Why Have a Vacation Rental Blog?
Blogging is a great way to create brand interest and gateways to your website. If you’re a vacation rental management business, then you have plenty of competition not only from the VRMA industry but also hotels and resorts. Blogging done right can put you ahead of the competition and get the attention of potential guests.
There are literally thousands of blogs out there, so you need to put time and care into creating a blog worth reading. However, all you need is a great article or a handful to go viral on social media and you have a golden ticket to marketing your business.
Main Tips For Writing A Blog:
Keep the sentences simple. Keep the paragraphs short. Keep the topic interesting. Mix generic blog posts with articles about distinctive interests. Appeal to your particular audience.
Not sure how to come up with blog posts for your vacation rental website?
Starting off, you should have no problem coming up with vacation or travel blog topics. You have cool places to visit, restaurants to try, family-friendly vacation ideas, romantic couples on retreat suggestions, and you can even turn a special discount on a rental into a blog post.
Who is your audience, and what are they interested in? If you have an older generation, then posting about the nightclub down the street running a happy hour special might not provide much feedback. However, if your area is known for fishing then you can create several posts on where to fish, what to fish for, booking fishing charters, bait and tackle shops nearby, etc.
The key is to cover the right topic with the right amount of information. No one is going to read a 30 page paper on fishing before they go on vacation. But if you write 3 paragraphs that tells the user nothing new about fishing in the area, then you will waste their time and they might lose any interest in your company.
Spend the time to focus on these key blog ingredients:
– Blog Posts that Include Wanderlust
Is the first step to writing a great travel/vacation blog. Not only are you selling your vacation rentals, but you’re selling your destination. Focus on the activities that people dream of doing while they sit in their office cubicle. Remind them of what they’re missing, and the great benefits of going on vacation will do for them and their family. Show them beautiful pictures of your area. People will never tire of sunsets or mountains, but make sure it pertains to the article.
Example Topics Are:
- Best Historic Places to Tour in St. Augustine
- How to reconnect with the family at the beach
- 5 Most Beautiful Views in Vancouver
– Articles that Deliver Information
Information can pertain to many different areas of your blog. Write blog posts about local businesses including locations, driving directions, open hours. If you write about a restaurant, mention the most popular items on the menu. Another way of including information in your articles is by focusing the topic on specific questions such as “which airport should I fly into?” or “how can I get around without a car?”
- Ex. Bike rentals and fishing charters
- Answer direct questions such as “where is this place located?” and “how do I get around”
Example Topics Are:
- Where to rent a bike downtown
– Classy Product Placement
Instead of messy product ads you see on websites, go for a blog post about yourself and your products. People won’t be upset if you highlight your vacation rental homes or condos into your blog every once in a while, but that should be a minority of articles that you are creating.
It’s like being at a party and getting trapped by a person who only talks about themselves. It’s awful, and you immediately begin planning your escape. If someone feels like your blog is only about your houses they’re only a click away from the internet exit.
Example Topics Are:
- 3 vacation homes with the best kitchens (TIP: then link that article to an informative post about area grocery stores)
- Urban loft-inspired condos you need to see to believe
- Our favorite vacation rentals for this summer
Insider Content Writing Tips
- Lists – Numbers make it easy to break down information into chunks
- Historical background “You Didn’t Know This” – People love knowing the stories behind places and people. How did that island get it’s name? Why are there wild peacocks here?
- Local News /Awards/Events – Toot the horn and let people know what’s happening in your area. These articles quickly become outdated, so always go through and fix those “Fourth of July Party 2008) articles.
- Link your posts and pages together