Saturday, October 17, 2009

SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZED (SEO) WRITING

This was written as a sample of a Search Engine Optimized article for a fictional website.

Travel agencies are reporting to [website] that more than ever, airlines, cruise lines, hotels, and resorts are looking for incentives to encourage international travel for prospective customers. Overseas air routes are usually underbooked due to impressions that a soft international economy makes long-distance flights and foreign accommodations costly, but travel agents have discovered that overall, costs for travel to European and Scandinavian destinations are near all-time lows and cheap plane tickets can be found at most airlines. In addition, major hotels in many cities are offering package deals that include accommodations, dining, sightseeing, and special events at a discount.

The question that most potential travelers raise is “How do we find these deals?” Self-booking online can be confusing and makes it difficult to effectively compare deal against deal; the biggest sites don't necessarily offer the best prices, and the smaller sites don't provide the most peace of mind about the booking options. Most travelers also think that online shopping is the only way to find cheap plane tickets, cruises, or accommodations, and that using a travel agent means paying additional fees for the services provided. This, however, is an assumption that often leads to shoppers actually paying more for international travel.

Travel agents do work on a commission basis, but instead of the customer paying the agent fee directly or it being “built in” to the overall travel package cost, the agent fee is typically paid by airlines, cruise lines, hotels, and resorts that are sold by the agent to the customer. Travel agents are trained specialists in determining the best, most affordable, and most desirable options for international travel, and indeed usually have more first-hand knowledge than anyone because of the extensive travel that they do as part of their work. A travel agent knows how to tell when a cheap plane ticket is a bargain versus a bummer. A travel agent knows when a four-star hotel isn't located in a four-star neighborhood. A travel agent knows which cruise line or bus tour to take when you're more interested in food or in adventure. And most importantly, a travel agent knows how to work with you and ask you the questions needed to help find the trip you'll love the most. This is the travel agent's job, and it's why those airlines, cruise lines, hotels, and resorts pay them to sell services to you.

To find out more about how using your local travel agent can help you plan international travel or find cheap plane tickets, visit [website] today and find travel agents in your area.




This is another example of a Search Engine Optimized article for a fictional website.

These days, restaurants of all kinds are turning to the Internet and email mailing lists as a way to reach customers. Enrolling customers in membership clubs like Qdoba's eClub or Dave & Buster's Rewards program allows restaurants to more effectively target promotions to repeat customers, who in turn benefit from great deals such as two-for-one meals, free appetizers or desserts, or other benefits, sometimes without even using coupons. For people eating out on a budget, this is a must-do in terms of maximizing your entertainment dollar.

However, the complicated part is that for each restaurant that offers memberships and promotions, customers must complete a survey or online registration form, a process that is sometimes frustrating and time-consuming. Diners may or may not be able to tell if their favorite restaurants offer these kinds of memberships, and when eating out on a budget, customers may not be considering all of the potential options at a time when completing those online enrollment forms is convenient.

The Restaurant Roundup.com website offers a solution to diners who want to get the best bang for their bucks in restaurant deals. Users sign up on www.RestaurantRoundup.com, enter the typical enrollment information that most restaurant websites request for memberships, and select the types of dining establishments that they want to add to their membership portfolio, such as “Mexican”, “Steak”, or “Pasta.” Members can also select specific restaurants from the directory of restaurants. Restaurant Roundup then automatically enrolls the users in individual restaurant membership clubs for the selected establishments, and can even update members each month with new options to try out! Dining out on a budget has never been this much fun!

Restaurant Roundup is great for restaurant owners and franchisees as well. It offers area-targeted searches and solicitations to Restaurant Roundup members, and lets owners connect with enthusiastic diners who are interested in discovering great places to dine while saving money. Promotions can be run using coupons or optionally using a magnetic swipe card that saves both customers and vendors the need to exchange and redeem paper coupons.

Eating out on a budget no longer means having to clip coupons, chase down short-term specials, or be stingy with the dining experience. Restaurant Roundup puts more exciting dining experiences in the hands of more people, conveniently and quickly. Enroll today to join in the fun and start saving money!