Google is the most dominant player when it comes to the Internet, but it is definitely not the only game in town. This is especially true when discussing search engine optimization and conversion rates.

There are many factors to optimizing and converting successfully that are not related to Google.  To learn more about this concept, John Knox, RezStream’s new Director of Internet Services, will be presenting a highly informational workshop about this topic at the 2010 PAII Convention & Trade Show, featured this year in Austin, Texas.

Be sure to attend his presentation on Wednesday, March 10th…

RezStream’s design department is eager to share helpful tips about how to get the most out of your website.  Our main topic this week is CSS (cascading style sheets) website designs.  While the benefits of CSS driven websites are undeniable, those advantages are not always clearly understood.  Let’s explore the key benefits of updating your website to a CSS driven one, which loads faster, is visually more appealing, and is more efficient for the search engines.

What is CSS?

CSS or “cascading style sheets” is the preferred web design method for a variety of reasons.  CSS is used…

Do you wonder if your pay per click (PPC) advertising is worth the money spent? Do you struggle to understand what the results of your PPC campaigns mean?  Having a professionally managed pay per click program will save advertising budget dollars and make you more online bookings.  With the many options available through Google, Yahoo, Bing and other PPC platforms, RezStream’s Internet marketing professionals can take your PPC campaigns to the next, higher-income producing level.

RezStream Internet marketing specialists:

• Lower your cost per click
• Maximize your online bookings
• Conduct competitor research (bidding, keywords and more)
• Use keyword research…

There are many simple strategies you can use to increase your online revenue.  RezStream helps by sharing ten easy and effective ways to make this happen.  We will publish the first five tips this week and follow up next month with five more sure-fire ways to increase your online reservations.

1.  Improve Your Website Design:  Never underestimate the importance of “on page” design elements.  It is a known fact that people look at several websites before they purchase.  How does your website compare to your competitors? The answer to this question could be worth hundreds of thousands…

RezStream has just returned from a successful session at the California Association of Bed & Breakfast Innkeepers (CABBI) conference and trade show in Napa, California.  Currently, RezStream is preparing to head back out on the road to attend the Professional Association of Innkeepers International 2010 Annual Conference and Trade Show. This year’s four-day event will be held at the Renaissance in Austin, Texas from March 8th through March 11th.

The PAII gathering attracts professional and aspiring innkeepers from around the country, who are interested in the innkeeping business or eager to learn…

TripAdvisor issues their annual Travelers’ Choice Awards based on reviews that they receive by millions of people. TripAdvisor has become the world’s largest travel community and for that reason, many people turn to TripAdvisor for advice before booking travel online. Today, travelers are trusting reviews more than property websites when deciding where to stay. As such, TripAdvisor has become tremendously influential. To receive a Travelers’ Choice Award is a huge honor. There is also a “Dirtiest Hotel” list, which is a crushing blow to a company’s reputation!

One of RezStream’s clients, Dunton Hot Springs, located in an idyllic setting…

Anticipated by many, TripAdvisor has now made it possible for businesses to enhance their business listings on the TripAdvisor site. This added functionality offers properties the opportunity to add important information about their business including phone number, email address and a direct link to the property website from their TripAdvisor page. To entice businesses to sign up for this new service, TripAdvisor has discounted the annual rate by 50% for customers who sign up by February 2010. 

For businesses that choose to make this wise marketing investment, it is then prudent to maintain high standards at your property…

With Thousands of Directories Available - Which Ones Do You Choose?

There are virtually thousands of places to purchase links online. Without careful consideration, a hotel, bed and breakfast, inn, resort, or property management company could spend their entire marketing budget on these resources alone. However, you must remember that there are other more important channels to consider like pay per click, search engine optimization (SEO), blogs, and website design.  A balanced marketing budget, which includes using paid links, is the best way to ensure the…

There has been recent criticism of the Select Registry/SynXis partnership, an alliance that will enable Select Registry to offer online reservations on their website and SynXis to provide optional Global Distribution System (GDS) reservation services to Select Registry members. 

RezStream believes that some of this criticism is misleading and biased.

The agreement between Select Registry and SynXis does not require any Select Registry member to exclusively use SynXis as their online booking engine; nor does the agreement mandate that Select Registry members sign up for the optional SynXis GDS services or use the SynXis booking engine on their…

Your website is an important component in the success of your business and choosing a professional website management company is equally as important to ensure your website’s income-earning success. Websites not correctly managed by an amateur company could end up causing a negative impact on your target customers, which makes your website a less effective business tool. With many do-it-yourself website development software options available these days, it may appear a simple task to run your own website. While these options are tempting, you run the risk of making your website appearance and functionality far less successful than if you…