Charlottesville Travel Agents are learning the power of the blog - a great online channel of communication that bridges the gap between traditional face-to-face interaction with static online websites that plague the Internet.
Blogs have recently been publicized as a critical element of a business' internet marketing strategy. Unfortunately, most business owners have either failed to grasp the concept or fallen short in their attempt to reach their niche market (measured to some degree in Google search results).
Like most marketing tactics, simply posting a blog in not enough. It might be compared to advertising in a magazine that never goes to print. If the blog fails to draw traffic and ultimately convert those prospects into active leads, it's really just a waste of time.
As you reflect on your internet marketing strategy, consider your investment in blogging, as this Charlottesville Travel Agent blog writer has done.
Cheers!
Search engine optimization is so critical to the success of a website and Charlottesville travel agents need to understand the implications of proper implementation.
Some basic on-page SEO tips:
- choose keywords for your site that mirror the search behavior of your niche (understand the balance between keyword search volume and competition)
- consistently apply these keywords in your site, including titles, headers, meta tags, links, etc.
- provide titles and alt attributes to images and ask search engines to index them
- optimize robots.txt and sitemap.xml
A host of off-page SEO strategies are also important to fully leverage the power of search engine optimization. There is more information for Charlottesville travel agents to learn about SEO in this discussion about a recent travel industry study from the UK: Charlottesville Travel Agent Websites Learn from UK Study.
It's been interesting to watch the economic roller coaster over the past few days. As I mentioned yesterday, Charlottesville Travel Agents need to focus more than ever on building a sound approach to the market that truly focuses on customers needs. This is a particularly sensitive issue as folks find it harder to part with their (shrinking bundle of) cash.
The shot gun marketing approach just no longer applies and it's understandable that given the wide variety of travel options available today, it easy to lose focus on the specific needs of your niche market.
At some point, every travel agency starts to look the same - some less expensive version of Travelocity, full of pretty pictures for every possible destination possible. It's completely overwhelming.
Here's my advice: create a unique, simple message that inspires clients to pick up the phone and talk to you! The result: engage the customer, differentiate your travel agency, discover unmet customer needs, and ultimately build & retain more business.
I know ... sounds simple, but it's not that easy. I hope to explore that a bit more.
According to Forrester Research, 23% of leisure travelers in te US indicate they would prefer to use a local travel agent if they could find a good one. That's pretty interesting , since travel agents have been in every town for years and Charlottesville is no exception.
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So, Who's to Blame?
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You may argue that the Internet has driven travelers to rely on online travel sites to find good deals and easily book their vacation.
Or is it the various business phone book companies that have failed to engage consumers to drive local business awareness?
Third, it is the travel agencies themselves that have unsuccessfully tapped into new marketing channels to drive customers in the door?
And finally, is it the travelers themselves who are at fault? If they would rather use a credible local travel agent, why haven't they picked up the phone, visited an agency or scoured the web to locate a reliable local travel agent with whom to work?
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Opportunities Are For the Taking
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It seems like as a Charlottesville travel agent, the opportunity is for the taking. Understanding and tapping into the market has never been so important. Do your research and prosper!
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