3 ways to promote your Hotel on the Internet

These are some very basic ways to promote your web site, they may sound all too simple to some, but, we see way too few sites which use even these simple promotional methods.

Search Engine Basic knowledge

Misconceptions about search engine optimization are common. One of the most common is that once a site is built and submitted to the search engines, heavy traffic is on its way. Another is that when making a submission to each engine, a site will be registered immediately and will stay listed with that engine for as long as it is in operation. That's just not how it works... not even close!

What people need to know is that search engine optimization, which is actually the effective utilization of search engines to draw traffic to a Web site, is an art. It is an ongoing, continuously evolving, high maintenance process that includes the customization of a site for better search engine ranking.

Perhaps the most important -- and inexpensive -- strategy is to rank high for your preferred words on the main search engines in "organic" or "natural" searches (as opposed to paid ads). Search engines send robot "spiders" to index the content on your webpage, so let's begin with steps to prepare your webpages for optimal indexing. BUT FIRST, a web site needs to be compatible with search engine guidelines. Senseless flash elements, poor navigation schemes, lack of properly researched search tags, large photos and graphics, and poorly constructed text all contribute to poor search results.

Web Site Optimization

Fine-tune your home-page and focused-content pages by making minor adjustments to help them rank high. Websites such as www.alexa.com allows you to check your current ranking and compare your webpages against your top keyword competitors. I use it regularly.

www.statcounter.com is a free yet reliable invisible web tracker, highly configurable hit counter and real-time detailed web stats. Insert a simple piece of our code on your web page or blog and you will be able to analyse and monitor all the visitors to your website in real-time! Their free service is aimed at websites with 250,000 pageloads per month or less and offers lifetime summary stats and a detailed analysis of your last 500 pageloads. This service allows you not only to see where you website visitors come from but also details about your keywords and search engine success.

List your websites where your clients are

Start focusing on B2B websites where Agency Buyers from all over the world are purchasing. www.micepoint.com covers not only a worldwide semi - professional and professional organizers and buyers but as an open website can be used by any person browsing the internet.

These are the facts:

• Over 70% of corporate meeting planners search the internet for meeting planning

• MICEpoint helps professional Conference and Event Managers to find qualified meeting industry suppliers around the globe with an extensive, in-depth search.

• During the past 6 months more then 15'000 conference and event planners searched the MICEpoint Marketplace for suppliers such as Hotels and Convention and Exhibition Centres.

• Hotels listed on MICEpoint are directly contacted by meeting planners, your profile is completely visible to them, including all contact details and completely commission free!

Pay-per-click Advertising

Pay per click (PPC) is used on search engines, advertising networks, and content websites, such as blogs, where advertisers only pay when a user actually clicks on an advertisement to visit the advertisers' website. With search engines, advertisers typically bid on keyword phrases relevant to their target market. When a user types a keyword query matching an advertiser's keyword list, or views a webpage with relevant content, the advertisements may be displayed. Such advertisements are called sponsored links or sponsored ads, and appear adjacent to or above the "natural" or organic results on search engine results pages, or anywhere a webmaster or blogger chooses on a content page. Content websites commonly charge a fixed price for a click rather than use a bidding mechanism.

Although many PPC providers exist, Google AdWords, Yahoo! Search Marketing, and Microsoft adCenter are the largest network operators as of 2007.

These are some very basic ways to promote your web site, they may sound all too simple to some, but, we see way too few sites which use even these simple promotional methods. It all starts with an unprejudiced review of your site, promoting a poorly designed site, no matter how beautiful it may look, is foolish. 

Source: HotelNewsSource