The online rental is a continually expanding market, and by 2019 it will be worth up to $170 billion according to latest prediction. That means that to stay competitive, you can no longer rely just on listing sites to get bookings.
Creating your website is a first step in achieving direct bookings. The internet offers a plethora of possibilities for creating a visible web presence. Let us go through the best ways of growing your website traffic.
1. Use your website with the maximum efficiency
Make sure you have a professional rental site that is easy to navigate to attract visitors and convert them into guests. Use responsive design for mobile devices to make sure it is easy to read and loads fast.
Use high-quality images to showcase your property and the vicinity. Catch your visitors interest with compelling info – for that you could hire a copywriter
Encourage your visitors to make reservations using a clear call-to-action such as “Book Now.”
Content Tips to Maximize website traffic
Have an optimized domain name that is short, unique and catchy for your visitors.
To extend your customer base and get international bookings to translate your website into different languages. According to UNWTO, Chinese tourists are the world’s top spenders along with French, Italian, German, Russian, and Brazilian travelers.
Build an email list for your newsletter campaign and be straightforward on what you will be sharing with your subscribers. Use incentives such as a reservation discount for new email subscribers.
If you have gained any awards in your field, don’t hesitate to display them on your website to establish your reputation as a fantastic host.
Other tips to optimize your website
Run a promotion for holidays or a special offer such as a free stay is a perfect way to attract regular visitors. Create a dedicated page and send out a newsletter and invite your subscribers to share it on social media.
If your property has unique features for a category of travelers let your audience know about them. Accommodations for travelers with disabilities should be highlighted in the description.
Create a vacation rental blog to connect with your visitors and subtly promote your business. Write short but relevant posts about topics your guests are interested in: present your property, the area, local events, and happy customer stories.
Publish guest posts from experts in the industry such as influential travel bloggers or market experts. This is a double gain for your website as it provides expert content for your audience and is an excellent link-building strategy
Review companies in your area that would interest your future guests such as restaurants, cafes, museums. In this way, you will build relationships with other local businesses.
2. Promote your business on social networks
Social media is the most prominent platform to promote your vacation rental and increase website traffic. Not only that, it is a pivotal tool to grow and maintain a good relationship with your guests.
On Facebook:
Create a page for your rental business on the second largest website on the internet and start building a community around your brand. You can run contests such as “comment to win”, knowledge-testing questions to attract new fans.
On Twitter
Create a profile on this popular platform to build a follower base around your interests. To stand out make your tweets include pictures, captivating quotes, interesting numbers and use hashtags. Engage in Twitter chats to grow the community, link back to your blog and retweet the content from fellow vacation rental owners, travel bloggers, tourist websites, and local city guides.
On Linkedin
A profile on this B2B platform will enhance your professional status. Follow travel experts and share their insights with your followers. Join communities related to the market and become an active member: like and comment other member’s posts, and share your articles in these groups to boost traffic.
You can quickly build your brand and reputation as recent statistics show that 60% of travel companies are including Instagram in their marketing. Share enthralling pictures of your rental, create a story around it, follow others and start networking by liking and commenting on their posts, Grow your audience by doing a “share exchange” on Instagram, the equivalent of guest blogging. Share exchange is a great way to attract new followers and take part in the community.
On Pinterest
Pinterest is the most famous image browsing platform. As each image is linked with a website, Pinterest becomes a traffic boost machine. Use boards to share pictures of the property of the local area, local events and traditions, leisure and cultural sights. On your website add a “Pin it” button to every picture so visitors can pin onto their boards.
On Youtube
Create engaging content by making a dedicated video for your fans. It could be a tour of the property, a report on the local area, or a fun tutorial related to local traditions. Optimize the description for SEO purposes and don’t forget to share the videos on your website and other social media profiles.
Add website link to your social media profiles on your bio, this way followers who come across your profile can check your website right away.
Add sharing buttons to encourage your visitors to share your content – and make them mobile-friendly.
3. Make a smart email campaign
Your email signature
Should include a link to your vacation rental and for a stronger impact use a call to action encouraging people to visit your website.
Use autoresponders
Show respect to your subscribers and offer a positive customer experience: welcome new joining members or let them know when you will be able to reply without keeping them on hold.
Master the direct email etiquette
Master the direct email etiquette to contact other websites or organizations. Make your research to address the right person with a relevant message and use an appropriate signature.
Create a successful promotional email campaign
Write your offer clear, succinct and catchy. Your copy should have a sense of urgency to ensure your recipients have a reason to act on your proposal rather than dismiss your message.
Emailing your new blog posts through newsletters
It is a great way to share compelling content and give your readers a good reason to visit your site.
If you need help in creating an email marketing campaign user-friendly newsletter platforms such as MailChimp offer guiding throughout every step.
Include sharing buttons in your emails and forward link so your readers can share your content with their friends and followers.
4. Use personal networking and old-school public relations
Podcast Marketing
Get your business in a popular podcast related to your rental company such as travel series or local area podcasts. Link to the podcast from your website to build a reputation and ask the host to mention your site during the interview.
Articles
Have your business featured in articles. You could subscribe to HARO (Help A Reporter Out) to reach out to journalists and bloggers and share your expertise. This move will grow your PR strategy as you can research what topics are of interest.
Radios
Similarly, you can get in touch with local or niche radios and offer your expert view on home rental and travel topics. Make sure you mention your website while on air. Contact local stations to put your business in the spotlight. Research the shows that have the same audience and fit in with your overall PR strategy.
Travel Bloggers
Make quality connections with travel bloggers and start a mutually beneficial partnership. You could ask them to publish a guest post or work together to offer readers a unique and insightful piece of content.
Instagrammers
Grow your network with niche Instagrammers such as famous names in your local area and start a collaboration. Ask them to run a competition to win a free stay at your vacation home or team up to create enthralling content about your property.
Business Cards
Feature your website at local vacation/rental fairs and hand over business cards. Create a modern looking card with your website link on it. You can even dismiss other contact details to encourage people to search for them on your site.
Local Business Partnership
Build partnerships with local business from travel agencies to car rental shops. Ask them for a link exchange this will not only get you more traffic but also improve your SEO score.
