I've got a website, where are all my bookings?

Take bookings on your website

Marketing your holiday rentals takes more than just having a website.

With all the time, effort and money that goes into getting your brand and website up and running - this can be an extremely frustrating situation.

Don't panic.

This is the same reality as any business.

You need time to build momentum and gain traction.

Bookster can support you with taking bookings on your website as part of their goals to help you attract bookings, manage bookings and support guests. 

Start planning your website 

1. Consider what type of website is best for you. There are a range of website options, each with their own costs to set-up. Bookster offers Instant or custom websites, or can provide a booking engine for an existing website made with companies like Wordpress.
2. Get Google Analytics up and running - so you can measure changes over time.
3. Start to learn about SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) - you may never master this realm but the more you know the better.
4. Host your website on your Own Domain. Our research on Property Management Software (PMS) websites showed that they performed better when they hosted on their own domain.
5. Use great quality photos, and maximise their impact by adding a title, description and photo tag.

Show up in search results on Google

This is a broad topic and everyone wants free vacation rental advertising on search engines like Google and Bing.

The first couple of things to do would be: 

1. Ensure that you set your website up in Google Search Console
2. Look at the content of your website, including your keywords and see if they reflect on how people are likely to search for your holiday rental. Eg. Do you mention local attractions or your local towns?

Be active on social media

Social media is a great way to promote your business.

Often hosts say that they don't advertise on social media, because they don't use social media themselves. 

The goal of advertising is to be seen by potential guests in the places that they are. 

If your potential guests are using social media, then find out what they use, and take the plunge. 

If you're unsure, an easy place to start is Facebook.

Facebook has become especially effective in the last few years offering features like insights and post boosting to help you understand your audience.

It can be demanding trying to keep new content flowing through all these social channels - so make a plan.

Even one post a week will demonstrate that you are a real, trustable host, should your guests try to research your company. 

if you don't know what to post, try the Social Post Generator, offered as part of the Bookster Book Direct Toolkit. 

Pay-per-click advertising your holiday rental website

Traffic is often a problem when you first launch a website.

Search engines are only just finding out about your website, and that affects how often they show your website to potential guests. 

Your website needs to build up search equity which takes time.

There are lots of aspects of your website that align together to earn 'search equity'.

Search equity grows from demostrating that your website is mobile friendly and your company can be trusted, the content is knowledgeable on your holiday home and local area and that users who visit your website find it useful.

PPC advertising using tools like Google Adwords allows you to drive traffic to your site with qualified keywords and search terms.

This helps not only drive traffic to your website, but drive far more qualified traffic.

However, the costs of Pay-Per-Click can quickly increase, so get professional support, or learn how to accurately attract the people you want. 

Use Marketing Channels to promote your properties

Marketing Channel = OTA (Online Travel Agency) e.g. Airbnb or Booking.com

It's no secret that big players like Booking.com and Vrbo are driving bookings to holiday rentals all over the globe.

These marketing channels can be a huge asset when you're just setting out or experiencing some occupancy ebbs and flows.

The bookings from these channels can fill the holes in your bookings calendar, while you're working on the website in the background.

Just keep an eye on the channel commission rates, which vary per channel. To negate the impact of commission on your revenue, you can increase the price by a fixed percentage, or to cover the commission of a fixed percentage.  

Work with a digital marketing specialist

It's never a bad idea to reach out to a digital marketing expert. Even a one-off meeting with an expert can help you develop a marketing strategy.

An expert will be able to help be better and more effective with all the above - Analytics, SEO service, Social media, PPC etc. 

If you want to learn more independantly, check our tips on turning lookers into bookers, 5 tips on taking direct bookings and creating marketing plans. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it usually take for a new holiday rental website to start getting regular bookings?

Most new websites need several months to build search equity, while you work on SEO, content, and social media before bookings become consistent. ​ You can speed this up by combining ongoing optimisation with PPC ads and marketing channels like Airbnb and Booking.com to fill your calendar while your own site gains traction.

What are the first things to check if my website gets traffic but very few bookings?

Start by reviewing your analytics to see where guests leave your website, then check core pages for problems with mobile usability, slow loading, unclear pricing, or a complicated booking process. ​ Next, review whether your content matches how guests actually search, including local attractions and towns, and test small changes like clearer calls-to-action or better property photos.

How can I use Airbnb and Booking.com without becoming dependent on them for all my bookings?

Use OTAs as marketing channels to fill gaps while you actively grow your direct bookings through your website, SEO, and social media activity. ​ Track the commission you pay to each channel and adjust prices where appropriate, while encouraging repeat guests to book direct next time via email marketing and on-site messaging.