Gift certificates are a great present anytime of year, even though they get the most attention at Christmas. How are you addressing this in your rental property advertising?
Gift certificates are easy to create, and very easy to manage. Some initial ideas on how to incorporate gift certificates into your property marketing include:
* Adding a line to your email signature that they are available
* Including a promotional line on your charge card receipts
* Including a promotional line about them in your follow up email or thank you card to guests
* A postcard or table top display in your rental unit
The list goes on and on and I’ve outlined additional ideas and strategies to implement them in The Booked Solid Blueprint. No matter what action you take, make sure you’re promoting gift certificates! They are a winner for everyone!
Here’s some great news for all vacation rental owners with FlipKey reviews - Google Local has added FlipKey reviews as part of their local listings. If you are using FlipKey, you will most likely see an increase in traffic and bookings as renters love to see qualified reviews. And because these show up at the top of the Google Organic search results, all the better for reaching your renter!
Here’s an example showing reviews in the Santa Barbara market. Where you see “reviews” to the right of the listing is where they are linked to.
When you click through to reviews, you get a list of reviews that will look like this.
It’s clear that FlipKey’s role in the vacation rental market continues to grow, and it will be interesting to see the role that reviews play. One thing is for sure though, the power of the Google Local and FlipKey reviews are an important tool for vacation rental owners.
(If you haven’t yet listed on Google Local, check out this earlier post on the importance of Google Local to your property advertising. It will give you step-by-step guidance).
Of course you’ve heard the buzz about Bing….have you noticed the buzz around Bing Local?
Many of the Search engine experts debate Bing Local’s ability to ever surpass Google’s Local search. But that doesn’t mean they won’t have a significant reach and impact. Like Google Local, Bing Local is free, and it’s a simple process to sign up. I recommend all vacation property owners interested in boosting their SEO and their visibility do so.
What’s a Bing Local listing?
Bing Local lets users find rental property’s in the areas they are searching. Because local listings are returned in search results, your renters will be able to find you easier.
There’s really no reason not do list your property. It takes less than 15 minutes, including uploading up to 10 pictures. You can edit it any time you want. Here’s the steps you’ll take.
1. Go to Bing Local’s Listing Center.
2. Setup a Windows ID (If you don’t already have one)
4. Enter your business info (property description, web site, specific information) as wells as your contact info.
5. Select as many as 6 categories in which you want your website listed (this is great for being associated with your top keywords). (Don’t know your property’s keywords? See previous posts on keywords for your property marketing, or contact us about our keyword services).
6. Upload up to 10 photos (I was disappointed there was no video uploads, but I’m sure this feature will follow down the road. They do feature a slideshow of your photos in your free local listing).
7. Verify your location on a map.
8. Submit
They will send you a verification letter, to confirm your address. Once you receive that, and respond, you’ll be listed!
(You can read more on the importance of Google Local & Yahoo Local, and instructions for listing with both, on this post on local property advertising).
Are you creating an experience for your renter or simply listing all that your property has to offer? There’s a big difference and this is your chance to really talk about all your property has to offer.
Problem: It’s very common to see rental listings with typos and information in a list with no personality or story behind it. Information is often repetitive and little thought is given to leveraging keywords that make it easier for search engines to find your rental advertising listing.
Solution: Let your listing do its job and create an experience for your renter so it interests them enough to inquire further. Write for both your renter and the search engines and you’ll be amazed at the results.
Take Action: 1. Create a positive and compelling experience for your renter
2. Offer a benefit-rich ad that makes you stand out from your competition
3. Weave in your key word search terms that will help the search engines find your rental property faster and easier.
Ready to go through the process of really crafting an ad that will work for you for years to come, check out the Booked Solid Blueprint. It will walk you through each component of your ad listing, step-by-step, to create a powerful rental advertising listing that SELLS to both the search engines and your renters.
Video is a great way to show your vacation rental, and to gain momentum in your Search Engine Optimization.
Video is fast becoming one of the top requests from potential renters. It increases confidence on the renters side….and the benefit to you is two fold….you’re showing renter’s exactly what they’re getting and you’re engaging them for longer on your site. Another key benefit is that video gives you yet another opportunity to rank for your keywords on YouTube and other video sites.
Video shows that you’re serious about renting and want to show renters exactly what they’re booking. VRBO features a separate tab with a video icon to highlight your video.
Top Tips for Creating a Video
1. No video camera? Don’t worry, you can also make a video using a slide show from your current photos and save it in video format. Keep reading because many of the tips below will still apply to you!
2. Stage your home….remove all clutter, put out flowers or wine, make it look welcoming and inviting.
3. Use a tripod, you want an even shot.
3. Feature all areas of your rental. While you’re limited on number of photos to include on the listing sites, and some rooms are more difficult to get good photos of (ie bathrooms)….a video provides the perfect solution in really giving the full tour of the house. You can even include the laundry or BBQ areas so that the renter’s really get to know your property.
4. Make sure your video is well lit and everything is easy to see.
5. Narrate your video. You can do this while you’re filming or afterwards depending on how your technology is set up. Either way you want to plan out what you want to say so you cover all the key sales points about your home.
6. You can consider using background music to open and close the video, and create a mood. For example, if you have a beach vacation rental, you can start with the surf, or seagulls.
7. Keep your video under 3 minutes. The reason for this is two-fold. Many sites have restrictions on video length, AND you will lose people’s attention after 3 minutes. 3 minutes is actually a very long time and you will be able to fit in a lot of information about your property.
Here’s an example of a slideshow video that I produced for “At the Bay’s Edge”.
Gift certificates are a great present anytime of year, even though they get the most attention at Christmas. How are you addressing this in your rental property advertising?
