Too soon?

[gam]

Could really do with some views and advice from you guys who have your own websites and blogs.

You may have noticed in other threads that I'm in the process of finding a property and starting a FHL business in the UK. I'm learning all the time (thanks LMHers) but have made a few key decisions, one of the first being that I plan to market the business through my own web site/listing sites and not through an agency.

So I was thinking: is there any reason why I shouldn't start a website and/or a blog now?

Here's my thought process about a website:

I know the business will need a website. No strike that, the business will need a great website. Can I teach myself how to build one, make it attractive and functional and also start getting to grips with the SEO? Even if I find the right property in the next few weeks it will be months before I could go live. Between now and then maybe I'd be able to confirm I had the right skills to build my own site, fit for purpose, or maybe I'd be able to see that I needed professional help? Either way, that seems a good use of the time with little risk, or am I being dumb?

Clearly as I don't have a specific property to market, the website would need to be generic but I could for instance cover things to do in the area I'm planning to buy in (West Country) e.g reviews of places, beaches, walks etc. When I finally have a property I could either keep the url and use the content as supplemental pages or migrate the content to a new site/url.

Here's my thought process about a blog:

I thought it might be fun to blog about the trials and tribulations in finding the right property for my business. If successful, maybe phase 2 could cover local community "happenings" and/or how it has turned out now I'm running the business blog, incorporated/linked to the main website.

Again, I'd learn how to blog in a safe environment and maybe see some benefits in terms of SEO?

--

OK, I've just reread the above through prior to posting and realised that if someone else had posted this I'd be thinking "what is that guy on!". Am I just being over keen. wasting my time and maybe taking risks I haven't yet considered? Your views would be much appreciated, positive and negative (please be gentle)

[CSE]

Blogging about the process is a great idea. I know and follow one such person. You can learn about SEO and web building but most bloggers use wordpress or such like layouts. Maybe your website will have to be written outside of this manufactured world.

[mpprh]

Someone who did exactly that : http://escapetofrance.blogspot.com
http://www.maisonlaurent.com

They started with the blog, built up inward links and google presence, then cross linked to the b&b website when they had found the right property.

Probably worth reading it from the beginning to see how they went about it.

Peter

[Nemo]

If you have the time, I can't see that you have anything to lose. It's all good practise after all!

[Normandie]

Clearly as I don't have a specific property to market, the website would need to be generic but I could for instance cover things to do in the area I'm planning to buy in (West Country) e.g reviews of places, beaches, walks etc. When I finally have a property I could either keep the url and use the content as supplemental pages or migrate the content to a new site/url.

Here's my thought process about a blog:

I thought it might be fun to blog about the trials and tribulations in finding the right property for my business. If successful, maybe phase 2 could cover local community "happenings" and/or how it has turned out now I'm running the business blog, incorporated/linked to the main website.

I think it could definitely deliver benefits in both PR and establishing a web presence ahead of having a property. You'd want to keep property search stories light and witty, though - not too much detail or risk boring a potential visitor.

If you can make your blog or Wordpress-powered website a valuable repository of facts and holiday information for your chosen area and get it ranked ahead of finding and marketing a physical property, it can't fail to be useful, imo.

And emphasising during your search how you are keeping the eventual customers' needs in mind - ease of access, child-friendliness, shops / pubs / restaurants within walking distance, etc etc - you'll be setting yourself up as a thoughtful owner with standards.

You could always choose a generic website name now that you might be able to continue to use when you find your property... so your Google presence will be immediate.

[gam]

Blogging about the process is a great idea. I know and follow one such person.

Thanks. If that person is different to the one mpprh references, any chance of a link?

Someone who did exactly that :

Probably worth reading it from the beginning to see how they went about it.

Ha! I guess I knew I wasn't being original (not much really new is there). I'll certainly read it all. May even drop them an email and ask how valuable they've found it.

If you have the time, I can't see that you have anything to lose. It's all good practise after all!

That's what I thought but wondered if I was being dumb and had missed an obvious problem by doing it.

You'd want to keep property search stories light and witty, though - not too much detail or risk boring a potential visitor.

Absolutely right. I think I'll have a dry run without publishing and ask a few brutally honest friends/family whether they think it is interesting or a big bore.


Thanks everyone for taking the time to comment

[lasourcetranquille]

We started our website when we started work on converting our gite - like everyone says the earlier the better in terms of google presence.

My thinking was also that I have always been interested in how a building became what it is - hence SKY+ full of 'Restoration Home' and 'Country House Rescue' type programs. I 'blogged' throughout or building process and that has now become 'The Project' part of our website. I think it adds interest for potential clients.

Go for it!

[Martha]

Absolutely! It's an excellent idea.

[CSE]

Yes the one I follow on blog and twitter is very different to the ones linked to above.

[gam]

Would love a link if you have one

[kendalcottages]

I agree that if you have the time and the patience to learn, you might as well start the site now, or at the very least register an appropriate domain.

In my case, I registered kendalcottages.com (and variations on it) several years prior to purchasing a property in the town. Time didn't allow me to put as much of the site together as I would have liked, but I think it's definitely something worth doing.

Personally, I would be more inclined to write about the location in which you wish to buy, though, rather than necessarily about the process of finding the right property. I think it's information that would be of more interest (and more SEO benefit) later down the line when you come to buy a property and look to promote it to potential guests.

[Jimbo]

We started our website when we started work on converting our gite - like everyone says the earlier the better in terms of google presence.

My thinking was also that I have always been interested in how a building became what it is - hence SKY+ full of 'Restoration Home' and 'Country House Rescue' type programs. I 'blogged' throughout or building process and that has now become 'The Project' part of our website. I think it adds interest for potential clients.

Go for it!

When we bought our property, we had an empty building ready to be converted into a third gite and included details of the conversion process in our original website, in the hope of drumming up interest for the following season. However, we soon removed this material because two fully functioning gites and one under conversion always seemed to be an uneasy publicity mix - guests looking to book weren't interested (we concluded) in something that might happen in the future, that might impact on their holiday (noise, dust, builders' vans blocking the drive) or reading about the problems related to grating a modern interior onto an old structure. It's easy to get sucked into the mindset that, because you're fascinated by the conversion process, others will be too. It's always the dream that you're attempting to sell - property search and conversion tends to dump you back into tedious reality.

I agree with others who say keep any blog light, amusing and concentrating on location and special features you intend to include in the finished project, rather than stodgy details of your property search and conversion. Good luck with the project!

Jim

[donafe]

Building a website is a process that usually can’t be completed in a day. It takes time.

Whether you are going to build it yourself or hiring someone – you will be learning as you go. It’s virtually impossible to capture all the requirements before you begin. You can start building it yourself and if you are not happy with the results or don’t have time – it still will be very useful in explaining your web designer what you really wanted to achieve. It’s definitely better than nothing.

I think if you have time and some content for your website – build it now. There is absolutely no harm in doing it and you will gain some valuable experience.

As far as SEO is concerned – first of all – write the content for the people and not the search engines.

Just don’t forget to send it to LMH for a review!

[gam]

Thanks KC, Jimbo, donafe - more good advice (I love this forum!)

I've been spending the last few days reading up on blogging and CMS tools, plus looking at literally hundreds of sites to get a feel for what I think looks good and how I'd like to portray my property, when I find it. If anyon's interested I'm probably going for Wordpress for the blog and I'm thinking Joomla for the main site. I've created sites, long, long ago, in pure HTML and with web authoring tools that came along after but not with the latest generation of tools so that will prove interesting but hopefully not too steep a learning curve.

The domain name I'm still pondering on. I've thought of several but have slept on them rather than rushing. One I was really keen on, I then realised already existed but with an s on the end so I'll park that one.

Thanks again.

[gam]

OK - first stab at a blog's up. I've posted details in the "Share your blogs" thread rather than here.

Thanks