The vacation rental property market has transformed. You can no longer throw up any old listing and still get swamped with responses. Due to increased popularity in vacation rentals and subsequent industry growth, the number of competitors has also risen sharply. With so many new options and a wider pool of prospects, it is imperative that your listing stands out in a crowd where there are so many similar alternatives. Follow these few tips and you’ll be reeling in offers in no time!
Improving your Vacation Rental Property Listing
The Outside Appeal
After a prospect filters the search results to best fit their idealized vacation rental property, they are left with a list of options that are all hypothetically suitable for that person. We all like to save time, so why not just choose the first one if it fits the target? Before clicking on your listing, your headline and display picture are the only outlets to generate conversions. Make sure it’s as visually appealing as possible.
Your Headline
A good headline is concise, catchy and should ultimately command attention. Don’t even bother including details that can be learned by filtering the search. Instead of wasting this prime space, try to include the most interesting detail of your property. Make it something unique that your competitors will not be able to use as a selling point.
Your Photos
It is widely speculated that your featured photo is the top converter of click-throughs to your listing following the initial filter. Don’t settle for the standard, low-quality cell phone-captured shots. Instead, invest in professional photos to shine a spotlight on the property.
By taking your photos seriously, it shows the consumer that they are dealing with a committed professional, an appreciated benefit. Each picture should have a caption to make it clear what each photo is displaying. Furthermore, you should also include the unique characteristic of your home in the first picture to provide context for your headline.
The Listing’s Contents
Once your listing has persuaded a prospect to click on your link, they are then faced with an expanded page. Every listing will ideally contain a comprehensive, well-detailed description of the rental property and what it has to offer.
Perhaps the most important elements to highlight concern fees, taxes, payment/ cancellation deadlines, and the booking policy. Aside from saving time answering these inevitable inquiries, you will eliminate phony interest from people who aren’t qualified prospects.
Not many people would think this, but questions concerning types and quantities of mattresses are usually a certain follow-up. It’s wise to include that detail in the listing to improve experience. Also, it is key to frequently update your calendar and availability so your listing will rank higher for certain days.
You should always encourage customers to leave reviews on your listing to help influence a consumer’s decision to stay at your vacation rental property.
