9 Tips for Increasing Leads on Vacation Rental Websites
“What am I doing wrong?” says the narrator. “is a question that plagues many failed vacation rental investors.
You’re probably thinking to yourself:
My vacation rental website appears to be in good shape.
Every day, I get a significant volume of incoming traffic.
But I can’t seem to convert the visitors to my site into qualified leads or clients.
You’ve come to the correct location to ignite your business if you’re a vacation rental owner, bed and breakfast owner, or professional vacation rental property manager seeking advice on how to increase your leads.
Short-term rentals are becoming increasingly popular, and more people are investing in them.
Who’s surprised, after all?
After all, it’s a pretty profitable operation. A short-term rental can make substantially more money in a year due to peak seasons than a long-term rental.
Isn’t it incredible?
Finding short-term guests can be simple with the help of firms like Airbnb and VRBO. However, relying on listing sites may not be a long-term feasible plan. Rental property owners and managers need a well-designed vacation rental website to actually make a profit in this sector. Some people, however, may have difficulty attracting visitors to their website at first.
Fortunately, this post will show you how to correct this and increase your vacation rental website leads right now! Take a look at these nine suggestions for increasing online bookings.
1. Photograph your holiday rental using a professional camera.
The majority of your site’s visitors will first seek images of the rentals to determine whether or not they would be interested in staying.
As a result, you must ensure that the photographs you post on your website provide an appealing – yet accurate – image of your home.
It’s worth noting that the quality of these photos will determine the level of attention from potential tenants. Professional-looking photos will present your services in a more polished and appealing manner.
A skilled photographer will know where and how to emphasise the property’s best qualities, making it easier for you to persuade a visitor to schedule a trip.
2. Emphasize features that enhance the client experience.
Offering advantages not seen in most vacation rentals is the best method to entice potential guests to rent your property and return.
That is why you must make sure that any unique features and services are properly stated on your website.
These facilities typically include items like:
- TV and high-speed internet
- Rent arrangements that are pet-friendly
- Baskets of welcome gifts
- Washing machines and dryers
- Alarm clocks, toothpaste, soap, shampoos, hangers, hair dryers, and other thoughtful gifts they frequently neglect to bring
- A fireplace, a swimming pool, or a jacuzzi
These extras not only enhance your guests’ experience, but they also provide your vacation rental with a competitive advantage over the competition.
3. Add a live chat option to your website.
What happens if a prospective guest has a short query before making a decision?
How will they be able to acquire responses quickly?
This is when a live chat feature comes in handy. It’s become a must-have for vacation rental websites because it allows visitors to rapidly access more information.
A large majority of tourists want to learn everything there is to know about a hotel before making a selection, which is why having a live chat function might be beneficial. It enables your website users to ask their inquiries in a relaxed and comfortable manner.
4. Maintain visibility of your contact details.
To encourage dialogue, make sure your visitors know how to contact you as soon as they arrive on your website.
You must make it extremely easy for your website visitors to access your contact information – no matter which page of your site they are on – especially if live chat is not an option for you.
That’s why having contact information at the bottom of your website is a fantastic idea. This not only ensures that guests can easily discover your phone number, but it also aids local SEO by propelling your business higher in the search rankings for your local area.
Furthermore, having prominent contact information reduces the likelihood of guests having second thoughts or looking elsewhere.
5. Utilize reviews and video testimonials to their greatest potential.
Even if you lavish praise on your own rentals, it will pale in comparison to an actual visitor review or a video testimonial.
Positive social evidence is provided by reviews and testimonials, which are perceived as improving the integrity and legitimacy of your vacation rental business. As a result, customer reviews might have a significant impact on your conversion rate!
Make it a practice to ask each and every guest for a review or video testimonial at the end of their stay; you can then repurpose this content for your website and social media to highlight your satisfied customers.
6. Use newsletters to promote your short-term rentals.
Another excellent technique to attract leads from your vacation rental property website is to send email newsletters.
To expand your email list, ask visitors who contact you about your properties whether you may send them regular and informative newsletters to keep them informed. You may also include a newsletter sign-up form on your site.
Newsletters will encourage potential guests to consider your resort for their next vacation. It’s also a fantastic and practical way to publicise any discounts, promotions, awards, or enhancements to your rental property.
Use a company-branded email whenever possible. It appears more professional, guests will be able to recognise your brand right away, and your emails will be less likely to be labelled as spam.
7. Use the Messenger bot on Facebook.
The Facebook Messenger bot, like email marketing, allows you to automate your campaigns, which is one of the reasons it has recently gained popularity!
All you have to do now is devise a compelling marketing strategy. After that, you may add it to your Facebook Messenger auto-reply or mass-messaging options.
Make sure to link to your social media outlets in the footer of your website to increase your Facebook followers. This will direct guests to the location where they can get the most up-to-date information on your holiday homes.
8. Create useful, SEO-friendly material for tourists.
Starting a vacation rental blog and targeting themes that your potential visitors might be searching for is an effective method for increasing traffic to your website.
These articles might be on the place, activities, or even guides to the best bars in town – this type of information is a gold mine for first-time visitors to a destination!
There are numerous content ideas available to assist you in getting started.
9. To attract leads, provide relevant information downloads.
Offering excellent and information-rich downloads to your website visitors is another great strategy to improve your brand’s reputation.
Your lead conversion rate will increase as your brand becomes known for offering valuable content.
Producing downloadable content also allows you to request an email address or other contact information from your visitors. As a result, you’ll be able to expand your email list and use newsletters and other marketing initiatives to follow up in the future.
This item, whether it’s an eBook, a checklist, or a basic reference to the most exciting things to do while on vacation in your area, can help you convert more lookers into bookers.
Steps to improve your vacation rental website’s lead generation
Consider where your vacation rental website is now lacking.
These pointers will assist you in identifying a few potential approaches to boost your lead conversion rate.
If there’s something you can’t handle on your own, consider hiring a pro to help you out because, in the end, your internet presence affects your company’s bottom line.
