Belize Web Marketing 101: The importance of Title Tags

Tuesday, January 21st, 2014 by

Title tags are extremely important when it comes to your website’s SEO and your Belize web marketing in general. Search engines use this information to quickly sort and categorize your website and its pages, so descriptive, relevant title tags can make a huge difference to the SEO rankings of your Belize web page.

What are title tags?
Title tags are the text that can be found in the top tab of your browser. They should be no more than 70 characters (including spaces) and include the general information for your website.

How should I use them?

  • Make sure that every page has a descriptive title tag equipped with relevant keywords that are frequently searched on. If your site is set up on Google Analytics (which it should be so that you can monitor the traffic to your site) you can use the keyword tool that is provided to help you find relevant keywords. If it isn’t, try the Wordtracker tool to help determine what keywords are best for your page.
  • Every title tag should include, at minimum:

    • Your resort’s name
    • Your resort’s location
    • “Belize Resort”

For example, the “Contact” page of your resort might look like this: 

Contact | Your Resort | Wherever, Belize | Belize Resort

What keywords have you found most successful in your title tags? Comment below. 

Leave a comment

Belize Web Marketing 101: The Importance of Page Titles

Monday, January 20th, 2014 by

Page titles are extremely important when it comes to your website’s SEO and your resort marketing in general. Search engines use this information to quickly sort and categorize your website and its pages, so descriptive, relevant page titles can make a huge difference to the SEO rankings of your Belize web page.

What are page titles?

Page titles are the text that can be found in the top tab of your browser. They are typically between 130 and 150 characters and include the general information for your website.

How should I use them?

  • Make sure that every page has a descriptive page title equipped with relevant keywords that are frequently searched on. If your site is set up on Google Analytics (which it should be so that you can monitor the traffic to your site) you can use the keyword tool that is provided to help you find relevant keywords. If it isn’t, try the Wordtracker tool.
  • Every page title should include, at minimum:

    • Your resort’s name
    • Your resort’s location
    • “Belize Resort”

For example, the “Contact” page of your resort might look like this: 

Contact | Your Resort | Wherever, Belize | Belize Resort

What keywords have you found most successful in your page titles? Comment below. 

Leave a comment

How Pinterest Place Pins Feature Drives Interest in Your Belize Hotel

Monday, January 13th, 2014 by

Pinterest has recently launched a "Place Pins" tool that allows users to pin their favorite locations (vacation destinations, restaurants, beaches, etc) to custom and public boards. Be aware that the tool currently loads locations from FourSquare, so it is important that you have a FourSquare account for your business if you wish to be listed on the Place Pins tool. Here are some great ways to incorporate this new tool into your Caribbean web marketing:

Place Pins | Pinterest

Make your own board
Make a board of your resort and include all the information that you can about it, especially your contact information and as many great pictures of the resort as possible. Most of Pinterest is simply image sharing, so high quality, unique pictures can really help to make you stand out. Also be sure to include all of the fun activities that are available in and around your resort. 

Make yourself known
Post your images onto other relevant public boards. If your resort boasts cave tubing, for example, you could post on a board about tropical adventures or water sports. If you've captured great shots of wild life on your resort grounds, you could post your images on a board about wildlife photos. Make your Social Marketing in Belize interesting and people will pay you back with attention and additional "pins" that spread your news even further.

Remember that the goal is to make viewers interested in your resort and have them click through to your website. Include images that you think best represent your unique resort and be sure to include links to your site wherever possible without sounding like you're out to sell something. As always, be careful not to make classic social media mistakes while using this platform.

Are you looking for help marketing your Belize resort or hotel? Guest Caye Resort Marketing offers leading online software, marketing services and expert consulting to help you reach your full potential. Send us an email at dan@guestcaye.com to discover how we help you build your business one guest at a time.

Leave a comment

Getting The Most Out Of Your Belize Resort Social Media

Monday, January 6th, 2014 by

It's no secret that social media outlets are important to promoting your Caribbean web marketing plan, but are you using it to it's full potential? Belize hotel marketing should consider how social media can help reach travel shoppers and stimulate them to look more closely at your resort as their next vacation destination.

Facebook

To get the most out of Facebook, you should be posting new content no less than once a week, but ideally, you should be creating a decent Facebook post daily. Posts should be related to your resort or to the travel industry. Here's a great post from the Gumbo Limbo Jungle Resort in Belize:

Notice that the post uses hashtags (a new feature on Facebook) and includes links. Hashtags make posts searchable and including the link to the website makes it more likely that fans will visit. Keep a close eye on 'likes' and shares on your posts. These are great indicators as to what your fans want to see you post about on your page. Here are some helpful tips about Facebook Hashtags for Marketing your Belize hotel or resort.

Twitter

Twitter is a great outlet for short, to the point posts. The lifespan of a tweet is much shorter than a Facebook post. In fact, studies say that the average lifespan of a tweet is 15 minutes. That being said, it's best to post at least once a day if possible. Here's a fun example of a great Twitter post by Black Orchid Resort in Belize:

The post is short and sweet and includes links to both the Facebook page and the YouTube channel.

Posting on your social media channels should be fun and easy. It's a great opportunity to show your resort's personality and features in an informal and FREE way. Just make sure that you aren't making any of these social media mistakes.

Have additional insights into these social media channels for resort marketing? Leave a comment below.

Leave a comment

Black Orchid Resort — Best Alternative to Belize City Hotels

Friday, November 15th, 2013 by

 Black Orchid Resort 

For information and reservations, please call 1-866-437-1301

2 Dawson Lane, Burrell Boom Village,
P.O. Box 1864, Belize District,
BELIZE, Central America
phone: +1 866 437 1301 (Toll Free from USA and Canada)
phone: +501 – 225 9158 (Before number dial: 011 (US/CND) 00 (Europe))
fax: +501 – 225 9028
info@blackorchidresort.com

 

Choose Black Orchid Resort for:

  • Near airport, Belize City & major attractions
  • Pristine tropical riverside ambience
  • Fairly priced rooms and private cottages
  • Local & International cuisine at full service restaurant
  • Two fully stocked bars
  • Full service tours with expert guides
  • Package deals with tours, accommodation & meals
  • Freshwater swimming pool
  • Fully-equipped Conference Centre & banquet facilities
  • Belize Old River riverside Boat Dock & relaxation areas
Leave a comment

Are You Losing Customers Because Of Your Website?

Tuesday, November 5th, 2013 by
If you were to ask travelers who didn't book with you why they chose a different resort, what would you guess their response would be? Price? Location? Would you believe that over 36% of travelers said that they didn't choose a resort because of an issue on the website? It's true! Here are some common problems and solutions to website issues:
 
 
Problem: Technical issue – Your website has dead links, images that won't load, doesn't run in certain browsers, etc.
 
Solution: Make sure that your website is well tested. Every link, every button, every browser: it all should be checked regularly. An easy way to avoid issues like these from the get go is to have a reputable team build your site and internal programs and do a vigorous QA before launch, but if you already have your site up and running, consider consulting with experts on how to solve and avoid issues in the future.

Problem: Couldn't find what they were looking for on your Belize hotel site.
 
Solution: Make sure your website has a clear navigation with calls to action that make sense to the customer. Read more about what you resort site must have here.  
 
Problem: Hotel booking issue – Credit cards weren't excepted, error messages appeared, couldn't tell if the room was available.
 
Solution: Similar to the technical issues bit, make sure that your reservation system is well tested and easy to understand. For best results, accept all major credit cards. Click here for more tips and tricks on how to land more Belize hotel reservations.
 
Leave a comment

Best Hotel Resorts in Belize

Sunday, October 20th, 2013 by

Finding the Best Hotels and Resorts in Belize is Easy at www.BelizeHotels.org

Travel shoppers looking for great vacation deals in Belize are advised to check out the best online resource for researching hotels and resorts in Belize. Published and maintained by the Belize Hotel Association, this website allows consumers to shop for all types of Belize hotel accommodations, from budget hotels to the most luxurious private island resorts in Belize.

Hotels must qualify to be members of this prestigious business association and most Belize Hotels and Resorts; All-Inclusive Hotel Resortsof the very best resorts in Belize are longtime members. One of the key qualifications is meeting the tourist expectations of international travelers. Clean and secure rooms, full bathrooms, front desk personnel, and on-site meals and drinks cover the basics, but today's savvy traveler wants more than a room with a pillow. Reliable internet access for most travelers is an automatic expectation, for example.

Online consumer travel shoppers also have high expectation when it comes to hotel websites and their ability to understand full costs and available amenities. Nearly every resort has a website, but members of the Belize Hotel Association strive to provide their web visitors with all the information they need to make travel decisions. 

Another advantage of shopping on this Belize Hotel Search Portal is the ability to select the Belize destination you want to visit and your budget per night for your chosen place to stay.

  • Shoppers can choose Islands & Cayes if they are looking for sun and sand on Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker or one of the many private islands with resort accommodations.
  • Hotels located in Belize City and Northern Belize as well as near the International Airport can be searched to find a resort for a base to explore Belize or just stay a few nights to and from other resorts across the country.
  • Adventure travelers will find a full range of eco-resorts and jungle lodges in the Western region in Cayo District. These resorts tend to offer thatched cabanas outfitted like modern hotel rooms with all the trimmings.
  • Southern Belize provides a nice mix of sandy beaches and mountain adventure from bases like Placencia, Maya Beach and Punta Gorda.

Choosing the right resort for your #BelizeVacation means doing some research to find hotels that not only meet your price point, but give you the kind of tropical vacation memories that will last a lifetime.

Instead of shopping at online travel sites like Expedia or Hotels.com, why not research your hotels directly by visiting their website and truly understanding what they can offer you. You will find hotel managers very appreciative and helpful in making your reservations directly with them.

Leave a comment

What Guests Want: Must Haves For Your Belize Resort Website

Sunday, October 20th, 2013 by

Your website isn't just important to your Belize web marketing, it is the single most important thing in your business besides your Belize resort itself. You have an average of seven seconds to capture the Belize Hotel Reservation Websiteattention of the guest before they decide whether or not to pursue your resort for their next vacation. There are a few simple rules to ensuring that you capture their attention in that small window.

Guests want a clear understanding of how your resort is different.

What is it that sets your Belize resort apart from competition? Is it your unique location? Your luxurious rooms? Your special staff and personal service? Whatever your key selling point is for your resort, make sure that it is front and center for your guests to see visually and read simply.

Make it easy to use.

Guests want to be able to access all of your Belize resort information quickly and in an intuitive way. Make your website easy to navigate, and make your reservation system even easier (read more about why it is crucial to have a great reservation system here). Having an attractive, easy to use website also means that they'll be more likely to book directly through you instead of going through a dreaded third party site meaning increased profits for your resort.

Make it secure.

Make sure that your site is secure. If guests feel uncomfortable giving you personal information, they're not going to give it to you. Makes sense, right? Proudly display your security credentials. And if you don't have a secure online system for hotel booking, to collect deposits and guest payments, get one now. American travel shoppers expect to do business with you online – whether you are ready for that reality or not.

Keep it up to date!

Keep your site up to date with all of the latest information about your resort. Having a blog that hasn't been updated in two years or an out of date promotion on your homepage makes your resort look like a ghost town. Keep your site current with all of the fun activities that are happening at your Belize resort.

What must have items belong on every Belize Website? Share your ideas below!

If you need help navigating the confusing array of internet marketing issues for Belize hoteliers, contact Guest Caye at dan@guestcaye.com for a personal consultation.

Leave a comment

There’s No Such Thing As Bad Press: How To Deal With Public Complaints

Wednesday, September 25th, 2013 by

Somewhere down the line in your Caribbean web marketing, you're going to run into some negativity. While it certainly isn't easy for a hotel owners to hear/read a guest say negative things about their Belize hotels, and it's even more difficult when they are on a public forum such as Facebook or Twitter, keep in mind the old saying: "There's no such thing as bad press." If handled properly, you can use the negative commentary as a way to show your character as a resort.

**First and foremost, never, EVER delete a negative comment off of your social media channels unless it contains profanity or other unacceptable content. If it's just a sincere consumer complaint, do not under any circumstance delete the post. The repercussions of this will be far worse than just handling the complaint.**

 

Here are the best ways to handle public complaints:

Quickly
The quicker that you can get to the negative reviewer, the better. Word spreads fast on social media (for better or worse… read more here). Remember the last time that you were on the phone with a customer service rep and you were on hold for 15 minutes? How you were even angrier by the time someone listened to you? Imagine this, but magnified. Not only is the reviewer already fuming, but so are all of those who read the post who are on the consumer's side.

Publicly
On that same note, with complaints that are on social media or other public outlets such as TripAdvisor, you'll want to respond to the complaint publicly. Doing so shows that you're open to feedback, for better or worse, and that you genuinely care about your guest's experience. Better yet, your followers may get to see the problem get resolved right before their eyes.

Personally
In EVERY mode of communication, public or otherwise, every complaint should be handled individually. The more that you can personalize the situation, the better. Customers are more responsive to personalized feedback, so using their name and situation in their response and making your solution tailored to their complaint will yield much better results than sending a standard apology email/post/tweet to every guest.

Apologetically & Appreciatively
Apologize upfront for the guests dissatisfaction and communicate that you genuinely enjoy the feedback. Being able to put yourself in the customer's shoes will aide you greatly in dealing with negative feedback. 

Have any suggestions on how to best handle negative feedback on your Caribbean social media? Leave a comment below.

 

Leave a comment

Still Not on TripAdvisor? What Your Belize Marketing Plan Is Missing.

Monday, September 23rd, 2013 by

Are you still not advertising your resort on TripAdvisor? If not, your resort is missing out on a huge opportunity to get more Belize hotel reservations. TripAdvisor boasts over 200 million viewers a month who come looking to browse resorts, read consumer reviews, and ultimately decide where they're going to stay on their next vacation.

You can help your resort stand out by creating special offers on your resort page that feature a percentage off their stay or other incentives such as a free tour of the Belize jungle or other exciting amenity you offer. You can list your resort completely free of charge, or you can upgrade to a Business Account that includes additional features (such as adding your direct contact information) for a small monthly fee.

Best of all, TripAdvisor is an ever evolving tool. They are constantly creating additional features to help resort owners and customers get the most out of their program. Recently, TripAdvisor has launched even more great tools such as the direct email feature which allows your customers to email you directly with questions about your resort or their Belize hotel reservation from the site and the brand new GreenLeaders program that rewards resorts for their efforts in going green (read more about the program here). These new tools in conjunction with their great reporting tools, user friendly layout, and their reliable services means that this site is a must have tool in your resort marketing plan.

What are you waiting for? Register your resort on TripAdvisor today!

Leave a comment