If you are already a member of VRBO, you may have noticed an email announcing a new feature for listings with 16 photos: You can now upload a free YouTube™ video to be displayed on your property listing page. If you don't already have 16 photos but have been considering adding more, it might be a good time to take advantage of this bonus feature.

Why Add a Video?

• Video tours are a top request from VRBO travelers that are eager to learn more about the homes they will potentially rent.

• With the video displayed directly on your listing, travelers won't even have to leave the page. Before, your guests had to click another URL to view a virtual tour, and you risked losing them to another pop-up window. Keeping travelers on your listing page will minimize confusion about where they found your home.

• Your video might answer some of your travelers' questions about the layout of your home, the bed setup, the size of the rooms, etc., therefore reducing the amount of time you spend answering those questions via email or phone calls.

• Once travelers have taken the time to view the video tour, your inquiries might be more qualified and your travelers might be more inclined to book.

• Video can be a great marketing tool. By offering potential guests the opportunity to view an actual video of your home instead of just photographs, you can add legitimacy to your vacation rental business and convey your professionalism. Even if you don't have a listing on VRBO, it's still a good idea to take a video of your vacation rental next time you're visiting.

Now that you're convinced about why you should include a video of your vacation home, you might be wondering how to get it on your listing.

For more information on uploading your video:

• Log on to the Members Area page of VRBO.com.
• Click “Add a YouTube™ Video To Your Listing”.
• Scroll to the “New Embedded Video Request” section.
• Click “Learn more about complying with our guidelines, creating a video, uploading to YouTube™ and embedding a video.”

That should answer most of your questions, and if you still need help, submit your questions to VRBO customer support using the online help form. Happy videoing!

What tips do you have for other owners shooting videos of their own vacation homes?

10 Tips for Creating a YouTube™ Video for Your VRBO Listing Learn tips for filming your vacation rental to make the most of the new YouTube video feature on VRBO.   3 Options for Marketing Your Vacation Rental On the Internet Three ways to get exposure (and renters) for your vacation home.   How to Come Up with 16 Photos for Your VRBO Listing For some vacation rental properties, it can be hard to find 16 photos to display.   Checklist for Responding to Vacation Rental Inquiries Be sure your email includes all the necessary information before clicking send.

© Copyright 2008 HomeAway, Inc. U.081113.LC