Soliciting TripAdvisor votes - does the end justify the means?

Release Date: Mar 01, 2008

Social networking websites that allow an individual to share their views on any number of topics has become overwhelmingly popular.  The hospitality industry is not immune to this trend.  One of the most well known online review websites for the hospitality industry is TripAdvisor.  In this month’s Myth Buster we will focus on TripAdvisor campaigning and the falsehood that soliciting…

All e-mail marketing campaigns are the same?

Release Date: Feb 01, 2008

There is a very fine line between successful e-mail campaigns and unsuccessful ones. One of the common myths about e-mail marketing campaigns is that it is easy to create winning e-mail offers. In this month’s Myth Buster we will focus on how to create effective e-mail promotions and the importance of creating offers you can track and analyze. One mistake…

The design of your website is a visual masterpiece, but is it search engine friendly?

Release Date: Jan 01, 2008

The visual aesthetics of a website are equally important to the fundamental code that renders the graphics and content behind it. Websites require Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) documents to display content (i.e. photos, information, movies, etc.) in a web browser. The documents are comprised of a mix of HTML content to be shared and other presentational markup (i.e. code). Search…

All property management software systems are the same.

Release Date: Dec 01, 2007

One of the common myths about property management software (PMS) systems is that they are all the same or that they all perform similar functions. This assumption is false in a number of ways. Each property management system has strengths and weaknesses. Software engineers, who may or may not understand the needs of the market they are designing the systems…

If you’re not on the leading edge of Web 2.0, you are falling behind.

Release Date: Nov 01, 2007

In this month’s Myth Buster, RezNEWS will highlight the important components of a successful Internet marketing strategy and dispel the myth that Web 2.0 has to be a primary focus in order to achieve your promotion goals.  It’s hard not to notice the numerous articles written about the role of Web 2.0 as it relates to the travel industry and…

All online booking engines are the same.

Release Date: Oct 01, 2007

One of the common myths about online booking engines is that they are all the same or that they all convert at the same rate. This assumption is false in a number of ways. With more and more people securing reservations online (as many as 37-38% of all hotel reservations will be made online in 2008), it becomes clear that…

You don’t need statistical/revenue tracking on your website for a successful online marketing plan.

Release Date: Sep 01, 2007

I am always amazed at how many property managers have a website and online marketing plan in place but are not tracking visitor behavior or revenue from their website. Although I have not readily heard people say they don’t need a website tracker, the logical conclusion due to how often tracking systems are not utilized is that managers either feel…

Your lodging property should focus on traditional advertising media like print and radio…

Release Date: Aug 01, 2007
Your lodging property should focus on traditional advertising media like print and radio advertisements as opposed to modes of online marketing and promotion.

Traditional advertising media is commonly considered to be in the form of television, radio, print, and billboard advertisements.  Historically, companies have spent substantial portions of their advertising and marketing budgets concentrated in these four mediums under the…

The number of pages and content on your website do not matter.

Release Date: Jul 01, 2007

It has been said that people do not read the text nor spend time exploring the different pages of a website. They skim, look at the pictures, and move on. So why bother adding content and additional pages to your website? While it is debatable whether or not people are reading the text on your site, there is no argument…

Pay per click (PPC) is not an important part of an Internet marketing strategy…

Release Date: Jun 01, 2007

Pay per click (PPC) is not an important part of an Internet marketing strategy and the focus should be on organic/free listings. A common uncertainty clients or potential clients express is whether or not there is a need to participate in PPC marketing programs like the ones offered by Yahoo and Google.  The argument against PPC marketing is usually one…