Looking to make money on Vrbo as a vacation rental owner? It’s one of the biggest platforms in the industry that features more than 2 million properties across 200 countries. With more than 3 million monthly visits to their website, listing your property on Vrbo is a good option for you if you want to make the most of your vacation rental business.
But as more people are investing in vacation rental properties, the competition has become more intense. So if you want to attract travelers, you should do your best to stand out. Here are effective Vrbo tips for owners to help you do just that.
You may also want to check out our article comparing Vrbo vs. Airbnb to get a better idea of key differences between these popular OTA websites.
7 Must-Know Vrbo Listing Tips
If you want to rent out your property on Vrbo, you need to create a hosting account on this platform. Then you can use your Vrbo owner login to create a listing for your vacation rental property that will appear in search results.
When your listing is new, it can be challenging to get your first bookings, so you should optimize your listing with travelers in mind. Here you’ll find some Vrbo listing tips to help you stand out from the crowd.
Highlight the Best Features in the Title
Your title is the first thing that travelers will see in their search results. To draw in potential guests, it should be catchy and highlight your rental property’s best features, for example, breathtaking views, waterfront, romantic getaway, etc.
Use specific words that appeal to your target audience and highlight amenities that make your rental stand out. You may also specify the distance to local attractions and mention any deals you’re running.
Vrbo recommends keeping titles to about 70 characters and avoiding writing all capital letters. If you have a brand name for your vacation rental, you should include it in your title as well.
You may want to check out our article about Airbnb names to find more tips on creating titles that attract guests.
Write an Enticing Description
A well-written description of your rental space gives you a chance to sell your property and convey its unique character, and can help you make money. Vrbo recommends that descriptions are short and to the point, about 700-1000 characters maximum, and have a descriptive headline. You can write about things that make your listing unique—the features and amenities you offer and the experience your guests can have if they stay at your rental.
Write about things that make your rental a great place to stay and be honest with potential guests. Your description should encourage bookings, but you shouldn’t exaggerate or inflate guest expectations. It’s also important to update your description regularly to keep it relevant and appealing.
Include Perfect Photos
Photos are the most important element of a Vrbo listing because they give potential guests an idea of your rental property size and what it offers. Stunning pictures drive bookings, and Vrbo recommends including about 50 high-resolution photos per listing that capture the details and features that make your property special.
Your photos should showcase your property at its very best, and you should make sure you have photos of every room of your property—shots of entire rooms and individual details. And don’t forget to show outdoor spaces, amazing amenities, and scenery of the surrounding neighborhood.
Be Responsive
It’s crucial to respond quickly to all messages from travelers, whether they are bookings or inquiries. It’s common for guests to ask all kinds of questions. If you keep a speedy response rate, your guests will appreciate it and will be more likely interested in your property.
They will see that you are an attentive, caring host and will be more likely to book again with you and leave positive reviews. All these things can improve your listing score and increase the visibility of your Vrbo listing in the search results.
Effective communication with guests is the easiest way to keep them happy. It’s an essential aspect of being a successful Vrbo host, so you should do your best to get it right. And using such tools as Hospitable.com, you can automate personalized conversations via messages, minimize your workload, and boost your guest experience.
Have conversations with your guests even when you sleep
Set a Competitive Price
Travelers care about cost, and for many of them is the most important factor that influences their booking decisions. So you should be strategic with your pricing strategy. Your rates should never be fixed if you want to maximize your rental income while staying competitive.
Some of the factors that influence the demand for your rental property include the average price in the neighborhood, seasonal demand, and the length of the stay. Keep these factors in mind and adjust your rates accordingly.
A great tactic to secure the first few bookings can be offering a slightly lower nightly rate than your nearest competitor. It will help you gather first reviews, and potential guests will be much more inclined to opt for your property. Deals and special discounts are a perfect way to encourage bookings during your low season and over holiday periods.
Offer Memorable Experiences
Providing a unique, memorable guest experience will allow you to get great guest reviews, which will attract more attention to your rental property and, in turn, help you make money on Vrbo. You can make your guests’ stay memorable by providing professional and friendly customer service and offering clean and sufficient amenities.
You should also leave a detailed house manual with clear instructions for every function or item in your vacation rental property that can be confusing to guests who have never used them before. For example, you can explain how to use kitchen appliances, a heating system, electronic locks, and smart TV.
One more way to enhance the guest experience is to offer extras. For example, you can create a guide for guests with specifics on the local area, like favorite places to eat, adventurous hikes, and other tourist attractions.
Update Your Calendar
Update your calendar regularly to reflect upcoming bookings because an outdated calendar could lead to double bookings and cancellations. This will frustrate and irritate your guests. Keeping your calendar updated will help you get more bookings and maintain your good reputation as a host.
If you list your property on several platforms to reach wider audiences, it’s critical to sync all your calendars. Doing it manually can become exhausting because you’ll need to keep track of inquiries and bookings across many listing sites. But with Hospitable.com, you can automate your daily repetitive tasks and set your short-term rental business on autopilot.
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Final Thought
Making money by renting out your property on Vrbo depends on understanding guest needs and expectations, setting up an appealing listing, and charging competitive rates. But the most crucial aspect is offering a high-quality, memorable guest experience and making your guests happy.
That will result in positive reviews, enhance your listing rankings on Vrbo, and help you get more bookings. If you follow the Vrbo tips for owners mentioned above, you can succeed.
Wondering how to earn “elite status” on Vrbo and boost your performance on this channel? Check out our post to learn about the advantages of the Vrbo Premier Host Program.
