Good Vacation Rental SEO really helps increase profits with direct bookings on your site. You have to boost your property’s visibility with strong SEO (search engine optimization) tips for vacation rentals. Aim for top rankings on Google, Yahoo, Bing, and Ask.com. That way, you will be able to keep the demand going all year in this competitive rental market.

Are you taking sufficient measures to remain competitive?

 

A 2020 research by SISTRIX discovered that:

 

Google’s top result gets 28.5% clicks, and the tenth result is only 2.5%. Being lower means fewer clicks. We emphasised vacation rental SEO in our article on villa rental advertising. Now, let’s cover everything about vacation rental SEO for a better rank and more bookings. Offering various rentals is a smart move for more bookings and earnings. Join our free 5-day email course for creative ways to promote holiday rentals.

 

How Can You Get a Higher Ranking on Search Engines?

These tips will guide you to boost traffic to your direct booking site.

 

1. Know about technical SEO, on-page/off-page SEO

    

Breaking down search engine optimization into three categories—technical, on-page, and off-page—can be beneficial for comprehension. These three aspects carry significance and have an impact on your position in search rankings.

Technical SEO

Making things simple for Google’s website inspectors is what technical SEO is all about. It’s about your website’s setup. When you improve your technical SEO, think about your site’s structure.

 

• Optimising Images: Pictures play a vital role in convincing website visitors to become guests. Give your property images names and keywords that clearly describe them. They also enhance SEO by making your Vacation Rental Website discoverable through Google image search. Aim to keep image sizes between 70-100 KB, either in JPEG or PNG format, and keep an eye on how fast your page loads.

Every image you add to your site should include alt-text. Alt-text is a brief description of the image content for those who can’t see them. However, it also provides SEO benefits for short-term rentals and helps people locate your images in search.

 

• Website Speed: Ensure your website loads quickly. Slow responses can harm how users experience your site.

 

• Mobile-Friendliness: Many searches, purchases, and bookings happen on mobile devices. Your website should be easy to use on all devices, like smartphones, desktops, and tablets.

 

• Mobile-Schema Markup: This microdata form enhances your description in search results, creating a more detailed snippet. Rich snippets boost how often people click on your site, improving your visibility on the web.

 

• Mobile-Sitemap: It’s like a file that lists all the pages and files on your website and how they’re connected. A sitemap helps search engines explore your site better, letting them know which pages and files matter more.
• Domain name: Choosing domain names that are easy to remember and include relevant keywords is likely to lead to better performance in search results.

• The organization of the content on your website: Use many internal links and an XML sitemap as they can guide crawlers through your website.

 

• Utilising robots.txt files: These are files that contain instructions for browsers about how to display your website.
• 404 error pages: Your site should avoid having pages that result in a 404 error.
• Website security certificates: These tell clients they can trust you, and search engines see them as trustworthy, too.

Technical SEO might be intimidating to those who are not experienced with vacation rental website development, but not for Avantio customers. Our holiday rental design ensures a fully optimized site meeting all SEO needs.

On-page SEO

Think about how to make your page content easy to use for search engines as well as users while doing on-page SEO. 

The following are some on-page SEO components:

Keywords- Apply relevant keywords and phrases within your website. it will help search engines identify your website accurately.

 

H1 and H2 title tags- In addition to improving SEO, headings, and subheadings assist readers in finding information fast.

External links- If you include links to reliable websites, it raises the trustworthiness of your website.

Shorter URLs that contain keywords- Search engines find it easier to identify and rank your sites when you create shorter URLs that contain relevant keywords and phrases. 

Meta descriptions- See the text below the title of each search result. That’s the meta description. It’s a brief snippet that informs people about your page. Crafting a pertinent meta description is a way to attract visitors, providing them with a quick overview of your business.

Ideally, keep the meta description between 150 to 160 characters. Ensure it contains keywords relevant to your website. Write a meta description for all your pages to enhance your temporary rental SEO strategy.

Alt-text for images- When adding images to your website, always include alt text. This short description of the image helps search engines understand your page and makes your image visible in Google image search.

Content- Planning your content is a crucial part of on-page SEO.

 

Off-page SEO

Off-page SEO is about improving your Vacation Rental website’s rank on search engines by looking at things outside of your site. You can’t control these factors directly on your own page, unlike on-page optimization. To do this, get good links from important websites and be active on social media. This helps your place pop up when people search on travel websites like Booking or Expedia. Don’t just rely on local pages on your site. This way, you can reach more people and get more bookings, especially during busy times!

Make content that people want to share and get links from other relevant sites. Connect with influencers, like wedding planners, and share special offers in press releases. These strategies help your brand show up more online, leading to more people choosing to book directly with you instead of using third-party sites.

2. Do keyword research 

 

Choosing the right words for your vacation rental SEO is crucial because they assist Google connect your site with what people are looking for.

 

To optimize your website for the most relevant keywords on the very first page, start by figuring out what potential guests are inputting queries into Google. This is called keyword research.

 

When people are booking a vacation rental, they don’t always use basic words like ‘vacation rental’ or ‘holiday rental.’ So, to focus, you’ll need to use some creativity to come up with some original terms.

It’s great if you can find words that a lot of people search for, but not many other websites are using. But, even if not many people search for them, targeting less common words can help you rank faster.

 

Tools like Google Keyword Planner, Keywords Everywhere, and Ubersuggest can assist you find good keywords without costing you anything. you may use tools such as Buzzsumo, SEMrush, or Google Keyword Planner to see what keywords your competitors are using. 

 

Keywords come in two varieties: long-tail and short-tail. Let me break down what each of them means.

Short-tail keywords

These are brief, common phrases with one to three words. An instance of a short-tail keyword is “temporary rental Spain.”

Getting a good position in search results is tougher when it comes to short-tail keywords because many others are also trying for them. 

But don’t worry, you can still make use of them. Your main website pages, like the landing page and property homepages, should include short-tail keywords that really represent your brand.

 

Long-tail keywords

Long-tail keywords are more extended, specific phrases, like full sentences or questions, that people type into Google.

For instance:

“What’s the best family-friendly spot in Spain?”

“Which Italian region has the finest wine?”

“Affordable romantic getaways in European cities”

It’s important to spot these long-tail keywords because they attract people in the initial stages of making a decision.

In order to increase your traffic and turn more people into customers, these keywords are simpler to rank for. Plus, targeting these keywords also boosts your chances of ranking better for shorter keywords in the future.

Google is a handy place for finding long-tail keywords. Google offers suggestions as you type to help you complete your search. These suggestions can be potential long-tail keywords.

 

The “People also ask” section after the initial results and the related searches at the bottom of the page offer more keyword ideas.

 

Q&A(Question & Answer) websites like Reddit or Quora are also goldmines for long-tail keywords. Look for common questions and use them as long-tail keywords.

 

Tools like Answer the Public can produce ideas for long-tail keywords. Type in a basic phrase, and it’ll suggest various similar questions and queries.

 

Lastly, think about the questions your customers often ask you. Turn these into long-tail keywords to shape your content strategy.

 

3. Get good at content creation 

 

Creating content plays a big role in the journey of boosting property management SEO. Once you’ve created a list of keywords, you can utilise them to shape your content plan. Content is a powerhouse for SEO and is beneficial for possible guests. Things that good content does to enhance your vacation rental SEO are:

Increases website traffic: Your website may be visited by more people looking for assistance, and websites with more traffic often rank higher.

Improves keyword rankings:  Especially for the long-tail keywords you’ve identified, creating content helps you rank for more words.

Provides more material for Google:  Your website has a greater probability of ranking for particular keywords the more pages it contains.

Now that you know what your customers want, make sure to give them the answers and help they need. Customise your responses to solve their problems and meet their needs effectively.

There are many different forms for content; let’s look at a couple of the more popular ones.

Write blog posts

Writing blog posts is an effective method to attract more visitors to your website. Numerous topics are available online for you to explore. Creating informative blog posts helps build your credibility, leading to more bookings.

Remember to incorporate keywords in your blog posts to enhance your site’s SEO. Include them in the title and text, but avoid using an excessive number of keywords, as search engines frown upon “keyword stuffing.”

Create videos

Using videos is a captivating way to reach customers. YouTube, the second-largest search engine after Google, offers a chance to grab more attention and make your properties discoverable.

You can create videos like property tours, tours of the local area, or interviews with vacation rental owners and guests. You might even produce videos addressing common questions from guests or explaining how things work in your properties.

Think about hiring a skilled videographer to create polished videos. These could include dynamic shots, drone footage, and background music to truly exhibit your property.

Be creative with your content

For content, the possibilities are endless. Be on podcasts, webinars, or live streams in the vacation rental industry—or start your own. This helps get backlinks, which we’ll explain further in the next tip. Make valuable resources like an e-book or brochure that can help you capture email addresses for your mailing list. Recycle or reuse the same content, like turning a blog post into a video. Use Google Analytics to see how well your content is doing and improve your vacation rental SEO.

Share your content on social media

Expanding your audience is possible through social media, but it’s essential to investigate which social platforms your intended customers prefer. If your audience frequents Instagram, generate abundant visual content, stories, and prompt guests to mention your brand in their posts or stories. As you’re selling an experience, share photos and videos of your vacation rental. Give guests a glimpse of what they can enjoy if they choose your property for their summer stay. Use user-generated content, which includes photos and videos that guests take at your vacation rental. Social media aids in generating more attention for your properties and directing people to your vacation rentals website.

4. Know how to use links 

Links play a crucial role in SEO. Both links within your site and links from other websites affect the SEO of your vacation rental site.

Internal links

Internal links connect two pages on your website, aiding search engine crawlers and maintaining a consistent structure. They also keep visitors engaged, enabling smooth transitions between pages and longer stays. In blog posts, links to related entries deepen topics. Adding links to your booking page across the site helps to convert more people into customers.

Link building

Building links is a strategy where you aim to get other websites to link back to yours – 

• • Linking to Your Site: Get other websites to link to your vacation rental site. It’s crucial for SEO. The more good sites link to yours, the better your site does in search results.
  • Building Links Smartly: Build links wisely from trusted websites in travel and vacation rentals. It helps bring in more visitors naturally. Connect with relevant sites or tourism boards to get links and increase visitors.

• Guest Posting for Links: Write for other blogs in your travel area. Offer to create interesting posts. In return, they might link back to your vacation rental site, making your SEO even better.

Remember, it’s crucial to prioritize quality over quantity when building links. The websites linking to you should be relevant and authentic. Never buy links, as it can harm your vacation rental SEO.

5. Design an ideal user experience 

• Make it easy for visitors to navigate and book on your vacation rental website..
• Emphasize the importance of a positive user experience in direct booking strategies.
• Use a clear site menu for quick navigation.
• Map out and optimize the user journey for better results.
• Test the booking process to identify and remove obstacles.
• Improve user experience with visuals and readable text.
• Include numerous calls to action.
• Highlight a prominent “Book Now” button for easy bookings.

6. Take advantage of trends 

A young couple enjoys the beach sitting by their scooter. Stay current on online trends to boost website traffic. Keep an eye on popular keywords, seasonal shifts, and social media trends in vacation rentals. Use tools like Google Trends, Buzzfeed, Buzzsumo, Reddit, and Sprout Social. Trends are temporary but can provide a short-term SEO boost.

7. Get discovered online in as many places as possible

The more times your vacation home is mentioned online and the more links lead back to your site, the higher the chance it will appear on the first page of the search engine results.

Social Media:

Strategically include your keywords in your username, profile, and social media posts. Platforms like YouTube and Pinterest also appear in search engine results, increasing your chances of gaining organic visibility. The best part is that organic social media posts are free, just like organic search results.

 

Local tourism and chamber websites:

Obtain a membership with your local convention and visitors bureau, tourism authority, or chamber office. These are recognized as reliable websites. Additionally, these organisations can showcase your vacation rental in their accommodations section, complete with a description (keep your keywords in mind when crafting these) and a link to your website. This not only enhances link equity but also improves your chances of being discovered and booked.

Vacation rental site listings:

These platforms, often known as channels, include Airbnb and Vrbo. These sites not only attract a large number of potential visitors, but your property listings may also show on search engine results pages (SERPs). If Vacasa were to manage your vacation home, our team of expert writers would develop a customized description based on your keywords and post it to all main channels.

Google My Business (GMB):

If your website showcases multiple vacation homes and you operate from a physical business office, consider obtaining a Google My Business listing. This no-cost listing enables you to appear on Google’s interactive map when individuals search for vacation homes in your vicinity, as well as on Google’s Business Profile in the search engine results page (SERP). However, it’s important to note that Google presently doesn’t permit GMB listings for standalone vacation homes.

 

8. Lighten your load with SEO tools

Certainly, SEO involves numerous components, and even seasoned marketers rely on tools to manage it effectively. Although paid tools may provide more comprehensive results, the plethora of free online tools can serve as an excellent starting point. We recommend the following favorites:

• SEMRush or Moz – Utilise these tools for keyword research, competitor analysis, and more.
• Google Keyword Planner (free) – Visit this platform for keyword exploration.
• Google Trends (free) – Keep an eye on this tool to identify current trending topics.
• Google Search Console (free) – Employ this tool to track your website traffic, including how visitors discover your site and which pages are most popular.
• Screaming Frog – Ideal for websites with substantial content, this tool examines your site for any technical SEO issues.

 

9. Stand out from your competition with SEO

 

Effective SEO is key to securing bookings.

Google is highly competitive, but employing diverse SEO techniques enhances your chances of a higher rank.

Numerous property management businesses overlook some of these SEO tips. By adhering to them, you’ll gain an edge.

A robust channel manager (vacation rental channel manager) enables property listing on various sites and enhances bookings on your website.

Discover the Ultimate Guide on How to List on Google Vacation Rentals.

At Avantio, we recognize that distribution is a strategic effort. Enrol in our free 5-day email course for property managers seeking inventive ways to distribute vacation rentals.

10. Track and Monitor SEO Efforts

Keep in mind that enhancing SEO is an ongoing task because search engine algorithms and rankings change. So, regularly assessing your direct booking website’s SEO performance is crucial. Use tools like Google Analytics to analyze your SEO strategy. This will provide a clearer understanding of your position in the property management SEO journey.

11. Hire vacation rental marketing professionals, like Vacasa

The easiest and most effective way to consistently apply SEO and enhance your vacation home’s search engine rankings. Hire digital marketing specialists who specialize in boosting visibility and income for vacation rentals. They should be capable of refining SEO strategies, and adapting to the latest Google algorithm updates, resulting in consistently outshining competitors in visibility.

Moreover, a comprehensive vacation rental company like Vacasa not only implements SEO tactics but also employs various marketing approaches, including email marketing, channel marketing, and ad campaigns, to ensure continuous exposure to travelers.

Wrapping UP

If you choose to handle SEO for your vacation home independently, here are a few final tips: SEO is a long-term effort, not a quick fix. Gaining trust and authority with Google takes time, often months before seeing ranking improvements. Additionally, consider your competition in the destination, as a more competitive market means a tougher search engine results page (SERP) battle. So, stay patient and persistent in getting the organic attention your vacation home deserves.