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sonatainn

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So, I have decided that next year, I want to spearhead in this SEO game....but I want to hire a 3rd party for it. I'm still going to update my blog and everything, but I want to take hold of more SEO advantages. There's a new hotel opening in Charlottetown next year, and I want to try to stay ahead of it.
Anyone have any companies that they recommend?
Cheers
 
Many aspects of SEO are not immediate. If you want a shot at beating the hotel next year, you have to start the SEO work now rather than waiting a year. ;)
 
Sorry, I guess I should have rephrased....I want to start NOW, to get ahead for next year...any good companies?
 
Sorry....newbie here, and I'm really trying to learn all the acronyms but can't seem to find this one on my own - what is SEO?
 
I use Acorn Internet Services. They are lower cost than a lot of others and it's done wonders for my organic Google listings. It does take a while to actually see the results, but most of my bookings now are coming from Google searches instead of directory listings & PPC.
 
Sorry....newbie here, and I'm really trying to learn all the acronyms but can't seem to find this one on my own - what is SEO?.
MommyTaylor said:
Sorry....newbie here, and I'm really trying to learn all the acronyms but can't seem to find this one on my own - what is SEO?
BTW, we DO have a list of the acronyms & words we use (maybe not SEO, tho). Let me figure out where it is...hang on...
OK, here it is...THE LIST You can find it by clicking 'Innkeeping Forum' and then select the 'Laugh, Cry...' thread (at the top) and the Glossary is the first item in the list.
 
Hey Diva:
That Acorn service looks neat....what package did you go for...what did they end up doing?
 
Hey Diva:
That Acorn service looks neat....what package did you go for...what did they end up doing?.
They designed my whole website and added the extra seo/marketing into each page. I'm now working on a breakfast page to add onto the site and have hired them to do the design and marketing of that page and it's very reasonable in my opinion. Since you have your own site, you would just need to hire them to add the marketing to each page. Call them and talk with Marian, she's great and can give you a good idea of the total cost. It's totally worth it!
 
Hey Diva:
That Acorn service looks neat....what package did you go for...what did they end up doing?.
They designed my whole website and added the extra seo/marketing into each page. I'm now working on a breakfast page to add onto the site and have hired them to do the design and marketing of that page and it's very reasonable in my opinion. Since you have your own site, you would just need to hire them to add the marketing to each page. Call them and talk with Marian, she's great and can give you a good idea of the total cost. It's totally worth it!
.
Thanks Diva...I will do that on Monday!
 
Just look at some of their sites. They use out of date meta tags..which are of no use to search engines. IT is a pet peeve of mine with their sites
cry_smile.gif

However, you can look at the page titles, descriptions, and the text being used on the pages.
YOU can do the same SEO they do for nothing.....YOU are smart enough to see what they are doing and adapt for your site :)
 
Just look at some of their sites. They use out of date meta tags..which are of no use to search engines. IT is a pet peeve of mine with their sites
cry_smile.gif

However, you can look at the page titles, descriptions, and the text being used on the pages.
YOU can do the same SEO they do for nothing.....YOU are smart enough to see what they are doing and adapt for your site :).
You're right Catlady, probably all of us could do all of everything. MOST of us have inns to run, and no time to sit and do research, try this, try that, hope it works, etc. You are always telling new innkeepers to do things themselves and I think this is totally unreasonable. As important as SEO/marketing of a B&B website is, it's worth having someone else initiate it for a new innkeeper.
You may disagree with the company I recommended, but I'm posting what MY experience has been with them and in my competitive market in my area not only do I rank in the first couple spots for major keywords in my area, but I've also attained 1st page organic google listing for the broader "accommodations, lodging" keywords. I'm listed higher than chain hotels and motels. By the way, my competitive region is more than 350 miles long. Proof is in the pudding.
 
Just look at some of their sites. They use out of date meta tags..which are of no use to search engines. IT is a pet peeve of mine with their sites
cry_smile.gif

However, you can look at the page titles, descriptions, and the text being used on the pages.
YOU can do the same SEO they do for nothing.....YOU are smart enough to see what they are doing and adapt for your site :).
You're right Catlady, probably all of us could do all of everything. MOST of us have inns to run, and no time to sit and do research, try this, try that, hope it works, etc. You are always telling new innkeepers to do things themselves and I think this is totally unreasonable. As important as SEO/marketing of a B&B website is, it's worth having someone else initiate it for a new innkeeper.
You may disagree with the company I recommended, but I'm posting what MY experience has been with them and in my competitive market in my area not only do I rank in the first couple spots for major keywords in my area, but I've also attained 1st page organic google listing for the broader "accommodations, lodging" keywords. I'm listed higher than chain hotels and motels. By the way, my competitive region is more than 350 miles long. Proof is in the pudding.
.
Well sure. you may not want to take the time, or feel comfortable doing this..but many of the inn-mates here have done their own sites and their own SEO.
I think some here know what what they are doing and it wouldn't be that big a challenge for them to at least give it a try. If it doesn't work, then they can hire someone.
I don't disagree with the company, I know them well. I like their work..I just think that some folks may want to give it a try themselves first..if they are willing..that's all. Some places are not in as competitive regions as you and it may not be as critical.
When I opened my B & B and started my own site, there was a place here that was #1 EVERYWHERE, I knocked them out of that place in a really short time. SO I know it can be done.
 
One of the great things about this forum is that most of the innmates are very tech savy. The issue I had was that the specific person asking about the seo is a new innkeeper and is not seo savy. At this point I'm comfortable doing it myself and have for a non b&b site I have, but if you had told me in my first year, let alone my first months to do this, there would be no way.
 
Just look at some of their sites. They use out of date meta tags..which are of no use to search engines. IT is a pet peeve of mine with their sites
cry_smile.gif

However, you can look at the page titles, descriptions, and the text being used on the pages.
YOU can do the same SEO they do for nothing.....YOU are smart enough to see what they are doing and adapt for your site :).
You're right Catlady, probably all of us could do all of everything. MOST of us have inns to run, and no time to sit and do research, try this, try that, hope it works, etc. You are always telling new innkeepers to do things themselves and I think this is totally unreasonable. As important as SEO/marketing of a B&B website is, it's worth having someone else initiate it for a new innkeeper.
You may disagree with the company I recommended, but I'm posting what MY experience has been with them and in my competitive market in my area not only do I rank in the first couple spots for major keywords in my area, but I've also attained 1st page organic google listing for the broader "accommodations, lodging" keywords. I'm listed higher than chain hotels and motels. By the way, my competitive region is more than 350 miles long. Proof is in the pudding.
.
You raise a great point Breakfast Diva. Not everyone has the desire, the ability, or the time (or some combination of those) to tackle it themselves. For every site where the site owner does it themselves, there is another where somebody was hired to do it, and another where the person thought their webmaster did it and another who thought they were doing it right but were making a mess of it. Not all of them are success stories.
I provide the information I do in order to help those who want to take the time to research and do it themselves. That hasn't kept my phone from ringing. ;)
We don't want to give the impression to people starting up that everyone on this forum does it themselves.
 
Just look at some of their sites. They use out of date meta tags..which are of no use to search engines. IT is a pet peeve of mine with their sites
cry_smile.gif

However, you can look at the page titles, descriptions, and the text being used on the pages.
YOU can do the same SEO they do for nothing.....YOU are smart enough to see what they are doing and adapt for your site :).
You're right Catlady, probably all of us could do all of everything. MOST of us have inns to run, and no time to sit and do research, try this, try that, hope it works, etc. You are always telling new innkeepers to do things themselves and I think this is totally unreasonable. As important as SEO/marketing of a B&B website is, it's worth having someone else initiate it for a new innkeeper.
You may disagree with the company I recommended, but I'm posting what MY experience has been with them and in my competitive market in my area not only do I rank in the first couple spots for major keywords in my area, but I've also attained 1st page organic google listing for the broader "accommodations, lodging" keywords. I'm listed higher than chain hotels and motels. By the way, my competitive region is more than 350 miles long. Proof is in the pudding.
.
Well sure. you may not want to take the time, or feel comfortable doing this..but many of the inn-mates here have done their own sites and their own SEO.
I think some here know what what they are doing and it wouldn't be that big a challenge for them to at least give it a try. If it doesn't work, then they can hire someone.
I don't disagree with the company, I know them well. I like their work..I just think that some folks may want to give it a try themselves first..if they are willing..that's all. Some places are not in as competitive regions as you and it may not be as critical.
When I opened my B & B and started my own site, there was a place here that was #1 EVERYWHERE, I knocked them out of that place in a really short time. SO I know it can be done.
.
When I opened my B & B and started my own site, there was a place here that was #1 EVERYWHERE, I knocked them out of that place in a really short time. SO I know it can be done.
I understand what you are saying... But what if someone was starting out in your area that had to compete with your site and the two others that have been gunning for your spot for a few years? Learning on their own and tweaking on their own may not be enough.
Every year in most reasonably competitive areas, the game gets upped. For most big searches, there can be only three (sure there are 10 spots on the first page, but there are rarely 10 individual B&B's occupying them. The bigger directories will usually occupy some of them.)
 
Just look at some of their sites. They use out of date meta tags..which are of no use to search engines. IT is a pet peeve of mine with their sites
cry_smile.gif

However, you can look at the page titles, descriptions, and the text being used on the pages.
YOU can do the same SEO they do for nothing.....YOU are smart enough to see what they are doing and adapt for your site :).
You're right Catlady, probably all of us could do all of everything. MOST of us have inns to run, and no time to sit and do research, try this, try that, hope it works, etc. You are always telling new innkeepers to do things themselves and I think this is totally unreasonable. As important as SEO/marketing of a B&B website is, it's worth having someone else initiate it for a new innkeeper.
You may disagree with the company I recommended, but I'm posting what MY experience has been with them and in my competitive market in my area not only do I rank in the first couple spots for major keywords in my area, but I've also attained 1st page organic google listing for the broader "accommodations, lodging" keywords. I'm listed higher than chain hotels and motels. By the way, my competitive region is more than 350 miles long. Proof is in the pudding.
.
Well sure. you may not want to take the time, or feel comfortable doing this..but many of the inn-mates here have done their own sites and their own SEO.
I think some here know what what they are doing and it wouldn't be that big a challenge for them to at least give it a try. If it doesn't work, then they can hire someone.
I don't disagree with the company, I know them well. I like their work..I just think that some folks may want to give it a try themselves first..if they are willing..that's all. Some places are not in as competitive regions as you and it may not be as critical.
When I opened my B & B and started my own site, there was a place here that was #1 EVERYWHERE, I knocked them out of that place in a really short time. SO I know it can be done.
.
When I opened my B & B and started my own site, there was a place here that was #1 EVERYWHERE, I knocked them out of that place in a really short time. SO I know it can be done.
I understand what you are saying... But what if someone was starting out in your area that had to compete with your site and the two others that have been gunning for your spot for a few years? Learning on their own and tweaking on their own may not be enough.
Every year in most reasonably competitive areas, the game gets upped. For most big searches, there can be only three (sure there are 10 spots on the first page, but there are rarely 10 individual B&B's occupying them. The bigger directories will usually occupy some of them.)
.
Yes you are right...things have changed in the past few years. More competition out there and I do understand that most innkeepers don't have the time nor skills to do this properly.
 
I am a DIY guy when it comes to websites and such....but SEO is kind of like magic to me. Keywords, titles, and meta tags....I know what they all are, but I am finding it difficult to pick a strategy and go for it.
I would like a company to guide me, and help me shape my marketing strategy...pick the right keywords, focus on them with my content...submit to the right directories, etc..
But Catlady is right....it's possible to do it yourself....hell, I did it for Heritage Harbour House Inn (search Charlottetown Inn, and it's #1)
I think I can do it for The Sonata Inn as well....it's just taking a while.
I think though...while I have the budget for it...I should employ 3rd party perspectives.
 
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