How many links SHOULD I have on my site map?
In our research, we have found that Google allows up to 50,000 URL’s on one site map!  But remember, the Google site map is not intended for human visitors but for the Googlebot that indexes your XML site map to see all of your pages.
For an HTML site map, usually fewer than 100 links is acceptable.  Any more than that Google considers to be a “link farm” and your site could be penalized.

How do you create a Site Map for a large site?The most feasible way to create a site map for a large site is to first find a site map generator, like GSite Crawler. Once you crawl your site you can break down the site into folders and create multiple site maps instead of just one map. 

When do you need an XML site map?
If your web site does not have easy to follow navigation system then you might want to enlist Google’s help and add an XML site map.  If your web site is pretty straightforward and has navigation that’s easy to follow, then chances are the SE’s can index your site fairly efficiently.  Remember to also have internal links amongst the pages of your site that link to important pages therefore creating more content for the SE spider to chew on and index.  Google likes to see page rank on any given page as an importance factor.

To wrap it up, I would recommend XML site maps to anyone as an additional benefit to getting regular indexing and stats by Google and to anyone with a large site that is hard to navigate.  HTML site maps are user-friendly and can be easily optimized with text wrapping around the text link.  Every site should have at least an HTML site map with the XML site map being a “freebie” with some added Google feedback in the form of statistics.

*Map photo by Peter Ito

The days were filled with our best marketing tips from Trent Blizzard and Blizzard Internet’s award winning experts. During the hands on workshop, attendees learned everything from how to build powerful incoming links, the latest proven search marketing techniques, and what they can do to create a powerful internet presence.

Here is just a little bit of the feedback that we got from our great workshop attendees:

“Bottom line, thanks as always for imparting your expert knowledge for the benefit of those assembled. You’re right: your existing clients are missing out on some extremely valuable insights which are way more beneficial than a couple of paid links if they’re looking to justify expense.” – Brian Lence, Vacations Inc

“Awesome conference! I learned so much, and loved getting to know the expert staff! I highly recommend going to Blizzard’s workshops. Best thing I’ve done for my Internet Marketing education. Thanks so much!” – Amy Mutual, Kaiser Realty

“The conference was very helpful and we really appreciate all the effort Trent and Staff made to make us feel welcome.  Trent has a very smart and dedicated staff and we are glad we made the decision to be with Blizzard.  It was very helpful to meet everyone we work with face to face.” – Linda Moloney, Beach Properties of Hilton Head

“Thank you so much to the staff at Blizzard Internet. I enjoyed every minute of the workshop and Colorado was beautiful. Can not wait for the next one.” Kelly Oja, Oceana Resorts

Blizzard Internet plans on making this an annual event, make sure not to miss it in 2010!

Here are a few pictures from the workshop:

This Blizzard University will be for resort, hotel and inn managers and marketing types in the hospitality industry looking to increase their search engine visibility and kick up their internet marketing strategy for ‘10.

Attendees will learn powerful tips, tools and tactics for search engine success:

Day 1 is All about Google
Learn how Google works, how to get a top ranking and powerful tips, tools and tactics for search engine success.

Topics will include:

• Factors that affect your rankings
• An introduction to Google’s vertical search results
• Google Organic Search
• How page rank and link popularity work
• Social Media tactics including web 2.0 and blogging
• How to analyze and increase your online presence
• Tools to spy on your competitors
• Tools for Tracking Results
• Tools for keyword research

Day 2 is an Intense Link and Content Building Lab
Attendance to the second day is optional, but highly encouraged. Bring your laptop – this is a hands-on lab day!

Learn while performing link building and content building strategies specifically for hotels, resorts, and inns.  Discover how to increase and improve your online presence through powerful referral links and content that will attract search engines.

Event Details

Dates: January 12-13, 2010

Event Location and Sponsor:

The Inn at Fox Hollow
A Luxury Long Island Hotel
7755 Jericho Turnpike
Woodbury, New York
800.291.8090

Cost:

Sign-Up Before December 15th:
Both Days: $299
Day 2 Only: $174
Bring a 2nd person from your company for Day 1 or both days: $149

Sign- Up After December 15th:
Both Days: $349
Day 2 Only: $199
Bring a 2nd person from your company for Day 1 or both days: $149

Lodging: A big thank you to The Inn at Fox Hollow who is offering a special promotional rate of $149 per for the nights of January 11-14th. Book online using the special block code “Blizzard” or call 800.291.8090

Event Sign up: http://ennect.com/e904

Questions: Contact Lisa Lilly at 888.840.5893 ext 226 or LLilly@BlizzardInternet.com

The annual VRMA Conference taking place in Washington DC in a few weeks will mark the 2nd anniversary of FlipKey and its industry leading guest review service.   Since that time FlipKey has emerged as the industry standard for vacation rental guest reviews, represents the largest collection of authentic guest reviews in the industry and now powers vacation rentals on TripAdvisor.com – one of the largest and most influential consumer travel sites in the world.

To gauge the impact of our service and general satisfaction we recently surveyed our clients via an anonymous email survey and asked a simple question:

We were thrilled to find FlipKey yielding high satisfaction levels, but, to be honest, it does not hold a candle to the satisfaction ratings our clients are receiving from their guests.

FlipKey has collected over 150,000 reviews among vacation rental guests and over 90% would recommend the home and company they stayed with:

What we found most interesting in our study was that FlipKey guest reviews tend to be associated with high levels of satisfaction across the vacation rental ecosystem.  Many of FlipKey’s clients are able to seamlessly collect reviews and promote their properties through their property management software.  Companies like Instant Software, FlipKey’s first and largest partner, and more recent partners such as Rent One and Barefoot, have provided clients with innovative and early access to get the most from FlipKey guest reviews and the marketing and owner management benefits these reviews provide.

When we asked how satisfied our clients were with their software systems we again found extremely high levels of satisfaction.

Beyond the obvious marketing benefits of collecting and publishing reviews of past guests, clients are also beginning to leverage FlipKey guest reviews to better improve relations with their owner clients.   FlipKey’s recent study found 71% of managers were interested in motivating their owners to upgrade their units this season.   Managers always find it difficult to deliver the message that an owner needs to invest more in their home.  However, when the message is delivered through the verified reviews of guests who stayed in an out-dated home, managers are finding the conversation more amicable.  Suddenly asking owners to replace the patio furniture on a beach side rental in Destin, or upgrade the bunk-beds in their Gatlinburg cabin is a bit easier.

In a difficult economic year, 46% of the survey participants indicated bookings were down in 2009 and FlipKey is hoping to help reverse the tide in 2010.   By helping our clients leverage the marketing benefits of guest reviews and extending their marketing to powerful travel sites like TripAdvisor we are all looking forward to a great year for vacation rentals.

Join us during the last few months of the year to learn what you need to know to create a powerful internet marketing strategy for 2010.

This season’s webinar lineup includes in-depth internet marketing sessions covering Facebook, best practices for website management, the top tools to use, and wraps up with how to prioritize everything you have learned for a practical marketing strategy.

Sign up today:

Making the Most Out of Facebook for Vacation Rental Managers
Thursday, October 22, 2009
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM MDT

As a Vacation Rental Manager, how can you leverage Facebook to connect to your potential guests and clients searching for your product?

Find out in Making the Most Out of Facebook for VRM’s presented by ResortQuest and Blizzard Internet Marketing, and for details about this webinar check out Making the Most Out of Facebook.

10 Reasons to Use WordPress to Manage Your Website
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM MST

WordPress is the hottest Content Management (CMS) system on the market.  Originally created as blogging software, the web design world is embracing WordPress as a platform for entire websites.

Learn the top reasons why you should consider basing your next website on WordPress.

Top Online Tools Every Hotel Marketer Should Know About
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM MST

There are thousands of tools available to online marketing newbies and experts.

Learn about some of the top tools to track your competitors in search engines, generate competitive market research and provide insights into your own website and its market presence.

This is strictly a review of the best-of-breed tools (none of them from Google) that the savvy marketer cannot live without!

How to Prioritize Your Online Marketing Strategies
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM MST

Choosing what to do now, what to plan for, and what NOT TO DO can provide powerful results.  This presentation is very specifically designed for the lodging industry, from inns to hotels to resorts and vacation rental managers.

Learn how to prioritize: website design, website updates, PPC, Email, SEO, PR,  Link Building, Blogging, TripAdvisor, Mobile, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter…oh my.  We will not be addressing print!

Prioritization elements discussed include time vs. money, short-term vs. long-term, repurposing content, follow the money and follow the passion.

*All webinars are free of charge!

Their October issue features Blizzard Internet Marketing in their top 50 Search Engine Optimization/Search Marketing providers and honors them with the ranking of #7. They also note Blizzard Internet as the only agency on the list to focus on hospitality and travel internet marketing.

Website Magazine ranked the top 50 firms based on a number of factors including website popularity, average daily unique visitors and page views over a given time period.

Blizzard Internet has been working to redevelop the look, feel and functionality of their website while continuing to implement the industry’s best practices for long-term search engine success.

In the article, Website Magazine explains that today’s successful search firms understand that search engine optimization (SEO) is no longer simply writing keyword rich metatags, making a few website tweaks, or submitting to directories:

“What is happening within the Web industry is that traditional SEO is increasingly taking a back seat to what is known as ‘engagement marking.’ Over the years, SEO matured into an ongoing conversation with prospects and consumers, not just putting forth one-sided chatter. This is a fundamental shift for the SEO industry.”

Blizzard Internet attributes their success to their dedicated team of experts, a culture of ongoing learning and testing, and clients who understand that successful marketing is a partnership.

Here is an example from Destin, a major Florida market.  The companies with FlipKey reviews are highlighted in yellow.

This news follows a major update back in February when we saw FlipKey’s reviews show up in Tripadvisor.  It is certain that the role of FlipKey in the VRM market has changed dramatically in the last 12 months.  It will be interesting to watch where the market for online distribution and review management goes in the next few years.  One thing is for certain, Tripadvisor, FlipKey and the Google Local 10-box are all becoming more important to the vacation rental managers market.

If you want to learn more about how Google Local works, watch our webinar on How Google Local Works

As a vacation rental manager, how can you leverage this powerful tool to connect to your potential guests and clients searching for your product?

On the 22nd of October, John Ellis, ResortQuest’s Senior Online Marketing Manager, Erin Jones, Social Media Manager of Blizzard Internet Marketing, and Carrie Hill, Director of Search Marketing for Blizzard Internet, will host – Making the Most Out of Facebook for Vacation Rental Managers.

Expect to learn:

• How to set up a fabulous profile for your brand
• How to successfully show off your properties
• How to find lifelong guests and company advocates
• Realistic results to expect from Facebook
• Top mistakes companies make and how to avoid them
• How to effectively  manage your account in just minutes a day

What: Making the Most Out Of Facebook for
Vacation Rental Managers Webinar
Presented by ResortQuest and Blizzard Internet Marketing
When: October 22, 2009 – 11:00 MDT
Get the webinar on demand: Making the Most Out of Facebook for VRMS

Blizzard Internet receives RFPs from hotels, resorts, CVBs and others pretty regularly.  They vary in quality but are generally pretty useful.  We would like to share some tips to help you get more out of your RFP:

Questions to Ask to Protect Yourself:

• Ask permission to do a D&B Credit Check. (You do check the credit of your major vendors, don’t you?)
• Ask for professional liability insurance.   A hotel has a lot to lose if something goes haywire with their website.
• Does Vendor work with any competitors? Is Vendor willing to forego working with direct competitors?  Most resorts don’t want their vendor working with the hotel next door.
• Do you have an office?  What percentage of your employees work there?  Do  you want to do business with a virtual company… or someone with a brick and mortar presence?

Feature Requirements to Consider:

• Do you want user management?  Ask for change tracking and multiple permission levels.
• Do you want to blog?  Blogging and RSS feeds are both effective in the tourism industry.
• New website must support  the following SEO tags: title, URL, meta description, H1 ; use flash judiciously.
• Make sure your website has its own dedicated IP address.

Questions to Determine Expertise and Background.  Ask For:

• Three references from projects of similar scope.
• Three examples of projects of a similar scope competed in past.
• A sample copy of contract with proposal.
• Examples of clients in highly competitive marketplaces with good Google rankings.
• Business History.  90% of businesses fail within their few years.  That new guy on the block  may not be around for the long-term.
• Ask for bios of key personnel.

Miscellaneous Advice:

• Consider requiring a LAMP (Linux/Apache/MySQL/Php) platform.
• Use an open-sourced CMS  (ie Wordpress)
• Ask for training and a demonstration of training materials.  Do you want to know the best practices and bring website updating and management in-house?
• Content management platform must not be vendor specific. If you sever  ties with your web designer, you should be able to keep your website.
• Do you want your vendor to include an on-site visit of key account personnel in the proposal?
• Make sure you own design, coding, copy and SEO.   While you may not own it all, you need to establish clearly what part of your website you do own.

Questions to Ask Yourself:

• Do I want to integrate into social media platforms like a blog, Facebook or Twitter?
• Do I want reviews featured on my site? Do I want to integrate hotel reviews from TripAdvisor?
• Do I want to track visitor activity? Booking engine revenue? Usability of specific aspects of my website? Do I want to do A/B testing?

While all these tips may not be relevant, several of them can certainly reduce the risk of purchasing a website that doesn’t meet expectations.

We shopped for the perfect place for a few years knowing that we wanted to stay in Glenwood Springs because it’s a central locale, our strong connections to the community, and the beautiful views.

Blizzard Internet purchased the office building previously occupied by the Bureau of Land Management who is now in a new building west of Glenwood. After a few touch ups, new carpet, and fresh paint, it is really starting to feel like home!

We had a huge garage sale in June to get rid of the extra stuff, including over 50 staplers (somehow they multiplied, we gave up trying to solve that mystery), and other things that a growing company accumulates after being in a location for almost a decade.

Like any move, this was not an easy process and it would not have been possible without a great leader to make it happen. Dolly Weber, our receptionist extraordinaire, headed up the gigantic project and made it as seamless as possible; she organized everything from the movers to the employees and the contractors, all with a smile on her face.

Blizzard Internet’s IT and Hosting Department also went above and beyond to assure that there was no down time. The minute our teams arrived to the new office we had internet access and were ready to rock.

So if you are driving on I-70 in the mountains Western Colorado, make sure to stop by and say hi. We are on the north side of the highway and now have a sign, so you can’t miss us!

Check out pictures of the new digs!