RezStream | Blog

RezStream is Closed Due to Major Denver Blizzard

2012-02-03T13:34:12+00:00

Denver is experiencing severe blizzard conditions. As a result, the office is going to be closed on Friday, February 3rd. We will still provide support services for emergency situations. RezStream will reopen for busines during regular business hours on Monday, February 6, 2012 at 8 AM MST.

We apologize for any inconvenience as a result of these severe weather conditions.

Thank you,

The RezStream Team

Using Your Eyes to Control Your Computer

2012-01-05T20:10:09+00:00

A Swedish company named Tobii has been developing a way for users to control their laptops and desktop computers with their eyes. Within a couple of years, this fuctionality will be available to the general public.

How does it work?

Illuminators at the bottom of the computer screen send invisible light to your eyes. Sensors allow the device to know where you are looking.

What are some of the key features?

When you read a page, it will automatically scroll down as fast as you read.
You can glance between different emails as quickly as your eyes can move.
You can even play video games!

What does this mean for travel industry-related website design?

Should the demand for mouse-free navigating take off, it would be wise to be ready in advance to add this feature to your website… Continue Reading

Join RezStream at CABBI’s 2012 InnSpire Conference and Trade Show January 22-24th, 2012

2011-12-29T21:58:08+00:00

RezStream continues its national trade show tour at the California Association of Bed & Breakfast Inns Annual InnSpire Conference. This year’s event is scheduled to take place at the Holiday Inn Capital Plaza in Sacramento, CA from Sunday, January 22nd to Tuesday, January 24th, 2012.

As an industry leader in hospitality solutions, RezStream is excited to return to CABBI's annual event to reconnect with existing clients and forge relationships with new customers. In addition, Katie White, RezStream's Internet Marketing Department Manager, will present "Your Competitors' Internet Strategies Revealed." We invite you to attend this informative and engaging seminar on Monday, January 23rd, from 9:15am-10:30am.

If you haven't done so already, you can still register for the January conference on the CABBI website at… Continue Reading

Join RezStream, a PAII Platinum Sponsor, at the 2012 Innkeeping Conference and Trade Show

2011-12-27T18:12:20+00:00

RezStream continues its national tour at the 2012 PAII Innkeeping Conference & Trade Show. This year's event is scheduled to take place at The Peabody Hotel in Little Rock, Arkansas from January 23rd through 26th.

As an industry leader in hospitality solutions, RezStream is excited to participate at the 2012 PAII Innkeeping Show to reconnect with existing clients and forge relationships with new customers. In addition, Bill Mitchell, RezStream's Chief Operating Officer and an industry expert, will present two timely and exclusive workshops. On Tuesday, January 24th, from 4:20pm-5:30pm, Bill will be presenting "Google+, Facebook or Both?", an in-depth look into the different social marketing powerhouses and their impact on your digital marketing efforts. If you are looking for even more honest and unbiased information about digital marketing strategies, we encourage you to… Continue Reading

Template Websites & Easy Fixes

2011-11-28T20:03:53+00:00

Those who seek easy solutions to Internet marketing are destined to suffer the consequences.

We live in a society that regularly relies on quick fixes and easy solutions. If we have heartburn, it’s easy to just take a pill. Can’t sleep? There are pills for that. Overweight? Take another pill. Not eating right? Take more pills. No matter what the problem is, we repeatedly seek a simple solution. When it comes to Internet marketing, we often look for the easy way to make more money.

How we access the Internet is changing so rapidly. As we enter the post PC era (smart phones and tablet devices are exploding in popularity), Internet marketing strategies are also shifting. Many smaller hospitality businesses are looking for “easy” solutions to their complex online marketing needs. Unfortunately, “one size fits all” marketing solutions (in the form of template websites) almost always come… Continue Reading

RezStream’s TOP FIVE Reasons to Go Mobile!

2011-11-18T21:19:25+00:00

Surely you have heard the buzz about mobile websites & mobile marketing. Is this just a trend? Will integrating these mobile elements really help your business? Do my customers actually use mobile? These are questions many business owners currently face regarding the exploding mobile movement.

In this article, RezStream will discuss its TOP FIVE reasons to “Go Mobile.”

Mobile demand is UNTAPPED. Did you realize that 77% of the world’s population has a mobile device? Everyday more people are using smartphones to find local businesses, compare products, and make purchase decisions. Not only are mobile users purchasing online, but they also spend more. Within five years, mobile web will overtake the regular web as the most popular way to access the Internet. Having a strategy now just makes smart business sense. Statistics show there are 4 times as many mobile phones to computers in the… Continue Reading

Google+ Business Listing

2011-11-08T18:08:51+00:00

Google+ now offers business pages. If you do not have one--you need to get one. RezStream can help!

Call us at 303.872.0220 for help getting your Google+ business listing. We can also help integrate the Google +1 button throughout your website.
Continue Reading

Going Mobile with Google Mobile PPC

2011-10-25T18:09:23+00:00

The arrival of the Internet fundamentally altered the way society viewed commerce. Over the past 15 years, we have witnessed an astounding shift in the way businesses operate because of the Internet. E-commerce continues to grow, as websites like Amazon are able to offer products and services to consumers at considerably lower prices (due to their ability to keep marginal costs down). On the Internet, product reviews and price comparisons are available at the click of a button. The global marketplace is shifting and with that, consumers are overwhelmed. This is no different in the hospitality sector. In this intensely competitive industry, it becomes necessary to elevate yourself above your competition in the minds of consumers.

To help you gain an advantage over your competitors is Google Mobile pay per click. This unique advertising approach is still in its infancy, with no set proof on how large it… Continue Reading

Online Reservation System Requirements for ADA Compliance

2011-10-19T14:50:16+00:00

Online Reservation System Requirements for ADA Compliance
(The deadline for the Americans with Disabilities Act compliance is March 15, 2012)

written* by Bill Mitchell, Co-Founder, RezStream, Denver, Colorado

The Internet has changed how we all interact with online information and technology. The web is an especially important resource for people with disabilities. But manyhospitality businesses are still not aware that their current websites must be ADA compliant. Furthermore, new regulations that go into effect on March 15, 2012 require all hotel and hospitality online reservation processes and systems be ADA compliant.

In recent years, a number of hotels and online reservation companies (Hilton, Ramada Inns, Hotels.com, Priceline.com and Expedia.com) have faced lawsuits initiated from those with disabilities. The outcome from these lawsuits ensured that the online reservation experience for those with disabilities be equivalent to the online reservation experience for people who do not… Continue Reading

Website Guidelines for ADA Accessibility

2011-10-19T14:40:04+00:00

(How hospitality websites are impacted by the Americans with Disabilities Act Guidelines)

written* by Bill Mitchell, Co-Founder, RezStream, Denver, Colorado

The digital revolution has impacted all of us in diverse and profound ways. Smart phones and tablet devices are exploding in popularity. Unfortunately, those with disabilities often do not have the same access to Internet information, websites, and online reservation systems, as those without disabilities.

On July 26, 2010 (on the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act) President Obama stated that ADA accessibility must also apply to the Internet. With that declaration, the Justice Department was tasked with setting rules for ADA accessibility for the Internet and websites. Since that time, the Justice Department has formulated recommended rules for ADA website accessibility. Those rules will soon be refined and officially released in the near future. Until then, there is a set of… Continue Reading

Mobile QR Codes

2011-09-22T20:17:37+00:00

Popular QR Codes are Everywhere in Mobile Marketing

Whether you have jumped on the mobile bandwagon or not, mobile marketing is showing up everywhere. Statistics show this form of marketing is only going to keep growing at a tremendously fast pace. One element of mobile marketing is QR codes, which is short for “quick response” code. These codes have been used in Japan for some time and are spreading like wildfire throughout the US.

What are QR codes?

When you scan or read a QR code with your Android, Smartphone or iPhone, you can link to content on a website, bring up phone numbers, email, IM, or SMS. To read QR codes, an application needs to be downloaded on your phone for access. After that is completed, it is as easy as taking a picture of the barcode on your phone. You will then access the… Continue Reading

The New Google+ and +1 Button and How They Impact Hotels and Resorts

2011-08-31T17:19:54+00:00

The New Google+ and +1 Button and How They Impact Hotels and Resorts

“Google+” (pronounced Google Plus) and “+1 button” are gaining quick momentum in the social media arena. In just a few weeks, over 20 million users have already signed up for Google’s new services. The best thing about these programs is that they are FREE opportunities to help your hotel or other hospitality business make more money and improve website rankings!

Although premature to predict what long-term impact the Google+ program will have, it might just give Facebook a run for the social media money. This article will explore what hotels and resorts should know about Google+ and +1 button and how your business can take advantage of Google’s latest creations.

How is Google’s social media platform different from Facebook and Twitter?
Not being first to market this type of program has its… Continue Reading

Google Strikes Back

2011-07-26T20:54:54+00:00

Google Strikes Back
written by Bill Mitchell, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, RezStream, Denver, Colorado

It is common knowledge that social media websites are all the rage these days. And even though Google still dominates the market when it comes to generating revenue for hospitality businesses, it doesn’t mean that Google is resting easy. Google and Facebook are currently in an epic battle to see which platform will emerge as the leading search engine and social media stage. In the past 12 months, Google has been modifying its algorithm to provide the most relevant results, while still ensuring the user experience is interactive and engaging. Integrating features such as Google Places and Google +1, Google continues to produce the most pertinent results, while trying to steal some of Facebook’s thunder as a social media juggernaut.

It is more important than ever for smaller inns and hospitality… Continue Reading

2012 RezStream Travel Itinerary

2011-07-25T21:57:43+00:00

Meet the RezStream experts in person!

Through 2012 and 2013, RezStream has an exciting travel schedule that will take the RezStream experts to a variety of states and cities across the country. RezStream will be participating in hospitality conferences and trade shows in California, Arkansas, Kentucky, Hawaii, Neveda, etc.

Below is a detailed list of the events RezStream will be participating in. We hope that you will join us at one of these highly educational (and social) hospitality gatherings. A convenient link has been included that will direct you to the home page of each conference, which provides specific registration information. RezStream hopes to see you in the next coming months!

InnSpire Annual Conference & Trade Show 2012
http://www.innspireconference.com/
          When:            January 22 – 24, 2012
          Where:           Holiday Inn Capital Plaza – SacramentoContinue Reading

Google Analytics Provides Important Statistics

2011-05-20T17:02:40+00:00

Important Reports in Google Analytics

Google Analytics provides useful data that can help you analyze your perfomance online. Without monitoring your performance and visitor behavior, you could be preventing your business from capturing more of the total market.

Below, RezStream provides a listing of the most important reports found in Google Analytics that can be used to your advantage in tracking your website's online performance:

All Traffic Sources – Allows you to see where the traffic is coming in. Another important column to pay attention to is the bounce rate, which shows when someone leaves your site immediately without viewing another page. Ideally, bounce rates should be low. Any sources that result in high bounce rates will give you clues as to where to make changes to your copy, whether to renew with certain directories, and so on.

Continue Reading

Google Analytics Revenue Tracking

2011-05-19T16:41:45+00:00

Revenue Tracking to the Keyword Level

Imagine if you turned in your homework for the thirteen plus years you went to school and a teacher never graded any of your assignments. Without this guidance, the task of trying to improve your performance would be, at best, a monumental challenge.

Without a tracking tool, a business could not know which online channels produced and which ones did not. Without this documented evidence, it would be impossible to make educated decisions to improve marketing strategies and capitalize on the productive, or converting, online sources.

Importance of Using a Tracker
Having a tracker that can track revenue down to the keyword level is incredibly important for a variety of reasons. Tracking revenue sources helps pinpoint which marketing campaigns are performing and which are not performing. With the data that is collected, you can more effectively delegate your marketing… Continue Reading

Google Ends Google Tag in April 2011

2011-04-25T17:37:34+00:00

Those of you who have reaped the benefits of an outstanding Google Places listing, along with activating the Google Tag, listen up. The end of April marks the end of the Google Tag.

Note - in the example above, the Google Tag is the yellow marker that says "View pictures of our business."

Google says "Tags is being retired on April 29, 2011. We’ve halted new signups for Tags as of April 15, 2011, and we'll be working with existing participating businesses to help them meet their marketing needs with other Google products where possible. We will automatically remove any active tags at the end of April 2011. No action is required from you. The last issued bill covered spend for… Continue Reading

Vanity Terms vs. Valuable Keywords

2010-12-15T18:15:44+00:00

Vanity Terms vs. Valuable Keywords

Search engine optimization (SEO) is an Internet marketing strategy that considers how search engines work and what people are searching for. When utilized, SEO allows a website to show up for keywords and/or phrases that are being searched by those interested in the services and products offered by the website. However, “vanity keywords” can often get in the way of the successful optimization of a website.

So what is a “vanity keyword”? It’s a keyword that perhaps describes what the website is trying to sell, but not likely to drive qualified traffic nor produce high conversion rates. For example, a hotel owner in Estes Park, Colorado thinks he wants to show up in the search engines when “Colorado hotels” is searched. Even though “Colorado hotels” produces high monthly search volume and the hotel is indeed in Colorado, these terms may not produce the… Continue Reading

Creating backups for RezStream Professional and your computer system.

2010-10-29T17:51:39+00:00

The importance of creating backups for RezStream Professional and your computer system.

The average desktop personal computer (PC) has a functional lifespan of roughly two to five years. This duration greatly depends on the type of system purchased, advances in hardware components, and changes in the software that is run. In the case of a PC used in the lodging industry, the lower end of this estimate is probably more accurate due to the long hours of day-to-day use. Other factors that can attribute to a shorter lifespan are extreme heat and humidity, conditions that RezStream’s coastal and island clients commonly experience. Along with the many reasons that affect a PC’s performance lies a potential that your computer will crash and all stored data is lost. To safeguard your business against this scenario, RezStream recommends following these simple steps if a crash occurs to ensure a quick turnaround… Continue Reading

Choose your professional hotel photographer wisely.

2010-10-08T14:32:36+00:00

Choose photographers wisely to best showcase your property.

With the emergence of digital cameras, coupled with advancements in digital editing, more and more people consider themselves to be “semi-professional” or even “professional” photographers. Technically speaking, professional photographers are differentiated as being problem solvers who can make beautiful images under and situation and circumstance. Some photographers shoot for quality, while others shoot for quantity. It is smart business practice to choose your professional hotel photographer wisely.

Photography: the art or process of producing images by the action of radiant energy and especially light on a sensitive surface. (Merriam-Webster)

Photography of your property or location can look good during all times of the day, so it’s wise to work with your photographer to achieve the best images for each scenario, even if you’re battling unfavorable weather or poor natural lighting. Professional photographers are experts in dealing with… Continue Reading

Eagerly Awaiting the Launch of Google Me

2010-09-27T19:44:03+00:00

Google is king of most things related to Internet-based services and products, but of social networking, not so much. However, in Google's attempt gain dominance in the social networking market and to rival Facebook, which has captured over 500 million users, “Google Me” is slated to be released in fall 2010. Google Me will allow users to access information they have created on other sites like Twitter, Flickr, and so forth. Eric Schmidt, Google’s Chief Executive Officer, reports that with Google Me the company will add another “social layer” this fall season.

Google’s Orkut was a disappointing attempt as a social networking website back in 2004. Google Buzz was another social networking platform launched in February 2009 that allowed photo sharing and comments, but had privacy issues and less than impressive results. Both Orkut and Buzz require users to hold a Google account, which discouraged… Continue Reading

Benefits of a Content Management System Website

2010-09-13T13:34:38+00:00

Benefits of a Content Management System Website
by Bill Mitchell, Chief Operating Officer, RezStream

It used to be standard practice for designers to create “static websites” by using WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) programs, such as Microsoft’s Front Page and Adobe Dreamweaver. While these applications have their advantages, they add tons of unnecessary HTML code to the website, which makes it more difficult for search engine spiders to crawl and index. In addition, these traditional style websites are difficult to edit and upgrade.

Another option, and one of the hottest new trends in website design, is the growth and adoption of content management system (CMS) websites. Word Press, Expression Engine, and Drupel programs now make it possible to construct more sophisticated websites that are far more user-friendly ones.

CMS websites are essentially database driven with the ability to far surpass the functionality… Continue Reading

The Benefits of Using jQuery

2010-08-27T16:27:33+00:00

What is jQuery?

jQuery is a new kind of JavaScript library that makes it easier for designers to control HTML events, animations, and other interactions on a web page by adding and removing style sheet handlers. These handlers are either HTML classes or IDs; the handlers are specified in a style sheet, which then tells the browser how to position and style HTML elements. With jQuery, web designers can quickly and easily write these handlers to the document on specified events, such as a mouse click or a hover, and when we do so, it will change the style and/or position of that element. jQuery also simplifies AJAX--the client-side web development techniques for creating interactive web applications. AJAX applications can retrieve data from the server quietly in the background without interfering with how a web page displays or behaves. AJAX uses HTML and CSS (cascading style sheets) to… Continue Reading

Microsoft Bing and Yahoo Merger

2010-08-25T15:13:28+00:00

Unless you are living under a rock in the Internet marketing world, you have probably heard rumors about a Microsoft Bing and Yahoo merger. The current status is that the deal has already transpired and Yahoo’s organic search transition begins this week! What this means to you is that the Yahoo organic search results will now be powered by Microsoft Bing.

Yahoo and Microsoft with merge their pay per click campaigns. Current Yahoo search marketing advertisers will be able to import Yahoo campaigns into Microsoft, if you are not already marketing in the Microsoft platform. This has already started with a number of accounts. The full switch to the Microsoft platform is expected to occur by the end of the year.

The combined market share realized… Continue Reading

How to Select a Good Internet Marketing Company

2010-08-10T15:44:46+00:00

Selecting and Monitoring Internet Marketing Companies

by Bill Mitchell, RezStream's Chief Operating Officer

Through my various travels to work with RezStream clients or when I speak at hospitality conferences, one of the most common questions I’m asked is how to select a good Internet marketing company. People are equally as curious about how to monitor the performance of the Internet marketing company that they decide to hire.

Successful Internet marketing has become a complex discipline. The search engines are constantly changing their criteria, new trends seem to appear almost daily, and there are many tasks that must be completed in a regular and consistent manner if you want to achieve increased visibility in the search engines. No single Internet marketing element is rocket science. However, most Internet marketing companies struggle to do the work when no one is actively monitoring them. Other companies lack the all-around… Continue Reading

How to Avoid the TOP FIVE Mistakes Hotels Make in Internet Marketing

2010-07-28T16:34:46+00:00

How to Avoid the TOP FIVE Mistakes Hotels Make in Internet Marketing

Internet marketing is an ever-changing science that requires constant research, consistent effort, and multi-faceted knowledge if you plan to gain and maintain a competitive edge in your specific market. Unfortunately, most hospitality businesses do not follow sound IM principals, often resulting in gross errors that cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars.

MISTAKE 1: Failing to understand that USABILITY of a website is more important than its artistic elements. Customers don’t like music, excessive flash, bizarre navigation, websites that need instructions to use, scroll bars that hide text, hard to find contact information, and poor web page layouts that significantly reduce conversion rates.

Best website design practices:

Use standard layouts on your home page with nice photos, limited flash, and a clean simple presentation. No more than 200 words on the… Continue Reading

Past Travel Trends Help Marketing Strategies

2010-07-26T16:08:28+00:00

Utilizing past travel data allows a property owner to study trends in the hospitality world. This timely information permits us to understand which groups of people are traveling and why. Analyzing these facts can help you capture more of the active travelers by making adjustments to your marketing strategies.

TOP INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL MARKETS IN 2008

Canada 18.9 million

Mexico 13.7 million

UK 4.5 million

Japan 3.2 million

Germany 1.8 million

Italy 780,000

These facts can also help determine who to target in your link building campaigns or geo-target in pay per click endeavors.

AGE OF TRAVELERS IN 2008 BY BIRTH YEAR

Before 1946: 21% leisure travel and 14% of business travel

1946-1954: 15% leisure travel and 16% of business travel

1955-1964: 21% leisure travel and 21% of business travel

1965-1980: 31% leisure travel… Continue Reading

Google Social Networking Sites

2010-07-06T13:53:55+00:00

Google understands the power of great social networking sites like FaceBook and MySpace. In the past, Google has attempted to create its own rival social networking site with Google Profiles. Google even endevored to purchase a portion of FaceBook to no avail. Now there’s talk that a "Google Me" project (that for all we know is well underway) that might give FaceBook and MySpace a run for their money.

Current Google social networking elements:

Google Profile: This is a public page where you can share your information with the world. It allows you to promote your Flickr account, Twitter, LinkedIn, FaceBook and others. Even with all this flexibility, Google Profile is not the rival to FaceBook as Google had hoped it would be.

According to Google, this feature allows you to find "relevant public content from your friends and contacts and highlights… Continue Reading

Google Local Business Center Changes To Google Places

2010-05-26T22:38:44+00:00

If you run a business, having exposure in Google Places is a great way to generate additional business. The Google map function appears when searchers type certain keyword searches. Using the map feature is advantageous as it is located at the top of the page on Google. This free listing can have an incredible impact on increasing your sales volume. Beginning on April 20, 2010, Google changed their Google Local Business Center to Google Places

What is new on Google Places?

Google Places now has additional features that will be beneficial for businesses. Some of the new features are listed below.

Tags: for $25 a month in select cities, businesses can make their listing stand out with tags. These tags are a separate marker under your listing that highlights important aspects of your business. You can showcase coupons, photos and more.

Business Photo Shoot:… Continue Reading

RezStream Support Tip: Tracking System Activity and Managing User Accountability

2010-05-07T18:17:48+00:00

There are many shortcuts built into RezStream Professional property management software that may not be readily apparent to even the most experienced user. In this installment of RezStream Support Tips, we will demonstrate the ability the software user has to view the history and changes made to a specific invoice as well as changes and activity in the system as a whole.

A commonly used term in the information systems industry is “GIGO,” or Garbage In Garbage Out. In other words, inaccurate information entered into a system equals inaccurate reporting. The first step in being able to keep an accurate log of activity in RezStream PMS is properly managing its list of users and to make sure that all users are always logged in as themselves. Users can be added via the Tools menu, choosing the Configure option and selecting the Users tab.

RezStream Pro… Continue Reading

The Benefits of Call Tracking – Part Two: Essential Strategies For Your Bottom Line

2010-05-04T19:06:55+00:00

When it comes to Internet marketing, it is important to be familiar with the various channels that result in bookings, which in turn, make you more money. For those travelers who still prefer to call and speak to a live person to book a reservation, you can now precisely track where they found you online. How many of your guests say they found you on “the Internet?” Knowing which channels actually produce reservations can help you maximize your incoming revenue.

Know where calls come from that result in a booking: pay per click, Google, Yahoo MSN, major directories and any other online campaigns.

Track if phone calls result in a booking.

Hear the recorded calls again, if necessary.

Have the ability to assign calls to a person or group.

Statistics: This web-based application is straight-forward to use, easy to track… Continue Reading

The Benefits of Call Tracking - Part One

2010-04-28T22:50:12+00:00

Do you know how to effectively measure your online and offline marketing efforts to correctly determine your return on investment? If you are unsure of the best way to achieve this measurement, call tracking is an extremely effective tool to monitor whether or not your marketing campaigns are delivering a sound return on investment (ROI).

We all know that one of the benefits of ecommerce is the ability to have customers purchase directly from your website. However, there is still a large population of web users that will research a product on the Internet, but prefers to call the business directly to make their purchase.

Call tracking works by dynamically replacing the phone number on your website with a unique trackable number. You can assign an exclusive number to each of your marketing campaigns like Google PPC, organic listings, banner advertising and so forth, which then makes… Continue Reading

Google to Possibly Acquire an ITA

2010-04-21T15:15:27+00:00

Breaking News: ITA is the name for what most people call GDS, the abbreviation for Global Distribution Services. ITA's are resources like Orbitz and Expedia.com that aid travelers in searching, reserving, and purchasing travel products. Google is in private negotiations to acquire ITA Software Inc., which would enable Google to showcase available flight information, hotels and more travel services in their search engine. This ITA acquisition would allow Google to compete with similar travel search features that Microsoft currently offers. According to Henry Hartevelds, an analyst at Forrester Research Inc., “Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and ITA does that for travel."

What does this mean for you as a hotel, bed and breakfast, property management company or resort? If you are marketing in the ITA or GDS channels, you could gain additional exposure in Google. Better or supplementary exposure in Google, when done properly,… Continue Reading

The Future of Web Design - CMS, Flash, Graphics

2010-04-16T22:34:37+00:00

The web has seen vast improvements in the past few years in terms of delivering visually rich and engaging content, search engine optimization, and the overall management of websites. In this article, RezStream identifies some of the major shifts the web has taken in the past and what the future of web design holds.

Typography: Throughout the history of the web, web designers had to work with an extremely limited set of fonts that would function in the various browsers. With this lack of font variety, designers had little choice but to either use basic fonts on websites, which appeared boring and plain, or instead employ graphics to display fonts that would achieve branding a certain look and feel to the site. But this method of using graphics is not ideal for many reasons:

Graphics do not contain the same value as text in the search… Continue Reading

RezStream COO Featured Speaker at CABBI Networking Event

2010-04-08T20:39:09+00:00

Bill Mitchell, Chief Operating Officer at RezStream, will be a featured speaker on Tuesday, April 20, 2010 at a networking event held in San Francisco and hosted by the California Association of Bed and Breakfast Inns. This gathering will bring together innkeepers and industry experts for a day of informative workshops and all participants are invited to attend Bill’s presentation.

Bill’s topic on “How to Select and Monitor an Internet Marketing Company” will provide innkeepers with helpful hints about the best way an Internet marketing customer can select and monitor a good Internet marketing company. Bill Mitchell’s vast knowledge on the subject comes from over 30 years experience in the hospitality industry. At RezStream, Bill works directly with properties of all sizes to offer solutions geared toward helping property owners increase their revenue.

Bill will be joining other industry experts for this fun and stimulating educational event hosted… Continue Reading

RezStream is the Solution for Exclusive Vail Rentals - As Seen in USA Today

2010-04-08T20:27:15+00:00

View the video in USA Today about Kathy Standage and her challenges with starting a new business in today’s difficult economy. Kathy opened Exclusive Vail Rentals, a property management company in the Vail Valley, which offers high-end luxury vacation homes and condominiums rentals. She chose RezStream as a solution provider for her property management software, online reservation booking engine, and Internet marketing services.

Exclusive Vail Rentals offers one to more than five bedroom Vail vacation rentals, many of which are ski-in ski-out, some are on golf courses and all guarantee an incredible getaway destination in the Colorado mountains. Exclusive Vail Rentals offers a concierge service superior to any in the valley so that your vacation experience is second to none.

Continue Reading

10 Practical Ways to Boost Online Reservations - Part 2

2010-03-31T16:23:47+00:00

In a blog we posted on February 10, 2010, RezStream provided five practical ways to boost online reservations, with the promise to follow up in March by sharing five more helpful tips. We hope you enjoyed part one of this two-part article last month and that you find equally as useful our tips six through ten!

6. Search Engine Optimization: Are you aware of the EXACT keywords people are searching in relation to the product you are selling? Choosing keywords incorrectly can equal incredible losses in online revenue. A well optimized website yields more revenue than any other source.

HOT TIPS:
• Test organic keyword options in pay per click first.
• Don’t guess. Use tracking tools to show exactly what people are searching for. You will probably be surprised!
• Make sure you are not competing for a keyword… Continue Reading

Video Marketing for Hospitality Businesses

2010-03-22T14:57:29+00:00

Video marketing is quickly becoming one of the most effective ways to promote your hospitality website. This form of advertising engages the online visitors with enticing video, which sets off emotion triggers by allowing the viewer to examine the property, rooms, amenities, area events and attractions without physically being at your property’s location.

From the graph below, you can see the number of people watching online videos increases with each year.

To grasp how important video is becoming in marketing strategies, it is useful to understand how universal search works. Universal search is when the search engines return non-textual results with images, news feeds, video and more. Here is an example of how a search for “New York hotels” returns a video that pushes textual-only websites out of the natural search results.

Follow these best… Continue Reading

Increase Online Business with Professional Photography and Online Videos

2010-03-18T17:08:39+00:00

The importance of making a good “first impression” may be over emphasized, but its concept rings true, especially within the hospitality industry, where positive first impressions of your property can turn viewers into visitors. Utilizing professional photographs, along with a well designed website, is the perfect combination to entice your viewers to spend more time on your site and convert lookers into bookers. Photography gives you the opportunity to help your guests visualize their stay at your property. With the plethora of information made available online these day to potential guests, it is rare that a booking is made without someone first looking at pictures of rooms, amenities, and property location.

Professional photography may be one of the most crucial components for your online business to be successful. You may ask yourself if it’s worth paying for something that you could do on your own. Will the cost of… Continue Reading

RezStream Professional Software Support Tip: The Best Way to Bill a Travel Agent

2010-03-11T17:49:00+00:00

To take advantage of the many features within RezStream Professional, the best way to now bill a travel agent is to utilize the new split billing and direct billing features under the Contact Invoice History area on the Contact Data screen.

Create a new travel agent contact, for example “Expedia,” in your database:

Go to the Contact Data screen.

Click on Add New Contact in the top-left corner on the toolbar.

At the New Contact Record screen, enter Expedia in the Last Name field and click Save.

Back on the Contact Data screen for the new Expedia contact, go to the Notes tab on the bottom left side of the screen (under the various contact information fields) and click on the radio button for “Business.”
This action sets up Expedia as a Business Contact Category.

Create a blank POS invoice for the new Expedia contact:

Click Add New POS invoice… Continue Reading

Sell More to your Customers Using Twitter

2010-03-11T17:41:35+00:00

There are many facets to Internet marketing: pay per click, search engine optimization, link building, website design, coding, tracking, content analysis, content building, article marketing, and the ever-popular social media marketing. If you have the basics of Internet marketing in order, you should consider diving into the realm of social media marketing, as there is a TON of social media websites to try. We recommend you start with Twitter, FaceBook and LinkedIn. Use this article to find out more about Twitter today and then stay tuned for more social networking best practices from RezStream.

Here are but a few of the social networking channels available:

If you are ready to set up a new Twitter account or even if you have an… Continue Reading

All Things NOT Google

2010-02-26T23:28:00+00:00

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 between 4:00 PM – 5:15PM. John’s presentation will be held in the San Antonio room on the Plaza level of the PAII conference facilities.

Key workshop topics include:

Biggest Bing for the Buck

The Do’s and Dont’s of Bing

Yahoo Local

Universal Search (blogging,… Continue Reading

RezStream Discusses Key Benefits of CSS Driven Websites

2010-02-18T21:14:06+00:00

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 to specify the layout and presentation of the basic browser language, HTML or XHTML. CSS then allows web developers to separate the content that is written in (X)HTML, from the presentation, written in CSS. CSS is placed outside of the (X)HTML document, which keeps the document shorter and clean, better… Continue Reading

Increase Return on Investment with a Professionally Managed Pay Per Click Program

2010-02-11T22:43:53+00:00

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 tools (we know exactly what people are searching for)

Understand the different PPC platforms

Research to determine geographic targeting (local, state, national, & international)

Write competing ads that convert to sales

Continuously monitor campaigns to seek new opportunities

Track click-throughs with propriety software to monitor if conversion takes place

Design… Continue Reading

10 Practical Ways To Boost Online Reservations

2010-02-10T19:38:16+00:00

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 of dollars! Your website is the most important path for capturing new business.

HOT TIPS:
• Make sure your website clearly explains points that set you apart on the home page. You only have 15 to 30 SECONDS to capture the interest of your visitor.
• Be confident… Continue Reading

Join RezStream at the Annual PAII Trade Show in Austin!

2010-02-05T20:21:57+00:00

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 ways to increase business for their properties. RezStream will be exhibiting its suite of hospitality solutions and products during this highly anticipated annual event.

In addition, RezStream will be presenting a workshop on “10 Practical Ways to Get More Online Reservations” during an exhibitor tutorial scheduled Wednesday, March 10th… Continue Reading

RezStream Client Receives TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Award

2010-02-03T15:28:19+00:00

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 outside of Telluride, Colorado, made the Travelers’ Choice list for 2010. They are honored as the #7 world’s best All-Inclusive Property. Dunton Hot Springs is a Colorado comprehensive luxury resort with on-site hot springs, luxurious private cabins, gourmet dining,… Continue Reading

A TripAdvisor Business Listing: The Next Step To Increase Your Online Presence!

2010-02-01T17:31:17+00:00

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 so that postings on TripAdvisor remain positive. Complimentary comments from guests will only ensure and encourage TripAdvisor users to click through to your property’s own website.

In the list below, RezStream provides tips for business owners to use to help enhance their expanded listing on TripAdvisor and receive… Continue Reading

Link Building Strategies

2010-01-27T18:00:30+00:00

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 most bang for your buck. It’s always a smart practice to track your results to make certain you are allocating your marketing dollars to the correct resources.

Purchasing links online can be beneficial for a number of reasons: establishing trust, increasing traffic and revenue, and creating quality… Continue Reading

Select Registry and SynXis Criticism Unfounded?

2010-01-20T23:09:09+00:00

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 individual property websites. SynXis is simply providing options, which innkeepers can utilize if they desire. Nothing is mandatory and inkeepers can keep their existing booking engine on their own website.

What is factual is that SynXis agreed to give Select Registry members a very competitive, low per reservation… Continue Reading

Benefits of a Professionally Managed Website

2010-01-20T21:34:17+00:00

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 employed a professional website development team.

When the Internet first emerged and business websites became popular, self-made websites generated success for most businesses. But with an increased presence of professionally designed and managed websites, the Internet has now become a competitive marketplace controlled by sophisticated search engines. Without proper… Continue Reading

RezStream Support Tip: Setting Your Screen Resolution

2010-01-12T16:20:15+00:00

RezStream consistently provides updates to RezStream Professional, our reservation software. Over the past year, RezStream has added various new and enhanced features to its property management software. Current information about RezStream Professional’s newest features and updates can always be found at the RezStream website’s release notes. Following every software update, it’s typical that RezStream support receives questions from RezStream Pro users about changes to the software and how to best adapt to the updates. Our support staff is using the RezStream website blog to provide you with information on how to best utilize the changes that occur after updating your software. This will ensure you are getting the most out of RezStream Professional.

Here is a helpful tip from RezStream support in regards to screen resolution. Please use these information below to take advantage of this enhanced feature of RezStream Professional!

RezStream… Continue Reading

Happy New Year from RezStream!

2009-12-30T22:29:01+00:00

As 2009 draws to a close, the staff at RezStream would like to thank all of its customers for their support and business this year. We not only appreciate the continuing relationships with our long-standing clients, but also are excited about the new properties that have chosen RezStream to fill their hospitality needs.

The New Year marks a busy time for RezStream as we focus on introducing new products and improving current product lines that will benefit our clients by maximizing revenue potential. Be on the lookout for big savings with our special offers, changes to the functionality of the RezStream website, and as always, regular support updates to RezStream Professional property management software. We’ve set our sights high for 2010 to make it even more successful than last year!
What’s your New Year’s resolution?

Why not increase bookings and online revenue this year? RezStream’s… Continue Reading

Hospitality Marketing: Blogging for Profit and Search Engine Optimization

2009-12-30T19:13:26+00:00

BLOGS. You certainly hear about them and have probably even read a few. Perhaps you are wondering if you should create one for your property, but really are not sure how a BLOG would be beneficial for your business. In the list below, RezStream helps explain the many benefits of adding a blog to your website. We will explain how they can increase your exposure online, which in turn make you more money!

Benefits:

It is easy! With some guidance about best practices, you can be blogging properly in no time. The result is more traffic and revenue.

Blogs ping search engine spiders, which means it alerts the spiders that there is new content on the website. As such, they index the site incredibly quickly. The benefit is faster indexing of pages. The more often the spiders are on the website the quicker we see results in the search engines. … Continue Reading

ExpressionEngine 2.0: What’s New for Content Management System Websites in 2010

2009-12-17T23:24:01+00:00

All About ExpressionEngine

Rick Ellis first developed ExpressionEngine as a blogging tool under the name “pMachine” in 2001. An early prototype of pMachine was installed on Nancy Sinatra’s (Frank’s daughter) website. After some real world testing and success, pMachine was released to the public in 2002.

By the end of 2002, pMachine had been featured in a few books and magazines and was having some success, but at that point, the Web was young and still developing. Ellis noticed website owners and developers wanted more control and management over their content. That’s when Rick Ellis developed a more robust tool called ExpressionEngine and the web development community took notice.

The first version of ExpressionEngine was first released to the public in 2004 as a general-purpose content management system written in object-oriented PHP and using MySQL for storing data.

ExpressionEngine’s publishing features are robust, comprehensive, and highly flexible. Where other content… Continue Reading

TripAdvisor Business Listings

2009-12-15T22:14:03+00:00

Beginning January 4th, 2010, hotels will be able to enhance their TripAdvisor listing to include their website address, telephone number and email address. This is an excellent opportunity to provide a convenient link with additional information about your property to the 25 million monthly searchers who use TripAdvisor for their travel needs.

To help entice properties to utilize this new feature, TripAdvisor is offering a 50% discount on their introductory rate for a one-year subscription. This special runs until January 31, 2010. The discounted rates start at $300 for a ten-room property and increase in price based on property size. TripAdvisor has seen great success throughout its existence with over 75,000 hoteliers registering on the TripAdvisor Owner Center since it was launched in March 2009. This center allows hotels to monitor their online reputation and communicate with reviewers.

For those of you concerned about the cost… Continue Reading

RezStream Prepares for Annual CABBI Innspire Conference and Tradeshow

2009-12-11T22:19:55+00:00

At the end of next month, RezStream will travel to California as part of its national tradeshow tour. RezStream is excited to return to the California Association of Bed & Breakfast Inn’s annual InnSpire Conference. This year’s CABBI event is scheduled to take place at the beautiful Meritage Resort in Napa, California from Sunday, January 31st through Monday, February 1st, 2010.

RezStream enjoys participating at the CABBI conference as it is a perfect place to reconnect with existing clients and forge relationships with new customers. RezStream’s suite of hospitality products and services including affordable reservation software, online reservations capabilities, custom website designs and hotel Internet marketing plans are ideal for any California bed & breakfast or inn.

If you haven’t registered yet for the CABBI event,… Continue Reading

How to Avoid Cancelled GDS Booking Fees

2009-12-09T16:03:59+00:00

One of the most frequent inquiries at the RezStream billing department is disputes over GDS cancellations. What properties need to understand is if a guest wishes to cancel, they must do so by way of the original site of the booking or your property will still incur the GDS $15.50 per booking fee. If the guest calls your property directly to process a cancellation instead of cancelling through the original portal of the booking, and the cancellation is entered into your desktop software, the original booking agent (InnLink & RezStream) will have no knowledge the cancellation occurred and will still process the GDS $15.50 booking fee as if the cancellation never happened.

It’s important that your front desk staff members know that GDS reservations must be cancelled through the original booking site. RezStream also recommends that your property maintain a set cancellation policy to offset these charges… Continue Reading

Sell Gift Certificates Online for the Holidays!

2009-12-02T18:47:49+00:00

Did you know that 80 to 90% of gift certificates are sold during the holiday season? What better time then now to offer customers the convenience to purchase gift certificates directly from your website. Gift certificates have become a gift giving must for anyone on your holiday shopping list.

RezStream offers the capability to sell gift certificates directly from your website. We’re currently running a special for existing booking engine clients to activate the gift certificate feature with no setup fee and only $5 fee per gift certificate sold. Learn more or contact us at 866.360.8210.

Make more money this holiday season and start selling gift certificates now!
Continue Reading

Off-season: A Time to Focus on Your Property

2009-10-28T19:39:39+00:00

It’s that time of year when our hallways have become quiet and arriving guests are fewer and farther between. You’ve said your goodbyes to late summer and fall customers and are anxiously anticipating the holiday rush that always comes faster than expected.

Anyone who has worked in the hospitality industry is probably all too familiar with the characteristic off-season lull. Resort communities across the country and reaching to the far corners of the world expect bookings to drop this time each year. This industry-specific period gives us a moment to reflect on the summer season’s highlights and take a deep breath before diving head first into the bustling holidays and extended winter season.

Off-season can be a love-hate relationship that any innkeeper, general manager, or property management company looks forward to as a break and time to unwind, but also eagerly anticipates bookings to increase once again. This… Continue Reading

Google Video in Paid Search

2009-09-17T21:27:47+00:00

According to Reuters, Google will eventually enable companies to add video to their paid search results. Nick Fox of Google stated, “Our search ads have largely looked the same over the course of the past seven or eight years.” As the current style of Google will more than likely adopt the popular trend of using online videos, it would be a smart practice for travel websites to prepare in advance by having well-developed videos ready before Google launches its new ad program.

Custom Video Benefits

Get an Increase in Exposure

Generate More Booking

Stay Ahead of Your Competitors

Having a custom video on your website is beneficial for companies that use pay per click (PPC) as part of their marketing strategy. It is commonly known that videos are popular with website visitors and this favorable response leads to more conversions. Videos also perform well with Google Universal Search,… Continue Reading

Social Networking Craze

2009-08-21T15:56:28+00:00

Just about everyone these days has heard about social networking sites or has accidentally stumbled upon one. What many people do not understand or grasp is just how social networking sites can help and/or actually hurt their business.

Examples of Social Networking Websites

Del.icio.us

Digg

Squidoo

FaceBook

Twitter

This list names only a few examples of the hundreds of social networking sites that are available. From bookmarking sites, to writing blog posts, to keeping in touch with constant updates of events, it is easy to see how businesses can get into trouble by wasting too much time managing their social networking sites. While it is a great way to stay in touch with past guests and encourage people to book again, hotels, resorts, bed and breakfasts and property managers who have not effectively executed the basics behind Continue Reading