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