| As I sit thinking about "spring cleaning" my house, I | | | | brand you should know your "friendly url" that has |
| realize that it is that time again for e-marketers to | | | | been assigned to you by the Brand. This makes your |
| start thinking about a "spring cleaning" their websites | | | | website address pointing to your brand page a simple |
| for the coming high travel season.Believe it or not the | | | | address as opposed to typing in a lengthy cryptic |
| first quarter of 2006 is almost over. Many hoteliers I | | | | URL. As a branded hotel, make sure you have taken |
| spoke to had high ambitions for increasing their online | | | | advantage of all of the new optimization |
| reservations this year and have now found | | | | improvements as mentioned in "Is the Brand helping |
| themselves at the same place they were at the | | | | you with your Internet Strategy, " you have |
| start of the year. It's time to take a hard look at | | | | freshened up your content, you have optimized your |
| your website and online marketing campaigns and | | | | tags for Google and Yahoo, so now do you just sit |
| evaluate if they have met your expectations so far | | | | around and wait for the summer travel season to |
| this year?Now you just can't blame lack of activity | | | | hit? No -now you must take action. If you have |
| on your site, or the low season, or Google and its | | | | some interesting vacation programs available or |
| algorithms...you have to take responsibility for | | | | festival season in your area is starting, why not use |
| continually improving and optimizing your website. Ask | | | | content syndication to attract more customers to |
| yourself what have you done this first quarter to | | | | your clean freshly updated site.Building on your search |
| improve not only traffic but conversions on your | | | | engine optimization efforts, you might consider |
| website?Let's look at content first. Everyone loves | | | | focusing some efforts on less traditional forms of |
| fresh content; search engines love it as well as | | | | advertising to move your message to the |
| consumers. When was the last time you updated | | | | masses...the new "word of mouth" - online press |
| your website message? Are you providing a reason | | | | releases, articles, RSS Feeds and Blogs. If done |
| for customers to return often to your site? Hoteliers | | | | correctly, you can move your website content very |
| with only a Brand site are the worst offenders. Too | | | | quickly to the top of the natural search results for |
| many brand owners feel once they have filled in their | | | | the keywords that you are looking to be found for in |
| hotel information form, that they can cross that item | | | | your market. Remember, the search for the perfect |
| off the to-do list and wait for the brand to do the | | | | summer vacation is about to begin, will your travel |
| rest.As the season begins to change and travelers | | | | product be found?Not unlike your own "spring |
| begin their summer vacation research, what message | | | | cleaning" take some time this season to clean up the |
| can you provide that will make you stand out in this | | | | junk, put it on the curb and while you are waiting for |
| highly competitive season? Have you looked at your | | | | trash pick up, go out and get yourself a 'Spring |
| competitors sites lately? Like a clothing store, do | | | | Website Makeover!"###Patricia Brusha is the |
| they have the new "spring fashions" on the rack | | | | co-founder of "A Couple of Chicks," an Internet |
| while you are still showcasing your winter getaway? | | | | Marketing, e-Distribution & Revenue Measurement |
| If you have your own website it is imperative you | | | | Company. The "Chicks" specialize in using Creative, |
| keep your content fresh.What else can you do to | | | | Distribution and Technology to bring clarity to |
| drive new customers to your site? First, if you are a | | | | marketing on-line. |