| There's a Fifth Element to building online | | | | them all.How many trusted, on theme, relevant |
| revenues from your hotel web site, and | | | | links with the right words in the anchor text |
| without it you will never appear on page one | | | | (getting the hang of this now?) do you need |
| of Google, Yahoo or MSN for the highest | | | | to march your web pages up the rankings? |
| volume search terms...a Fifth you say? And | | | | Whilst it does depend on how competitive your |
| the first Four Elements are?Well, the first | | | | keywords are, about 30 links recognised by |
| Four Elements are: a search-engine-friendly | | | | Google, and 600 on Yahoo and MSN will |
| technical site structure, rich original | | | | suffice...and adding about 100 a month means |
| content, appealing design and conversion | | | | six months work and a lot of patience, |
| techniques focussed on converting lookers to | | | | although you will start to see results within |
| bookers...but even if you get these first | | | | a few weeks. And please don't try to add 600 |
| four completely right, and you can, you still | | | | links in a week (or sign up for those "1000 |
| won't appear on page one of Google, Yahoo or | | | | links for $19.95 in a week" services); the |
| MSN for high traffic generating search terms. | | | | Search Engines are smart enough to know the |
| Highly frustrating I know - been there, done | | | | difference between reasonable, "natural" link |
| that, got the t-shirt; this is the answer you | | | | growth (some acceleration is acceptable) and |
| have been looking for...The Fifth Element has | | | | web sites that are trying to fudge the |
| nothing to do with anything actually on you | | | | results and compensate for that.So, how do |
| hotel web site; the Fifth Element involves | | | | you go about building more Inbound Links? |
| actively building more Inbound Links to your | | | | Here are three simple, easy methods to start |
| web site from other web sites. In the | | | | with:talk to you suppliers and ask them to |
| simplest of terms, a Search Engine sees a | | | | link to your web site...your suppliers web |
| link to your web site as being like a vote of | | | | sites are likely to be on theme (they supply |
| confidence in your web site. Search Engines | | | | your industry), somewhat "trusted" (don't we |
| believe that if other websites are linking to | | | | all trust our suppliers) and will more than |
| your web pages, you must have something good | | | | likely be happy to phrase the link text |
| to link to and they will rate the page being | | | | exactly the way you want (and if you add this |
| linked to positively.Search Engine robots or | | | | request into your final negotiations it is |
| spiders continuously travel virally from web | | | | difficult for them to say no)encourage your |
| site to web site following links like an | | | | Conference and Events team to ask their |
| enormous daisy chain; in fact Search Engines | | | | clients to link to your hotel web site, that |
| initially discover your web site via a link | | | | is, the venue for their upcoming conference, |
| from another web site. Once your hotel web | | | | event or meeting...not so strong on theme but |
| site has been found, each page of your site | | | | usually they are trusted corporate or |
| is then ranked by Search Engines based on a | | | | association sites and again, if you supply |
| complex set of criteria known as an | | | | them with the link and anchor text, there's a |
| algorithm; a piece of computer code that | | | | pretty good chance that they will simply add |
| takes into consideration on-site and off-site | | | | the link verbatimtalk to your local partners, |
| factors collected by the robots or spiders. | | | | attractions and neighbours and ask them to |
| Data is then assembled, collated and | | | | link to you...they will be on theme |
| evaluated in order to come up with a Page | | | | (destination), relevant etc etcYou may be |
| Score or Rank. This is how a search engine | | | | asked to provide a link back, and that is |
| determines which sites to present when | | | | fine, but the preferred result is a "one way |
| someone types in "Hong Kong hotel with | | | | link" to your pages. In simple terms "links |
| harbour view" or "New York five star lodging | | | | in" minus "links out" gives you a net link |
| near Wall Street".All things being equal, | | | | value from the Search Engines (in reality its |
| when two hotel web sites have similar | | | | more complex than that).Naturally, there is a |
| structure and content, the site with the best | | | | lot more to building more Inbound Links...we |
| links will be served up first. Note that I | | | | haven't touched on submitting to web |
| wrote "best links" not "most links". Some | | | | directories, outbound links to trusted sites, |
| time ago, a site with the "most links" would | | | | reciprocal links, link exchanges, buying |
| have won out, however, although Search | | | | links, renting links...in highly competitive |
| Engines may be blind to images, they are not | | | | online markets you may need to use all of |
| blind to webmasters manipulating their | | | | these tools and more.Oh, and sorry, but there |
| algorithms. They are continuously fine tuning | | | | IS a Sixth Element to consider as you work |
| their spiders to exclude web sites that | | | | your way up to page one on Google for your |
| attempt to "fudge" their results. Remember | | | | main keywords...patience. You just can't |
| that a Search Engine's prime function is to | | | | hurry along the Search Engines. The same way |
| deliver highly relevant results, not some | | | | that the very best chefs know that you need |
| mysterious pharmaceutical products when you | | | | time and patience to create a culinary |
| are searching for that "boutique London hotel | | | | masterpiece, so you will need time and |
| near Knightsbridge".Search Engines today take | | | | patience to work your web site up to page one |
| into consideration several additional factors | | | | for your optimum search terms. There is no |
| when rating Inbound Links to your site:the | | | | "quick fix" and anyone who promises to |
| reputation or "Trust" value of sites linking | | | | achieve "a page one listing for high volume |
| to your hotel web sitethe Theme or Relevance | | | | keywords in a month for $49.95" is a |
| of sites linking to youthe "Anchor Text" (the | | | | liar.Yes, short term results can be achieved |
| words that the link is embedded within) in | | | | through certain "black hat" techniques and I |
| links to your siteTrust - for example, a link | | | | know a lot of them...but the risk of having |
| from a government tourism site is highly | | | | your web site banned from Google, Yahoo or |
| trusted by Search Engines, is "on theme" and | | | | MSN, is just too great. Remember, if it |
| will most likely have anchor text including | | | | sounds too good to be true, it probably is. |
| your hotel name (and "destination + hotel" if | | | | The Search Engines employ some of the |
| you have been e-smart or have read ahead). | | | | smartest software engineers on the planet and |
| Theme or Relevance - a link from a | | | | they are light years ahead of anything you |
| destination guide web site that may also list | | | | could think up to fool them.Starting today, |
| other hotels in your region is "on theme"; a | | | | now, put into practice the simple methods I |
| link from your local scout troop site is of | | | | have outlined above to build relevant, |
| little value; not "no value" but little | | | | theme-based links with the right anchor |
| value.Anchor Text - this is now so critical | | | | text...and watch as your web site starts |
| in maximising your site's appearance at the | | | | heading North over the following few weeks |
| top of the Search Engines Results Pages | | | | and months. Assuming you have the first Four |
| (SERP's) that we recommend that, for online | | | | Elements in place, the results of |
| purposes, that you include your destination | | | | implementing your own Fifth Element, an |
| in your official property name eg The | | | | effective Inbound Link building program, will |
| Stafford "Paris Hotel". The terms | | | | be rapidly growing visitor traffic to your |
| "destination + hotel" are usually among the | | | | web site, increasing online revenues and |
| major search terms that online searchers use | | | | growth in RevPOV (Revenue Per Online Visit). |
| for locating their accommodation options. The | | | | And don't forget to add in that elusive Sixth |
| result of this is that links to your site | | | | Element, a little time and patience. Or you |
| embedded in you property name will also, | | | | could just contact us at Hotel Marketing |
| almost always, have "destination + hotel" in | | | | Workshop ( be very happy to assist.- ENDS |
| the anchor text. Having your keywords in the | | | | -Keith Paulin is the General Manager of |
| anchor text in links to your web site will | | | | Hotel Marketing Workshop. Keith has worked in |
| help you climb up to page one on the Search | | | | senior marketing roles within the hotel |
| Engines.There are already some links to your | | | | industry (Hilton, Regent, Hyatt, Accor) and |
| site from other web sites, you just don't | | | | in other industries (HP, Lion Nathan, Shell) |
| know who and how many. Helpfully, the Search | | | | and holds degrees in Marketing and Business |
| Engines can tell you how many links there are | | | | Management. Hotel Marketing Workshop works |
| currently to your site and from which sites. | | | | with chain and independent hotels, large and |
| Go to Yahoo and type in linkdomain: | | | | small, delivering tactical, practical hotel |
| (replacing with your own URL) and hit the | | | | e-marketing strategies that work and they |
| Search button. Now, before you get all | | | | assist with expert implementation. Keith has |
| excited, do the same on Google...using the | | | | a deep interest in the world of e-commerce, |
| slightly different command link: ...and you | | | | Search Engine Optimisation and Search Engine |
| will see a much smaller number. Each of the | | | | Marketing and a clear track record in |
| Search Engines evaluates and counts links | | | | producing growth in RevPOV (Revenue Per |
| differently and Google is the fussiest of | | | | Online Visit) for hotel clients. |