Innkeepers: Did You Know That You Can do Your Own SEO?

'SEO' - search engine optimization - it sounds like a techno-nerdo skill requiring specialized training. While many SEO experts have computer science degrees, others have learned effective search engine optimization via hands-on experimentation and research. Dear innkeeper, you can do some easy FREE SEO right from your own computer.

If you run a bed and breakfast, hostel, hotel, motel, or country inn, you are probably familiar with the local recreational attractions and activities. Guess what? You can do something a hired SEO firm cannot!

Let's assume that your community has ten different popular tourist attractions. How do prospective guests find out about these attractions? An increasing number will search the Internet for information. If you provide what they are looking for on the WWW - along with a small ad for your lodging establishment - you will benefit in two ways:

1. Guests may click on your ad to find out more about your accommodations.

2. Other websites may publish your information in syndication, increasing the number of links to your website and thereby boosting your search engine popularity.

The technique is simple:

1. Write a separate article about each tourist attraction (not one article containing information about all ten).

2. Submit each article to article directories on the internet.

Each article should contain the following:

1. A compelling title that encourages the end user to read the article, something like: Did You Know that XYZ Winery is the Oldest Winery in Anytown? Note that the title is interesting and contains the name of the attraction as well as the name of your city. Try to keep the title to 60 characters or less.

2. An interesting summary paragraph that contains just enough information to pique the interest without giving too many details. The paragraph should be about 250 characters, including spaces.

3. Well-written informational text of 500-1000 words - with useful information. There should be no advertising hype, spelling mistakes, or grammatical errors. Avoid including telephone numbers, prices, website URLs, or e-mail addresses for each attraction. All of these items are subject to change. A well-written article may remain on the Internet for years, and if interesting enough, it might be published in syndication on hundreds of websites.

4. A resource box (your ad). It could be worded something like: XYZ Bed and Breakfast is a friendly place to stay in Anytown while you visit XYZ Winery. Our knowledgeable staff will be happy to help you obtain tickets and tour information - and our gourmet breakfast in bed will start your day out right! Remember our website: XYZ Bed and Breakfast, Anytown, State/Province.

Be sure that you link the name of your bed and breakfast to your website. Some article directories will only allow one active link in the resource box - but most will permit three. Be creative and try to link your name or important keywords (like 'gourmet breakfast'). The links do not have to go to your main website. You can deep link to Rates, Specials, or Contact Information pages, for example.

5. Avoid article submission software. Submit manually, previewing each article and making necessary corrections before you press the final 'submit' button. When using article submission software, you cannot fine-tune format and category as easily as via manual submission. Submitting your article to hundreds of article directories overnight could also be interpreted by search engines as spam.

Some good directories to get started with: 1stratearticles.com, triple1.com/Travel, adultescapes.com, goarticles.com, articledashboard.com, buzzle.com, and ezinearticles.com.

1stratearticles.com/sample also has several other article directories listed.

Give it a try! Every back link will increase your search engine popularity, and you should acquire some valuable bookings as well.

(c)Copyright Kathy Steinemann: This article is free to publish only if this copyright notice, the byline, and the author's note below (with active links) are included.

Kathy, a webmaster since 1995, writes articles on several topics for 1st Rate Articles. She also writes travel articles for 111 Travel Directory.