2023 Expedia Guide: How to Drive More Visibility & Bookings for Vacation Rentals (Part 2)
III. 5 Ways to Increase Visibility on Expedia
Welcome to part two of VacayHome Connect’s 2023 Expedia Guide!
With more than three million properties listed on Expedia travel sites, from hotels to private rentals, it’s easy to get lost in the crowd. This section of our 2023 Expedia Guide covers five key ways to stand out. To catch up, read part one of the guide here.
Expedia Partner Central: Content Score
1. Maximize Your Content Score
Your Content Score is Expedia’s rating of the quality of your listing, to a maximum score of 100. You can find your score by signing into Partner Central and clicking Property Details. In addition to your overall score, Expedia provides ratings for Property Amenities, Room Amenities, Policies and Deposits, and Photos, along with suggestions for improvements.
We strongly recommend following the suggestions, with the objective of bringing your Content Score to as close to 100% as possible. The higher the score, the higher your visibility on Expedia because it demonstrates that your listing information and policies will appeal to travelers. And the top listings in search results always get the most clicks.
2. Complete Your Listings Thoroughly
The amenities you offer are important factors in your Content Score. Expedia wants to know as much as possible about your property so they can match it with travelers who are looking for properties like yours. Travelers can filter listings by amenities such as a pool, kitchen, or free WiFi. If you don’t have these amenities or don’t list them, you won’t appear in the results.
There are two main types of amenities:
- Room amenities are features offered inside the unit such as televisions, views, layout, bathroom features, climate control, and accessibility features.
- Property amenities are features offered inside the building, on the property’s grounds, or in the local area such as recreation facilities and services, airport transportation, and local attractions.
3. Add Lots of High-Quality Photos
Photo quality and quantity are also important factors in your Content Score. Expedia wants to see a variety of photos showcasing different aspects of your units and the property.
- Travelers interact with photos more than any other part of property listings.
- Properties that use unique photos for each room type average up to 11% higher conversion rates.
- 58% of travelers believe that location is one of the top three factors when considering a hotel listing.
- 61% rank bathroom photos as very important.
Here’s what Expedia recommends:
- 4 photos per unit type, including the bathroom, kitchen, and view. If you have multiple bedrooms, bathrooms, or other rooms, include photos of them, too.
- 1 exterior photo showcasing your building in relation to the surrounding area.
- 1 photo of the entrance, lobby, or reception area.
- 1 photo of each major amenity such as a pool, exercise area, activities, or dining.
Fact: Travelers want to see photos
You will also need to select your primary image. This is the photo travelers see when scrolling listings, so it should be high-impact such as a stunning exterior, guestroom, or view.
Source: Expedia Toolkit
All told, a vacation rental listing should feature at least 10 quality photos, and ideally 20 or 30 photos, depending on its size and the amenities offered.
A few more photo tips:
- Horizontal photos are preferred.
- Photos should be high-resolution, at least 2,880 pixels.
- Ensure the area being photographed is well-lit, tidy, and uncluttered.
- Don’t try to trick people into thinking a room or amenity is larger than it is.
- Consider hiring a professional photographer. It will be worth the investment.
For more photo tips and guidelines, check out Expedia’s toolkit or read our blog about how to make vacation rentals stand out with great visual content.
4. Optimize Your Search & Sort Factors
In 2022, Expedia replaced Quality Scores with a new system called Search and Sort Factors, also referred to as Visibility Factors. The system is based on two components:
- Offer Strength. A measure of how complete your listing content is and how competitive your rates and availability are.
- Guest Experience. A measure of how frequently your property delivers great guest experiences, taking into account relocation and refund rates and average guest ratings.
Taken together, these factors impact your sort order – or where your listing appears in results when travelers search for accommodation in your area. The stronger your factors, the higher your listing may appear in search results. Properties that consistently deliver poor guest experiences may lose visibility or even be delisted.
To see an analysis of your Search and Sort Factors and learn more tips on how to improve them, sign into Partner Central and click Performance.
5. Cluster Your Listings
Clustering is a tool that allows property managers to combine multiple units at the same address under one listing on Expedia. By combining availability, bookings, and guest reviews, you will increase visibility and give travelers more confidence to book. This can have a significant impact on conversion rates. To qualify, units must share the same physical address (such as a condo building) and have access to the same property amenities (such as a swimming pool). Click here to read our blog about clustering on Expedia and Booking.com.
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