Before we get into the marketing and promotional aspects of gaining more direct bookings from your website, let us see why it is important to have a website that solely belongs to you
The factor of commission is completely eliminated which allows you to give your guests better services at a good price making room for higher profits
When it is your own website you have the control to regulate the terms, policies, prices etc according to your sensibilities. Also you can maintain a better relationship with your guests as they will come directly in contact with you. It is also significant to note that 67% of travellers prefer to book from a direct website than a third party portal. By having your own website you will have more control of your bookings even if you are managing your vacation rental remotely.
The most powerful tactics for the promotion of your direct booking website
1.Consistent branding
Ensure that your brand is consistent across all guest touch points. The host profile, company name and wordings should be same across Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo etc because a small change can impact your direct booking as the customer will not be able to locate you from Google
According to reports by Hubspot, 75% of potential customers never go past the first page of the search results. Therefore it is ever important to have a strong SEO strategy to rank your website organically in the first page of Google. For this you need to focus on both On-site SEO strategies and Off-site. On-site optimization refers to the optimization of content and keyword on your website whereas Off-site refers to optimized guest blogs, social media profiles and more
4.5 billion users are present in social media. So that is reason enough to understand that your brand needs a significant presence here for more lead generation for your website and listings. The different social media platforms include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest etc. Social media works both organically and with paid ads. Ensure that you keep your audience engaged here by posting, relevant, interesting, different topics often in all your social media handles.
According to Tripadvisor 80% of travellers book vacation rentals after going through online reviews. Online review sites are therefore a great way to promote your brand if you are among those who receive a lot of positive feedbacks for your services
Use photographs to showcase your vacation rentals in an attractive and beautiful way. According to study by Virtuance Photography and Virtual tours, the quality of photographs can take up your bookings to a figure as high as 98%. So never take your property photographs lightly. They are impactful and can generate revenue for you like nothing else.
Never give a feeling to your guests that you are absent in their realm of communication. Provide them all sources of contacts to encourage direct bookings like your phone number, e-mail, text messaging number and also communicate with them through your social media channels and keep them posted.
Market your property to guests who have already visited your space. Tap into your customer database and through email marketing you can easily gain more revenue by contacting your guest lists. It will also help in getting more reviews and word of mouth recommendations. You can also think of providing them with discounts or information regarding any special event that is going to be held in your area while they visit to generate more interest and conversions.
You can do this by keeping your communications, guest, website and overall brand experience to that of highest quality. Implement designs that are consistent and modern across all your guest points to provide your potential customers with an excellent brand experience. Collect relevant guest information with their permission like emails so that you can work on making them your repeat customers.
Never disturb your customers by bombarding them with messages but you can do it in a timely way like in 6 months or after a year of their visit to remind them of offers when they book directly from you. The guests can be added automatically to this marketing campaign list so that you can concentrate on other verticals of your business
Our direct booking website might just be what you are on the lookout for to kick start your marketing efforts
Homestaydnn is perfectly optimized for mobiles with listing pages, booking features and excellent page load speed because mobile users are increasing with each passing day and it is inevitable to give an experience to customers that will ensure bookings through mobiles
We reduce half the workload for you by providing automated communication options. Clients can also view bookings, progress and note dates which are unavailable
The listing pages are beautifully designed to give a great look and feel. They are responsive with optimization that suits all screen sizes and provides a hassle free booking experience
Conclusion
It is evident that your website can bring more direct bookings. By following certain guidelines you can achieve more revenue by doing better business through your website. Having your own website may just be the beginning of a successful journey if you are someone struggling to find a foothold in the world of vacation rentals.
