Many owners choose to create personal websites for their vacation rentals in addition to advertising their homes on listing sites. This is a great way to diversify your marketing plan, and with a variety of marketing tactics, you can help increase your chances for success. Why create a personal website? Feature additional photos or more local information. Most of the vacation rental websites out there place limitations on the number of photos you can upload or the amount of text you can include in your listing. A personal website will allow you to feature as much as you'd like, and it's a great way to answer your guests' common questions. You can provide details about area attractions and even include your rental rules. And, when prospective renters ask to see more photos, simply point them to your personal site.  Control the appearance of your site. By building your own personal website, you can choose the layout of each page and create a design that suits you and your home. When you use a personal website, you are not restricted by design or layout. You are free to add functionality that makes it easy for you and your renters to navigate.  Create a brand. Purchasing a domain name and building a website specifically for your own vacation rental business gives you the opportunity to create a brand around your vacation home. By giving it a unique or easy-to-remember name, your guests will be more likely to find you again in the future by visiting your site directly or finding it in the search engines.  Increase your credibility. Many owners feel that the professional appearance of their website is what gave their guests the confidence to rent from them. Some travelers might just feel that if your home is as nice as your website, it must be a good place to rent and you must be a good person to do business with.

How can I create a website?

There are plenty of books, websites and classes out there that can provide a beginner with a crash-course in web design. Plus, there are many easy-to-use programs available that could be as simple and straightforward as Microsoft Word. However, keep in mind that although it will get the job done, your website might not be quite as slick if you use one of these beginner programs.

If you have higher hopes for your website, you might just want to hire a professional web designer to achieve the type of website that meets the needs and expectations of you and your guests. Despite the fact that many owners like to do everything themselves, certain things can be left to the experts that can perhaps create your site more quickly and efficiently.

Whether you attempt this on your own or choose to hire a pro, to start, search the web for other vacation rental websites and figure out what you like and what you don't like. Research lots of different styles and take notes to be able to determine how you'd like to proceed or to share with your web designer. The next most important step for you is to take lots of photos and write a lot of text about your home or your area to add to the site once it's built.

What should I look for when hiring a web designer?

Your web designer should really understand your goals for your website and your experience level. You want to be able to update the site yourself once it's built. To do this, you'll need to learn how to use a web editor like Dreamweaver or FrontPage or the site's content management system, which should be a pretty straightforward program for updating the text and appearance of your site.

To find a designer, you can look locally in the online Yellow Pages or Chamber of Commerce, or you can get a recommendation from a friend. Remember, websites can be created from anywhere so don't be afraid to look beyond your city, too.

What will a personal website cost me? The actual purchase of your domain name (the URL your renters will type in to see your website) is very economical, typically as low as $10 for the year. Web hosting is also relatively inexpensive, ranging from $10 to about $30 per month. As for the actual creation of the site, many web designers will charge around $500 to $1500, but the price will really depend on the total number of pages and how fancy you want your site to be. However, you might be able to strike a deal with a friend, relative, or teenage neighbor that is knowledgeable in web design.

Should I use my personal website instead of my vacation rental listings?

You should still advertise on vacation rental websites because they simply have more search engine power than a small business or personal website.

You should never put all your eggs in one basket, and we definitely recommend continuing to do what works for you. But it doesn't hurt to try something new and add to your marketing mix.

The major sites, like HomeAway, VRBO and VacationRentals.com, have significant budgets dedicated to search engine optimization and paid Internet advertising, all of which bring travelers to your listings. Because the vacation rental industry is so competitive, the big sites simply have more weight in the search engines than a single vacation rental website. Once again, diversity should help your chances of success, and your personal website should really only be one component of your marketing plan and not your main marketing channel.

What should I include in my personal website?

• Accept online payment with a shopping cart, link to your PayPal account, or a link to your HomeAway Reservation Management System.
• Feature a link to your HomeAway guestbook with reviews.
• Include a link to your availability calendar.
• Spell out your rental rates and rental policies.
• Advertise specials or last-minute openings.
• Address frequently asked questions.
• Continue to update with area events.

How should I use my personal website?

• Point renters to your website for more photos, vacation ideas and booking information in your correspondence or with a link in your email signature. 
• Provide collateral like business cards, magnets, postcards, etc. which include your easy-to-remember website name. 
• Create a newsletter signup form on your site to keep in touch with past guests and interested renters.

There are tons of options for your personal website, from the creation to the cost to the overall look-and-feel. Be sure to do your research to figure out what you like and don't like, and don't be afraid to hire help when something just isn't your forte'.

Do you have a personal website? Why?  "We own multiple properties and a personal website lets us advertise them all in one place.  So, if a renters wants to stay at one that's already booked, they can look at our other properties to see if they're available."  -- Joel M., Bend, OR.

How to Make the Most of Your Marketing Budget 5 ways to analyze your current advertising spending to get the most for your marketing dollars.   The Benefits of Listing Your Vacation Home on Multiple Web Sites Exclusivity is not a good idea when listing your vacation rental property. How to Make Your Listing as Good as Your Vacation Home Don't let your special touches go unnoticed – be sure to advertise everything you offer.   How to Write Your Ads for the Search Engines, too! When writing your advertisements, learn how to attract travelers from the search engines.

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