Without doubt, the biggest mistake Airbnb hosts make is limiting themselves and solely relying on this platform. In the long run, Airbnb fees can take their toll – those 3% (+VAT) host service fees start to add up, and there’s no knowing if these fees will increase as the site grows even bigger.
The one problem with Airbnb
While Airbnb opens up endless possibilities for your rental to be seen by millions of users around the globe each day, it also inevitably pits you against your direct competition in your area or city.
That’s why besides being an Airbnb host, vacation rental owners should be thinking carefully about their overall marketing strategy in order to make a success of their business.
There is no denying the colossal size and growing success of Airbnb. At the end of 2015, around 35% of consumers had heard of the popular home-sharing website.
According to experts, around 190 to 200 million nights will be booked on the platform in 2017, to the booking value of around $18 million – and this isn’t likely to decline anytime soon. After travelers have tried a site like this once, their preference for hotels decreases by almost 50%.
Other opportunities for Airbnb hosts
Without doubt, the biggest mistake Airbnb hosts make is limiting themselves and solely relying on this platform. In the long run, Airbnb fees can take their toll – those 3% (+VAT) host service fees start to add up, and there’s no knowing if these fees will increase as the site grows even bigger.
Cutting out the “Airbnb middleman” can present successful hosts with a great business opportunity which will help them become more independent, establish their brand and diversify their booking channels.
But, how can they do this?
That’s where a little something called a professional vacation rental website comes in.
Why do Airbnb hosts need their own website?
Airbnb is a fantastic channel to use to acquire bookings, though it doesn’t have to be the “be all and end all” of your business. Having your own vacation rental website can give you a lot of freedom to run your vacation rental your own way – with your rules, no one else’s.
1. It’s an online business card
Imagine you’ve struck up conversation with a stranger and the topic moves to what you do for a living. Once you’ve explained you’re a vacation rental owner and the locations of your properties, it turns out they’re actually interested in staying in your cabin in Vermont. They want to take your business card to check out more details online, but you don’t have one handy. What URL are you going to give them? A website is the perfect place to direct interested guests, much more preferable than a generic Airbnb URL with all those numbers that could easily be mistyped.
2. It creates credibility and reputation
In 2017, businesses have websites – period. So if you’re a serious rental host, a professional website is a must to build up an online reputation and credibility for your company.
On your website, not only can you show off your reviews from platforms like Airbnb, but you can also list your other awards and achievements with ease, such as Superhost, TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence, expert endorsements or any media mentions. All of these features help build credibility and a great name for your business.
3. It gets you more bookings
These days, guests are wise and will often trawl the internet to see if they can find the same accommodation cheaper on another site. If you’ve mentioned your brand name on Airbnb, then a guest types it into Google and can’t find your website, you could easily lose the booking. If they find it and see your rates are even just a teeny tiny bit cheaper because it’s away from Airbnb, however, that’s another story!
Additionally, those guests who fancy returning back to your place for a repeat visit will like having a way of avoiding paying Airbnb fees when you give them your website URL direct. That’s an even bigger incentive to solidify the booking!
4. It gives you total freedom
Airbnb is great for listing the basics – amenities, a few photos and a description about your home. But there’s no customization factor, so your personality and brand can’t shine through its standardized template. However, with your own website, you can add as many photos and as much text you like, as well as many extras you feel are necessary (guest books, local guides, extra services, partnerships and so on). What’s more, you can completely personalize the colors and fonts to match the branding of your rental company – a feature that listing sites don’t yet provide.
Trust Beyond Booking expertise for your website project. We provide the time-saving tools needed to grow your rental business and simplify its listings management.
Features of our All-In-One Vacation Rentals website.
The main features and functions your vacation rental website builder needs are:
A booking engine
Ability to accept credit card payments
Mobile-friendliness
Channel Manager sync all your platforms
SEO and social media integration
Review showcasing
A reservation system
A central inbox to manage inquiries and bookings
Payment scheduling and management
Good and reliable customer support.
Creating a website could be a complex task. Contact us today for a quote and let us kick start your project. Attract more guests and gain direct bookings!
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Increase your Direct Bookings | Get Your Own Website | Start Accepting Reservations & Payments With Your Phone | Stand Out From the Mass | Showcase Your Property the Right Way.