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SEO and online marketing trends in 2023 and how Search Ladder could help

By SEO trends,

The digital landscape is constantly evolving and the year 2023 is no exception. As businesses become increasingly reliant on online platforms to reach their customers, SEO and online marketing strategies must also adapt to the ever-changing landscape.

In the coming year, our SEO experts and online marketers expect to see a focus on customer experience, the rise of AI-powered algorithms, conversational queries and user intent, video content, and more. To ensure that your business is staying ahead of the curve, here’s a look at some of the most important SEO and online marketing trends in 2023 and how Search Ladder can help.

Customer Experience: In 2023, customer experience will be a major factor in determining your search engine rankings. Google will be looking for websites that provide useful, helpful, and accurate information to users. Search Ladder can help you optimise your website and content to ensure it is providing the best customer experience possible. We can also help you develop strategies to build trust and authority, which are essential for improving your search rankings.

AI-Powered Algorithms: Google will continue to invest in AI-powered algorithms to improve the user experience. Search Ladder can help you stay ahead of the curve by utilising the latest AI technologies to optimise your website and content. We can also help you leverage the Google Shopping Graph to boost your visibility on the platform and enable more accurate searches for customers.

Conversational Queries and User Intent: People are becoming more comfortable using conversational language, leading to an increase in demand for content that can answer complex queries in a natural way. Search Ladder can help you optimize your content for conversation-based keywords and phrases and ensure your content covers the full user journey from start to finish.

Video Content: Video content is becoming increasingly important for SEO and online marketing strategies. Search Ladder can help you create videos that are optimized for SEO, as well as help you optimize YouTube channels and TikTok. We can also help you use video content to engage customers and improve your website ranking in search results.

Overall, the SEO and online marketing landscape is constantly evolving and 2023 will surely bring new challenges and opportunities. To ensure that your business is staying ahead of the curve, it is important to work with a team of experts who can help you capitalise on the latest trends and developments. Search Ladder can help you create effective SEO and online marketing strategies to help you reach your goals.

Types of Hotel Renovations

By Uncategorized,

At some point in the life of every building, a renovation is needed by qualified hotel refurbishment contractors. Whether you run a busy hotel in the city or a quiet bed and breakfast in the countryside, both need to be maintained to keep your business booming! Without renovations, your interiors will soon become dated and your infrastructure will fall apart. If you’re thinking about renovations but aren’t sure exactly what you need doing, take a look at our guide to the different types you could have done.

Why Get a Renovation?

Renovating your hotel is likely to be pretty expensive, so why bother? There are actually a few reasons and they’re definitely worth paying attention to!

Firstly, nothing’s built to last forever. From the wood in your attic to the paint on your walls, all of it will fall apart at some point without the proper maintenance. Renovations are designed to fix issues as they arise, solving small problems to prevent huge disasters. In the long run, they could actually save you much more than they cost!

Another perk to renovating your hotel is that it’s good for business. A well-designed, well-kept hotel is much more likely to attract customers, and the better your interiors the higher you’ll be able to charge. If you ever sell the property, frequent renovations will also bump up the sale price, leaving you and your bank balance very happy.

Renovations can also help you save money as you run your hotel. By carrying out small jobs like improving your insulation or switching single-glazed for double-glazed windows, you’ll help your hotel use energy more efficiently and reduce your bills.

The Three Types of Hotel Renovations

There are three types of hotel renovation; minimum, minor, and major renovations. Minimum renovations involve replacing your less durable fixtures without changing the layout, and they often happen every few years.

Minor renovations are usually a little less frequent and are mainly to keep your hotel looking it’s best. These can include painting, fitting new carpets, and carrying out repairs.

Major renovations are the biggest jobs and can include changes to your physical layout. You might carry out major renovations to create more space inside your hotel, to change its purpose, or to upgrade your decor.

Areas That Often Need Renovating

Without proper maintenance, your hotel won’t survive the test of time. After just a few years without minimum renovations, your rooms will start to look dated, dirty, and in need of some TLC. To keep your hotel looking fresh and inviting, here are some renovations that can make a big difference:

  • Fixing cracks and holes in the walls
  • Replacing old carpets and curtains
  • Removing rust from doors and windows
  • Repainting rooms
  • Updating your lighting system
  • Fixing damp and mould problems

Call in the Experts

If you think your hotel is in need of a renovation, get in touch with the Revo team. They are fully licensed, trusted hotel renovators who can help you breathe new life into your space and help your hotel flourish.

Eddie the Eagle’s New Year Skiing Celebrations

By speakers, , ,

At the beginning of this year one of the UK’s most-loved skiers, Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards popped on his skis once again for a brief stint back on the slopes.

Who Is Eddie the Eagle?

Eddie Edwards, more commonly known as Eddie the Eagle, captured the hearts of everyone watching the 1988 Winter Olympics, despite finishing last, when he represented Great Britain in the ski jumping competitions. From humble beginnings, Eddie soared to fame as the world became besotted with him. After the Olympics, he appeared on talk shows and news channels around the world, becoming a celebrity in his own right. Despite his failure in his first Olympics, Eddie does hold many skiing related records and is still widely celebrated, particularly amongst us Brits. Just two years ago in 2016, a biopic film was released telling the story of his life, titled Eddie the Eagle, starring Hugh Jackman.

New Year’s Appearance

The nation’s favourite skier headed secretly to Norway last year, where he was filmed performing a number of extraordinary jumps that were aired on the New Year’s Day Parade in our city of London. When talking of his trip, Eddie described how he was caught short by a lack of snow in Norway, saying “There was more snow in Gloucestershire”. Despite this pretty major issue, the team managed to find Eddie a suitable slope to film his jumps – which, we’re sure, the nation is very grateful for!

Eddie was also presented with a medal at the parade; a way for our country to show just how much we adore him.

Eddie the Eagle as a Speaker

As motivational speakers London go, it doesn’t get much better than Eddie Edwards. He can talk about a number of topics, from staying strong during his pre-Olympics grueling training to facing failure head on and coming out the other side. Hearing of his life, the challenges he’s faced and how he’s overcome them is a truly spectacular thing and something not to be missed. He can also tell you a tale or two about what it’s like to compete in the Olympics, which isn’t something you hear about every day!

Eddie Edwards speaker is charming, endearing and a joy to listen to. He’s not afraid to get involved with his audience, engaging them in conversation and going out of his way to answer any questions and ensure everyone benefits from his talks. He is a very busy man though, so make sure you contact the Right Address – your go-to for motivation speakers UK – in plenty of time to book him!

2018 Property Market Forecast

By property, , ,

The end of a year always signals that it is time to look ahead at what’s to come. We may be finished with 2017 and all its tumultuous events but 2018 is about to begin and it pays to be ready! Barton Wyatt estate agents Surrey have been spending some time delving into the predictions for the property market in 2018, taking into account political and cultural events to explore what could happen in the British real estate industry. They have kindly shared the article below.

The UK Property Market

Overall, it is pretty hard to forecast what’s going to happen over the next few years because of Brexit and our currently rocky political climate, but that doesn’t, by any means, make us think that next year’s going to be a bad one for property. The aftermath of Brexit proved that anything can happen! Everyone, even us, expected it to take a pretty bad toll on the property market, but in fact it’s remained steady and pretty strong since we decided to leave the EU.

With all these things considered, we expect to see a price growth in UK property of around 2%, not dissimilar to this year’s 2.5%. This isn’t anything drastic, but it’s keeping that line moving in the right direction when, in reality, there’s a lot going against it. It just shows that us Brits will keep on going no matter what’s going on! Investors will continue to invest, buyers will continue to buy and our nation will carry on like we always do.

London

A lot of the focus next year is going to be on London, as this is the one place where we expect price growth to actually suffer a little. In the best outcome, we would predict no price growth in the capital, and in the worst case we think there’ll be a drop of about 2-5% in house prices. This is because of the city’s ever-increasing living prices and unfavourable lifestyle pushing people to leave and find their home in surrounding, cheaper areas. We don’t expect to see any positive growth in the city for the next few years at least.

Surrey and the South East

The market predictions for Surrey and the South East are pretty favourable for 2018 and we’d be very much surprised if growth in prices wasn’t seen. We expect prices in these regions to increase above the rate of the country’s average of 2%, though we don’t think they’ll climb too much higher. This is great news all-round, as Surrey will continue to see high demand from buyers as it won’t reach dizzying price heights but investors will also continue to see growth in their revenue.

The Barton Wyatt estate agents in Surrey are feeling confident about 2018, being pretty certain that despite the UK’s odd position in the world at the moment and within our own land, the property market will remain moving in the right direction.Whether you are after property in Upper Longcross or rental homes in Sunningdale, get in touch with the experts at Barton Wyatt.

Surrey Hills – The Place to Be for London Commuters

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The Surrey Hills are one of the most beautiful locations on our little island – even the Government agrees, awarding it the title of an Area of Outstanding Beauty way back in 1958. It is one of the finest spots in England! With rolling hills, an abundance of woodland and deep valleys that reveal themselves to you at the last moment, this place really takes your breath away.

So it is not too surprising that the Surrey Hills and surrounding areas have become such a hot spot amongst property hunters, particularly those coming from London. As estate agents with property near Upper Longcross to Virginia Water, Barton Wyatt thought they would take a closer look at the popularity of this place.

Why Is It Perfect for Londoners?

For London commuters, the Surrey Hills are the dream place to live. Leaving the city to retreat to the calm, stunning countryside after a day of work is certainly a treat that shouldn’t be taken lightly! With frequent trains in and out of London, ranging from around half an hour to an hour journeys, the travel isn’t strenuous, and the rewards are huge.

More Reasons to Live Here

There are a whole bunch of reasons as to why people chose to live in the Surrey Hills. Aside from its natural beauty, there are also opportunities for great vineyards (areas of the Hills have the same soil as in Champagne, France), some gorgeous opera houses nestled in between thick areas of woodland and a whole lot of artist appeal. In fact, many famous artists, such as Hugh Thackeray Turner and Charles Voysey, worked in a few of the many arts and crafts houses that litter the Hills.

The area is also in close proximity to both Gatwick and Heathrow, meaning that you have the rest of the world at your doorstep. There are also an abundance of great schools and the open, fresh spaces make it an ideal setting for raising children, away from the hustle and bustle of modern day living.

The Cost

As with any desirable location, the prices of homes in The Surrey Hills are fairly steep and continue to rise along with the rest of the country’s house prices. It is, in fact, the most expensive of the Areas of Outstanding Beauty, which just goes to show how incredible a location it is. The average sale price of a property in this area is £904,426. But can you even put a price on the kind of life that the Surrey Hills has to offer? We don’t think so.

If you are interested in buying a property in the Surrey Hills (we don’t blame you!) then get in touch with the team here at Barton Wyatt. They work across Surrey, with property in Upper Longcross, Ascot, Virginia Water and many more great locations, so take a look at all our properties for sale and find your dream home today.

Ranulph Fiennes – Inspirational Speaker

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The Right Address has a huge range of speakers, ranging from business specialists and industry professionals to comedians and actors. One of our most exciting categories is, of course, fearless explorers. It doesn’t get much more thrilling than that, does it?

Sir Ranulph Fiennes is one said explorer who has jumped on board The Right Address, offering up his valuable time to speak, interact and answer questions at your events. Here’s everything you need to know about Ranulph.

Who Is Sir Ranulph Fiennes

Sir Ranulph Fiennes, speaker at The Right Address, is a celebrated and widely recognised British explorer – though he prefers the terms expedition organiser and travel writer, as is expected of his humble and gentlemanly nature. In fairness, he has written over twenty books, so he can certainly label himself a ‘travel writer’! This story telling nature feeds beautifully into his speaking, where he recounts tales of his many adventures in such vivid detail and with so much tangible passion that you can’t help but become totally enthralled, hanging on every word he has to say.

His Expeditions

Ranulph has led a huge number of expeditions, including to both the North and South Pole, and is the oldest man in Britain to ever climb to the summit of Mount Everest – a difficult feat by anyone’s standards! When asked, Ranulph would probably tell you that his favourite expedition was in 1991, when he re-discovered the lost city of Ubar, and probably wouldn’t say it was when he had to use a hacksaw to cut off his own frost-bitten fingers. Yes, he really did do that!

His Charitable Work

Probably the most remarkable thing about Sir Ranulph is his great charitable nature. He is constantly raising huge sums of money for various charities, with his main project to raise money for Marie Curie Nurses. He often sets incredibly arduous goals (such as this project’s Global Reach challenge, despite his age and various medical conditions) in return for the support of the public who donate to Ranulph’s chosen charities. He’s been doing this for decades now, and shows little signs of stopping!

Why He’s an Incredible Speaker

The stories that Sir Ranulph, global inspirational speaker, can tell you are completely unique. They’re not tales of everyday life and, in fact, they’re usually stories recounting places or events that few have ever had the chance to experience! His incredible life has also given him an outlook on the world which is tangible in his talks; one of great positivity and a desire to share the wonders this world has to offer, embracing leadership, teamwork and goal setting. His nature, too, is one that would be welcome at any event. Kind and honest, yet funny and incredibly easy to talk to, we can’t recommend Sir Ranulph Fiennes speaker enough.

If you’d like to find out how you can book Sir Ranulph Fiennes to speak at your event, or any of our other wonderful guest speakers, then get in touch with The Right Address team.

What to Expect from Great Langley Estate Agents

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When it comes to moving house or buying your first property, it is important that you have an estate agent by your side that you can trust. Why? Well, because they are going to be the ones who’ll support you through the whole thing! If they are not good at their job, the process of buying, renting and selling is going to be a whole lot trickier.

As Langley estate agents, Glenn Flegg know what it takes to be a good company. In fact, they even have some basic standards that all their fabulous estate agents stick to just to make sure you get the best support and advice possible. Check them out!

Always Reliable
Their estate agents are always on time. It is a must! They don’t want their home buyers and sellers waiting around for them, wasting their valuable time. If you are paying for Glenn Flegg’s help, then they want to make sure that you can rely on them.

Know your Home-Hunters
It is absolutely vital that Glenn Flegg Langley estate agents listen to you when they working. It can be easy for agents to think they know what is best, but that’s not always the case! When it is your home they are hunting for, Glenn Flegg estate agents take into account everything you want and will be flexible to suit your plans.

Top Notch Knowledge
Just as with any job, estate agents should be totally clued-up when it comes to the homes they are selling and the area they work in. A knowledge of things like local schools and amenities near properties is a must, as well as reading up on all the specs of a home before showing you guys around. It saves you a whole lot of time and is just something they should know.

Great Communications
It helps when estate agents are great with people, so we make sure all of ours are! From small things like being polite and friendly to being able to properly communicate with home-hunters and sellers in a manner that everyone will understand, communication is key. No jargon there, thank you!

Always Put the Client First
It should go without saying, but you would be surprised! Their Langley estate agents always put you ladies and gents first when it comes to our job. They will bend over backwards to get you the home of your dreams and will not stop until you are happily settled. You guys are the reason they come to work, so it makes sense that they will do everything to make you happy!

If you’re looking for estate agents in Langley that you can trust, get in touch with Glen Flegg today. They are a friendly, professional and proactive bunch who will help you buy or sell your property as quickly as possible!

Crest Nicholson’s Garden Village in Upper Longcross

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At the beginning of the year, you may have heard the news that the Government was putting forward 14 new ‘garden villages’ as part of their housing development plans. But, what you may not have heard, is that one of those said garden villages in now taking shape in the form of Upper Longcross in the Runnymede borough of Surrey. Not only that, but it’s set to be open imminently this spring! If you’d like to learn more about this new development, read on…

What is a Garden Village?

So, we’ll start off by explaining what a garden village is as it’s not exactly an everyday term. Essentially, a garden village is a development of houses, facilities and amenities that form a brand new, stand-alone community. From schools to transport, a garden village has absolutely everything it needs for the people who live there!

What’s Upper Longcross

Upper Longcross is the newest of the garden villages, constructed by developers Crest Nicholson, and is situated on the former DERA site near Chertsey. The current development is of 20 homes, consisting of 2 to 5 bedroom houses and one to two bedroom apartments. Upper Longcross is just the start of what will be a thriving, complete community in Surrey!

Why Would You Want to Live Here?

So why is Upper Longcross a desirable place to live? Well, the most obvious benefit is that everything is brand new and therefore in perfect condition, which is always lovely when moving somewhere new. It also means that the latest issues and technologies are taken into account throughout the building process. For example, Upper Longcross is built with a strong focus on energy efficiency, which is an incredibly important part of both the way we live today and how we’ll live in the future. The housing development is also built with its natural surroundings in mind, working harmoniously with the abundance of woodlands and natural, open spaces it is settled amongst, as well as the existing quaint villages of Surrey. This makes Crest Nicholson’s garden village not only practical and efficient, but a beautiful place to live.

What is There to Do?

As we mentioned, Upper Longcross is surrounded by green spaces, making it perfect for Sunday afternoon strolls or morning dog walks. There are also cycle paths that connect Upper Longcross with the wider Longcross community, giving you a peaceful detachment but making it easy enough to get to. Some of Surrey’s more prominent towns are also very nearby, so there are plenty of opportunities to explore the county in its full glory! As Crest Nicholson’s garden village develops, there will also be a wealth of activities and facilities right on your doorstep, making it the perfect place to live.

The development of Crest Nicholson’s garden village in Upper Longcross is set to open any day now, so make sure you register your interest if you want to be in with a chance of snagging one of the highly-coveted properties!

Please contact Barton Wyatt estate agents Surrey for properties near Upper Longcross.

Google Fred

By Google

The March 2017 Google update, labelled as Fred, seems to be a game changer for most websites.

Even though there is no official confirmation from Google or very little evidence from the authority websites, one thing is certain: a recent algo update has taken place.

A lot of people, though, are speculating that this is Google’s response to the recent “fake news” saga. So, a lot of the experts are speculating that a number of affiliate sites and low quality sites have been targeted with the most recent algorithm.

This puts a lot more emphasis on the user experience; not just the content anymore. Here are some tips to help you improve your website:

  1. Make sure your website is designed for humans, not the search engines.
  2. Write specific landing pages. Do not overoptimise your home page for all types of different keywords.
  3. Write original content as much as possible; don’t overdo the content rewriting.
  4. Make sure that you vary the types of media you use on the site. Start experimenting with video for example.
  5. Do invest the right type of “social” for your business. This is now becoming a lot more important.

Good luck and get in touch if you would like to further discuss this any further.

English Country Gardens – Don’t hold back on the dahlias

By property, , ,
“How many gentle flowers grow in an English Country Garden?” asks the lyrics of the old Morris dancing song. Today the answer is undoubtedly more than almost one hundred years ago when Australian composer Percy Grainger famously arranged this well-known tune for piano in 1918.
Daffodils, hollyhocks, roses and fox gloves have made way for alpine mosses, alliums, sun flowers and lilies in English designer gardens – modern day gardeners are forsaking tradition for exotics from Asia, Europe and South America.
To mark the 300th anniversary of prominent historical gardener Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, the UK is this year celebrating the Year of the English Garden.  The programme seeks to spotlight and celebrate the country’s fabulous gardens, using events to inspire people during 2016.
Capability Brown was a garden designer whose vision for the future has influenced the landscapes of hundreds of English Country estates.  Brown cut his teeth at Stowe, then owned by Lord Cobham – now a leading public school where the gardens are still open to the public to be enjoyed.  Over the years he designed over 170 parks, many of which can still be seen today.

Lake Virginia WaterIndeed garden design is in vogue as much today as it was in the mid 1700’s, although gathering exotic plants and well established trees is an easier accomplishment now.

Prime Surrey Estate Agency, Barton Wyatt are regularly involved in offering advice to landlords, tenants, buyers and sellers when it comes to the foliage in their garden.
Barton Wyatt is situated in the heart of the millionaire’s paradise, Virginia Water and the Wentworth Estate.  Drive around this estate during any daylight hour and most homes will have gardener’s vans on the drive whilst the steady hum of a leaf blower pervades the air.
Capability Brown was no stranger to Surrey working on the magnificent gardens of Kew, Hampton Court, Claremont and Clandon Park to name a few.
James Wyatt, Partner of Barton Wyatt and Wentworth resident, comments:
“We are blessed in the vicinity with some wonderful gardens to visit. The Savill Garden is part of the Royal Landscape and is just moments from Virginia Water. Here gardens and woodland can be enjoyed by everyone, from dedicated horticulturalists to families wanting to enjoy someone else’s green fingers.  And a couple of miles further afield is Great Fosters where the garden is designed to replicate the intricate beauty of a Persian rug. In the summer fragrant beds of flowers and herbs are bordered by manicured hedges and topiary.
“Homeowners like to introduce some of these green fingered ideas into their gardens and we are able to put our clients in touch with some visionary gardeners in the locality.  Many of the homes we sell are newly built and developers must work hard to create something that doesn’t look too barren and new.
“Savvy developers work with landscape architects from the onset of the project, creating external plans that keep existing foliage and trees.  These are often trimmed back as the schemes commence and shaped to perfection as the last paving stone is laid.”
James continues:
Wilton Garden“An unloved garden will do nothing to help sell your home or get a tenant in situ quickly.  Smart homes with manicured gardens sell 10 times quicker than a garden that has been left to run riot.  Indeed, we do not accept houses for rental that have not had their gardens attended too – it would be a waste of everyone’s time.  And once a tenant is living in a rental home we can arrange for a gardener to come weekly to keep it in shape.
“I would say that 95% of the gardens on Wentworth are maintained by professional gardeners – people living in these homes are captains of industry and often running their own businesses.  I am sure they would love to deadhead the dahlias but quite frankly they don’t have the time.”
For more information on homes in Virginia Water with stunning gardens contact Barton Wyatt on 01344 843 000.
An example of a freshly finished new build house in Virginia Water that has had the garden professionally designed:
Wilton, Wentworth Estate, Virginia Water                     £4,950,000
Wilton RearA magnificent family home built to an exceptional specification and finish, superbly situated on an elevated site at the end of Woodlands Road East, a prestigious and sought after road within the Wentworth Estate. A delightful and tranquil location yet just half a mile from both the picturesque shopping parades of Virginia Water as well as the Wentworth Clubhouse.
Wilton has been designed for a contemporary family lifestyle with a stunning kitchen/breakfast/family room area with doors opening onto the delightful gardens. The more formal ground floor reception rooms are of elegant proportions and enjoy tall ceilings and windows, light being a theme throughout the house.
There is also a large gymnasium on the ground floor which is air conditioned as is the master  bedroom and kitchen/family room. A link between the gymnasium and the main house has a secondary staircase giving access to the rear landing of the house as well as the staff flat over the large three car garage. The flat also has the ability to be completely independent with its own staircase and front door.
Upstairs the enormous master bedroom suite has his and hers dressing rooms with a vast amount of wardrobe space and a generous bathroom en-suite. There is Juliet balcony in the master bedroom from which the gardens are enjoyed. The secondary bedrooms on the first floor all have en-suites with a contemporary and sophisticated theme running throughout the house. Also on the first floor is a large utility room situated next to the staff flat.
On the top floor, there is a fifth bedroom and bathroom suite as well as two further bedrooms sharing a bathroom.
The house enjoys a secluded garden facing east at the rear and amounts to approximately 0.75 of an acre in all.
For more information, please contact Barton Wyatt on 01344 843000. Barton Wyatt has a wide range of properties near ACS Egham and TASIS England.