Trip Advisor Business Listings

[Banana]

I apologize if this has been discussed already. Does anyone do the business listing on TA? I see PAII members are currently receiving 35% off, and am considering doing it. Please tell me if you subscribe and if it has brought you business?

 

[EmptyNest]

Yes we have discussed this. Look here: https://www.innspiring.com/node/5493
Do you mean having your web address listed with your TA listing?? There are several here doing it. Hopefully they will chime in. As I remember at last report...some were not going to re up due to the high cost and low return...though things may have changed over the past few months.

 

[wendydk]

I subscribed right at the first of the year, and to date.......19 clickthroughs to my website. A thoroughly miserable showing for what I paid.

 

[Banana]

I subscribed right at the first of the year, and to date.......19 clickthroughs to my website. A thoroughly miserable showing for what I paid..

Holy cow. That is horrible.

 

[Breakfast Diva]

I think it might pay off better if you live in a larger town/city. With my small "town", I think I actually send more prospective guests to TA from my website to check our reviews than would ever come to me directly from TA. I opted not to do the link.

 

[Morticia]

TA is one of my top 10 referrers but relatively few guests are saying that's where they found us. I think a lot of guests are using it to back up their decision. They find us on 'X' and then make sure we have decent reviews and then look at the website again when on TA.

 

[Highlands John]

We tried it out for a year, 180gbp and that was discounted down from 360gbp.
I've had approx 300 click throughs since Jan01 2010, which considering two local directories I pay £100 to have approx 1,000 click throughs each that's pretty piss poor for the price.
I wouldn't be renewing even if they offered it for the discounted price.
At the time I wrote to them and said their pricing was pretty unfair, as in the UK a B&B has a maximum of 6 paying guests, more than that and you are classed as a guest house and your proprty is counted as a business premisis. The 180gbp was for hotels up to 10 rooms, I think they should have a price band for B&Bs.
All I got back was a standard email which completely ignored the point I was making and basically said "we think our product is very competitively priced for the hotel market....blah blah blah".

 

[Copperhead]

I purchased this back at the beginning of the summer - (my slow time) so although I would wish for better stats now, I know in reality it is not likely. Especially since people are booking closer to their trip these days.
H.John, you raise a very good point about the cost... one that TA chooses to not understand, after all they are only doing this to appease us - their target market is hotels... But if our guests bring traffic by posting reviews, they are happy.
I feel that we would have a better click through rate if we had equal billing on their site like the hotels and the now large vacation rental tab, yet B&B's are stuck under a 2nd layer tab under hotels - an after thought...and yet the vactation rentals get a 2nd plug here as well.
These issues are just part of a list of issues that Jay @ PAii has been discussing with TA. His dedication to equalling the playing field and fighting for B&B's throughout the US is the reason I decided to join this year - adding to the numbers that stand behind him in this fight.

 

[JBloggs]

We will all gather back here in the late Fall and discuss, please. All of us who gave it a shot shall share our data on this subject. For me so far it is not a big resource for click throughs. But if I were in a touristy area, I would be more inclined to keep it.

 

[Banana]

It doesn't sound like the best place to put my money. Thanks for the input.

 

[egoodell]

We bought when it first came out and it's one of our top 4 referrers. I think it works well if you are a "destination" location .
Riki

 

[Matt]

It doesn't sound like the best place to put my money. Thanks for the input..

Just a thought:
I recently stumbled upon a site of a startup consulting company (looks very new) that is trying something that, to my knowledge, is a new strategy. Instead of paying for listings on trip advisor or simmilar sites, they will manage (on commision only) listings on all of the relatively new and hight traffic so called "reservations 2.0" sites like airbnb. I inquired and was fairly impressed. In the past I've been somewhat skeptical about these sorts of sites - but the risk seems very low, and those sites do seem to be gaining a fair amount of traction. The website was groundbnb.webs.com. I would love to know what you or anyone else thinks about it.

 

[Matt]

It doesn't sound like the best place to put my money. Thanks for the input..

J

 

[jonedwste]

It doesn't sound like the best place to put my money. Thanks for the input..

J
.

Is a 25% commission kind of steep? Also, I would be leery of a site that is built with a free website such as the one that is is built/hosted... Also, the fonts are weird.. Seems kindof amatuerly done.. Plus, reading the way it works... Someone inquires on a site, it is sent through them, to you(to check avail.), back to them, and books the room.. Will people wait this long to book a room(most want something NOW!) and that is why online avail./booking is so important these days. I'm in the U.S. and I have heard finding lodging in other countries can be quite difficult, maybe this is geared more towards the other countries?
Just my 2 cents...

 

[JBloggs]

Just a note - if you want to post a B&B resource, you may do so openly on this forum, put it under resources, not in a Trip Advisor thread. Then members here can comment accordingly instead of hijacking this thread.
Please read the forum FAQ's as well.

 

[egoodell]

It doesn't sound like the best place to put my money. Thanks for the input..

Just a thought:
I recently stumbled upon a site of a startup consulting company (looks very new) that is trying something that, to my knowledge, is a new strategy. Instead of paying for listings on trip advisor or simmilar sites, they will manage (on commision only) listings on all of the relatively new and hight traffic so called "reservations 2.0" sites like airbnb. I inquired and was fairly impressed. In the past I've been somewhat skeptical about these sorts of sites - but the risk seems very low, and those sites do seem to be gaining a fair amount of traction. The website was groundbnb.webs.com. I would love to know what you or anyone else thinks about it.
.

Just a thought:
I recently stumbled upon a site of a startup consulting company (looks very new) that is trying something that, to my knowledge, is a new strategy. Instead of paying for listings on trip advisor or simmilar sites, they will manage (on commision only) listings on all of the relatively new and hight traffic so called "reservations 2.0" sites like airbnb. I inquired and was fairly impressed. In the past I've been somewhat skeptical about these sorts of sites - but the risk seems very low, and those sites do seem to be gaining a fair amount of traction. The website was groundbnb.webs.com. I would love to know what you or anyone else thinks about it.

I would never do business with a consultant that touts AirBnB as a place to put my listing. That's a site where you see everything from renting a couch in some kid's apartment to a whole house. They don't mention the top billers where I DO want to be listed. It's a total waste of money. It would take you 5 minutes to list yourself on AirBnB.
RIki

 

[EmptyNest]

It doesn't sound like the best place to put my money. Thanks for the input..

Just a thought:
I recently stumbled upon a site of a startup consulting company (looks very new) that is trying something that, to my knowledge, is a new strategy. Instead of paying for listings on trip advisor or simmilar sites, they will manage (on commision only) listings on all of the relatively new and hight traffic so called "reservations 2.0" sites like airbnb. I inquired and was fairly impressed. In the past I've been somewhat skeptical about these sorts of sites - but the risk seems very low, and those sites do seem to be gaining a fair amount of traction. The website was groundbnb.webs.com. I would love to know what you or anyone else thinks about it.
.

The site looks kind of funky and why would you pay that kind of commission to a start up no one knows anything about. Sounds like a gimmick or a rip off to me. I stick with what I know and trust..not a fly by night I never heard of...trying to make money off of unsuspecting innkeepers. And like someone else said any one touting airbnb...forget about it. Not a high trust level here.
And Matt..who are you that we would do something like someone who has only joined us for the past 6 hours post??? Maybe the person who has started that site??? PUt it under resources if you want but don't high jack our thread on TA.

 

[Samster]

It doesn't sound like the best place to put my money. Thanks for the input..

Just a thought:
I recently stumbled upon a site of a startup consulting company (looks very new) that is trying something that, to my knowledge, is a new strategy. Instead of paying for listings on trip advisor or simmilar sites, they will manage (on commision only) listings on all of the relatively new and hight traffic so called "reservations 2.0" sites like airbnb. I inquired and was fairly impressed. In the past I've been somewhat skeptical about these sorts of sites - but the risk seems very low, and those sites do seem to be gaining a fair amount of traction. The website was groundbnb.webs.com. I would love to know what you or anyone else thinks about it.
.

Just a thought:
I recently stumbled upon a site of a startup consulting company (looks very new) that is trying something that, to my knowledge, is a new strategy. Instead of paying for listings on trip advisor or simmilar sites, they will manage (on commision only) listings on all of the relatively new and hight traffic so called "reservations 2.0" sites like airbnb. I inquired and was fairly impressed. In the past I've been somewhat skeptical about these sorts of sites - but the risk seems very low, and those sites do seem to be gaining a fair amount of traction. The website was groundbnb.webs.com. I would love to know what you or anyone else thinks about it.

I would never do business with a consultant that touts AirBnB as a place to put my listing. That's a site where you see everything from renting a couch in some kid's apartment to a whole house. They don't mention the top billers where I DO want to be listed. It's a total waste of money. It would take you 5 minutes to list yourself on AirBnB.
RIki
.

A friend of mine just went to CA and they used Air Bnb for some of their lodging (her boyfriend's idea). Arrived at one house where the homeowner's girlfriend didn't know that this arrangement was made and she was having some kind of shaman chanting retreat with some friends. It was evening and they had to negotiate to stay (unfamiliar with the area and other lodging alternatives, plus they had already paid the homeowner). The homeowner's girlfriend was convinced that their presence would change the whole energy of the gathering. They had to basically hide in their room and be quiet as church mice. They were supposed to have the run of the place. Not good........

 

[Morticia]

It doesn't sound like the best place to put my money. Thanks for the input..

Just a thought:
I recently stumbled upon a site of a startup consulting company (looks very new) that is trying something that, to my knowledge, is a new strategy. Instead of paying for listings on trip advisor or simmilar sites, they will manage (on commision only) listings on all of the relatively new and hight traffic so called "reservations 2.0" sites like airbnb. I inquired and was fairly impressed. In the past I've been somewhat skeptical about these sorts of sites - but the risk seems very low, and those sites do seem to be gaining a fair amount of traction. The website was groundbnb.webs.com. I would love to know what you or anyone else thinks about it.
.

Just a thought:
I recently stumbled upon a site of a startup consulting company (looks very new) that is trying something that, to my knowledge, is a new strategy. Instead of paying for listings on trip advisor or simmilar sites, they will manage (on commision only) listings on all of the relatively new and hight traffic so called "reservations 2.0" sites like airbnb. I inquired and was fairly impressed. In the past I've been somewhat skeptical about these sorts of sites - but the risk seems very low, and those sites do seem to be gaining a fair amount of traction. The website was groundbnb.webs.com. I would love to know what you or anyone else thinks about it.

I would never do business with a consultant that touts AirBnB as a place to put my listing. That's a site where you see everything from renting a couch in some kid's apartment to a whole house. They don't mention the top billers where I DO want to be listed. It's a total waste of money. It would take you 5 minutes to list yourself on AirBnB.
RIki
.

A friend of mine just went to CA and they used Air Bnb for some of their lodging (her boyfriend's idea). Arrived at one house where the homeowner's girlfriend didn't know that this arrangement was made and she was having some kind of shaman chanting retreat with some friends. It was evening and they had to negotiate to stay (unfamiliar with the area and other lodging alternatives, plus they had already paid the homeowner). The homeowner's girlfriend was convinced that their presence would change the whole energy of the gathering. They had to basically hide in their room and be quiet as church mice. They were supposed to have the run of the place. Not good........
.

It makes a really good story, tho! And you have to wonder how many other people they've pulled that trick on.

 

[Samster]

It doesn't sound like the best place to put my money. Thanks for the input..

Just a thought:
I recently stumbled upon a site of a startup consulting company (looks very new) that is trying something that, to my knowledge, is a new strategy. Instead of paying for listings on trip advisor or simmilar sites, they will manage (on commision only) listings on all of the relatively new and hight traffic so called "reservations 2.0" sites like airbnb. I inquired and was fairly impressed. In the past I've been somewhat skeptical about these sorts of sites - but the risk seems very low, and those sites do seem to be gaining a fair amount of traction. The website was groundbnb.webs.com. I would love to know what you or anyone else thinks about it.
.

Just a thought:
I recently stumbled upon a site of a startup consulting company (looks very new) that is trying something that, to my knowledge, is a new strategy. Instead of paying for listings on trip advisor or simmilar sites, they will manage (on commision only) listings on all of the relatively new and hight traffic so called "reservations 2.0" sites like airbnb. I inquired and was fairly impressed. In the past I've been somewhat skeptical about these sorts of sites - but the risk seems very low, and those sites do seem to be gaining a fair amount of traction. The website was groundbnb.webs.com. I would love to know what you or anyone else thinks about it.

I would never do business with a consultant that touts AirBnB as a place to put my listing. That's a site where you see everything from renting a couch in some kid's apartment to a whole house. They don't mention the top billers where I DO want to be listed. It's a total waste of money. It would take you 5 minutes to list yourself on AirBnB.
RIki
.

A friend of mine just went to CA and they used Air Bnb for some of their lodging (her boyfriend's idea). Arrived at one house where the homeowner's girlfriend didn't know that this arrangement was made and she was having some kind of shaman chanting retreat with some friends. It was evening and they had to negotiate to stay (unfamiliar with the area and other lodging alternatives, plus they had already paid the homeowner). The homeowner's girlfriend was convinced that their presence would change the whole energy of the gathering. They had to basically hide in their room and be quiet as church mice. They were supposed to have the run of the place. Not good........
.

It makes a really good story, tho! And you have to wonder how many other people they've pulled that trick on.
.

They didn't have to pay more money or anything. They just thought they'd have to go try and find somewhere else to stay.
It was the whole changing the energy of the chanting retreat thing that they had to talk their way through. My friend could laugh after the fact, but when you fly cross country and then drive an hour or so and are exhausted....it was weird. But, it does make a good story after the fact. She said there are more and she would never use that as a way to stay anywhere again.