When marketing First Vacation Rental subscriptions, we advertise that our site, along with each owner’s listing, will be optimized for search so that vacationers can easily find rentals.  One of the most frequently asked questions is “How do you optimize your site?” and “What does that mean?”  Both are good questions that deserve thoughtful answers.

We are noticing that vacationers renting homes from online directories are often originating from Google through its search engine.  Many of our pages are designed to be placed in the top search results for certain search terms.  This helps attract vacationers  to our website who are searching for Wellfleet or Cape Cod information through Google.

There are two ways we use Google to get these searchers onto our rental listing pages.  The first is by buying advertising space for popular searches that vacationers make.  When searching for “Wellfleet vacation rentals,” “Cape Cod cottages,” or “Marconi Beach rental,” our ad will often appear in a section of the page right above the search results.  Our ad is displayed for over 100 different Wellfleet-specific search terms. Our ad is also displayed during some more general Cape Cod seach queries such as “Cape Cod summer vacation.”

This is one of our Wellfleet ads. Most of our ads are specifically targeted to Wellfleet.

The second way we optimize with Google is by building pages on our website that will naturally find themselves among the top search results over time.  For example, if you search for “Indian Neck Beach Wellfleet” our page about Indian Neck is on the first page.  Once searchers end up on this page about Indian Neck Beach they can see nearby vacation rentals.  There aren’t a huge number of people searching for Indian Neck Beach in Google; in fact, we only get about one hit a day from that search.  Although that may seem small at first, it adds up quickly because we have over 100 pages about Cape Cod beaches, restaurants, and other Wellfleet activities.  Factoring in all of our pages, the hits start to add up.

First Vacation Rental is the first result when searching Google for Indian Neck Beach in Wellfleet.

About 70% of our Google visitors find our site by searching for specific terms like Indian Neck Beach.  The other 30% come from clicking our advertisements.

We make sure to get all of our Wellfleet vacation rentals into Google’s database.  We do this by making sure that each one of our rental pages complies with the search engine’s guidelines.  Also, we provide Google with the information it needs to best index the listings into the search results.  Here are some tips for vacation home owners to help drive traffic to listings pages.

Our software provides all of the necessary tools and methods for attracting vacation searchers from Google.  Of course, until you list your rental on the internet, Google won’t know about it.  Once you’ve listed your rental, there are a few things you can do to help vacationers find it. For more information on this subject, check our our articles on:

Naming Your Vacation Rental

How To Drive Traffic To Your Vacation Rental

The First Vacation Rental software offers a large number of different inputs, if you choose to fill them out, about your rental property.  Although the software allows you to describe your rental in great detail, the simple things are usually the ones that matter most.  One such field is the name of your property.

The highlighted area above is how your vacation rental name will appear on our listings page.

The Name Stands Out

When vacationers are browsing the listings on First Vacation Rental they will immediately notice the name because of its bold blue color and large font size.  Remember that your vacation rental listing is competing with 20 other listings on this page.  If you want vacationers to click your listing and learn more, your name had better be appealing to them.

Provide Information

One way to attract to renters is to let the name of your property provide them information they are looking for.  For example, one the most common questions our home owners receive in their inquiries is: “How close is your house to the beach?”  Every house on the Cape is pretty close to the beach, but not every vacationer knows that.  You can use your property name to show off just how close you are with a name like “Only 15 steps from the beach”.  When coming up with the name, think about what vacationers are looking for when selecting which home to rent.

Be Professional

It’s not hard to attract attention by using funny looking characters and typing in all caps.  If you named your home “~!~!!! CLICK HERE !!!~!~” everyone might see it, but probably no one would want to rent it.  Both you and your listing should look professional and respectable in order to gain the trust of renters.

Truthfulness is another important characteristic your property name should possess.  Do not claim your home is 15 steps from the beach if in fact it is a mile away.  Vacationers will eventually figure this out and dismiss your property.  If your home is a bit further from the beach, highlight some other great characteristic.

Experiment

You are not married to the name of your property on your listing.  Feel free to change it and experiment with it.  If you picked a name last year, but think maybe it’s time for a new name, then go for it.  You can keep changing your name until you find something that works.  There’s no perfect formula for naming your property, so you might need to try a few names before finding one that both describes your rental while also attracting the interest of vacationers.

Want Help? Let Us Know

If you want some help brainstorming some names, or just want to bounce a few ideas off us, then let us know.  Cape Cod vacation rentals are our specialty and we’d would love to hear your story and give you our best advice.

Cape Cod Canal Bike Trail

This fall I had the opportunity to take a day trip down to Cape Cod to bike the canal trail.  Being an avid cyclist, I couldn’t pass up the chance.

The Cape Cod Canal Bike Path is very short, about 7 miles each way, so a there-and-back trip is only 14 miles.  While on my ride I did notice some other bikers, but a majority of the people on the trail were walkers and sightseers.  With not too many moving vehicles, the bike path is well-suited for beginners.  I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this path to an experienced cyclist, but I would definitely recommend the bike way to beginners and families.

The Cape Cod Canal Bike Path is probably the most well kept bike trail I’ve ever been on.  I didn’t once see a divot or hole in the trail.  Not only is it well-maintained, but as far as bike paths go it’s easily one of the better ones for riding.  The lanes are wide the whole way– they never get narrow.  There’s plenty of room, which is one of the reasons I think this trail is perfect for families.  There are some small inclines here and there, but it’s certainly not hilly.  It’s also extremely easy to access, with large parking lots at both ends.  Although there are paths along both sides of the canal, it’s difficult (nearly impossible) to cross to the other side.

The trail was fairly empty when I went in September.  Crowded paths are one of the few things that can ruin any biking experience.  I’d expect the pathway to fill up during the summer and on the weekends, but the wide lanes should make any crowd easy to deal with.

Bridge Along the Trail

One of my favorite things about this path is that it’s completely removed from all traffic.  Not only that, but the scenery is great.  At all times you are right alongside the canal, so you can stop at any point and watch a number of ships (everything from large oil tankers to small yachts) pass through the canal.  If you complete the entire trail you’ll ride under two bridges, which are both very impressive.  At one end of the trail there’s a big jetty, and you get a great view of the ocean.  As far as visual scenery goes, this trail has it all.

I recommend this trail to anyone looking for a relaxed, family-oriented Cape Cod biking experience.

Using Search Engines to Your Advantage

First Vacation Rental receives a lot of its traffic from Google.  In fact, about 70% of our new visitors come directly from Google searches.  These visitors are potential vacationers searching for a rental on the Cape, usually near a popular Wellfleet destination such as a beach or pond.

Our most popular searches include the following terms:

• Wellfleet vacation rentals
• Indian Neck Beach
• Bound Brook Island

How to Get These Vacationers to Your Listing

The easiest way to get these searching vacationers to your listing is to provide them with information they might be searching for.  If your rental is on a beach, provide information about that beach.  The First Vacation Rental listing service gives you a lengthy description field to write anything you want about your rental and the surrounding area.

Here are some guidelines on how to use the description field to effectively lure internet searchers:

1. Include a couple of sentences that describe the popular destinations that are close to your rental.  Beaches, town centers, and any activities for kids are great topics to write about.  Remember to include how far these destinations are from your rental with terms like ‘walking distance’ or ‘short drive’.  Vacationers may be searching for these terms in Google, Yahoo, or Bing as they look for a summer vacation rental. As an added benefit, the more information you provide to vacationers to pique their interest, the more likely they will be to inquire about your listing.
2. Write as much as you can about your property.  A few sentences describing the property’s location in Wellfleet and how beautiful Wellfleet and Cape Cod are in the summer months will go a long way in driving traffic.  Search engines love text, so the more you write about your property, the higher your listing will appear in their search results.
3. Like most Cape Cod property owners, you’ve probably vacationed on the Cape a few times.  And over the years, you may have learned helpful tips about the area surrounding your rental.  It’s a good idea be to pass that information along to any vacationers who are browsing your listing.  List your favorite restaurants and shops in town.  Provide any insights you have about parking at the popular beaches that vacationers need to drive to.  Remember, you’re an expert when it comes to the area around your property, and vacationers will find your advice very valuable.

But Don’t Overdo It

Providing information on the area immediately surrounding your rental is a great idea, but describing every destination on Cape Cod is just too much.  There’s no need to list all the beaches in your town– set a limit of 4 or 5 destinations to talk about.  Also, try to stick to destinations that you’re familiar with and can really give great advice about.

Let Us Help

First Vacation Rental has a lot of experience when it comes to writing content about Wellfleet and Cape Cod.  Feel free to bounce ideas off us, or have us review your listing page or help you write a description about your property.