TA - how it is affecting travel

[Copperhead]

http://www.outsideonline.com/adventure-travel/diy-trips/Loudsourcing-How-TripAdvisor-Is-Changing-the-Way-We-Travel.html
"Those reviews carry demonstrable weight. A study by Cornell University’s Center for Hospitality Research found that for every percentage point a hotel improves its online reputation, its “RevPAR” (revenue per available room) goes up by 1.4 percent; for every point its reputation improves on a five-point scale, a hotel can raise prices by 11 percent without seeing bookings fall off. This has been a boon for smaller, midpriced, independently owned hotels."

 

[JBloggs]

Last night I watched the program Mind Games. It was an episode all about the group mentality, and peer pressure.
Without all the details, one of the examples showed two restaurants on TA.
A text from a friend said "This is the best place to eat you will love it! Better than all the others"
The individual was looking at it on TA and the one recommended by the friend had only a few good reviews, and another one was #1 on TA with hundreds of comments how great it was! They asked the viewer think about which one they would choose?
Interestingly, I tried to be like the viewer and like our guests, and I had to admit, I would prob choose the hundreds of great reviews over "you" telling me it was the better choice.
I was recently in another part of our state and had to choose a restaurant and I did this exact thing. I went to TA. Hmm, which one? Speaking to a local they said "try this one over that one" and we chose THAT one over this one.
Really, and then the next night we went to their choice and it was not all it was cracked up to be, my burger was from frozen, and more. Things that speak volumes to me. The first one had everything from scratch...noticeably so. Not sure what the moral of this story is, other than what you like I may not find as exciting as what i like. But tell me which view is better, that may help me decide!
It made me mad that I did this on the pgrm. They also showed #1 Top Selling soap vs another brand - and people buy the #1 top selling, regardless of whether it is better or the best. It is called marketing my dear watsons...
THIS is why TA is important, for every person who says on this forum "who cares"... Being in the #1 slot makes you appear better than in the #2 slot, it ain't rocky science, and people are like sheep, they will go where others go.

 

[Morticia]

Last night I watched the program Mind Games. It was an episode all about the group mentality, and peer pressure.
Without all the details, one of the examples showed two restaurants on TA.
A text from a friend said "This is the best place to eat you will love it! Better than all the others"
The individual was looking at it on TA and the one recommended by the friend had only a few good reviews, and another one was #1 on TA with hundreds of comments how great it was! They asked the viewer think about which one they would choose?
Interestingly, I tried to be like the viewer and like our guests, and I had to admit, I would prob choose the hundreds of great reviews over "you" telling me it was the better choice.
I was recently in another part of our state and had to choose a restaurant and I did this exact thing. I went to TA. Hmm, which one? Speaking to a local they said "try this one over that one" and we chose THAT one over this one.
Really, and then the next night we went to their choice and it was not all it was cracked up to be, my burger was from frozen, and more. Things that speak volumes to me. The first one had everything from scratch...noticeably so. Not sure what the moral of this story is, other than what you like I may not find as exciting as what i like. But tell me which view is better, that may help me decide!
It made me mad that I did this on the pgrm. They also showed #1 Top Selling soap vs another brand - and people buy the #1 top selling, regardless of whether it is better or the best. It is called marketing my dear watsons...
THIS is why TA is important, for every person who says on this forum "who cares"... Being in the #1 slot makes you appear better than in the #2 slot, it ain't rocky science, and people are like sheep, they will go where others go..

It's why it hurts the bottom line so much that we can't get reviews. And we keep moving down the list as other people figure out how to get the reviews.
Or, as other inns opt into paying for better placement.

 

[dumitru]

I've been to some hotels in the past years and I noticed that some of the bigger ones use this tactic: when you connect to their Wi-Fi you need to "activate" your account, by simply opening the browser window using that connection.
There you insert your room number and your device will be connected to the Wi-Fi.
What else is on that landing page where you insert your room number? Yes, a link to their TA/Yelp profiles, with a message like: "please consider reviewing us on TA".

 

[TheBeachHouse]

Last night I watched the program Mind Games. It was an episode all about the group mentality, and peer pressure.
Without all the details, one of the examples showed two restaurants on TA.
A text from a friend said "This is the best place to eat you will love it! Better than all the others"
The individual was looking at it on TA and the one recommended by the friend had only a few good reviews, and another one was #1 on TA with hundreds of comments how great it was! They asked the viewer think about which one they would choose?
Interestingly, I tried to be like the viewer and like our guests, and I had to admit, I would prob choose the hundreds of great reviews over "you" telling me it was the better choice.
I was recently in another part of our state and had to choose a restaurant and I did this exact thing. I went to TA. Hmm, which one? Speaking to a local they said "try this one over that one" and we chose THAT one over this one.
Really, and then the next night we went to their choice and it was not all it was cracked up to be, my burger was from frozen, and more. Things that speak volumes to me. The first one had everything from scratch...noticeably so. Not sure what the moral of this story is, other than what you like I may not find as exciting as what i like. But tell me which view is better, that may help me decide!
It made me mad that I did this on the pgrm. They also showed #1 Top Selling soap vs another brand - and people buy the #1 top selling, regardless of whether it is better or the best. It is called marketing my dear watsons...
THIS is why TA is important, for every person who says on this forum "who cares"... Being in the #1 slot makes you appear better than in the #2 slot, it ain't rocky science, and people are like sheep, they will go where others go..

It's why it hurts the bottom line so much that we can't get reviews. And we keep moving down the list as other people figure out how to get the reviews.
Or, as other inns opt into paying for better placement.
.

It's why it hurts the bottom line so much that we can't get reviews. And we keep moving down the list as other people figure out how to get the reviews.
Or, as other inns opt into paying for better placement.

Why can't you get reviews?

 

[Generic]

Last night I watched the program Mind Games. It was an episode all about the group mentality, and peer pressure.
Without all the details, one of the examples showed two restaurants on TA.
A text from a friend said "This is the best place to eat you will love it! Better than all the others"
The individual was looking at it on TA and the one recommended by the friend had only a few good reviews, and another one was #1 on TA with hundreds of comments how great it was! They asked the viewer think about which one they would choose?
Interestingly, I tried to be like the viewer and like our guests, and I had to admit, I would prob choose the hundreds of great reviews over "you" telling me it was the better choice.
I was recently in another part of our state and had to choose a restaurant and I did this exact thing. I went to TA. Hmm, which one? Speaking to a local they said "try this one over that one" and we chose THAT one over this one.
Really, and then the next night we went to their choice and it was not all it was cracked up to be, my burger was from frozen, and more. Things that speak volumes to me. The first one had everything from scratch...noticeably so. Not sure what the moral of this story is, other than what you like I may not find as exciting as what i like. But tell me which view is better, that may help me decide!
It made me mad that I did this on the pgrm. They also showed #1 Top Selling soap vs another brand - and people buy the #1 top selling, regardless of whether it is better or the best. It is called marketing my dear watsons...
THIS is why TA is important, for every person who says on this forum "who cares"... Being in the #1 slot makes you appear better than in the #2 slot, it ain't rocky science, and people are like sheep, they will go where others go..

TA is a horrible resource for restaurants. New restaurants with 30 to 50 reviews including one that frankly I think is full of fake reviews sit to compete with restaurants with hundreds of reviews and are world renowned.
The three most famous and lauded restaurants in the city are #80, #95, #182. Best bistro in all of North America... number #53. World renowned chef... #73 (Number #2 in NYC). And there is an ice cream shop that used to be in the top #10 that's sitting at #154... it was #5 in a city with millions of people!
I put a search for my city with the words "best restaurants" and google's list was actually much superior and hit the right places for the most part.

 

[Copperhead]

I've been to some hotels in the past years and I noticed that some of the bigger ones use this tactic: when you connect to their Wi-Fi you need to "activate" your account, by simply opening the browser window using that connection.
There you insert your room number and your device will be connected to the Wi-Fi.
What else is on that landing page where you insert your room number? Yes, a link to their TA/Yelp profiles, with a message like: "please consider reviewing us on TA"..

I've been to some hotels in the past years and I noticed that some of the bigger ones use this tactic: when you connect to their Wi-Fi you need to "activate" your account, by simply opening the browser window using that connection.
There you insert your room number and your device will be connected to the Wi-Fi.
What else is on that landing page where you insert your room number? Yes, a link to their TA/Yelp profiles, with a message like: "please consider reviewing us on TA".

And when they review while still at the hotel, TA will not post it unless the reviewer confirms the review from another IP. This happened to one of my guests recently.
She reviewed us while sitting on the balcony here. She happened to mention doing so on the day of check out. I told her how TA views the IP.
When the review was posted - 2 wks later, I emailed her to thank her for her kind words. She said it was a battle. Three emails to confirm before they posted.
She said she was determined because she loved being here so much. She said she would not go to that much trouble for many places.

 

[Morticia]

Last night I watched the program Mind Games. It was an episode all about the group mentality, and peer pressure.
Without all the details, one of the examples showed two restaurants on TA.
A text from a friend said "This is the best place to eat you will love it! Better than all the others"
The individual was looking at it on TA and the one recommended by the friend had only a few good reviews, and another one was #1 on TA with hundreds of comments how great it was! They asked the viewer think about which one they would choose?
Interestingly, I tried to be like the viewer and like our guests, and I had to admit, I would prob choose the hundreds of great reviews over "you" telling me it was the better choice.
I was recently in another part of our state and had to choose a restaurant and I did this exact thing. I went to TA. Hmm, which one? Speaking to a local they said "try this one over that one" and we chose THAT one over this one.
Really, and then the next night we went to their choice and it was not all it was cracked up to be, my burger was from frozen, and more. Things that speak volumes to me. The first one had everything from scratch...noticeably so. Not sure what the moral of this story is, other than what you like I may not find as exciting as what i like. But tell me which view is better, that may help me decide!
It made me mad that I did this on the pgrm. They also showed #1 Top Selling soap vs another brand - and people buy the #1 top selling, regardless of whether it is better or the best. It is called marketing my dear watsons...
THIS is why TA is important, for every person who says on this forum "who cares"... Being in the #1 slot makes you appear better than in the #2 slot, it ain't rocky science, and people are like sheep, they will go where others go..

It's why it hurts the bottom line so much that we can't get reviews. And we keep moving down the list as other people figure out how to get the reviews.
Or, as other inns opt into paying for better placement.
.

It's why it hurts the bottom line so much that we can't get reviews. And we keep moving down the list as other people figure out how to get the reviews.
Or, as other inns opt into paying for better placement.

Why can't you get reviews?
.

It's why it hurts the bottom line so much that we can't get reviews. And we keep moving down the list as other people figure out how to get the reviews.
Or, as other inns opt into paying for better placement.

Why can't you get reviews?

We're not good enough or bad enough?
I know that sounds sarcastic but I really don't have any idea.

 

[JBloggs]

Last night I watched the program Mind Games. It was an episode all about the group mentality, and peer pressure.
Without all the details, one of the examples showed two restaurants on TA.
A text from a friend said "This is the best place to eat you will love it! Better than all the others"
The individual was looking at it on TA and the one recommended by the friend had only a few good reviews, and another one was #1 on TA with hundreds of comments how great it was! They asked the viewer think about which one they would choose?
Interestingly, I tried to be like the viewer and like our guests, and I had to admit, I would prob choose the hundreds of great reviews over "you" telling me it was the better choice.
I was recently in another part of our state and had to choose a restaurant and I did this exact thing. I went to TA. Hmm, which one? Speaking to a local they said "try this one over that one" and we chose THAT one over this one.
Really, and then the next night we went to their choice and it was not all it was cracked up to be, my burger was from frozen, and more. Things that speak volumes to me. The first one had everything from scratch...noticeably so. Not sure what the moral of this story is, other than what you like I may not find as exciting as what i like. But tell me which view is better, that may help me decide!
It made me mad that I did this on the pgrm. They also showed #1 Top Selling soap vs another brand - and people buy the #1 top selling, regardless of whether it is better or the best. It is called marketing my dear watsons...
THIS is why TA is important, for every person who says on this forum "who cares"... Being in the #1 slot makes you appear better than in the #2 slot, it ain't rocky science, and people are like sheep, they will go where others go..

TA is a horrible resource for restaurants. New restaurants with 30 to 50 reviews including one that frankly I think is full of fake reviews sit to compete with restaurants with hundreds of reviews and are world renowned.
The three most famous and lauded restaurants in the city are #80, #95, #182. Best bistro in all of North America... number #53. World renowned chef... #73 (Number #2 in NYC). And there is an ice cream shop that used to be in the top #10 that's sitting at #154... it was #5 in a city with millions of people!
I put a search for my city with the words "best restaurants" and google's list was actually much superior and hit the right places for the most part.
.

TA is a horrible resource for restaurants. New restaurants with 30 to 50 reviews including one that frankly I think is full of fake reviews sit to compete with restaurants with hundreds of reviews and are world renowned.
The three most famous and lauded restaurants in the city are #80, #95, #182. Best bistro in all of North America... number #53. World renowned chef... #73 (Number #2 in NYC). And there is an ice cream shop that used to be in the top #10 that's sitting at #154... it was #5 in a city with millions of people!
I put a search for my city with the words "best restaurants" and google's list was actually much superior and hit the right places for the most part.

Good to know!

 

[dumitru]

I've been to some hotels in the past years and I noticed that some of the bigger ones use this tactic: when you connect to their Wi-Fi you need to "activate" your account, by simply opening the browser window using that connection.
There you insert your room number and your device will be connected to the Wi-Fi.
What else is on that landing page where you insert your room number? Yes, a link to their TA/Yelp profiles, with a message like: "please consider reviewing us on TA"..

I've been to some hotels in the past years and I noticed that some of the bigger ones use this tactic: when you connect to their Wi-Fi you need to "activate" your account, by simply opening the browser window using that connection.
There you insert your room number and your device will be connected to the Wi-Fi.
What else is on that landing page where you insert your room number? Yes, a link to their TA/Yelp profiles, with a message like: "please consider reviewing us on TA".

And when they review while still at the hotel, TA will not post it unless the reviewer confirms the review from another IP. This happened to one of my guests recently.
She reviewed us while sitting on the balcony here. She happened to mention doing so on the day of check out. I told her how TA views the IP.
When the review was posted - 2 wks later, I emailed her to thank her for her kind words. She said it was a battle. Three emails to confirm before they posted.
She said she was determined because she loved being here so much. She said she would not go to that much trouble for many places.
.

Now this is something that I didn't know... Thanks for explaining!

 

[undersea]

Last night I watched the program Mind Games. It was an episode all about the group mentality, and peer pressure.
Without all the details, one of the examples showed two restaurants on TA.
A text from a friend said "This is the best place to eat you will love it! Better than all the others"
The individual was looking at it on TA and the one recommended by the friend had only a few good reviews, and another one was #1 on TA with hundreds of comments how great it was! They asked the viewer think about which one they would choose?
Interestingly, I tried to be like the viewer and like our guests, and I had to admit, I would prob choose the hundreds of great reviews over "you" telling me it was the better choice.
I was recently in another part of our state and had to choose a restaurant and I did this exact thing. I went to TA. Hmm, which one? Speaking to a local they said "try this one over that one" and we chose THAT one over this one.
Really, and then the next night we went to their choice and it was not all it was cracked up to be, my burger was from frozen, and more. Things that speak volumes to me. The first one had everything from scratch...noticeably so. Not sure what the moral of this story is, other than what you like I may not find as exciting as what i like. But tell me which view is better, that may help me decide!
It made me mad that I did this on the pgrm. They also showed #1 Top Selling soap vs another brand - and people buy the #1 top selling, regardless of whether it is better or the best. It is called marketing my dear watsons...
THIS is why TA is important, for every person who says on this forum "who cares"... Being in the #1 slot makes you appear better than in the #2 slot, it ain't rocky science, and people are like sheep, they will go where others go..

TA is a horrible resource for restaurants. New restaurants with 30 to 50 reviews including one that frankly I think is full of fake reviews sit to compete with restaurants with hundreds of reviews and are world renowned.
The three most famous and lauded restaurants in the city are #80, #95, #182. Best bistro in all of North America... number #53. World renowned chef... #73 (Number #2 in NYC). And there is an ice cream shop that used to be in the top #10 that's sitting at #154... it was #5 in a city with millions of people!
I put a search for my city with the words "best restaurants" and google's list was actually much superior and hit the right places for the most part.
.

I think if TA stopped default sorting based on reviews, it would help curb the psychopathic focus on collecting and faking reviews.
They could default sort alphabetically, and allow users to sort how they want. They could also randomly resort every time someone views the page.
Anyone new is at a huge disadvantage to entrenched businesses with a ton of reviews.

 

[Lee2014]

Last night I watched the program Mind Games. It was an episode all about the group mentality, and peer pressure.
Without all the details, one of the examples showed two restaurants on TA.
A text from a friend said "This is the best place to eat you will love it! Better than all the others"
The individual was looking at it on TA and the one recommended by the friend had only a few good reviews, and another one was #1 on TA with hundreds of comments how great it was! They asked the viewer think about which one they would choose?
Interestingly, I tried to be like the viewer and like our guests, and I had to admit, I would prob choose the hundreds of great reviews over "you" telling me it was the better choice.
I was recently in another part of our state and had to choose a restaurant and I did this exact thing. I went to TA. Hmm, which one? Speaking to a local they said "try this one over that one" and we chose THAT one over this one.
Really, and then the next night we went to their choice and it was not all it was cracked up to be, my burger was from frozen, and more. Things that speak volumes to me. The first one had everything from scratch...noticeably so. Not sure what the moral of this story is, other than what you like I may not find as exciting as what i like. But tell me which view is better, that may help me decide!
It made me mad that I did this on the pgrm. They also showed #1 Top Selling soap vs another brand - and people buy the #1 top selling, regardless of whether it is better or the best. It is called marketing my dear watsons...
THIS is why TA is important, for every person who says on this forum "who cares"... Being in the #1 slot makes you appear better than in the #2 slot, it ain't rocky science, and people are like sheep, they will go where others go..

It's why it hurts the bottom line so much that we can't get reviews. And we keep moving down the list as other people figure out how to get the reviews.
Or, as other inns opt into paying for better placement.
.

It's why it hurts the bottom line so much that we can't get reviews. And we keep moving down the list as other people figure out how to get the reviews.
Or, as other inns opt into paying for better placement.

Why can't you get reviews?
.

It's why it hurts the bottom line so much that we can't get reviews. And we keep moving down the list as other people figure out how to get the reviews.
Or, as other inns opt into paying for better placement.

Why can't you get reviews?

We're not good enough or bad enough?
I know that sounds sarcastic but I really don't have any idea.
.

Better to have no review than bad ones!

 

[Evan]

Last night I watched the program Mind Games. It was an episode all about the group mentality, and peer pressure.
Without all the details, one of the examples showed two restaurants on TA.
A text from a friend said "This is the best place to eat you will love it! Better than all the others"
The individual was looking at it on TA and the one recommended by the friend had only a few good reviews, and another one was #1 on TA with hundreds of comments how great it was! They asked the viewer think about which one they would choose?
Interestingly, I tried to be like the viewer and like our guests, and I had to admit, I would prob choose the hundreds of great reviews over "you" telling me it was the better choice.
I was recently in another part of our state and had to choose a restaurant and I did this exact thing. I went to TA. Hmm, which one? Speaking to a local they said "try this one over that one" and we chose THAT one over this one.
Really, and then the next night we went to their choice and it was not all it was cracked up to be, my burger was from frozen, and more. Things that speak volumes to me. The first one had everything from scratch...noticeably so. Not sure what the moral of this story is, other than what you like I may not find as exciting as what i like. But tell me which view is better, that may help me decide!
It made me mad that I did this on the pgrm. They also showed #1 Top Selling soap vs another brand - and people buy the #1 top selling, regardless of whether it is better or the best. It is called marketing my dear watsons...
THIS is why TA is important, for every person who says on this forum "who cares"... Being in the #1 slot makes you appear better than in the #2 slot, it ain't rocky science, and people are like sheep, they will go where others go..

It's why it hurts the bottom line so much that we can't get reviews. And we keep moving down the list as other people figure out how to get the reviews.
Or, as other inns opt into paying for better placement.
.

It's why it hurts the bottom line so much that we can't get reviews. And we keep moving down the list as other people figure out how to get the reviews.
Or, as other inns opt into paying for better placement.

Why can't you get reviews?
.

It's why it hurts the bottom line so much that we can't get reviews. And we keep moving down the list as other people figure out how to get the reviews.
Or, as other inns opt into paying for better placement.

Why can't you get reviews?

We're not good enough or bad enough?
I know that sounds sarcastic but I really don't have any idea.
.

This is so true, you have to be remarkable to get lots of reviews.
If your ok, good, medium, lovely or anything thats not special then it is hard.
There are ways to generate more reviews, a good one i saw recently was giving a gift or bonus (like free room upgrade) as the gift will leave them "Owing" you.

 

[Copperhead]

Last night I watched the program Mind Games. It was an episode all about the group mentality, and peer pressure.
Without all the details, one of the examples showed two restaurants on TA.
A text from a friend said "This is the best place to eat you will love it! Better than all the others"
The individual was looking at it on TA and the one recommended by the friend had only a few good reviews, and another one was #1 on TA with hundreds of comments how great it was! They asked the viewer think about which one they would choose?
Interestingly, I tried to be like the viewer and like our guests, and I had to admit, I would prob choose the hundreds of great reviews over "you" telling me it was the better choice.
I was recently in another part of our state and had to choose a restaurant and I did this exact thing. I went to TA. Hmm, which one? Speaking to a local they said "try this one over that one" and we chose THAT one over this one.
Really, and then the next night we went to their choice and it was not all it was cracked up to be, my burger was from frozen, and more. Things that speak volumes to me. The first one had everything from scratch...noticeably so. Not sure what the moral of this story is, other than what you like I may not find as exciting as what i like. But tell me which view is better, that may help me decide!
It made me mad that I did this on the pgrm. They also showed #1 Top Selling soap vs another brand - and people buy the #1 top selling, regardless of whether it is better or the best. It is called marketing my dear watsons...
THIS is why TA is important, for every person who says on this forum "who cares"... Being in the #1 slot makes you appear better than in the #2 slot, it ain't rocky science, and people are like sheep, they will go where others go..

It's why it hurts the bottom line so much that we can't get reviews. And we keep moving down the list as other people figure out how to get the reviews.
Or, as other inns opt into paying for better placement.
.

It's why it hurts the bottom line so much that we can't get reviews. And we keep moving down the list as other people figure out how to get the reviews.
Or, as other inns opt into paying for better placement.

Why can't you get reviews?
.

It's why it hurts the bottom line so much that we can't get reviews. And we keep moving down the list as other people figure out how to get the reviews.
Or, as other inns opt into paying for better placement.

Why can't you get reviews?

We're not good enough or bad enough?
I know that sounds sarcastic but I really don't have any idea.
.

This is so true, you have to be remarkable to get lots of reviews.
If your ok, good, medium, lovely or anything thats not special then it is hard.
There are ways to generate more reviews, a good one i saw recently was giving a gift or bonus (like free room upgrade) as the gift will leave them "Owing" you.
.

There are ways to generate more reviews, a good one i saw recently was giving a gift or bonus (like free room upgrade) as the gift will leave them "Owing" you.

Sure enticements may help but if it is only because you are now expecting a review, that is a no-no.
And, so what if this was your common practice and everyone started posting all the upgrades. The person not getting an upgrade may then post a negative review because they did not get what others got....

 

[user 26]

I don't think you're allowed to offer a gift for a review. We used to give out free postcards of area sunsets I took myself ... hoping that would job a person's memory to post that review they promised. Like Morticia, I got very few. In all this time, with different owners, the place still has very few reviews.