Flying Dutchman in Dumaguete?

Thank goodness for Google analytics.By using the analytics, I can see that the blog and the website are getting hits.I would have no idea I had visitors otherwise.If I were to judge my success strictly by the replies and emails I am receiving I would be very discouraged.
Why the flying Dutchman? According to the analytics, I had a few hits from the Netherlands yesterday and the Wagnerian opera was the first thing that came to mind.There's an air of mystery involved in doing business over the Internet.Nothing is face to face.....you can't always be sure what's going on.It's not always easy to judge the value of what you're doing.

Internet cafes in Dumaguete

One of the more frustrating problems I've had so far in putting this site together is the overwhelming lack of response from the Internet cafes in Dumaguete.I've set aside a page on the website for promoting the cafes.I've also put on the same page a side table of blogs and websites that I thought were interesting.
I have received emails from two Internet cafes in Dumaguete; Mighty Joe and The Business Atrium. My sister-in-law has gone to several of the Internet cafes in an attempt to have the managers check out the site but that hasn't brought any responses.I've done a Google search and I can't find any active email addresses...I've found phone numbers but I'm not going to make an International long distance phone call.
So much of this would go by much better if I were there to handle it myself.Unfortunately,we're not able to go now.I guess you can't do everything over the Internet.

Hotels and Resorts in Dumaguete

I managed to get quite a lot done today on the "Hotels and Resorts" page on the website.This is in spite of the fact that I have a year-old son who is constantly trying to get my attention while I work.
I haven't listed every hotel in the city;in some cases there's the issue of "imagery" viz-a-viz the website's pages. I want the site to have a nice look as well as provide information but,if I don't have a photo or logo to put up the hotel gets lower priority.
I've sent emails to all the hotels and resorts in Dumaguete that have their email address listed somewhere on the web. I hope I'll get a bit of feedback from the managers.

Visitors. Part 2

It's become my habit to check my Google account a few times every day to see what sort of visitors I'm getting.I'm very often surprised by what I see.I now know that most of the folks viewing this blog came here from the website link......no surprise there. But, what has me intrigued is my visitor from India. I'm able to see percentage rates for the spot where the vistors come from and it looks like he ( or she) came here from an Indian based blog. I went to that blog myself and have no clue how he ( or she) got here from there.
We're still not having as much success with the penpal area as I'd like. Going to have to put on my "thinking cap"( as the nuns at Sacred Heart would say).

Visitors

Thanks to the Google Analytics I know the site is getting a few hits.We're getting hits from Great Britain,Thailand,Philippines and different areas of the U.S.. I'm happy that the site is getting viewed,but I wish we had enough penpals to open up that area of the website. My sister-in-law still has a few more Internet cafes on her list.
I've got the information I need to put a few more places on the Hotels page......I hope to have time Monday to finish up that area. The website isn't finished, by any means.We still have a lot of work and now that I can see (via Google Analytics) that we're getting hits, I feel a strong obligation to get more done.

Internet cafe

Here's the logo from the most recent Internet cafe to contact me.It's slow going but things are picking up a little.I've put the info I have for them online but I hope to get a photo from them soon.
As for the Google program that gives me page view info for the site....I was surprised to see that someone from Thailand was looking at the site.I was also surprised to learn that it was viewed by someone in Ireland too.Everything is depending on the penpal area of the site. I still haven't received enough responses from filipinas to do anything with the page. I'm sure I could do more if I was in Dumaguete.

so much work to do

There's always so much work to do on the site.I've been working on the Hotel page and I've published what I have although there's still more to do with that portion. I haven't been able to get so much done on the Internet cafe page.I like what I've done for Mighty Joe but I don't really have enough on Scooby's to satisfy me. I've been trying to add The Business Atrium.....they've sent a link to their new website but I'd like them to send a photo and/or a logo.The Penpals page looks nice, but without penpals to list there the page is useless.
Corey from an-american-in-dumaguete let me know that the site has jumped up on Google.....that's great. He also let me know about a google service for site analytics. It looks ok.I can track the visits to the site now.Maybe I'd rather not know...ha ha ha ha

Email

We've received our first unsolicited email to the dumaguete city account.We've gotten emails before but those were the result of emails we sent out or ad put up in Internet cafes in Dumaguete.
It was from someone who came across the site by surfing the web. The writer didn't say exactly how it happened but I think it was because he found Corey's an-american-in-Dumaguete  blog and then finding the link to our site in his blog.
The email was complimentary and was happy to get it.
Not long afterwards we received our first spam and scam email. Quess you have to put up with the bad with the good.
I'm trying to find out more about Internet cafes in Dumaguete......not getting responses though. The lack of penpal responses is discouraging too. My goal is for the site to be the first item on a google search. It's difficult to judge how far we are from that.The site is young and I'm learning more every day.

Mighty Joe

I received my first email from an Internet Cafe regarding the website.......Mighty Joe Internet Center. I have them online even though I haven't heard from any others.
Maybe seeing this one online will encourage the other Internet cafes who want to keep up with their competition. (worked with the affiliate ads).

connections

Today was spent using various search engines to learn more about getting the site onto various search engines.One place advised putting META tags in my HTML.....another said it was a waste because Google ignored them.It's generally agreed that having your site linked to lots of other sites helps. OK, fine. Went to a few web directories for reciprocal linking. All will and good but one site has my link in the Georgia Travel section. (because my actual location is GA., I guess) It's Saturday afternoon now in Dumaguete. I'm hoping my sister-in-law is busy with our project. I'm ready to get the Internet cafe and penpal sections online.

Yes FM

This logo had been on my website. I had a link to this Dumaguete radio station but I removed it yesterday.I tried listening to the station on the Winamp player but it wasn't working.When I couldn't get the music, I clicked on the link......their website is no longer on the server.
I've no idea what happened.I don't know if the situation is temporary. I had to remove the link and logo.
On the plus side; I've gotten a few more affiliates.Now,I just need the penpal section up and running so folks will have a reason to go there.
If a few of the internet cafes in the area will contact me I could have the cafe and blog page up in no time.

The index page of the website is basically finished. There'll be changes to it from time to time as affiliates are added or subtracted.There's a lot more work to do on the other pages,but we can't do anything until we get more input from the folks in Dumaguete. I hope that with help from my sister-in-law we can have everything ready in a few more days.
I'm not 100% happy with the site's host. I don't care for the HTML editor that I have to use there.....it always gives me a problem putting in the site's background color. I can get the editor to do close to what I want so I have to make do.