Tony Ciccarone

After a hard look at the current state of a Google hotel search, I wondered about this. Does it still matter? Look, a search for a term like Miami Hotel turns up mostly Google ad…

Google is really edging out hotel direct bookings these days between Adwords and Promoted Hotels, which is really just Google Hotel Finder ads. It looks like this on a SERP: Adwords in the shaded area,…

I think Google Hotel Finder is one of the sexiest tools a traveler has these days.  It’s a complicated situation for hotels, though, with the OTAs getting privileged placement, but that’s all the more reason…

If Google+ isn’t already on your priority radar, heads up that it recently surpassed Twitter with more user accounts, making it the second largest social media outlet. That doesn’t necessarily mean there’s more action on…

Remember when your hotel web strategy was all about keyword optimization. Ah, those were the days. Now you’ve got innumerable social media outlets to keep up with, review sites out the wazoo, and Google. It…

If I know nothing else, I know that Google is a bear—sometimes the kind you want to cozy up with and sometimes the kind that sends you screaming for your life. It’s also one of…

At TrustYou, we talk a lot about the importance of reviews and online reputation management, from understanding the semantics of reviews to our revamped definition of SEO to how your reputation impacts your bottom line, and everything in between.…

While I’m on the topic of generational marketing, let’s talk for a minute about Baby Boomers (49-67 years old). While Millenials may outnumber them, Baby Boomers are one big and busy generation. Marketing travel to…

Last week, Marriott announced plans to import a European hotel chain aimed specifically at Millenials to the United States. I was actually thinking about Millenials when I was writing about TripAdvisor last week, and Marriott’s announcement…

Yes, you can. That is, yes, you CAN make a difference in your hotel’s TripAdvisor profile. There are plenty of places that will give you a checklist of things to do, so I’m not going…

Yesterday I was doing some research, and I ran across a fellow travel/social media blogger who argued that TripAdvisor isn’t all that useful. For me, that one’s a head scratcher. He argued that travelers have…

Today I’m pulling out some hotel social media examples that are relevant to all this talk about improving relationships with guests. Example A: Approachable Management Talk about charming management. The Hotel Monaco Portland posted this…