Your Website & the Search Engines
Behind the Scenes at Your Website: Feeding the “Crawlers”
The Ultimate in “Book Now” Prose: Part 2
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You’ve just launched your new website. After months of thinking through digital marketing strategy, creative design, messaging, and structure – you love it. Now you can finally turn your attention to other business and be done with it, right?
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No, you can’t . . .
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. . . because your website works 24/7 behind the scenes and search engines scan its content every two weeks. They call it “crawling” and it happens whether you like it or not. These “crawlers” are stealth, inquisitive, and smart. And based on what they find, your website’s search engine rankings can rise like ice cream atop a root beer float or fall like the Roman Empire.
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Yes. It’s that delicious—or that disastrous.
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So, let’s keep the crawlers well-fed with fresh and accurate content. Here’s what they’ll say if you don’t:
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“Blech. Stale Content.”
Mark your calendar and do this – review your site content every couple of months. Check for outdated events, be sure your hotel and in-room amenities are still relevant and accurate, and keep your specials fresh. Making updates to just a few pages pleases the crawlers, and they will reward your efforts.
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“Ugh. There’s too much going on.”
Organize your page to address key features on finite, related topics. Don’t just add something somewhere. In fact, it’s best if each topic has a dedicated page so crawlers can easily find it. They’re smart and they keep their antennas up for content that doesn’t fit, bungles the message, and bounces the reader off the site. So, don’t insult your crawlers or, well, you remember—Rome.
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“Huh? That sounds weird.”
Review and read your content updates aloud before publishing. This ensures your content includes the necessary keywords while delivering a natural sounding read. And rest assured, if your content sounds weird when read aloud, then it’s weird. This isn’t a problem—just rework it. Your reader and your crawler will love you for it.
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Now you know. Mark your calendar – and do this.
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The most successful websites get the attention they deserve behind the scenes regularly. Now that you know, you know you can’t launch your site and think you’re done. Make it a habit to perform regular website “health checks.” Then, every couple of years, do a makeover, just like you would a refurbish of your lobby or your guest rooms. This keeps your site up to date with the latest design trends, technology, and digital strategies to help you better compete. Not to mention, the crawlers will be thrilled.
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Vizergy stands ready to help with digital update strategies that keep your website in good standing. Let us make it easy for you.
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