Digital training boosts web bookings for Aberdeenshire B&B

About the business

Opened in 2018 by John Andrea, Leslie Castle is a restored 14^th century castle near Auchleven. Nominated in the Most Hospitable B&B/Guest House category for the 2019/2020 Scottish Thistle Awards, Leslie Castle provides guests with a uniquely immersive experience hosted by the current Baron of Leslie, including personal guided tours of the historic site and a wealth of information on Scottish culture and history.

How Business Gateway has helped

Despite the B&B’s long history, owner John found himself struggling with his digital presence. The business’s website did not appear on the first three pages of Google due to competition with another hotel with connections to Clan Leslie.

Business Gateway’s free DigitalBoost training scheme helped Leslie Castle to develop a brand-new digital strategy. This included the development of a new website and blog, an overhaul of the B&B’s SEO strategy and expert digital marketing advice for Facebook and Instagram.

With the new strategy in place, and the website taking the top spot on Google, Leslie Castle has recently witnessed a surge in direct bookings, rather than third-party hotel sites. Additionally, both website and social media traffic have increased substantially.

Business Gateway also provided Leslie Castle with one-to-one expert advice about tourism, free workshops and an introduction to Resource Efficient Scotland for potential funding to upgrade the castle’s heating system.

John Andrea, Director of Leslie Castle, commented: “DigitalBoost has been instrumental in raising our profile and generating more business via our website. Its specialist advisers have implemented a robust digital marketing strategy and given me the skills and confidence to keep pace with any future developments.”

Kirstie McLaughlin, business adviser at Business Gateway said: “John recognised the importance of digital for his business and DigitalBoost was able to provide him with the strategy and tools he needed to transform his online presence and make digital work to his advantage.”