Summer is coming, and now is the time to consider how to optimize your vacation website for visitors looking for some sun and fun. Clear out the cobwebs and take a fresh look at your website. It’s time to stop letting things slide, and update your online brand with a much needed spring cleaning! Let RealTech Services be your guide to the best practices that will net you more customers:
1) Be eye-catching.
I can’t believe how often, we tell people that they need updated images of their resort or vacation rentals. IMAGES MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE! Do you update your picture on your social media? Then you need to do the same for your website. If you’re marketing vacations, you’ll want compelling, professional images. Don’t just go snapping pictures with your smartphone. Use photos that show off the best your properties have to offer. Make sure they’re high resolution – but make doubly sure they’re optimized for the web to reduce loading times. Read about the best way to upload pictures with reservation software.
2) Be findable.
Refresh your keywords to suit the season. Find ways to pull in people in search of amenities: proximity to local attractions, the best restaurants, recreation opportunities. Use words that home in on what people are looking for – be it beaches, lakes, or opportunities for adventure.
The use of proper Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques will get your site listed in the top rankings of search engine results, which is where you want to be. There is always a new “hot” spot that’s getting attention, so do some research and keep people interested.
3) Be usable.
Don’t let your website design go out of style. Visitors who can’t find their way around your website to find what they need won’t stay visitors for long. Nor are they likely to become customers. To clean-up your navigation, delete some information that is no longer applicable, or doesn’t seem to be useful for customers. There are tools that we use as webmasters that can help, but you can get free info by setting up a Google Analytics account if you don’t already have one. Dust bunnies hide in all the crevices of your web pages and the longer you leave them, the more life they drain from your business!
4) Be shareable.
You’ll not get anywhere without having a strong social media presence for your website. Give people reasons to share your content about the latest and greatest news with new content or re-purpose some older articles that aren’t getting the attention they deserve. You can always add to blog posts for the summer and spread the word on Facebook. This means concentrating on compelling content and getting rid of the content clutter that’s on your website now. Think of it as organizing your closet and throwing away junk that’s only making it harder to find the good stuff.
5) Be portable.
Technology is always changing. Your website is no different from the look of the design to the cyber security to protect your guests’ information. Mobile devices became the primary source for accessing internet content in 2016. With more of your potential customers using smartphone or tablets to access your website, you’ll need to ensure they have the best viewing experience they can.
Need some help getting those hard to reach spots for your website’s spring cleaning? If your website needs a fresh look and a thorough redesign, you can contact us today.
