How to Create a Top Performing B&B Website
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Copyright © 2014 Leonardo Worldwide Corporation Technical Difficulties? Contact Citrix GoToWebinar 1-800-263-6317 [email protected] om How to Create a Top Performing B&B Website October 15th, 2015 Darlene Rondeau, VP, Best Practices, Online Merchandising, Leonardo Bob Tubbs, Owner, Cedars Of Williamsburg Bed & Breakfast Mark Hayward, Former Innkeeper and Digital Marketing Expert Technical Difficulties? Contact Citrix GoToWebinar 1-800-263-6317 [email protected] om
Transcript of How to Create a Top Performing B&B Website
Copyright © 2014 Leonardo Worldwide Corporation
Technical Difficulties?Contact
Citrix GoToWebinar1-800-263-6317
How to Create a Top Performing B&B Website
October 15th, 2015
Darlene Rondeau, VP, Best Practices, Online Merchandising, LeonardoBob Tubbs, Owner, Cedars Of Williamsburg Bed & Breakfast Mark Hayward, Former Innkeeper and Digital Marketing Expert
Technical Difficulties?Contact
Citrix GoToWebinar1-800-263-6317
Darlene RondeauVice-President, Best Practices, Online MerchandisingLeonardo
@darlenerondeau
Follow:
@VFMLeonardo
Tweets & Questions:
#LeoWebinar
Bob TubbsOwnerCedars of Williamsburg Bed & Breakfast
@cedarsbandb
Mark HaywardFormer Innkeeper and Digital Marketing Expert
@markhayward
• 94% of people have abandoned a booking online
• ~47% of people shopping for B&Bs start their search through Google, Bing or Yahoo
Know This About Creating a Top Performing Website
#LeoWebinar
Bob TubbsOwnerCedars of Williamsburg Bed & Breakfast
@cedarsbandb
Grace & I are corporate escapees My hometown racquetball friends
always talked about owning a B&B They mentioned it one too many
times when Xerox was being particularly interesting!
I came home one night and she mentioned buying the Cedars
Now, I’m in charge as long as I do everything she tells me!
Why Own the Cedars B&B? Racquetball!
Cedars of Williamsburg Website Challenges - Before Search engine compatibility Platform formatting (smartphone,
tablet) Image size restrictions Social media limitations Needed a new platform to
address challenges and pave the way for future technological changes
Cedars of Williamsburg - After Multi-channel, multi-platform Platform integration & positive
branding is vital Incorporate strategic technology
infrastructures to engage third-party travel sites is absolutely critical (Travelocity, Orbitz, etc.)
Strategic business & marketing planning helps focus your message
First Impressions Count
Invest in good
marketing materials
Help your guests experience what
your location offers
Promote the area
with content
Guest reviews are
integral
Ask for feedback
and address concerns
Consistent and highly positive feedback from guests
12-15% increase in traffic
Record year in revenue
Early Results: June – September 2015
Tips & Recommendations Find the right technology partners to help guide you
Invest in multi-platform solutions
Plan your strategy, determine an appropriate budget and execute
Monitor regularly to see what is working and be ready to shift emphasis based on what you see
Persevere!
Mark HaywardFormer Innkeeper and Digital Marketing Expert
@markhayward
Pursued my dream to own a B&B in the Caribbean
No marketing or hospitality experience
No bookings, no cash flow, and no real online presence
Nobody knew we existed (except my mom)
Needed to meet large monthly mortgage
My B&B Story
Top 5 Goals I Wanted to Achieve
Direct Bookings Guest Engagement
Revenue A Better Web Presence
Receive Great Reviews
My Marketing Strategy
Create my own website
Learn everything about web marketing
Start blogging
Respond to all reviews
Get active on social media
Website design and development Search engine optimization 24/7 technical support Optimization across all devices Security Copywriting Promotions, specials, TripAdvisor reviews Booking engine integration
What I Didn’t Know About Web Marketing
Search engine optimization Web & mobile experiences are the same Loads quickly Visual first to really grab attention Navigation easy to use and figure out Descriptive text Frictionless booking options Knowing your target guest
Website Best Practices
The Big Picture: My Results
Ranked on the front page of Google
Featured in travel magazines and newspapers
Direct bookings increased
exponentially
Maintained a Top TripAdvisor ranking
for five years
Key Takeaways
#LeoWebinar
Learning and staying current pays off
Stories happen locally; it’s more than just your
property
Consumers want assurances that their choice
is the best one for them
About Leonardo
Invitations to upcoming webinars
Recording of this webinar Share it with your
colleagues
It’s a Wrap
Connect With Us!
leonardo.com1.877.593.6634@VFMLeonardo blog.leonardo.com
[email protected]@markhayward
[email protected]@cedarsbandb
Mark Hayward Bob Tubbs
