Does Your Website Suffer from Neglect?
Mary Bowling | 12 May 2006 |
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Because more and more people make more and more online bookings everyday, a good hotel, resort, or bed and breakfast inn website is strategically important in the travel industry. It is your hardest-working lead generation tool, a tireless salesman who’s on the job for you 24 hours a day, seven days a week, throughout the world. Your travel destination website is also your online storefront, where visitors receive their first impression of your property.
Internet shoppers tend to judge you and your property by your website. If it gives them the feeling that it’s not very well taken care of, they will think that your property is just as neglected, and will have no desire to consider it when making travel plans. Therefore, it is critical to monitor your lodging website regularly.
What are some of the signs of website neglect that you must avoid?
- Broken links that go no where at all
- Links that return error pages
- Links that go to outdated information
- Outdated specials and offers
- Events that have already past or news that isn’t new anymore
- Broken images that do not display properly
- Navigation that doesn’t work or doesn’t work properly
To avoid website neglect, you should check your website at least once a month. Make certain that it doesn’t give visitors the impression of a property with unmown grass, peeling paint, and potholes in the parking lot. When you discover a problem, have it taken care of immediately. As tedious as this may seem, it will give you a competetive edge in your travel marketplace.
It is also important to keep your hospitality website looking fresh to visitors. Some of the most obvious signs that you are not devoting enough attention to your website are:
- Old copyright information (year) on the pages
- Outdated graphic designs and color schemes
- Inconsistency of appearance and navigation throughout the site
Your website is extremely important to your hospitality business. You have a lot invested in it, and it can do a lot for you, so please take care it!
Mary Bowling - Blizzard Internet Marketing, Inc.
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May 12th, 2006 at 4:15 pm
Great Article Mary!
Dont forget those event calendars. If you have it, use it. If you dont use it, get rid of it.
An empty event calendar shows a visitor that you dont take the time to give them the info they need to have a great time while staying with you. This can be a great resource if used property. Put up a special week-long event on the calendar and link to your specials page, where you feature a package that includes event tickets and lodging.