Every holiday home owner wants to know THE best website to list their property, but unfortunately there isn’t one set answer – it’s all up to your personal preferences and requirements. From fully serviced agencies to listing websites, there are lots of different kinds of advertising sites available in the UK – how can you know what’s best for you? Our helpful guide will help you realise what you want and decipher which direction you should head in.
Questions to ask yourself:
What kind of service do you require?
If you lead a busy life and prefer to see the cash in your account while allowing someone else to do the majority of the paperwork and administration for you, you may want to outsource an agency to advertise and look after your property. However, if you prefer the DIY approach where you’ll have complete control over your bookings – and be able to generate a greater profit more quickly – you should opt for an advertising website like GroupAccommodation.com. With an advertising website, you have autonomy over everything from booking, choosing when you want to stay in your property, your profits and more. Find out all the benefits over on our blog.
What price are you prepared to pay?
When deciding how to advertise your property, you’ll come across a myriad of different price options from different websites. Are you prepared to pay a large agency fee to help take care of everything? Some websites charge a commission on every booking. This may be a good option if you haven’t got a lot of disposable income but it will be a more expensive route in the long run. Advertising websites, like GroupAccommodation.com, charge a flat annual fee with no hidden costs or charges, meaning more money in the bank for you.
What is included in the price?
Although there are ways to advertise your holiday letting site free of charge, it’s no secret that the advantages for paid sites are plentiful. When considering paid options, it is vitally important that you clarify the features that are included “out of the box” and what features will incur an additional cost. GroupAccommodation.com offers an individual space for every property, access to the owner’s dashboard, free use of the Late Availability feature and support from your Production Manager with every registration.
Where does the website appear (or rank) in Google?
As part of your decision process, conduct Google searches that you think your property should appear for, like “large cottage in Scotland” or “rent a barn with a hot tub”. Which websites appear on the first page of Google and, particularly, in the top three results (not including adverts)? These sites may be the way to go as they will likely increase the visibility of your property.
What is the user experience of the website?
As an owner, do you find their back-end hard to navigate? Is it confusing? You’ll be the one operating this so it’s important it’s not too complex. On the other hand, you have to put yourselves in the shoes of those looking to stay with you.
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How easy is it for holidaymakers to find properties using the website’s search feature?
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How do holidaymakers complete bookings?
On both sides, a user-friendly interface is key to providing you with more bookings. Ultimately, it’s down to what you require from your holiday letting site. If you’re particularly time poor or managing your property remotely, you may prefer to use an agency, however if you prefer to earn more money and have more control over your property, opt for an annual fee-based website like GroupAccommodation.com.