Most likely, potential renters will find your property through a search engine or rental service. A descriptive, enticing title to your web page or listing will catch a traveler’s eye and encourage them to click. A title like “Luxurious Seaside Victorian in Historic St. Augustine” is more interesting and informative than “North Florida Beach Home.”
Once the searcher clicks your link, there should be a headline which compels him or her to continue reading.
Be as specific as possible when describing your property. Use adjectives to illuminate the qualities and atmosphere of your home that you wish to convey to readers. However, be careful not to overdo it with too much flowery speech that detracts from the focus of your listing. It should be concise and easy to read.
Write in first- and second-person rather than third-person, as if speaking to a friend. “Your family will love to laze around on the lanai we built ourselves” sounds a lot more personal than “Includes deck with chairs.” Don’t simply describe aspects of the property as static structures—tell renters how they will benefit. What makes your home different from others in the area? Does it have a perfect view of the sunset? Is it wheelchair-accessible? Did you fill it with antiques from your travels around the world? The more “pluses” the reader mentally notes, the more likely he or she is to book with you.
Think about what made you choose to buy this particular property in the first place. Does it have an interesting history? Were you attracted to the waterfall by the pool? Was it the proximity to a favorite golf course? The elements of the property you enjoy are likely to be the same ones your guests would be drawn to.
Leave a guestbook in your rental in which renters can leave comments about their stay. You can add some of these to your web page or listing as testimonials—vacationers will trust other vacationers’ opinions. If you’ve only recently started renting and don’t yet have guest comments to use, ask friends and family who have visited the home for their opinions. Ask what they think is special or desirable about the property and what they would want to read about it.
Visit the sites and listings of your local competition to keep yourself apprised of what they include about themselves. If they mention their large, well-equipped kitchen and you don’t, their property will seem more desirable even if yours is bigger and better-equipped. At this stage, potential tenants only know what you tell them, so it’s to your advantage to be as complete as possible.
At the bottom of your page, mention any nearby towns, cities, or tourist attractions and their approximate distance from your property. Search engines will index this information and lead more people to your site. |
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