be more likely to think of me when the opportunity comes to refer guests. It also means they will call or email me to let me know about events rather than me having to actively look for things. And at least one local service provider has added a link to me on his 'where to stay' page.
Does it improve your search position?
I look at it as casting another line in the water.
What would you do differently?
More frequent and shorter posts. But that just doesn't suit me so I doubt I'll change my ways.
Have any of your guests mentioned that they saw it?
Yes, many. I swear some have read the entire thing. Others just read the posts relevant to their stay. A guest last month told me she tried one of the recipes I posted (good results). In the winter I posted about what type of clothing and gear to bring for certain activities and I directed guests to it in my confirmation email.

.

'Have guests mentioned they saw it?'
Funny thing is they have but not in ways I had expected. Poor hubs will try to tell a story and the guest will pipe up, 'Oh we read about that on the blog.' Hubs doesn't read the blog. He wants to tell the story. Guest repeats, 'We read about that on the blog.' They want new 'material' when we put on our morning 'show'.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

I don't often write personal articles on the blog, but so many guests are interested in our LIFE as innkeepers... http://claibornehouse.blogspot.com/

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

duplicated post...oops

 

[Samster]

I don't often write personal articles on the blog, but so many guests are interested in our LIFE as innkeepers... http://claibornehouse.blogspot.com/.

Yes, the Chesapeake Bay is an awesome estuary! Having grown up not far from there, it is one of my favorite places. Ahhhhhhh....I can smell the steamed crabs with Old Bay. Glad you had fun despite the jellyfish run in!!

 

[Iris]

I started my blog on April 2nd of this year. I announced it to all of our guests who's email addresses I have. I write every night after everyone has gone to bed and I love it. I have a lot more followers than I ever hoped I would. On days when I have 100 hits or less, I dream up contests to drive "more business" this way
I also have made up events like my "kitchen garden" I came up with the idea and then had to implement making a garden. So I have increased my workload somewhat, heh (that might have been stupid on my part)
One of my posts was about wanting to add chickens to our place and the response was amazing as well as it has been lucrative for me. I got a bunch of, not real, chickens and ducks from guests. Some came by, on their way to somewhere else, to bring them, others, like the people today who had never been here but had seen my blog, brought me this cute duck, because they couldn't find a chicken.
For me, the blog has brought business, most definitely. My May and June were both up by 20 some percent. May and June are not the best months for us, so it helped tremendously.
I have read everything I could find to learn about writing a successful blog...I am not there yet, but I am on my way. When you google it, I am in the number one spot. I think it is important to write about the community as a whole though that way it won't look self serving

 

[Tony]

I don't often write personal articles on the blog, but so many guests are interested in our LIFE as innkeepers... http://claibornehouse.blogspot.com/.

I don't often write personal articles on the blog, but so many guests are interested in our LIFE as innkeepers... http://claibornehouse.blogspot.com/

I love your Jack Russell! That picture of him buried in the sand is priceless.