Can Renters Find Your Vacation Home Online?

How many people never see your vacation rental because they simple cant find it?  In a recent blog post Seth Godin puts emphases on the importance of being found on the web...

 

Do a search on great jazz singer "Emily Barlow" in Amazon and you'll find... nothing. That's because her first name is spelled Emilie and Amazon gives up.

Do a search on Lord of the Flies and you'll find tons of matches, but none of the top ones are for the book--they're all for expensive annotated or educator's editions. Broken search = no sale.

<a href="http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2010/10/the-sales-you-dont-make.html/" target="Seth Godin Blog</a>

Do whatever it takes to get your property found on the web. Do Google searches, search the listing sites (as if you were a vacationer looking for a property in your area). And see what comes up. Does your property come up in a search? how far down the list is is? Are people spelling the town or city correctly?

If your property is not coming up then find out why and fix it. Do whatever it takes, build a blog, property website, tweet, and build some fans on facebook. 

At Trekadoo vacation rental software we strive to help you. Our website will help you see where your renters are coming from, how they found you, and where you should be spending time and money driving traffic to your property. 

Southern Most Point Of The United States

Today I headed south on Rt. 11. Through Kailua, past Captain Cook. We turned south on the South Point Rd. and drove the 12 miles to the end of land–”the southernmost point in the USA”. We watched and talked to the local fishermen, walked the cliffs and climbed the rocks out as far as we could go. Stunning, gorgeous. The one lane narrow rutted road, the rock walls across pastures, the cliffs, crashing waves and gray skies all bring England to mind–reminded me alot of Cornwall and Land’s End–not QUITE as dramatic–a bit calmer/more soothing–I think it is the effect of the balmy air on the land and sea. And the minute you are out of the car, any image of England is gone! You are quickly reminded that you are in Hawaii! No cold, biting wind cutting through your clothes!

After a quick stop at the yummy Punalu’u Bake Shop we were on to the Punalu’u Black Sand Beach. As we were walking from the parking area toward the beach, a nice family was finishing their time at the beach. Mom had stopped the two kids at the edge of the sand, dumping sand out of sneakers and white socks. Mom and Dad also had well protected feet, safely encased in comfy sneakers and socks. As I was approaching, the 7-8 year old girl said, “Mom, I have an idea! When we get back to the hotel, instead of swimming in the swimming pool, lets swim in the REAL ocean!”

I could feel Mom cringing–not sure how she handled that one, but I’m hoping that before this young girl is a Mom she has rebelled enough to have not only walked barefoot in the sand (black or white!), and felt the sand between her toes and the waves lapping at her ankles–I hope she HAS actually gone swimming in the REAL ocean!

What is “vacation” to you? What memories are you creating for your children? What experiences are you providing for them and what do you want them to learn and experience while in your care?

You will find me at the end of the land, with the waves crashing all around, feeling the spray in my face and sharing it all with my children!

What makes this all posible? That fact that I can run my business anywhere in the world. I love going to a vacation rental and sharing Hawaii with my family while my business continues to run. Using vacation rental software has allowed me to automate my business and spend time with my family, yes, with our feet in the sand.

image courtesy of Rod on flickr