Alright, so let me tell you about this little project I tackled – the Super 8 Gaffney thing. It was kinda messy, but hey, that’s how you learn, right?
It all started when I was tasked with fixing up their online presence. Their website was a complete disaster, looked like it was built back in ’98. First thing I did was take a good hard look at the existing site. Noted down everything that was wrong – broken links, outdated info, you name it.
Next, I researched their competitors. See what the other hotels in the area were doing online. What were their websites like? What kind of deals were they offering? Figured that’d give me a good baseline.
Then, I sketched out a new website design. Nothing fancy, just something clean and modern. Focused on making it easy for people to book rooms and find the info they needed. Think big, clear buttons and mobile-friendly layout.
After the design was in place, I started building the website using WordPress. Found a decent theme that fit the design, then started customizing it. Added all the hotel info, photos of the rooms, and a booking form. That booking form was a pain, let me tell ya! Had to mess with the code to get it working right.
While the website was underway, I worked on their social media. Created a Facebook page and an Instagram account. Started posting regular updates about the hotel, local attractions, and special deals. Tried to engage with people, answer their questions, and run some contests.
Once the website was live, I focused on SEO. Did some keyword research to figure out what people were searching for when looking for hotels in Gaffney. Then, optimized the website content and meta tags to rank higher in search results.
And of course, I tracked everything. Used Google Analytics to monitor website traffic and booking conversions. Used social media analytics to track engagement and reach. All that data helped me see what was working and what wasn’t.
It wasn’t perfect, but I saw some decent improvements. Website traffic went up, bookings increased a bit, and their online presence was generally a lot better. I felt pretty good about that. Here are some of the things I learned:
- Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. Sometimes you gotta dive into the code and figure things out yourself.
- Data is your friend. Track everything you can, and use that information to make better decisions.
- Rome wasn’t built in a day. It takes time to build a successful online presence. Be patient and keep at it.
All in all, it was a good learning experience. Definitely picked up a few new skills and got a better understanding of how to manage a small business’s online presence. Plus, the Super 8 Gaffney folks were happy, and that’s what really matters, right?
