Vacation Rental Listing Tips: How to Write Effective Copy

Vacation rental listing copy and photos are the backbone of a listing that will be seen by potential guests. The listing and photos are the first thing a visitor sees on your website, and serves as the No. 1 way to turn a visitor into a paying customer or make them close your site. The process and content has become so crucial that certain sites analyze the copy in order to rank a property higher than another in searches.

However, not everyone was born a writer or excels in perfect grammar or punctuation. Nor can many homeowners afford to pay a professional copywriter to do the work for them. That’s why we’ve created a step-by step guide that will teach you how to write effective rental listings, so your properties are seen by more users and rank better in online search engines.

How to Write Effective Vacation Rental Listing Copy

Vacation rental listings should do the following:

  • Showcase the rental’s best attributes through copy and images.
  • Rank well on other listing websites and follow search engine optimization best practices.
  • Allow potential guests to envision themselves and their loved ones in the rental.
  • Encourage potential guests to book the property.

Start with the Headline

To write an appealing headline, think like a guest. What would you want to know from a headline? What are the stand-out amenities your rental offers guests? Once you decide what’s most important, it’s time to write. Keep in mind, this is the first thing a user reads and what search engines look for. Make it stand out and use all the provided space.

Example: <Destination/City> First-Floor Condo, Kid/Pet-Friendly, Close to Beaches, Shopping & Dining

This example immediately tells the user the location, the access level, who they can bring and nearby activities. Just by the headline, a potential guest can decide if this is the right rental for their vacation.

Write the Property Description

The description should list all the information about the property in an easy-to-read way. This is especially important today as 80 percent* of people use their smartphone to search online. Smartphones consolidate copy, so if your listings are cluttered they become more difficult to  read. This can cause users confusion and frustration, and they will go somewhere else. In addition to ensuring listings are easy to read, keep the information organized and include everything the rental offers.

  • Start or end with one or two sentences that set a scene in the guests’ mind.
    Tips: Try to start the sentences with an action verb. Examples: imagine, enjoy, relax, notice, breathe, admire, sit, gather, cook, read, entertain, etc. Use personal words and pronouns: You, your, your family, your children, etc.
  • Then list the property’s description with short bullets
  • At the end, include any special information guests will need, including parking fees, resort fees, homeowner requests, number of cars allowed, minimum age to rent, etc.
  • Before you save and upload your listing, take a few minutes to read it. Check for spelling, grammar and accuracy to ensure the listing is error-free. Errors can lead to costly mistakes.

Now that you have you rental listing copy process, check out these photography tips. Together, copy and photography will help your listing stand out from the competition.

*Source: smartinsights.com, iTrip Vacations