When property managers list with Expedia, you benefit from its massive global brand awareness, reaching millions of travelers you could never hope to access on your own. You’ll also appear on Expedia’s portfolio of global travel sites, including Vrbo, Hotels.com, Orbitz, and Travelocity, and can package stays with over 500 airline partners, 175 car rental companies, and 35,000 activities.

But with over three million accommodation listings on Expedia, it’s easy to get lost in the crowd. Here are seven ways short-term rental properties can stand out. 

Maximize Your Content Score

Your Content Score is Expedia’s rating of the quality of your listing, to a maximum score of 100. After you’ve listed your property, you’ll find its score in Partner Central under Property Details, along with recommendations for improving it. 

Strive for a perfect score by following all of Expedia’s suggestions. 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.

Complete Your Listings Thoroughly 

Amenities are important factors in your Content Score. Provide as much information as possible about your amenities to help Expedia match it with travelers looking for properties like yours. This should include room amenities such as views, bathroom features, and climate control, and property amenities like recreation facilities, airport transportation, and local attractions. 

The photos you upload are just as important. Add lots of high quality, high-resolution photos showcasing different aspects of your unit and property, including a high-impact primary image. Areas should be well lit, uncluttered, and realistically depicted. Ideally, you should upload 20 to 30 photos in total, depending on the property.

Optimize Your Search & Sort Factors

Recently, Expedia replaced Quality Scores with a new system called Search and Sort Factors. The system is based on two main 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 – 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 the sort order. 

Maintain a Dynamic Pricing Strategy

Static seasonal rates are old-school. Today, travelers expect prices to fluctuate and are willing to pay a premium on busy dates and for added conveniences. To attract bookings during slow times and drive higher rates during busy times, maintain a dynamic pricing strategy, regularly adjusting rates according to changes in market demand, occupancy, time of year, day of week, local events, and competitor behavior. 

In Partner Central, you’ll find all sorts of revenue management tools and insights to help you understand pricing and demand in your region. Use them to position your rates competitively, ensuring you never leave money on the table. 

Participate in Expedia Promotions

Expedia offers a variety of promotional opportunities to help you attract more bookings, target high-value travelers, and fill need dates. Depending on the promotion, you can target specific audiences based on booking or travel dates, length of stay, or location, pay for premium positioning in the sort order, or choose to pay with a discounted rate, extra commission, or pay-per-click model. 

Popular promotions for vacation rental property managers include Members Only, Mobile Offers, Packages, Campaigns, and Accelerator. Be careful not to participate in too many promotions or offer such high commissions and discounts that they consume a disproportionate amount of your profit margins. Start small and keep a close eye on performance, adjusting parameters or opting out as needed to meet objectives.  

Improve Guest Reviews & Ratings

Online reviews play an essential role in traveler booking decisions and are a vital source of guest feedback for guiding improvements to attract more travelers. On Expedia, ratings also play a role in determining your visibility in search results.

Monitor guest feedback closely and respond to all reviews to show you’re listening and are striving to improve. Earn five-star reviews by making guests feel welcome and well oriented to your property and the local area, by providing quality amenities that surprise and delight, and by maintaining a spotless, immaculate home. Always be helpful, courteous, and responsive to guest needs and willing to go the extra mile. All this will help create loyal guests who write rave reviews and can’t wait to come back. 

Work with a Connectivity Partner

Managing OTA listings and promotions can be a lot of work. A channel manager will save you hours of time by connecting your property to Expedia, Booking.com, Airbnb, Tripadvisor, and other distribution channels, allowing you to manage your listings, rates, and availability from one centralized dashboard. And the more channels you’re listed on, the higher your visibility and the more bookings you will generate. 

To find out more, download VacayHome Connect’s free 2023 Expedia Guide: How to Drive More Visibility & Bookings for Vacation Rentals. [Add link to landing page.]

About VacayHome Connect

VacayHome Connect is the leading full-service channel manager for vacation rentals. More than just cutting-edge software, we provide a suite of services to help property managers drive more bookings and better serve your guests. Our API connects you seamlessly to top-producing distribution channels, including Expedia, Vrbo, Booking.com, Airbnb, Tripadvisor, and their global affiliates, as well as exclusive membership and loyalty programs. 

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Online reviews play an essential role in traveler booking decisions. On Expedia, they also play a role in determining your visibility in search results.

According to Expedia:

• 73% of travelers indicate reviews play a role in their decision-making process
• 72% are more likely to pay more for a property with higher guest ratings
• 40% say reviews are even more important now than before the pandemic

Moreover, research shows a direct relationship between online reputation, demand, and revenue. According to a study from Cornell University, if a hotel increases its review score by 1 point on a 5-point scale (e.g., from 3.3 to 4.3), it can increase its price by 11.2 percent and still maintain the same occupancy or market share.

Online reviews are also an important source of guest feedback, helping you understand the needs and expectations of your guests and what it will take to attract more travelers.

Expedia Reviews

Here are a few things you should know about Expedia reviews:

• All travelers who book accommodation on Expedia and its brands automatically receive a post-stay email inviting them to review the property.
• Guests rate the property on a scale of 1 to 5 and can also rate aspects of the stay like cleanliness, amenities, and staff and service, along with adding comments.
• Reviews first appear on the booking website and after 90 days will display across all the sites in the Expedia marketplace.
• A property’s overall score is based on ratings from all Expedia brands. Newer reviews have a larger impact on the score.
• Once a property has at least five reviews, its score is displayed on search results pages.
• A property’s overall rating is displayed on its profile, along with a breakdown of ratings and reviews, beginning with the most recent. Reviews in the traveler’s local language are displayed first.
• Many Expedia users filter searches by guest rating. If you don’t have a 4- or 5-star rating, you won’t appear in a lot of searches.

Expedia Listing Reviews in Search Results

Engaging with Your Guests

In Partner Central, you’ll find a Guest Relations tab where you can view and manage Post-stay Reviews along with Messages and In-house Feedback. Expedia will notify you when a review is published so you can respond quickly. From the dashboard, you can respond to reviews, view your scores and insights, and compare performance to competitors to help drill down in areas that need attention.

Responding to Reviews

According to Expedia, 91% of travelers believe property managers should reply to negative reviews. A courteous response improves traveler impressions of the property and makes them more likely to book.

Here are some tips for responding:

• Respond quickly, ideally within 24 hours to negative reviews.
• Prioritize negative reviews, but don’t forget to acknowledge your advocates too.
• Thank the guest for the feedback, address specific comments, and say how you’re following up.
• Be brief. You have a response limit of 400 words.
• Always be courteous and professional. Never sound angry or defensive.
• Be sure to follow Expedia’s responding guidelines.
• Read more about how to respond to a negative guest review.

Quality and Service: Two ways to stand out on Expedia

7 Ways to Earn Rave Reviews

To stand out from competitors, strive to achieve a rating of 5 for all your properties. Here are some tips for preventing negative reviews and earning rave reviews.

1. Focus on quality. Don’t scrimp on important things like quality bedding and linens, kitchen supplies, and entertainment. Ensure everything is in working order prior to arrival, including plumbing, window coverings, and equipment. Replace items when they’re showing wear. If something breaks, get it fixed right away.
2. Provide exceptional service. Respond promptly to guest needs before, during, and after their stay, and follow up to ensure the matter is resolved. Always be helpful, courteous, and flexible. By providing excellent service, you can overcome guest disappointments in other areas.
3. Set expectations. Make sure guests know what to expect in advance. If you have an age minimum, pet policy, smoking policy, or other restrictions, remind them prior to arrival. If you don’t have their email or phone number, use Expedia’s Messaging tool to communicate prior to their stay.
4. Make the guest feel welcome. Upon arrival, provide a welcome letter, perhaps accompanied by a small gift, complete with fun and useful information, including wi-fi codes and instructions for operating entertainment and equipment, as well as information and recommendations on local activities.
5. Provide an immaculate environment. Cleanliness is top-of-mind for travelers these days. Pay close attention to tidiness and sanitation, and keep an eagle eye out for dust, debris, clutter, and anything that shows neglect.
6. Go the extra mile. In addition to the essentials, provide unexpected extras to surprise and delight your guests, whether in the kitchen, bathroom, or office, or with special entertainment, recreation, and family-friendly and pet-friendly amenities.
7. Manage reviews. Pay close attention to feedback in guest reviews. Identify areas to improve and take quick action to resolve the issue. Highlight the things guests love about your property on your website and on OTA listings. If your rating is low, here’s how to improve reviews.

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VI. Using Technology to Connect to Expedia

If all this seems like a lot of work, it doesn’t have to be. By teaming up with a connectivity partner, you can streamline and automate many of the processes related to creating, managing, and promoting your property’s listings on Expedia and other OTAs.

Here are two popular technology solutions for vacation rental hosts:

> Property Management System (PMS). A PMS is software designed to help accommodation operators manage various aspects of the guest’s stay, including reservations, inventory, rates, check-in, checkout, guest profiles, and other details.

> Channel Manager. A channel manager connects your property to distribution channels like Expedia, Booking.com, Airbnb, Tripadvisor, and others. The more distribution channels you’re listed on, the higher your visibility and the more potential bookings you will generate. With a channel manager, you can manage your listings, rates, and availability on multiple sites from one centralized dashboard. Read more about how to choose the best channel manager for your vacation rental business.

And that’s a wrap on VacayHome Connect’s 2023 Expedia Guide. Thanks for reading, and as always, reach out if you have any questions!

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IV. 7 Ways to Drive More Bookings on Expedia

 

Once you’ve whipped your listings into shape with everything you learned in part 2 of our 2023 Expedia Guide, it’s time to bring them to market. Here are seven ways to convert more travelers on Expedia.

 

1. Maintain a Dynamic Pricing Strategy

Dynamic pricing on Expedia is an important lever to pull in 2023

Static seasonal rates are old-school. Today, travelers expect prices to fluctuate and are willing to pay a premium on busy dates and for added conveniences.

 

To ensure you’re always priced competitively, maintain a dynamic pricing strategy, regularly adjusting rates according to changes in market demand, occupancy, time of year, day of week, local events, and competitor behavior. This will attract more bookings during slow times and drive higher rates during busy times, helping to ensure you never leave money on the table.

 

When you first list on Expedia, consider setting prices slightly lower than normal in order to establish a presence and rise up in rankings. When all else is equal, the difference of just a few dollars can convince travelers to choose your property over others. And the more visibility you receive, the more bookings you will attract, which in turn will improve your visibility. It’s a virtuous circle. As demand strengthens, you can bring up your rates.

 

2. Practice Revenue Management

Revenue management is the practice of managing rates and inventory to maximize revenue by charging the right rates to the right guests at the right time. Expedia offers numerous tools to help you manage pricing and maximize revenue.

 

When you sign in to Partner Central, click Revenue Management. Under this tab, you’ll find real-time market demand data and forecasts, occupancy and rates in your region, competitive set averages, and destination insights. Utilize these tools to set your rates for the coming days, weeks, and months, and then fine-tune them as new data comes available. To keep on top of new opportunities, sign up to receive notifications.

 

3. Maintain Flexible Policies

Cancellation, deposit, and refund policies are intended to protect you, but if they deter high-value travelers from booking your properties they may be doing more harm than good. Today, many travelers insist on having the flexibility to change dates or cancel bookings without penalty if their plans change. On Expedia, users can filter properties based on policies like “totally refundable” and “Reserve now, pay later.”

 

Source: STR

 

Consider charging premiums for flexible policies and offering a discount for nonrefundable rates. In a recent STR survey, 60% of respondents said they would be willing to pay for flexibility with their accommodation booking. Also, bear in mind that if you cancel bookings or relocate guests frequently, it can negatively affect your visibility.

 

While you may receive more cancellations with a flexible policy, you should also receive more bookings. And with so much last-minute travel these days, it’s easier to replace canceled reservations.

 

4. Participate in Promotions

Expedia offers a variety of opt-in promotions to help you attract more bookings, target high-value travelers, and fill need dates during slow periods. Depending on the promotion, it may involve a discounted rate or extra commission. You can target specific audiences based on booking or travel dates, length of stay, and location so that only they can see and book your offers. Offers appear only if you have rooms available for the desired travel dates, and you can set restrictions like blackout dates and sell limits.

 

Expedia Promotions for Property Managers

 

You can access promotions under the Marketing tab in Partner Central. Here are some of the most popular promotions with vacation rental hosts:

 

> Members Only. Offer a discount exclusive to Expedia loyalty members. Members generate three times more bookings and more than twice the gross profit per customer on average as non-members. These offers give your listings an extra pop by displaying a “Member Price” tag and strike-through pricing. Expedia loves them because they provide an incentive to join the loyalty program. Offers typically feature at least 10% off the published rate. The bigger the discount, the higher the enticement to book.

> Mobile Offers. These offers show up only to travelers using a mobile device to search Expedia. For Expedia, driving app usage is a top priority. App users drive more than 2.5 times more bookings and 2.5 times more profit than non-app users. And usage is growing rapidly. App downloads grew by 58% in Q2 2022 relative to the same period in 2019.

> Package and Opaque Channels. According to Expedia, travelers who book package deals reserve twice as far in advance, pay 30% more in rate on average, stay longer, and cancel half as often as standalone bookings. For property managers, packages enable you to bundle stays with Expedia’s affiliate network of more than 500 airline partners, 175 car rental companies, and 35,000 activities. To be eligible, you must participate in the Expedia Collect program.

 

5. Join a Campaign

Expedia campaigns (top) and Expedia Accelerator (bottom) are two great ways to get more bookings

In addition to promotions, you also have opportunities to hitch on to the various campaigns Expedia runs throughout the year to target specific regions, traveler types, travel dates, and reservation dates. In return for a pre-set minimum discount, your properties can be featured in these campaigns, which are promoted massively through advertising, email, print & television media, promotional filters, and social media. You can view current campaigns under the Marketing tab in Partner Central.

 

6. Boost Your Visibility with Accelerator

Expedia’s Accelerator tool enables you to climb the organic rankings in the sort order without discounting your rate or paying upfront costs. You participate by paying an incremental commission on bookings ranging from 1% to 25%. The higher the commission you pay, the better your visibility. Accelerator promotions are customizable, allowing you to target travelers by region, travel dates, or reservation dates and to black out your busy dates. You can view the potential impact on your property’s sort order in Partner Central and make adjustments or pause the program at any time.

 

7. Buy Your Way Up the Sort Order with TravelAds

TravelAds are sponsored listings that allow you to bid for a premium spot in the sort order, including the top spot. You can customize the copy and photos in your ad and target your audience by length of stay, check-in days, and region. Because it’s a cost-per-click program, you pay only when a traveler clicks on your ad. You can set a custom daily budget and maximum cost-per-click allowance. Your ad will be displayed in addition to your regular listing and will only appear for dates when you have availability. Learn more about Expedia TravelAds.

 

Final tip: Don’t Go Overboard

Be careful not to participate in too many promotions or offer such high commissions and discounts that they consume a disproportionate amount of your profit margins. Start small and keep a close eye on performance, adjusting parameters or opting out as needed to meet objectives. If you’d like some help with managing your promotions on Expedia, contact us today.

 

Part 4 of our 2023 Expedia Guide will be published soon. Stay tuned!

 

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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.

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.

According to Expedia:

• 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.

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.

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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I. Expedia: Connecting You to a World of Travelers

 

Listing your vacation rental properties with Expedia can vastly expand your reach, driving higher visibility and more bookings not only on Expedia.com but on Expedia Group’s global network of brands and affiliates.

 

But navigating all the options on Expedia can be time-consuming and confusing. And without proper attention to your listings and promotional opportunities, you can easily get lost in the crowd.

 

We’re here to help. At VacayHome Connect, we’ve been helping property managers manage listings and promotions on Expedia for more than ten years. As the leading full-service channel manager for vacation rentals, we’re a trusted connectivity partner to Expedia Group and other top distribution channels.

 

In this 2023 Expedia guide, we’ll show you how to optimize your listings on Expedia and drive more visibility and bookings as well as rave reviews from your guests. Whether you operate a single property or a large portfolio, we’ll share everything you need to know about amplifying your presence on one of the most popular travel sites in the world.

 

2023 Expedia Guide: Why List on Expedia?

Launched in 1996 as an online travel portal owned by Microsoft, Expedia was spun off as a public company in 1999. Today, Expedia Group is a multi-billion-dollar company that owns and operates online travel agencies (OTAs) around the world, including Expedia.com, Vrbo, Hotels.com, Hotwire, Orbitz, Travelocity, Trivago, Wotif, and others.

 

For millions of travelers, Expedia sites provide the ability to book flights, accommodations, car rentals, cruises, activities, and packages all in one place.  For vacation rental property managers, there are many good reasons to partner with Expedia. Here are a few:

 

• You’ll benefit from Expedia’s massive global brand awareness and trust, as well as billions of dollars in sales and marketing spend, reaching millions of travelers across 75 countries you could never reach on your own.
• You’ll gain access to more than 154 million members of Expedia’s new One Key loyalty program, which has expanded to include all Expedia brands, including dedicated short-term rental sites like Vrbo.
• Expedia has bounced back from the pandemic stronger than ever, generating its highest-ever quarterly revenue and lodging bookings in the third quarter of 2022.
• Growing its vacation rentals business is a top priority for Expedia. The site now boasts more than 1.8 million listings, placing them side-by-side with hotels in search results.
• When you list with Expedia, you’ll appear on its affiliated sites without requiring a separate account for each, including Hotels.com, Travelocity, and vacation rental sites like Vrbo, Abritel in France, and FeWo-direkt in Germany.
• You will also have the opportunity to bundle stays into packages with more than 500 airline partners, 175 car rental companies, and 35,000 activities.

 

Vrbo: A big part of the Expedia family

 

 

But the Commissions! Are They Really Worth It?

 

In return for generating bookings, Expedia charges a percentage of the retail price from suppliers as a commission. Commission rates can vary by booking site, region, type of booking, and type of accommodation, but for vacation rentals they generally fall in the range of 10% to 30%. Most hosts can expect to pay a base commission of about 18%.

 

New bookings on Expedia should offset commission costs.

While that may seem like a lot, the new bookings generated should easily offset the costs, and the higher demand will allow you to increase rates. While attracting direct bookings should always be your top priority, the marketing costs of attracting direct bookings can exceed commission costs with no guarantee of bookings. With OTAs, there are no upfront costs; you only pay for actual bookings.

 

And many travelers will never book directly. They prefer to use a travel site they know and trust, where they can also book flights and other aspects of their trip. By satisfying those needs, Expedia has become a dominant operator. Together with Booking Holdings, Expedia Group represented 92% of the OTA market in the US in 2019.

 

There’s also the “Billboard Effect” to consider. A study from Cornell University found that a significant portion of travelers discover hotels on OTAs and then book directly on the hotel’s website, generating 7.5 to 26% in incremental bookings. Think of OTA commissions as a one-time fee to acquire new customers, and then turn them into loyal direct bookers on future stays.

 

For vacation rental property managers, listing on Expedia is a vital part of a diverse distribution strategy. The real question is can you afford not to be listed?

 

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II. 2023 Expedia Guide: Getting Started on Expedia

 

Creating a property listing (also called a property profile) on Expedia is free. You pay only when bookings are realized. When scrolling through accommodations in a destination, travelers will see your listing and can click to see your full profile.

 

Source: Expedia Welcome Page

To list your properties, visit Expedia’s welcome page and sign in. If you’re not a member, you’ll be required to create an account. Then you will be guided through a list of questions. This can be a fairly lengthy process, so be sure you have all the information close at hand before you begin.

 

Here is some of the information you’ll be asked to provide:

• Property type, address, and contact details
• Basic information about your property and rooms
• Details of amenities
• Rate plans and information for each room type
• Photos of your property, rooms, common spaces, and amenities
• Details about fees, deposits, and policies
• Dates you’re available to welcome guests

You will also be asked to accept Expedia’s business terms, commission rates, and payment terms and confirm tax and regulatory information.

 

Good to Know

• Depending on your property type, you may be redirected to Vrbo to complete your listing.
• If you are listing multiple properties, you can speed up the process by using the bulk options.
• Expedia offers two main payment options. With Hotel Collect, guests pay the lodging provider directly. With Expedia Collect, guests pay Expedia, and Expedia submits payment to the provider by virtual credit card or bank transfer.

 

Fast Track to Set-up

During setup, you will be asked if you work with a connectivity provider such as a property management system (PMS) or channel manager. These tools can save you a lot of time by enabling you to create and manage your listings on Expedia and other distribution channels from one centralized platform. If you don’t currently, you can add a provider later. For details, visit the Using Technology to Connect to Expedia section at the end of this 2023 Expedia guide.

 

Expedia Partner Central

Once you have successfully registered on Expedia, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on next steps and a lodging agreement. Thereafter, you can manage all aspects of your listings from Expedia Partner Central. You will also have access to helpful tools, data, and insights.

There are more helpful resources in Expedia’s Resource Center and Help and Support Center, including contact information if you need to reach Expedia staff directly. And the Partner Central App allows you to manage listings from your mobile device.

 

Next: 2023 Expedia Guide Part 2

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That’s a recurring question across the short-term rental industry. And sometimes, the answer is pretty simple: decorate.

Property managers already have a lot on their plates, so decorating and tying themes together might seem superfluous.

But you don’t need a degree in vacation rental interior design to make your properties look nice. Here are five quick vacation rental decoration tips that property managers can use right now to make vacation rentals stand out on Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, and other OTAs. 

Tell a Story with Your Style

Many property managers like their rental decor to reflect location. A cottage in Hilton Head might sport a shabby chic look, while a cabin in Breckenridge might necessitate more rustic touches. Either way, it’s typically best to start with neutral color schemes and add pops of personality as you go. Avoiding “loud” decor—bright paint colors, bizarre pieces of art, and so on—is generally a good idea, since that eccentricity won’t appeal to every guest. 

But that’s not to say you can’t infuse your rentals with some pizazz or even with bits of your own personality. It’s all about striking a balance, and if you’re able to supplement traditional decor with custom or vintage pieces, that can add layers of intrigue to your rentals all while telling a story.

Don’t Cut Corners on Furniture & Lighting

You definitely want to invest in durable, high-quality furniture, including couches and tables that are difficult to stain, scratch, scuff, or break. Your rental furniture is going to pick up some dings along the way, but taking the plunge for quality pieces can save you big in the long run. Not to mention, it just looks nicer. 

Lighting, meanwhile, is easy to overlook. But it can actually be a major component of the vibe and appearance of your rentals. Some types of lighting create an illusion of spaciousness, while others simply make guests feel more at home (like a bedside lamp). Again, it’s worth investing in high-quality light fixtures as well as energy-efficient bulbs that won’t burn out and leave your visitors fumbling around in the dark.

Know the Difference Between Flaws & Features

Maybe you’ve found yourself wondering this in the past: “Will guests notice that?” The answer is yes, they absolutely will notice that, whatever “that” might be. Whether it’s a stain on the sofa or a tear in the wallpaper, eagle-eyed guests have a knack for spotting blemishes and they write their reviews accordingly. 

Not all flaws are created equal, however: slightly chipped tiles or weathered bricks could actually make an older, vintage-style space all the more endearing. The point is, don’t confuse features for flaws—some blemishes need to be fixed or covered up, but others can actually work to your advantage. 

Provide Space for Storage

Storage is one of those things that’s pretty easy to take for granted in your own home. But when travelers arrive at your rental properties, one of the first things they’ll probably want to do is settle down and put stuff away—especially if they’re in for an extended stay. Storage space isn’t an exciting decor element by any stretch of the imagination, but guests appreciate it when they have dedicated areas to stow away all their belongings. 

Complete the Look

Lastly, don’t forget to tie up any loose ends. Little things—like filling empty bookshelves with actual books, putting rugs down on bare floors, and populating empty wall space with artwork and pictures—are truly the finishing touches that transform your vacation rentals into cozy temporary homes. 

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But not every inch of unoccupied space needs to be decorated. Remember: guests want to relax and unnecessary clutter could hinder their path to completely escaping the chaos of daily life. Instead, remain thoughtful throughout the decorating process, from the big stuff to the small stuff and everything in between. Guests do notice that level of care, and in the end, it really is the thought that counts.

The post Vacation Rental Decoration Tips appeared first on Vacay Home Connect.

When property managers receive a booking, they have a lot of questions to answer:

• Who is my guest?
• Can I contact my guest?
• How did this booking come to me?
• What are the financial details of the booking?
• Does my guest have any special needs or requests?
• Does my guest know who I am and how to contact me?

Vacation rental property managers and their guests should be able to communicate freely. Reservation transparency and access to guest details are very important pieces of the process, if for no other reason than to ensure guests have positive experiences. 

Unfortunately, answers to many of those important questions remain under lock and key: property managers generally have access to the date, the amount of the reservation, and the location of a booking—and that’s it.

Most vacation rental distribution platforms and channel managers keep property managers in the dark when it comes to reservation details. In fact, property managers aren’t even able to contact their guests by phone or email since that information isn’t typically shared. 

But at VacayHome Connect, we do things differently. 

Full reservation transparency is a big deal, which is exactly why we deliver it in all forms:

1. Full Guest Transparency: We provide all guest information as soon as a booking is made so property managers can remarket guests and share pre-stay communication. If a guest interacts with our team prior to their arrival, property managers can easily access detailed notes about those interactions right on our platform.

2. Channel Transparency: VacayHome Connect not only shares the booking channel, but we also share when a booking comes from Amex Travel, Travelocity, Orbitz, or other channels so property managers know where their marketing efforts are making an impact.

3. Accounting Transparency: All accounting details are available on our platform, including nightly rates, cleaning fees, taxes, additional guest activity, and all other items tied to that specific guest.

4. Special Requirements/Requests: In our platform, property managers can easily see any special requests a guest might have (such as two cribs, late arrival, etc.) 

Reservation Transparency: Guest Interactions

Guest interactions flow through VacayHome Connect’s 24/7 Contact Center. Based in the U.S., our Contact Center delivers around-the-clock, multilingual support while handling guest inquiries, reservation confirmations, review requests and replies, and more. 

Personal Reservations Team

Our Contact Center assists property managers with all potential bookings through whichever channels they’ve opted into. In that way, our specialists are like a backup reservations team: property managers can still handle their own reservations if they want, but our team is always available to ensure a smooth process for everyone. 

Emergency? We’re just a Phone Call Away

We provide property managers with a dedicated phone number that allows them to reach the VacayHome Connect Contact Center any hour of the day, any day of the week. That includes direct access via a dedicated line to our Tier 2 team in case of emergencies, such as fires, hurricanes, relocations, flight delays, and road closures.

Unmatched Versatility

The VacayHome Connect Contact Center fields questions and resolves issues promptly. Our specialists handle inquiries and reservation confirmations, provide directions and property-access information, investigate chargebacks, review requests and replies, and clear up a full spectrum of potential headaches, from timezone dilemmas to issues regarding pets.

Want to learn more about how reservation transparency can help your vacation rentals?

The post Here’s Why Reservation Transparency is Important appeared first on Vacay Home Connect.

That means vacation rental property managers should do their best to establish a sleek, consistent brand with their content on whichever travel sites they’re listed on. Great visual content is a huge piece of the branding puzzle, but other things like well-written listing descriptions, unique color schemes, and yes, property names, can also be extremely impactful. 

Here are five quick reasons why vacation rental property managers should get into the habit of naming vacation rental properties:

1. Names make properties special: With a name, a property isn’t just an address anymore. Visitors aren’t going to remember the address, nor are they going to remember that they stayed in Villa B157 during their last vacation. Property names indicate that rentals are one-of-a-kind accommodations—not to mention, it differentiates your properties from the competition and helps your rentals stand out. 

2. Higher conversion on OTAs: This has been especially meaningful in recent years as online travel sites have experienced a boom driven by COVID travel trends. Vacation rentals are commoditized on OTAs, and travelers browse those sites searching for the best deals and experiences. Rentals with memorable names stand out, and they’re also easier to find on search engines.

3. Enhanced SEO: Quite simply, names make your rentals findable. Beyond that, though, travelers tend to broadcast their adventures on social media, and a house or a condo with a name is easy and fun to share—especially if it’s part of a larger community. All that posting and sharing can only help your cause since it’s basically free advertising.

4. Names tell a story: Visit the website for Chesa Madrisa up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This isn’t just a “Cozy Cabin” or “Lodge #541” or something generic; no, this is a Swiss-inspired mountain home owned and run by an actual person. That person’s grandparents built this home—it exudes charm and unparalleled singularity based on its name and story alone. That sort of context appeals to travelers, all while setting the expectation that this rental is not like others.

5. Simplified logistics: These days, many (if not most) guests skip checking in at a typical office and go directly to their unit. Clearly displayed rental names are a lot easier to navigate than lockboxes and key codes, so instantly, guests have a more pleasurable time getting settled.

Naming Vacation Rental Properties: Advertising Boosts

When you name a vacation rental, it should mean something. What is the property’s history? Does it have a legacy? How about its location—any amazing views or famous landmarks? These are all good jump-off points, just keep in mind: the more unique, the better. That way, your guests will be excited to share their experiences.

Marketing your vacation rental by using the unique name you’ve given it requires a little bit of patience and a little bit of know-how. A well-rounded strategy means your property’s name will appear in the following places:

> Exterior Signage: While adhering to municipal signage regulations, you should brandish your property names proudly. You can do that with stylish exterior signage, but if that’s not feasible, you can display names in windows or have them printed on doormats.

> Property Titles: In your property management software (PMS), you can display names in the property titles. That makes it easier for travelers to find them through all channels, including on OTAs, search engines, or even through your own website’s search function.

> Property Description: When you list your rentals, description fields are the perfect place to point out property names and share backstories. That level of care creates an instant connection between a property and potential guests. Learn how to write amazing listing descriptions here. 

> Photos: Good photos are a necessity, and at least one of those photos should be of the property’s name. Whether it’s an exterior sign, the doormat, or a sign inside the window, be sure to include a clear shot of the name in your reel.

> URL: If you decide to invest in an Internet domain name or landing page, your property’s name should be part of the URL address. That makes it easy to find away from online travel sites, and again, easy for guests to share.

Finally, when naming and advertising your vacation rentals, take some time to consider what will work as part of your larger brand—since strong names for your properties can also be a solid foundation for your brand. Here are a few quick tips to elevate your branding game:

• Know your target audience and competitors (here are some tips)
• Establish a focus, a theme, or a personality and stick to it
• In addition to property names, try to come up with a memorable tagline or slogan
• Be consistent across all platforms, including personal websites, social media, and OTAs

Happy naming!

The post The Surprising Benefits of Naming Vacation Rental Properties appeared first on Vacay Home Connect.

Vacation rental property managers have many options when it comes to boosting production.

The number of different tools out there is actually a bit staggering, especially once you start breaking them down channel by channel. Optimized content, promotions and merchandising, advertising platforms such as Expedia TravelAds—it’s a lot to consider!

With so many options swirling around the industry, a few are bound to get lost in the shuffle. “Clustering,” for instance, is one of those vacation rental distribution strategies that property managers might not hear much about even though it packs some major benefits. 

VacayHome Connect is a leader in clustering for vacation rentals. Below, we answer some fundamental questions about it, including which channels enable it and—most importantly—the productivity numbers that back it up.

What is clustering for vacation rentals?

Clustering is actually a pretty simple concept: it’s combining multiple units under one listing. When you cluster, that one listing benefits from multiple-units availability, as well as reviews and conversion.

Where is clustering available?

It’s available on Expedia and Booking.com. (Click here to view an example.)

Are there any rules for clustering?

The two big rules are straightforward: clustered units must share the same physical address (such as a condo building) and they must have access to the same “property-level” amenities (such as a swimming pool). Outside of sharing the same address in a property or community, clustered units can be their own entities—room-level amenities, fees, cancellation policies, and other details can be different from one unit to the next, if necessary.

Who can use clustering for vacation rentals?

Any property managers with units that share an address.

What are the benefits of clustering for vacation rentals?

On average, there is a 40% booking increase for property managers who cluster. Even better, some properties have experienced up to a seven-fold increase in their production, proving that clustering is an extremely effective strategy when it’s utilized properly.

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Clustering units on Expedia and Booking.com is certainly a tool that eligible property managers should explore. Like keeping up with and running promotions, though, this is one of those strategies that requires know-how and attention.

If you’re curious about clustering, reach out to VacayHome Connect to learn more. Our team of industry experts utilizes this and many other strategies to boost production, increase conversions, and save property managers loads of time. And while you’re here, check out some other articles in our “Ask an Expert” series:

Ask an Expert: What are Promotions and How Can They Help Property Managers?

Ask an Expert: How Do I Improve My Vacation Rental Reviews?

Ask an Expert: How Do I Write Amazing Vacation Rental Descriptions?

Ask an Expert: What are Expedia Collect Packages?

The post What is Clustering for Vacation Rentals? appeared first on Vacay Home Connect.

Make vacation rentals stand out by knowing what travelers want

All of the content in a listing is meaningful, including listing headlines, amenities, and property descriptions. When travelers want answers to their questions, though, they rely largely on visuals: they search for images of bedrooms, living areas, and kitchens, and they draw conclusions based on what they see.

A listing’s visual content has to strike a balance between showing travelers what they need to see, but at the same time, painting a broader picture. If a property is in Breckenridge, what does it look like with snow on the ground? If it’s a ranch in Providence, what does it look like draped in fall colors? As a property manager, be sure to ask yourself what you would want to know about a property, and utilize visual content to set a well-rounded scene.

Make vacation rentals stand out with great photos

A carefully curated set of photos is the most critical piece of visual content on any listing. The “Hero” image, also known as the “Thumbnail” image, is especially impactful: it’s an invitation for travelers to either click on your property—or breeze right past it for something more appealing. Here are a few ways to take advantage of its prominence:

• Showcase what makes your property unique: If a listing’s headline says **Amazing View!!** then the visual content should back that up. The hero image is a good place to do that, since exterior photos can be very engaging. That’s not to say interior photos aren’t worthy of the “hero” platform—an incredible living space could be eye-catching, too.

• Avoid clutter: Clutter has no place in any of your listing’s photos, and that’s doubly true for the hero image. That picture needs to speak for itself, so it shouldn’t require context for someone to understand what they’re seeing. Similarly, refrain from featuring things travelers won’t care much about, such as bathrooms.

• Experiment with different pictures: If you have a few shots that are worthy of “Hero” status on a particular listing, be sure to rotate them. That way, it’ll be easy to determine which ones draw the most traffic and which ones travelers tend to bypass. 

All told, a listing should have 20–30 photos. Data shows that nearly 90% of travelers have higher trust in properties with a minimum of 20 photos, and listings with 25+ images earn 40% more page views—and 30% more bookings.

Use Videos & Virtual Tours (Where Available)

While photos remain the unrivaled captain of Team Visual Content, videos and virtual tours are gaining ground on the online travel sites that support them (such as Vrbo). Like with photos, videos and virtual tours are backed by encouraging data points: travelers who click “Play” on a video generally spend 90 seconds watching that video, which means you get 90 additional seconds to earn their business. 

Those numbers jump even higher with virtual tours, which appeal to both highly motivated shoppers and casual browsers. Additional research shows that 9 in 10 travelers are at least interested in virtual tours, proving they are well worth the time and effort to include where available.

The post Using Visual Content to Increase Bookings appeared first on Vacay Home Connect.