5 reasons to create a website for your vacation rental in 2024

Advertising your vacation rental on platforms like Airbnb or HomeAway is important to reach a wider audience and increase international visibility. However, what should you do if you're tired of paying fees and commissions, or have regular customers who want to book directly with you? The answer is simple: create your own website for your vacation rental.A website of your own will allow you to increase your bookings and take greater control of your business's online presence. However, any old website won't do! You'll need to create an attractive and optimized page for renting properties, including features like a booking engine and a payment platform, among others. Here are 5 reasons why you should create a website for your vacation rental. Keep reading!

1. Accept direct bookings

One of the main reasons to create a website for your vacation rental is to be able to accept direct bookings. A recent study on hotel occupancy showed that 65% of users prefer to make their hotel reservations directly through the provider's website instead of through travel agencies, such as Booking.com, or intermediary platforms.On the other hand, accepting direct bookings will save you from having to pay fees as a host and will avoid commissions that many agencies impose on your guests. A win-win in every way!

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2. Generate online credibility

Currently, any company with a minimum of reputation has a website. If not, wouldn't you find it suspicious? Well, the same mentality could be applied to your vacation rental.If it is true that OTAs (Online Travel Agencies) are perfect showcases, having your own website will help you stand out from the rest of your competitors and increase your online credibility. In addition, having your own website will also allow you to position yourself on the Internet on your own and appear in direct searches on Google, which will help improve your credibility.Think of a website as a business card: if someone is interested in your property, what URL would you give them? Do you think it's beneficial for your business to direct them to an external platform's website? The answer is: no; and that's why having your own page is essential for any owner.

3. Strengthen your own brand

Creating a website is the first step to building a solid presence of your brand on the Internet. However, to achieve this purpose, consistency is essential and must be present in each of your sections and communications on the network. Always use the same corporate colors, the same tone of voice and the same photographic style so that users associate it with your brand.Justly, it will be your brand that will allow you to stand out from your competitors and will help your guests associate your business with something more than just "another vacation rental". Platforms like Airbnb have thousands of ads published: turn your brand into that differential factor that attracts dubious guests!

4. Enjoy total freedom

Having your own website will allow you to control 100% of the content published on it. Do you want more photos on the cover? No problem. Do you want to add a new section with instructions to get to your property? Go ahead!Vacation rental portals and OTAs impose certain restrictions on the content that hosts can publish, from the number of characters or the number of photos allowed. On your web, you set the rules. Customize your site to offer the content you consider relevant to your guests, without limits or restrictions.

5. It's very simple!

Creating your own website doesn't have to be a headache. In fact, companies like Lodgify offer web templates for vacation rentals, fully customizable, and that include all the necessary features to promote your property online: booking engine, payment platform and optimization for mobile devices and SEO, among others. Configuring your own website will only take you a few minutes and in less than expected you will be receiving your first direct bookings through the Internet.‍

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