Not sure how to market your rental property? Here are 4 reasons why a website is a must-have for vacation rentals. Plus, ideas to stand out in a crowded rental market.
There are many ways to market your property for a thriving short-term rental business. You can use social media, referrals, listings in travel websites, Facebook groups for travelers, advertising… Whether you’re starting out or have experience with investment property or short-term rentals, the options are endless.
You may be wondering if it’s worth it to have a website for vacation rentals. In short, yes! Your short-term rental needs a website. Here’s why:
4 reasons to have a website for your short term & vacation rental
- To differentiate your rental from competitors
One of the key aspects of platforms like Airbnb is the cookie-cutter listing every competitor has to use. For users, this means scrolling through endless lists of the exact same vacation rental – with hardly a different name. All homes start to look alike and it’s hard to stand out. Plus, potential guests get distracted by all the rental options available.
Having your own website means giving your vacation rental an online home: You get to pick the design, colors, and details of your listing to give guests a cohesive feel from the start. Your vacation rental website is their first stop on the way to your city – and you get to make them feel welcome from the moment they click.
Want to step it up a notch? Include relevant information about your own short-term rental, such as check-in and check-out details, available amenities, and any other tips they will need to get around in your place.
- Establish your vacation rental in the industry and your town
For those looking to rent a room for extra cash here and there, platforms like Airbnb work well to keep an on-and-off client base.
But if you’re investing in property, you probably see it as a long-term game. Third-party platforms work well as a backup or side income. But having a website for your vacation rental means establishing yourself locally as a service provider and small business.
Use local SEO (Search Engine Optimization) tools like Google My Business or Google Ads and collect reviews on pages like Yelp and TripAdvisor to make your vacation rental a must-have spot for anyone coming to your area.
A cohesive online presence helps you look more legit and become relevant online and become a local point of reference and attract guests to keep a steady income.
- Build your brand before directing users to a third party to book
Airbnb and other platforms are great to increase your reach. People who don’t know you can find you there – so you’re reaching a bigger audience.
But sending people from your own marketing to your website means you get control over how potential guests interact with your brand.
When you’re investing in promotional efforts such as referrals, social media, word of mouth, local networks, or friends & family, you’re better off directing people to your website to deal directly with you. They can head to your listing once they’re ready to book.
- Run your rental business on your own terms
Many short-term & vacation rental owners who rely on third-party rental services like Airbnb find themselves in a tough spot when their listing is suspended or taken down without notice.
In a lot of cases, feedback is unclear or nonexistent. And property owners don’t even know what they did wrong to get their property listing taken down in the first place. It takes weeks (or more) to get a listing up again – or it may not come back. This is a big time suck, and as a business owner, you’re left absorbing the cost for the time your vacation rental is not up.
With your own website and marketing, guests can reach you directly at any time. No more risking a suspension, losing rental income, or wondering what to do if Airbnb takes down your listing.
Make the most out of your marketing for your vacation rental
Whether you do organic (“free”) marketing or ads (paid advertising), driving people to your website is better than leading them to your listing on other company websites.
Leading potential guests to a website like Airbnb means:
- Competing for your guest’s attention, even after you’ve attracted them: Third-party platforms are full of your competitors. Why would you send your guests to your competitor’s listing?
- Not being able to show your brand experience: Cookie-cutter listings take away from your rental’s personality from the start.
With your own website, you also get to offer other perks to your guests, such as city guides with the best restaurants, tourist attractions, and local recommendations for them to try. Including this content in your website is a one-two punch: Local attractions and terms like “Best Restaurant in (your city)” can help you rank on Google as they’re keywords many travelers use. And your guests get that extra level of care and support in planning their trip.
Make a cozy home on the web for your rental property and your guests will feel welcome from the moment they click – right up to their stay!
