"There are no B&B's in the States"

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happyjacks

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That's what a guest said to me last week. Retired couple, canadian, travel quite a bit in north america and the uk, usually seek out B&B's. They recently came back from a 3 week driving trip through the southwestern states (I think) where they stayed at chain hotels because "there are no B&B's in the states". He said if you can find them, they're $300-400 a night, big fancy places.
Of course, I spoke up on behalf of my american brethren and explained there are MANY of different price ranges and sizes and mentioned some locations they might enjoy on future trips. He conceded that new england would have them, and the virginias where tourists go, but that you don't see any in small towns.
I was surprised they have that perception and I haven't heard it from anyone else, but thought I'd share. I asked them how they find B&B's and he said usually they start with google and "B&B in _____town". Could it be that the marketing efforts of some of the big guys are overshadowing the little guys? Is it regional to the part of the country they were in (started in Tuscon and covered a lot of ground, staying one or two nights in different places).
I found it to be a very strange comment and wish I could've prodded some more, but the conversation moved on to other things.
 
hmmm interesting comment. Not sure what it is an indication of though. If they are looking for B&B's to be tight budget type places, they aren't as likely to find them with a google search. The ones showing up well in most places are the ones that have strived to be better in what they offer and their website, so they are less likely to be budget places.
 
They could be looking for the Euopean style "pension" type B&B where you are staying in someone's home but more of a homestay. That's how they started in England many years ago.
Riki
 
The thing is, they chose my B&B and we're not a small, budget kind of place. There are cheaper & smaller options around here they could've chosen. But I'm not a $400/night place either.
Maybe it's regional. We don't have any Arizona innkeepers on here, do we?
 
Google maps should set them up rather well, with sometimes 10 choices. I know none of the B&B's here charge even $200/night, but they do in K-bunkport. I know that bothers ME, because I'd like to go there but I'm not spending that kind of money!
 
hmmm interesting comment. Not sure what it is an indication of though. If they are looking for B&B's to be tight budget type places, they aren't as likely to find them with a google search. The ones showing up well in most places are the ones that have strived to be better in what they offer and their website, so they are less likely to be budget places..
Unless they are fools like me who are miniscule but want to play with the big boys. Actule, I figured that was the only way I was going to succeed. Unless I spent the money to be where I could be found, I was not going to be and if not found i would not be in business. I knew if I built it they would come, BUT I had to tell them I was here!
 
I have a lady here who said she has stayed in 10 B & Bs before here and she does not like B & Bs because they are dirty, dusty, and cold and breakfast is either oatmeal or cold cereal. This is what she tells me when she is inquiring about availability. She was coming to the area on business and her aunt is in the hospital. She knows what they should be like because she stayed in one in Rochester, MN while family members were at Mayo Clinic. I told her I yurn the heat on a couple hours before i expect guests
She wanted 2 nights but booked one because she did not want to share a bathroom the second night. A couple hours after arrival, she asked if she could stay over and did i want her to move to the other room so I would not have to change the sheets. (what a change!!) Well, tonight is her third night and she leaves in the morning. Even better, she paid with a check!!!
Totally nice lady. I accommodated her wants - moved a lamp from Harris to Rosi's for her and gave her just a couple slices of toast and coffee in the morning - what she asked for! She even has her own to go cup and asked about her thermos before filling it when I said of course, fill it. Went from one room for 3 nights to having two rooms one night and full house for two. I love it!!
 
I think it was just lack of looking. In 2 minutes time I found 12 B&B's in Tucson alone, with prices from $115 up.. (only looked at 3 sites & none over $150 for least expensive room).
It is true that B&B's are not as plentiful in the SW as in the NE (New England states) and you do have to do a search or pre-plan as they are not usually 'just around the corner' either.
 
and on that note, does anyone know any REASONABLY PRICED and effective companies that do web placement? I had google adwords, there are only 2 B&B's and 2 not-great hotels but when I dif a google search in my town I was not even coming up! (and I had every darn keyword that I could think of!)
 
and on that note, does anyone know any REASONABLY PRICED and effective companies that do web placement? I had google adwords, there are only 2 B&B's and 2 not-great hotels but when I dif a google search in my town I was not even coming up! (and I had every darn keyword that I could think of!).
agoodman1963 said:
and on that note, does anyone know any REASONABLY PRICED and effective companies that do web placement? I had google adwords, there are only 2 B&B's and 2 not-great hotels but when I dif a google search in my town I was not even coming up! (and I had every darn keyword that I could think of!)
Your place seems to be doing fine now. #1 in TA reviews, #1 on Google maps and #1 in general search. You're also #1 for 'your county b&b'.
That's using 'your town b&b' as a search. If you want to rank well with different search terms those terms need to be in the heading, description and alt tags as well as in the text of your site. It looks like most of your page is photos that the spiders cannot read. All of those photos can have alt text that mentions the keywords, in context.
Realizing you are proud of your accomplishments with the awards you have won, let me just say that you may not wish to lead guests immediately off your website by giving them links to other sites. You could have an internal link to another page, a link that says something like- read about our awards. Then that page describes the awards you have won. You can quote from the directories rather than letting your guests escape immediately to see another site.
 
and on that note, does anyone know any REASONABLY PRICED and effective companies that do web placement? I had google adwords, there are only 2 B&B's and 2 not-great hotels but when I dif a google search in my town I was not even coming up! (and I had every darn keyword that I could think of!).
If you want a look at a good do-it-yourself manual, get thee over to www.inngenious.com, the site run by our very own swirt. Others on the forum have used his advice liberally and some have hired him to do or beef up their websites.
 
and on that note, does anyone know any REASONABLY PRICED and effective companies that do web placement? I had google adwords, there are only 2 B&B's and 2 not-great hotels but when I dif a google search in my town I was not even coming up! (and I had every darn keyword that I could think of!).
Like Muirford said, go read Swirt's site. I read it, applied it, and reap the benefits every day.
Best of all, it's free!
=)
Kk.
 
and on that note, does anyone know any REASONABLY PRICED and effective companies that do web placement? I had google adwords, there are only 2 B&B's and 2 not-great hotels but when I dif a google search in my town I was not even coming up! (and I had every darn keyword that I could think of!).
agoodman1963 said:
and on that note, does anyone know any REASONABLY PRICED and effective companies that do web placement? I had google adwords, there are only 2 B&B's and 2 not-great hotels but when I dif a google search in my town I was not even coming up! (and I had every darn keyword that I could think of!)
Your place seems to be doing fine now. #1 in TA reviews, #1 on Google maps and #1 in general search. You're also #1 for 'your county b&b'.
That's using 'your town b&b' as a search. If you want to rank well with different search terms those terms need to be in the heading, description and alt tags as well as in the text of your site. It looks like most of your page is photos that the spiders cannot read. All of those photos can have alt text that mentions the keywords, in context.
Realizing you are proud of your accomplishments with the awards you have won, let me just say that you may not wish to lead guests immediately off your website by giving them links to other sites. You could have an internal link to another page, a link that says something like- read about our awards. Then that page describes the awards you have won. You can quote from the directories rather than letting your guests escape immediately to see another site.
.
seven sisters said:
Realizing you are proud of your accomplishments with the awards you have won, let me just say that you may not wish to lead guests immediately off your website by giving them links to other sites. You could have an internal link to another page, a link that says something like- read about our awards. Then that page describes the awards you have won. You can quote from the directories rather than letting your guests escape immediately to see another site.
Excellent advice!
 
and on that note, does anyone know any REASONABLY PRICED and effective companies that do web placement? I had google adwords, there are only 2 B&B's and 2 not-great hotels but when I dif a google search in my town I was not even coming up! (and I had every darn keyword that I could think of!).
I'm seeing you come up first in the organic searches for your region AND I am also seeing you come up first in the adwords listings for the same search. As a general practice, don't pay for listings on searches you already show up well for. That sound of running water you are hearing is the sound pissing away money
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You mention not showing up on adwords. That could be because your daily allowance has been used up. Google does this to keep you from going over the amount you said you would pay per month. Or it can be that your maximum payment is less than the going rate for that particular search.
 
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