Exciting news for all the FlipKey users out there: Google Local has added FlipKey as a data source for consumer reviews.  Vacation Rental Managers who use FlipKey will see an immediate boost.  A boost probably in rankings, but more importantly in traffic and bookings, as consumers are drawn to reviews like moths to flame.  At Blizzard Internet, we agree that Google Local 10-box (that shows up in organic search results)  is quite significant and represents bunches of qualified traffic each month.

Here is an example from Destin, a major Florida market.  The companies with FlipKey reviews are highlighted in yellow.

This news follows a major update back in February when we saw FlipKey’s reviews show up in Tripadvisor.  (more…)

Google is getting ready to roll out a new infrastructure and algorithm update – but don’t freak out, it’s a good thing!

We have been testing during the last month along with other developers, and thus far the studies have shown upgrades including:

• The Local Business Map results (the “10 box”) has been cleaned up. There are fewer duplicate results and there aren’t as many spammy titles so it’s visually appealing.
• Results are served up at a supersonic speed – 0.22 seconds compared to 0.27 in the old version. So hold on!
• Fewer results are served up, so irrelevant sites and non trustworthy sites are thought to be excluded.

Why the upgrade?
The chatter is that this upgrade is in response to Bing, and a few improvements were needed anyway.

So what about Bing?
When tested against Bing, Google is still faster and offers sites that are relevant to the search; and like the hokey pokey, that’s what it’s all about.  Bing is positing itself as a “decision engine” and using it means that you will avoid “search overload.” However, I agree with John Ellis, Senior Online Marketing Manager, it’s not about the destination, it’s the journey.

What does this mean for you?
We anticipate that Blizzard Internet clients won’t see a big difference in rankings because Google will be further rewarding websites that have been utilizing best SEO practices.

Test it for yourself here – http://www2.SandBox.Google.com

Make sure to also check out Trent’s related article – Up and Coming Search Ranking Factors

In conjunction with our year-long seminar series, Blizzard Internet Marketing, Inc. announced it will conduct a one-day, hands-on Internet marketing workshop titled All About Google on September 10, 2009 in Denver, Colorado.

This full-day workshop is designed to educate property and marketing managers how to better use Google to increase traffic and revenue using industry best-practice techniques.

Attendees will learn:

• Industry research about search engines
• How Google works
• Tools for keyword research
• How to optimize their website
• How to build powerful referral links
• Tools for tracking results
• Tools for spying on your competitors

Blizzard’s seminar series is taught by Trent Blizzard, President and co-founder of Blizzard Internet Marketing, Inc., a Glenwood Springs, Colorado-based company and leading provider of Internet marketing and website design services for the lodging, hospitality, travel & tourism industry.

Details:
(more…)

Carrie Hill of Blizzard Internet Marketing selected to present at the West Coast’s largest search engine convention.

For the past 11 years, Silicon Valley has welcomed the world’s foremost experts in search to the Search Engines Strategies Convention. This year Blizzard Internet Marketing’s Director of Search Strategies, Carrie Hill, has been chosen to sit on an elite panel to offer tips for travel marketing in today’s economy on August 12, 2009.

Experts in this session, called Four Paths to Success in a Tough Travel Economy, will focus on 4 key areas of search marketing including: Organic, Paid, Social, and Local/Mobile.

Carrie says that this panel will “focus on how to get the most out of a limited budget or a budget that has been cut drastically.  Three years ago this never would have been a topic – I think it’s a testament to how SES is willing to roll with the times and deliver content focused on what marketers are looking for today, not three years ago.”

This is the 3rd year that Carrie Hill has been invited to join representatives from other top performing companies on a SES San Jose panel.

Travel marketers should not miss this SES session, Carrie adds that “each speaker is going to concentrate on one aspect of search, from organic to paid and social to Local and Mobile.  We’re also going to have Roger Wong from Bing Travel talk to us about how their product has been updated and refined to really serve the travel consumer.”

During the past couple of years, the economy has been a focus of the Search Engine Strategies Conference. Each session this year will present smart new strategies for moving forward in today’s market and getting the most out of a limited budget.

The 5 day convention will include over 70 sessions, hands-on workshops, highly anticipated keynotes and over 150 exhibitors.

(more…)

The Times has published a list of the five most expensive hotels in the world.  The top was the Hotel Martinez in Cannes, France at $37,000 per night.  Ouch.

Here is what $37,000 gets you:

Situated on the famous seafront boulevard, the “Croisette”, Hotel Martinez (pictured above) boasts a Michelin starred restaurant, piano bar and “vast” private beach. Not that you will need to mix with the hoi-polloi if you book the luxurious and very expensive Penthouse Suite. You’ll have a sitting room, dining room, two bedrooms, two bathrooms with hammam, shower, a spa bath, dressing room and sauna at your disposal as well as a huge terrace that overlooks the sea. Can I move in please?

The Four Seasons Hotel penthouse suite in New York City was the only US hotel to make the list.  I think the 10 Weirdest Hotels in the World is more my style!

This is guest post from Ben Johnson of Logoinn, custom logo design service provider based in UK.  It is timely for us here at Blizzard because we have been actively working to redesign our logo:

Clicking on this link is an indication that you are doubtful of your logo. Don’t fret! Time and again, many organizations have realized that their logos have become stale and out dated.  They realize that a logo is the foundation for any business and if there is something wrong with the foundation, disastrous could be the consequences. We all have different tastes and preferences for designs, colors, flavors and so forth. So, naturally when it comes to selecting a logo, business owners would choose the ones which suit their personal tastes. I see nothing wrong with that, in fact, to an extent I believe that following this route results in logo designs, which are truly a representation of their moods, people, and culture of their company.

Hmm! Now that’s quite understandable, however there are still, certain guidelines and criteria that every logo design should comply to. What are those guidelines, we’ll tell you because we don’t want your logo to fall into the category of logos that suck! If your logo already does not comply with these guidelines, you can consider a redesign. Your logo:

1. Should be describable
2. Should be memorable
3. Should be scalable
4. Should depict your company
5. Should be unique

Your Logo sucks if:

Business owners can analyze if their logos fall under the category of bad logos.

It is not describable

You need to ask yourself whether your logo is describable or is it ambiguous. Is it communicating any tangible brand attribute or not? Many companies struggle in describing their logos and their connection with the company’s goals and objectives due to a weak or vague logo that portrays a different image than what the company is actually about. In this case, no slogan line, any suggestive image, or color element help much.

It is not logo memorable (more…)

Looking for some tips on recession busting?

This powerpoint is for today’s webinar.

Here are some other resources you may want to check out for ideas or inspiration:

The 10 Most Ingenious Travel Offers

Travelers Find it Pays to Wait for Late Deals

Peter Yesawich’s March 2009 Insights on Travel Trends

Online Hotel Marketing Tips for a Recession