Websites, Digital Marketing & Business Development
Websites For Holiday Let Owners
Virtually every business now needs a website, but of course, you already know that really and that’s why you’re here!
What you’re probably trying to understand is, what are the benefits of having a website for your holiday let business – and will it be worth the investment?
I developed a deeper understanding of the holiday letting business when I created a new website for a company that provides premium property management services for the owners of 50 holiday homes in Edinburgh, Scotland.
It was actually more than just creating the website and became a complete renaming and re-branding project in ‘moving the business’ from Angie’s Holiday Cleaning to Edinburgh Cleaning and Concierge.
You can find out more about the thought and action process here.
What Are The Benefits Of Having A Website For Your Holiday Let Property?
I’m not suggesting that having a website could or should replace the benefits of being on listing sites such as Airbnb or Booking.com etc. Certainly not immediately anyway, as there is no doubt they are invaluable in promoting your property and getting bookings.
What I do believe though is it can be extremely beneficial to have your own website as well as be on listing sites – and for the following reasons.
- In early 2017 Airbnb enforced a 90 Days per year maximum for rentals in London. How long before this is extended to other cities throughout the UK – and/or by more listing sites?
- You have more flexibility on how and where you market your property, on and off-line
- You have total control over what details you present to your visitors and how you present them
- You can build in extra ways of encouraging your visitors to get in touch with you – also known as ‘Calls To Action’
- You can display all the testimonials and reviews you’ve received on all different websites, such as Airbnb, TripAdvisor, and Google, altogether in one place
- You can make yourself stand out from other properties if you have your own website, on a listing site everyone’s property details are very much the same
- The risk of your visitor browsing and ‘shopping around’ at other listings is not only easier but encouraged on many listing sites. If they land on your personal website they are a captive audience and may be less likely to look elsewhere
- You have no real control over your entry on a listing site. Although unlikely, they could, in theory, remove your listing at any time on a whim
- You don’t pay any commission on a booking that comes directly from your website
- You can promote your business more easily offline by advertising in a number of ways. This includes flyers and business cards which guests can pick up from your home and pass on to family and friends etc
- It’s easier for people to share your property details by directing them to your website. Finding a particular property is usually quite difficult when searching on a listing site
- When created and presented properly, a website can enhance the appearance and perceived value of your property – meaning you may be able to charge more 🙂
- You can have a professional email address to receive and send messages ie info@yourpropertyname.co.uk
In summary…
If I was to sum it up in just three main benefits I would say…
1) You have total control over the content you present about your property and the way you present it.
2) It’s almost an expectation that a business will have a website these days, so you will meet that expectation and have an advantage over those still lagging behind.
3) It’s easier for people to find and share your property details with others.
To get an idea of what a website could look like for your holiday home property, I’ve created a couple of example sites here on Demo Site 1, Demo Site 2 & Demo Site 3
NB. These demo sites have not yet been set up fully for mobile viewing so are best judged on a larger screen device like a laptop at this time.
If you can see the benefits of having a website for your holiday let property then why not get in touch now and find out how you can get your business live online and attracting more guests, very soon.
