Over the recent months I’ve gotten several requests from people who want me to review their travel-related websites.
Many of them are Site Build It! (SBI!) customers looking for suggestions on how to improve their site, make more money, etc.
I was just thinking the other day, “Wow, why so many travel related sites?”
Then it dawned on me…
While researching SBI!, many of these people probably came across and were inspired by anguilla-beaches.com – the heavily trafficked Site Build It! site created by teenager, Nori Evoy.
Site Stats:
PageRank: 6
Alexa Rank: 53,000
Ranks #1 in Google for “anguilla beaches”
Anguilla-Beaches.com is a perfect example of what to do when you create a travel-related affiliate website.
Not only does it help you plan your perfect Anguilla vacation, but there are personal stories and recommendations written by Nori that make the site feel real and definitely worth bookmarking.
This is not just your average travel info website. It’s an inviting site obviously written by someone who is enthusiastic about their favorite vacation spot and visits there often.
What’s even better, is that it doesn’t even look like an affiliate site. You don’t see Google ads before you see the main content. There aren’t annoying banners yelling for you to “click here!” and there’s nothing “pitchy” about her writing tone.
The opening paragraph gives you the impression this site is here to entertain and inform you on the island of Anguilla, nothing more. A good affiliate information website should never appear as if the #1 goal is to sell something.
Where People Go Wrong
Many Webmasters who create travel-oriented websites simply re-write content you can find anywhere.
Unfortunately that’s not enough to keep the average person interested – especially when they know they can go to tripadvisor.com to get similar information.
Airport information, embedded Google maps, basic restaurant and hotel information is all too generic and overdone in my opinion.
Nori includes hotel information on her site, but she does things most people don’t…
1) Her detailed review of the room, food, and landscaping draws you in and makes you feel you’re there.
2) Her writing style is personal and inviting. You feel that she is talking to you instead of at you. I cannot emphasize enough how your writing affects the level of “visitor engagement” on your site.
(Tip: Need a refreshers course? Download Make Your Words Sell. It’s now free. Yippeee!)
3) She adds pictures that she’s personally taken instead of using generic pictures found on the Web. Your audience wants to know that you’ve actually experienced what you’re talking about.
It makes a difference when you can walk the walk.
Be Original
If you’re going to build a site about “things to do in New York”, don’t just put up generic information that people can find on newyork.com.
First of all, narrow your niche enough to give yourself a better chance of being found in the search engines. Plus, the more narrow your niche is, the easier it will be to target content, affiliate programs, etc.
Instead of building a site about New York, why not narrow it down to something like “New York transportation.” Many first-time New York travelers are often anxious about getting around the fast-moving city.
You could ease their minds and provide an “insiders guide” to getting around the city. Using your own experience and useful tips, you can educate travelers how to use the subway, taxi tips and other little known facts that the average traveler may not know or be able to find (easily) online.
Choose destinations where you can add as much personal experience as possible. This is another reason it’s good to pick locations you really know or visit often because you can go above and beyond just the basic information that generic travel info sites provide.
This Doesn’t Just Apply to Travel Sites
Of course you could apply this advice to any topic. You have to learn to set yourself apart from your competition, or you’ll get lost in a see of “already-done” websites.
I felt compelled to discuss the travel niche because I see so many Webmasters making the same mistakes when they create destination websites.
Even though Nori’s site has been around awhile, you can still learn a lot from her technique. In my opinion, it’s a brilliantly done affiliate website. Mainly because it doesn’t look like one.
Remember, being successful with an affiliate site or blog goes beyond just putting up generic information. People bookmark sites because they are useful, fresh and provide unique information that can’t be found everywhere.
Whether your site is on travel or another topic, what can you do today to make it stand out like Nori did? Are you adding enough of your own personal experiences to make your site seem real? Is your writing inviting? Creative?
If not, maybe it’s time to re-work your content, add more personal touches and provide information that can only be found on your website.
I definitely agree that personal touches like real photos taken by the author are so important and that goes for any blog or site. People are wary of slick overdone pages that are unreal. People don’t want unprofessional and amateur either but they want something in the middle that they can connect with.
Hi Lisa,
Your site and the blog are awesome. So is the book on niche sites.
I downloaded “make your words sell” book. That book has no Table of Contents whatsoever unless I failed to find it. Kind of strange for 250 pages manual written by two “copywriting pro’s”.
Thanks lisa for these tips. I think I know why my blog is running short in engaging my visitors. Thanks again
We were also inspired by Nori and SBI to write our travel site http://www.family-travel-scoop.com -we have learnt so much long the way and and couldn’t have done it without the guidance SBI offers!
Hi Lisa,
Yours was the first website I read when I was looking to start a website. I’ve got a lot of good info from your site and particularly like the honesty you bring to it. I ended up going to site build it after reading your reviews. It’s been a steep learning curve and a lot of work but also fun. My site http://www.see-belfast.com is developing but as you say in your article the hard part is to make it unique and not just a re-write of tripadviser.
Thanks for all the great info.
I was Just wondering (I posted a comment on youtube but you probably get so many you might not notice it) so I’m going to ask my question here. What host do you use for this current website?
I used to use Powweb but now that I have dedicated hosting I switched to Hostgator. My Site Build It! site is flat-stomach-exercises.com
Hey Lisa,
I was lured, like many to the travel idea, and have started building a Waikiki niche site based off Nori’s concept and B’s well done website:
http://www.outback-australia-travel-secrets.com/
This is a ton of work since I’m writing and photographing everything from scratch. No wonder there aren’t a lot of sites like these. Anyways, should be up in the next couple months at least in basic framed out format and I’d love to gain your opinion on it as it progresses.
Ryan
thank you lisa. u enlightened my future i cant hesitate to read ur contents ,im working on my website now n i think it will be online soon
Great website lisa and thank you for this valuable information
.-= Adriano luna´s last blog … Plz Meditate on this pic =-.
Hi lisa,
I have question about informational website. I am not sure whether its right place to ask.. Anyway, I am stock investor and I do my living by trading stocks. I also know there are hell lot of websites about stock investing. So you are saying i cant get enough traffic if I built website about stocks?
I know lot about them and i can write valuable content about stocks where beginners can get clear picture of what exactly stock trading is.
I own a travel site too (Nature Escapes) I agree that original voice and content go a long way towards making a site inviting. My whole angle was to offer a site with personal information over the dozens of generic travel agency sites that cut and paste the same paragraph. It will take some creative ways to earn revenue, but I should have repeat visitors in the long run.
I thought I should drop you this one. I’m so impressed at your lessions in this blog. I’m encouraged to learn that I could be sterter for longer than I anticipated. I’m ok becoz my blog is based on passion, so i know it’ll work over time.
I read this article and agree with you. I was inspired by Nori to produce http://www.northern-ireland-travel.com
It is a work in progress and I am trying to establish whether SBI sitebuilding tools are better than manual ones. Eg. Your SBI site on flat-stomachs doesn’t rank as high as this one, but if you were a newbie, it really works!
Thank you Tony!
Hi Lisa I went threw your site and I enjoy it very must very interesting, and great information also enjoy your video’s wishing you great success. Hope to hear from you!!!
I agree, reading this website and the information she provides is like reading a good book that you just can’t put down!