Domain names

Everything to do with using your own website to advertise your rental property. Design, usability, hosting, getting listed on the search engines, optimising your site, pay-per-click, etc, etc.
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Ciapolin
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Domain names

Post by Ciapolin »

This weekend I had a couple of Americans drop into to have a look at our apartments with a view to renting at a later date.

They found us via our web site, which is 'a good thing'. As an aside, they mentioned that they almost didn't check us out because our web name www.piedmont-holidays.com sounds like a holiday company, rather than a private set up. They did say that as soon as they had a closer look at the site became obvious that we aren't a big company.

I chose our domain name to help with engine searches etc., rather than using our house name...but their comments have made me stop and think.

Has anyone else come across this?
Carole-Anne
Cascina Ciapolin
www.piedmont-holidays.com
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Normandy Cow
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Post by Normandy Cow »

Carole-Anne,
I have to say that yes, it does sound like a holiday company. And on the home page the heading is "Holiday Apartments" - it is not obvious that they are all owned by one family until you read down a bit further.
But right now I don't know what to suggest to you as an alternative. Sorry I can't be more helpful!
A-two
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Post by A-two »

Interesting problem, or maybe it's not a problem at all if you're fully booked.... :) I agree that the first impression is one of an apartment rental agency, albeit a very professional looking one, but I don't think I would change the domain name at this stage and would try a couple of other tweaks instead.

I read from left to right and top to bottom like most people, hence the domain name is not the first thing I read on a page of Google search results, rather it's the Title of the index page. If that captures my imagination, I'll read on and that will give me the first sentence or two of the description. If the title doesn't do it for me, then I'll skip the description and go on to the next result. If the title and the description doesn't grab me, I move on. The last thing I look at is the domain name, only when I'm already interested and ready to click on it.

So for me, it's a combination of those three elements that create the first impression - the title of the page, the first sentence of description and the domain name - and since all three of these elements currently stress, "holiday apartments" and very little else - for me, you have created the impression of a holiday company, one which is renting 3 separate apartments scattered about the town, rather than a family owned and operated 300 year old estate that includes accomodation that I can rent in a converted barn surrounded by neighboring vineyards and woodlands. Now that gets my attention!

I'm not quite sure what your relationship is to the vineyards, (I'm assuming you don't own and operate them), but even so, I like the word estate in the context of your property. Maybe that's an American thing, but I have taken the liberty of playing with your opening paragraph below. (I'm sure you can do better, but hope you get the idea).

Cascina Ciapolin is our 300-year old farmhouse estate, comprising X acres of property and surrounded by some 12 acres of woodland and Nebbiola vineyards in the famous Langhe region of Piemonte. Accomodation includes 3 spacious self-catering holiday apartments, converted from 2 barns on the estate. Family owned and operated.

So while I agree that the domain name is important for lots of reasons, SEO amongst them, also I think the other elements can change the overall impression successfully, and that tweaking the source/ metatag title, the Title at the top of the index page, as well the subtitle top right of the index page and the first sentence in your description, all this might make the difference for someone tempted to click the link in the search engine results that is currently passing it by.

Having made those changes, I would then monitor the number of hits for a while to see whether or not it has made any great difference when compared to the same period from the previous year. I would do all this before I would consider changing the domain name.

My 2 cents.
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Ciapolin
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Post by Ciapolin »

Thanks for the feedback.

I'm getting lots of hits on the site, but these aren't really converting to enquiries - or at least not in the numbers I would like. I have previously put this down to it being our first year and missing the prime time for bookings.

We do own the surrounding land and vineyards, although our neighbour looks after them for us. I love the idea of using 'estate', but I think it is a bit too grand for what we have!

I'll see what I can do about getting some of the changes you have suggested made.
Carole-Anne
Cascina Ciapolin
www.piedmont-holidays.com
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Normandy Cow
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Post by Normandy Cow »

Well put Joanna - you have managed to put into words exactly what I was thinking!

Last night I was just too tired to elaborate, but yes, those were my impressions too - but you have also managed to be a bit more constructive than I was.

Just one thing to add. When I see "holiday apartments" I immediately think of a modern block of flats :( - I probably wouldn't even bother to click on to Carole-Anne's site so I would never get to realise that is not what her properties are about.
Hells Bells
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Post by Hells Bells »

Yes, Carole-Anne's apartments are definitely not your average holiday apartments. The views and surroundings are absolutely stunning too.
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Ciapolin
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Post by Ciapolin »

I guess I need to come up with an alternative for 'holiday apartment'.

Thanks again.
Carole-Anne
Cascina Ciapolin
www.piedmont-holidays.com
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Normandy Cow
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Post by Normandy Cow »

You could just change your page title from
Piedmont Holidays - Holiday Apartments in Langhe, Piemonte, Italy
to something along the lines of
Self-catering Accommodation in a 300-year old farmhouse in Langhe, Piemonte, Italy
and the heading on your home page to
Come and stay at our 300-year old farmhouse in Langhe, Piemonte, Italy
(this is a little more "friendly" methinks!)
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ourinns
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Post by ourinns »

What about building on the "holiday company" image by reworking your existing site on that basis whilst simultaneously registering something like www.our-piedmont-holiday-apartments.com and moving the existing site to that?

That way you get the people looking for a "holiday company" organisation plus those looking for the personal touch.

Don't know what to do about using "apartment" though as that says "apartment in block of flats" to me which obviously isn't anything like what you actually offer.



Arnold
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