Ben

Our hotel search widget was upgraded today with a “splash” image that loads before the main widget. The splash image explains what the widget does and because it’s just an image loads very quickly. We anticipate these benefits:

• Increased search volume as the user knows what the widget can do.
• Faster loading web pages for our partners as the full widget is only when the user actually wants to search.

We have also improved the inner workings of the widget and the way it displays hotel search results. Each hotel is displayed with a thumbnail image and description, map link and guest review score.  The result list can be sorted and filtered down to meet the users exact requirements.

Feedback is welcome on this change – please add a comment below.

Widget or White Label Website?

We are considering increasing the width of the widget by between 100 and 400 pixels:

• A 100 pixel increase will keep the widget as a plugin for individual pages.
• A 400 pixel increase would take total width to 950 pixels which is the width of a normal web page. The widget wouldn’t really be a widget any moreand would become a full white label hotel comparison site that can be plugged into affiliate sites. 950 pixels would allow for better results display with the search form and filters in a fixed position to the left of the hotel results list. The layout would mirror main website pages like this one.

Would affiliate partners welcome such a change?

On April 20th 2011 a hotel merchant (who we cannot name) terminated their affiliate program on Affiliate Future. Affiliates linking to this merchant via this network must now:

1. Modify all links to go through another network.
2. Replace the links with another hotel merchant.

Both of these options require an investment of time and effort from affiliates. Many will not modify the links and the merchant will pick up free bookings at the expense of affiliates.

Over the past year several big merchants have moved networks (e.g. Sunshine.co.uk) and others have gone bust (e.g. Xcapewithus, Reserveahotelonline). Each time the administration burden on affiliates is huge. There is a solution to the problem though that will protect affiliates from these scenarios… join the sletoH.com affiliate program.

sletoH.com technology creates the merchant links. When a merchant moves network sletoH changes the network setting for that merchant and URLs continue to work. If a merchant goes bust sletoH turns that merchant off. Affiliates don’t have to do anything – no link modifications, no adminstration burden.

From May 20th 2010 Travelodge UK will stop paying commissions on sales through Affiliate Window as they focus all advertising and marketing spend on other channels. The Travelodge program will remain active on the network but with zero commission! Commission may return in 2011. Not much comfort for the affiliates that have invested a lot of time and effort in promoting Travelodge properties!!

On a positive note the Travelodge Ireland program (with 11 hotels) continues to offer 5% commission.

For all Travelodge UK affiliates wondering what to do with their links they may consider switching them to our affiliate program. We have 160 Travelodge hotels in the UK and we find availability through merchants including Superbreak, Laterooms, ActiveHotels etc. Of course Travelodge may decide to terminate distribution deals with all these companies but as of now we have not heard anything about this and it is less likely to happen as these channels are outside affiliate marketing. In the worst possible scenario of all channels except consumer direct being turned off, at least links to sletoH.com will show alternative hotels that do still pay commission.

Here is a list of all our Travelodge UK properties: