GM’s eCommerce Checklist

Milestone Internet Marketing, Inc. recommends that GMs and DOSs look at the following key items on a regular basis. Monitoring these items will enhance the eCommerce productivity of your hotel.

Download GM’s eCommerce Checklist

	Website Design
	Architecture
	Website is easy to navigate and every page is one or two clicks away
	Primary and secondary navigation should be clearly visible and above the fold
	Website has a sitemap.xml feed set up and verified by Google
	Website has a sitemap.xml feed set up and verified by Google

	Content
	Include unique selling propositions
	Have only one mail URL and redirect other URLs to the main website.
	Make sure website content is original and does not violate any duplicate content guidelines
	Website describes local attractions and things to do

	Multimedia
	Website features good quality hotel and destination images
	The hotel has copyrights to all the pictures used on the site If you use Flash, it should be used in moderation and should be optimized

	Converstion Factors
	Hotel Information is accurate and easy to find – phone, fax, email, address, etc.
	Specials and Packages are current, easy to find, and can be booked online.
	Calls to actions and booking mask should be above the fold
	Email offers can be easily found and are easy to sign up for

	Validation
	Website works properly on all major internet browsers such as Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, etc.

	Brand Compliance
	Website follows all the brand compliance guidelines such as logo, links, trademarks, and privacy policies.

	Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
	Meta-Tags, Sitemap, Robots
	Keyword-rich meta-tags are present – Title, Description, Key-Tags, Alt-Tags
	Body copy should be optimized for search engines – H1, H2, anchor tags, etc.

	Page Rank
	Check if homepage and internal pages are ranked by Google

	Link-Building
	Check competition and local sites to define backlinks. Do a backlink research by using our tool: link.milestoneinternet.com
	Build at least 1 link per week from relevant websites only

	Web Promotion
	Local & Organic Search
	Website shows up organically and in local search when searched by name
	Check if your site is ranking high for desired KWPs

	Hotel should secure listings from search engines, IYPs, local and niche directories, social media sites, etc.
	Ensure that local listing for hotel accurate and enhanced information about hotel.

	Email Marketing
	Email addresses collected online and at front desk
	Send monthly special offers and newsletters to guests

	Paid Marketing
	Landing Page is specifically catered to the PPC traffic, includes clear call to actions, selling points, bulleted points, book now button, and trust indicator logos above the fold line.
	Make sure geo-targeting is set up

	OTA and 3rd Party Sites
	Online Inventory and Rate Parity
	Rate Parity – Check rates on all channels
	Check Inventory on all channels

Check how competition looks on different channels

	Social Media
	Online Reputation Management
	Monitor online reputation and have an action plan for responding to criticism honestly. Include review channels, blogs, twitter, etc.

	Blogs
	Blog about local area, business drivers of consumer interest, and any special offers in your location
	Encourage customers to engage and interact by sharing interests/comments/reviews about the hotel and surrounding areas

	Social Meida Optimization
	Upload and tag videos on sites such as YouTube

Upload and tag photos on sites such as Flickr

Create social networking profiles for the hotel on sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc.

Use social media to communicate what is happening at your hotel, business, and particular location

	ROI Tracking
	Website Tracking
	Check your website tracking report, check how many unique visitors, search engine referrals, page views, clicks on the booking engine page, and the total ROI Produced through your website

	Review reservations and packages booked through the booking engine
	Track phone calls to understand your complete conversion from internet marketing and ecommerce activities

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Contributed by: Benu Aggarwal | Anil Aggarwal, Milestone Internet Marketing