How to Write a Professional and Enticing VRBO/AirBNB Listing

Written By Melissa Jersey

Let’s face it, there is an art to writing a property listing that will stand out from the competition and show up high in search results. A good way to start is to think about your audience. Who is most likely to rent your property?  Is it families with children, couples looking for a romantic vacation, business travelers? Understanding this first will help you point out things that are important to your renter.

Title
The title is the first thing a renter sees when they are searching. It should be descriptive and show unique points of your property. A great title encourages renters to click on your property listing to read more about your home. Use descriptive adjectives like family friendly, cozy, etc. to paint a picture for your renters.

Use the maximum number of characters that each site will allow. These tend to perform better in search results.

VRBO:  70 characters maximum

AirBNB:  50 characters maximum

Description
Now that you have an engaging, catchy title, it’s time to write your property description. Keeping your targeted audience in mind, think about what terms they might use to search for a property like yours. These are considered keywords and are important in how likely your property is found in search. These keywords should be used several times in your property description.

Start by pointing out the most attractive features of your listing that will capture the interest of your targeted audience. Remember that users scan listings and generally don’t spend more than a few minutes on each property page so you want the most important features to be listed first. Check out similar properties on the vacation sites to see what they offer. From there, include what your property offers that sets you apart from your competition.

Write your description in a way that allows readers to imagine themselves in your home.  For example, you might say something like “the property includes an outdoor firepit, perfect for that romantic evening glass of wine’.

Pictures
The old cliché that a picture is worth a thousand words is key when creating a vacation property listing. Make sure you have professional photographs showing all of the great features of your home. The more pictures you have for your listing, the better but make sure they are high quality.

Other Things to Consider

  • Consistently tweak the listing based off of the feedback

  • Ratings are EVERYTHING in the property rental business. Do everything you can to get a 5-star rating and don’t be afraid to ask for one. Add small extras that your competition may not have (i.e. coffee, candies with a welcome note, etc). 

  • Always respond to reviews, positive or negative.  Thank renters for their feedback and let them know how important it is to get it. Address any negative comments with how you will improve.  NEVER respond negatively to negative reviews!

  • Book on more than one platform for maximum reach.  Make sure to sync both calendars so you don’t double book.

  • Write up a nice story about you as a host. This shows that there is actually someone on the other end that cares about your stay vs. a rental company.  Write about why you purchased the property, what you love about it, what there is to do in the area etc.

  • Respond to all inquiries quickly.  This shows that you are an attentive, caring host.

 

Melissa Jersey