How Can I Improve My Holiday Cottage Advert?
If You Don’t Freshen Up Your Cottage Advert – Say Goodbye to Bookings
Set aside a little time this weekend or one evening next week and use this checklist to enhance the appeal of your advert:
Just like a shop window display, if left completely alone, your holiday cottage advert will gather cobwebs and, worse still, look unflatteringly out of date. It may be visible, but it won’t be working as well as your cottage deserves.
Seven Ways to Attract More Bookings!
1. Images: The single most influential part of your advert. The bigger – the better.
If your images are all 1920x1080 pixels (or larger), then they will display this big: View Cherry Tree Cottage, Sidmouth If not, then re-install using 1020x1080 pixel-sized images. It will make a difference.
Can we help? If you are not sure how to do this (or are just too busy), for just £10, we will re-size and upload up to large images for you.
Click here to request our upload service and for more advice on image selection. If you want to know how to resize your images, Click Here.
2. Reviews: The 2nd most influential part of your advert
Your advert includes a Visitors Book for you to upload your latest guest testimonials. You should aim to have at least one healthy review that is less than 4 months old. Beyond that, potential bookers may wonder why people have suddenly stopped saying nice things about your property and assume the worst.
No reviews? When was the last time you spent a lot of money on something that no one had bothered to review? Reviews can be easily added by you.
Add a Floorplan
Very helpful, especially if you have a large holiday cottage. Floorplans help reassure potential bookers that you can properly accommodate everyone. Create a floor plan, photograph and upload it in your images.
Prices: You can now upload your own price guide.
It can give general guidelines. E.g. May to June: from 675 to £850, or you can upload dates and tariffs for every price band. People don’t like to ensure if they are not sure, they can afford your rates.
Check your contact details.
I checked 47 properties this morning and found 28 with incorrect (missing, out-of-date or incorrectly entered) details such as phone numbers, email addresses and website addresses.
The most common error is web addresses still starting with http (as opposed to https). They still work but open with an ‘Insecure site’ warning, which can seriously deter potential bookers.
Content: Keep it Correct
Have you added any new facilities to your property (or taken any away)? Amend accordingly.
Also, does your property relate to any of the ‘categories’ or ‘locations’ we have added over the past 2-3 years, such as ‘hot tub’ or ‘eco-cottages’. If so, it will only appear in a search if you have ticked the box.
Availability Calendar
Is it up to date? Finding a lovely cottage with an empty calendar does not encourage people to book. Keep it up to date.
Updating your calendars increases the number of searches your cottage will be included in.
By the end of 2018, we will be introducing a ‘Search by Availability’ option. This is in response to demand not only from those using the site to find and book a cottage but also from many owners as well.
We will be integrating this with as many online booking calendars as possible, starting with SuperControl, Bookalet, Free2Book and Holiday Bookings Online. If you use another online booking software, let us know, and we will add it to the integration list.
Using these tips, update your advert!
People are booking now for Christmas right through to next autumn. Don’t allow your listing to become an ‘Also Ran’! Update it as soon as possible.
Can't log in?
If you cannot remember it, your User name is your email address. Then use the ‘Forgot your password’ button to reset it.
Once you have logged in
Click on your Username (top right). From the drop-down list, select ‘Manage Properties.
(If you want to update and re-activate an old property, click on ‘Unpaid Cottages’)
If you want to edit a live property, then click on ‘Live Cottages
This opens a list showing the 3 images and a short description of your property. Check the images to make sure you are happy with your choice)
Ø Click on Edit to edit the main property information
Ø Click on View Prices to update or add prices
Ø Click on ‘Late Availability’ to advertise a last-minute discount.