Well it finally happened: TA bumped me

[EmptyNest]

Take heart. We are the only 5* rated B+B in our town but because we are small and have a lot of repeat guests we can not generate as many reviews as the big inn, that low balls for all kinds of deals, takes kids and pets and has a staff. Still, our 201 reviews are consistently better than their 254. BUT...they have had a business listing on TA which I think gave them the advantage when they bumped us from #1 to #2. I see that they discontinued that listing recently so am curious to see if they stay #1 by virtue of the number of reviews they generate or if our solid 5* rating boosts us up a notch in the coming days..

I'm afraid having a business listing didn't help me, although it might help me decide to drop the listing and expense since I'm no longer high on the list. Oh well.
.

Don't waste your money on a business listing. People will still go to TA to read reviews and you will still be there no matter what.

 

[TheBeachHouse]

Take heart. We are the only 5* rated B+B in our town but because we are small and have a lot of repeat guests we can not generate as many reviews as the big inn, that low balls for all kinds of deals, takes kids and pets and has a staff. Still, our 201 reviews are consistently better than their 254. BUT...they have had a business listing on TA which I think gave them the advantage when they bumped us from #1 to #2. I see that they discontinued that listing recently so am curious to see if they stay #1 by virtue of the number of reviews they generate or if our solid 5* rating boosts us up a notch in the coming days..

I'm afraid having a business listing didn't help me, although it might help me decide to drop the listing and expense since I'm no longer high on the list. Oh well.
.

Don't waste your money on a business listing. People will still go to TA to read reviews and you will still be there no matter what.
.

The business listing does give you one thing worth having - a link directly to your website. It's the only thing worth it in the transaction. So weigh that in your decision.

 

[TheBeachHouse]

(I actually mentioned this on another thread before I saw this one.)
We got bumped from #1 to #6 in one day!!!! We have had about one review a week all fall, but the past three or four had only 4 eyes. So we are about average for the town.
TA says there are 26 B&Bs in town so we are 6 of 26 - not bad. But the truth is, 10 of those listed are closed. Some have been closed for years. So we are really listed 6 of 16..

Today we are #2 of 26. No new reviews, just a new calculation. Or something. The place that was #1 yesterday is now #4. No new reviews there either.

 

[EmptyNest]

Take heart. We are the only 5* rated B+B in our town but because we are small and have a lot of repeat guests we can not generate as many reviews as the big inn, that low balls for all kinds of deals, takes kids and pets and has a staff. Still, our 201 reviews are consistently better than their 254. BUT...they have had a business listing on TA which I think gave them the advantage when they bumped us from #1 to #2. I see that they discontinued that listing recently so am curious to see if they stay #1 by virtue of the number of reviews they generate or if our solid 5* rating boosts us up a notch in the coming days..

I'm afraid having a business listing didn't help me, although it might help me decide to drop the listing and expense since I'm no longer high on the list. Oh well.
.

Don't waste your money on a business listing. People will still go to TA to read reviews and you will still be there no matter what.
.

The business listing does give you one thing worth having - a link directly to your website. It's the only thing worth it in the transaction. So weigh that in your decision.
.

You don't need a direct link to your website for hundreds of $$! They will simply read your name and google it. Do you have stats to contribute to the effect that they found you by actually clicking on your TA link??

 

[TheBeachHouse]

Take heart. We are the only 5* rated B+B in our town but because we are small and have a lot of repeat guests we can not generate as many reviews as the big inn, that low balls for all kinds of deals, takes kids and pets and has a staff. Still, our 201 reviews are consistently better than their 254. BUT...they have had a business listing on TA which I think gave them the advantage when they bumped us from #1 to #2. I see that they discontinued that listing recently so am curious to see if they stay #1 by virtue of the number of reviews they generate or if our solid 5* rating boosts us up a notch in the coming days..

I'm afraid having a business listing didn't help me, although it might help me decide to drop the listing and expense since I'm no longer high on the list. Oh well.
.

Don't waste your money on a business listing. People will still go to TA to read reviews and you will still be there no matter what.
.

The business listing does give you one thing worth having - a link directly to your website. It's the only thing worth it in the transaction. So weigh that in your decision.
.

You don't need a direct link to your website for hundreds of $$! They will simply read your name and google it. Do you have stats to contribute to the effect that they found you by actually clicking on your TA link??
.

Not specifically TA. We do know that 50% of our bookings come from the combination of b-king and xpedia. And anecdotally, we know from people telling us that they found us on TA.

 

[gillumhouse]

Take heart. We are the only 5* rated B+B in our town but because we are small and have a lot of repeat guests we can not generate as many reviews as the big inn, that low balls for all kinds of deals, takes kids and pets and has a staff. Still, our 201 reviews are consistently better than their 254. BUT...they have had a business listing on TA which I think gave them the advantage when they bumped us from #1 to #2. I see that they discontinued that listing recently so am curious to see if they stay #1 by virtue of the number of reviews they generate or if our solid 5* rating boosts us up a notch in the coming days..

I'm afraid having a business listing didn't help me, although it might help me decide to drop the listing and expense since I'm no longer high on the list. Oh well.
.

Don't waste your money on a business listing. People will still go to TA to read reviews and you will still be there no matter what.
.

The business listing does give you one thing worth having - a link directly to your website. It's the only thing worth it in the transaction. So weigh that in your decision.
.

You don't need a direct link to your website for hundreds of $$! They will simply read your name and google it. Do you have stats to contribute to the effect that they found you by actually clicking on your TA link??
.

Not specifically TA. We do know that 50% of our bookings come from the combination of b-king and xpedia. And anecdotally, we know from people telling us that they found us on TA.
.

I get told they found me on TA also - but I have never (and will never) paid them one penny.

 

[Momma Smurf]

Wow! So today we are #4!!! Why? Because another B&B that always has been listed in the town north of us, switched their address to our town???? What? They now are #1 in our town, pushing everyone else down.

 

[TheBeachHouse]

Wow! So today we are #4!!! Why? Because another B&B that always has been listed in the town north of us, switched their address to our town???? What? They now are #1 in our town, pushing everyone else down..

???? That sux!

 

[Delwood]

Wow! So today we are #4!!! Why? Because another B&B that always has been listed in the town north of us, switched their address to our town???? What? They now are #1 in our town, pushing everyone else down..

Similar thing happened to us as well. Town 35 miles south of us is now part of our city, so now 15+ bed and breakfasts have been included in our market. To add insult, when you click on businesses in the other town they still have their own market (i.e. they get exposure in two locations). Will be interesting to see if reviewers who book a room in the town 35 miles away will make comments on how far from town it is. Though knowing where a guest is staying should be on the shoulders of the guest, I wouldn't be too happy if I got into the airport late at night and had an hour drive to a place that TA indicated was in the city.

 

[Morticia]

Wow! So today we are #4!!! Why? Because another B&B that always has been listed in the town north of us, switched their address to our town???? What? They now are #1 in our town, pushing everyone else down..

Similar thing happened to us as well. Town 35 miles south of us is now part of our city, so now 15+ bed and breakfasts have been included in our market. To add insult, when you click on businesses in the other town they still have their own market (i.e. they get exposure in two locations). Will be interesting to see if reviewers who book a room in the town 35 miles away will make comments on how far from town it is. Though knowing where a guest is staying should be on the shoulders of the guest, I wouldn't be too happy if I got into the airport late at night and had an hour drive to a place that TA indicated was in the city.
.

Will be interesting to see if reviewers who book a room in the town 35 miles away will make comments on how far from town it is. Though knowing where a guest is staying should be on the shoulders of the guest, I wouldn't be too happy if I got into the airport late at night and had an hour drive to a place that TA indicated was in the city.

Bedandbreakfast has done this for years. Inns that are an hour's drive away are listed as 'nearby' or allowed to pay to be listed in my town.

 

[Momma Smurf]

Wow! So today we are #4!!! Why? Because another B&B that always has been listed in the town north of us, switched their address to our town???? What? They now are #1 in our town, pushing everyone else down..

Similar thing happened to us as well. Town 35 miles south of us is now part of our city, so now 15+ bed and breakfasts have been included in our market. To add insult, when you click on businesses in the other town they still have their own market (i.e. they get exposure in two locations). Will be interesting to see if reviewers who book a room in the town 35 miles away will make comments on how far from town it is. Though knowing where a guest is staying should be on the shoulders of the guest, I wouldn't be too happy if I got into the airport late at night and had an hour drive to a place that TA indicated was in the city.
.

And no one else will ever be able to be #1 in this Town again, as the interloper has 266 5 Stars, 2 4 Stars, 1 3 Star, nothing below that, sad news for the #1 for the past 8 years. Yikes.
Here's what's really weird, just yesterday we drove by this B&B and I remarked how close it was to the Other Town. I also mentally noted that I knew they had great reviews. Then my mind drifted off to when TA announced that we could combine locations that are subsets of towns. I submitted the request, and yes, we now appear in two locations. We are actually #1 in our village, but now ranked #4 in the overall town that contains all the villages. So odd that today happened to be the day they rearranged themselves to be #1 in our town vs competing against many others in the other town (despite the other town being a more popular destination).

 

[Copperhead]

Wow! So today we are #4!!! Why? Because another B&B that always has been listed in the town north of us, switched their address to our town???? What? They now are #1 in our town, pushing everyone else down..

Similar thing happened to us as well. Town 35 miles south of us is now part of our city, so now 15+ bed and breakfasts have been included in our market. To add insult, when you click on businesses in the other town they still have their own market (i.e. they get exposure in two locations). Will be interesting to see if reviewers who book a room in the town 35 miles away will make comments on how far from town it is. Though knowing where a guest is staying should be on the shoulders of the guest, I wouldn't be too happy if I got into the airport late at night and had an hour drive to a place that TA indicated was in the city.
.

And no one else will ever be able to be #1 in this Town again, as the interloper has 266 5 Stars, 2 4 Stars, 1 3 Star, nothing below that, sad news for the #1 for the past 8 years. Yikes.
Here's what's really weird, just yesterday we drove by this B&B and I remarked how close it was to the Other Town. I also mentally noted that I knew they had great reviews. Then my mind drifted off to when TA announced that we could combine locations that are subsets of towns. I submitted the request, and yes, we now appear in two locations. We are actually #1 in our village, but now ranked #4 in the overall town that contains all the villages. So odd that today happened to be the day they rearranged themselves to be #1 in our town vs competing against many others in the other town (despite the other town being a more popular destination).
.

Mamma, I do not recall the TA announcement and wonder how that works. Can you provide info please.

 

[Momma Smurf]

Wow! So today we are #4!!! Why? Because another B&B that always has been listed in the town north of us, switched their address to our town???? What? They now are #1 in our town, pushing everyone else down..

Similar thing happened to us as well. Town 35 miles south of us is now part of our city, so now 15+ bed and breakfasts have been included in our market. To add insult, when you click on businesses in the other town they still have their own market (i.e. they get exposure in two locations). Will be interesting to see if reviewers who book a room in the town 35 miles away will make comments on how far from town it is. Though knowing where a guest is staying should be on the shoulders of the guest, I wouldn't be too happy if I got into the airport late at night and had an hour drive to a place that TA indicated was in the city.
.

And no one else will ever be able to be #1 in this Town again, as the interloper has 266 5 Stars, 2 4 Stars, 1 3 Star, nothing below that, sad news for the #1 for the past 8 years. Yikes.
Here's what's really weird, just yesterday we drove by this B&B and I remarked how close it was to the Other Town. I also mentally noted that I knew they had great reviews. Then my mind drifted off to when TA announced that we could combine locations that are subsets of towns. I submitted the request, and yes, we now appear in two locations. We are actually #1 in our village, but now ranked #4 in the overall town that contains all the villages. So odd that today happened to be the day they rearranged themselves to be #1 in our town vs competing against many others in the other town (despite the other town being a more popular destination).
.

Mamma, I do not recall the TA announcement and wonder how that works. Can you provide info please.
.

You might be a good candidate to do this. Am thinking it was 2 or 3 years ago. You need to submit your location with a small subset of properties as part of that larger Metro area you are in. At the moment I can't specifically recall how I did it, but it worked.

 

[Aussie Innkeeper]

Your new 'placement' on TA had nothing to do with anything at all. Supposedly, and I heard this from my TA rep, something got screwed up. He says it's been fixed. My listing appears to be back to where it was.

 

[TheBeachHouse]

Your new 'placement' on TA had nothing to do with anything at all. Supposedly, and I heard this from my TA rep, something got screwed up. He says it's been fixed. My listing appears to be back to where it was..

Well, I'm not going to tell that to the woman who was #1 for a day. I'll let her enjoy it.

 

[Lee2014]

Don't get it…. We just got a new five eyed review for the room a guy slammed a couple weeks ago. So I looked up our rating. We fell down four spots with a five eyed review. The four eyed one earlier gave us two spots higher up… No, I don't understand it at all!

 

[GoodScout]

Same thing happened to me. I was #2 for a single day and then the next morning order was restored to the universe.
Now I have 2 more 5-eye reviews and am feeling better.

 

[Innkeep]

I'm still #2

 

[TheBeachHouse]

I'm still #2.

We went up to #1 yesterday, bumped back down today. Hard to keep up.

 

[Highlands John]

From experience, the algorithm seems to run every 2 to 3 days. We can move up and down daily because the scores are so close around here. And the frequency of reviews is a factor..

Yes, the algorithm used to run weekly, it was always on a Tuesday morning that our position changed, to like you say it seems to be 2-3 days.