PARSIPPANY, NJ - December 7, 2009 - There are numerous free URL shortening
and redirect services out there, with the most popular being TinyURL. Using
such services puts your hotel at risk and may cost you business and expose
your hotel to potential lawsuits. The most dangerous situation is where
someone else impersonates your brand or hotel and creates redirect links
to malicious websites.
Below are a few reasons why your SHOULD NOT use TinyURL or other
free services:
1. It's a free service - you get what you pay for!
How long can a free service survive? If they shut down - what happens
to your hotel links?
2. The service has "no one behind it" - Click on contact and you
send an email off...there is no person or phone support when links don't
work.
3. Hotel branding is very limited - you're always stuck using
the tinyURL.com domain name and you�re building their brand�not yours.
4. Hotel cannot use relevant, keyword-based domains for event
types/purposes (weddings, graduations, Packages, etc.).
5. No dashboard enabling you to organize all your links.
6. No expiration date option to automatically disable your links
on a specific date.
7. You cannot create sub users for your entire team to use one
account.
8. Anyone can create malicious links and use your hotel name in
the custom field - puts you at risk. In fact read this article about
hackers using TinyURL to steal info: http://www.scmagazineuk.com/phishers-use-tinyurl-to-trick-users-into-accessing-fake-sites/article/126894/
and http://andywibbels.com/2005/01/i-hate-tinyurl.
9. It has been well documented that TinyURL links have been blocked
by ISP's as they are mostly spammy, malicious links.
10. Creates Search Engine Optimization issues with your site.
read: http://www.searchengine-promotion.co.uk/blog/seo-for-twitter-why-we-shouldnt-use-tiny-urls
11. Emails get blocked when using TinyURL because of spam issues.
Read: http://www.smarttofinish.com/Blog/2009/05/tinyurlcom-blacklisted-dont-use-in-your-email-marketing-campaigns/
Link2Brand.com is the only hospitality based URL shortening and
redirecting solution that your hotel or brand should use. For more information
and to sign up for a free 10 day trial account, visit www.Link2Brand.com.
About Lodging Interactive
Lodging Interactive, headquartered in Parsippany, NJ, is a leading
provider of Internet Marketing Services to the hospitality, spa and restaurant
industries. The company provides a portfolio of effective hotel internet
marketing services to hundreds of hotels, resorts, timeshares, spas and
restaurants. Clients include branded hotels from nearly every major brand
as well as prestigious, landmark independent hotels.
Through its CoMMingle Social Media
Marketing Agency operating division, the Company offers hospitality
focused and fully managed outsourced hotel social media marketing.
Lodging Interactive is a proud member of the American Hotel & Lodging
Association (AH&LA) and a supporter of the Hotel Sales & Marketing
Association International (HSMAI). For more information contact Richard
Walsh, Vice President of Business Development at [email protected]
or at 877-291-4411. The company�s website is located at www.LodgingInteractive.com.