“The current trend for resort reservations is that 80% of bookings come either directly or indirectly from the internet” says Mark Coles, a partner in First Page SEO - a Canadian company specializing in internet marketing. “The interesting thing is that over 80% of that internet traffic can be attributed to search” says Coles. For web sites to really excel they need their natural or organic placement to get them onto the first or second page. Only about 20% of hospitality based internet traffic comes from collateral print material where users can see the web URL. That means the bulk of the hits on any given web site come from keyword searches.

With so much competition on the World Wide Web it takes more than luck to ensure sites end up on the first page rather than fifty pages back.

First Page SEO has a solid track record of optimizing and placing sites. Currently they dominate Ontario resort search engine placement on Google. By example if you keyword search “Ontario resort” about 7.5 million sites compete for that phrase. Eleven of the twenty listings on the first two pages are clients of First Page SEO. In fact, if you type in “Ontario search engine optimization” you will find First Page SEO in the #1 position ahead of 1.5 million other sites. Do the same search on MSN and you will find them in the #1 position again, and up near the top on Yahoo as well!

“Its no accident that we are the placement leader in hospitality internet marketing in Ontario” says Coles. “We start out by ensuring the web site has the genetics to become a top site and then we use a combination of SEO techniques accompanied by good, old fashioned marketing to improve the base product.” First Page SEO avoids black hat techniques like stealth software, false directories, cloaking, etc. and focuses on theme, solid content and link strategies that support the products and services being marketed. “Our Top 50 link program is a top seller” says Coles, “It uses DMOZ style one way back links from directories with a Page Rank of 6 or higher. Every listing has unique anchor text and the directories are turned on very slowing to avoid sand boxing.

The other thing that First Page SEO does very well is paying attention to search engine trends and changes in the algorithms. “We are always testing ahead to have a better idea of what's going on”, says Coles. “We also look at the logic of changes over the long term and whether the situation demands changes on our part or perhaps just a passing fad - we don't jump at every blip on our radar screen”, adds Coles.

Coles should know, he's been at the top of marketing and IT for some of the largest corporations in Canada including Ontario Hydro and Hydro One and is also a former resort owner.

Severn Lodge at www.severnlodge.on.ca is one of First Page SEO's clients. “First Page SEO built and marketed our web site” says Rick Breckbill, an owner of the exclusive Muskoka resort. “We've been in this business for several generations and now I'm amazed at the shift to bookings from the internet. We weren't getting everything we needed from our old web site but our new site is built for web placement and just rakes in the hits” adds Breckbill.



About the Author
Mark Coles
First Page SEO offers free internet marketing tips on the News section of its web site and can be contacted at First Page SEO or (705) 286-3656