So you listed your short-term rentals on Houfy and even told a few friends and family about your new book-direct endeavor. But still, you can't get enough traction for your Houfy listings. If you're struggling to increase your vacation rental bookings, don't worry; you're not alone.

Truth be told, there's no magic wand to suddenly generate double bookings and returning guests. A short-term rental business takes time to flourish, but there are certain things you can do to get there faster. It's important to understand that Houfy isn't an instant solution to your OTA woes.

Instead, it's a community of like-minded individuals helping you build a sustainable business with complete control. Like most movements, change doesn't happen overnight. However, we've rounded our top suggestions to help you make the most of the platform and quickly increase your vacation rental bookings. Let's dive in!

Strategies to Increase Vacation Rental Bookings

1. Study the Competition

Study Houfy hosts who get bookings constantly. An easy way to spot them is by participating actively in Houfy's Facebook Group or checking out Houfy's featured hosts. These are the top-rated homeowners recognized by the platform, usually nailing their game.

Scan their listings, determine what they're doing well, and get inspired for your rentals. What vacation rental photos are they using? How do they structure their descriptions? How are they using storytelling to market their properties? Learn from the best, and you might as well get a piece of the pie.

2. Check Your Pricing

If your vacation rental pricing resembles gambling, it's time to take a step back. Setting proper nightly rates can make or break your short-term rental business, so have a strategy. Factors such as your property's unique features, seasonality, and market demand can determine your prices.

You don't want to underprice or set forbidding vacation rent rates. So ensure your prices are competitive compared to similar listings in your area, and be flexible in adjusting them accordingly. PriceLabs can help you with that. At the same time, start accepting direct payments with Stripe or Square through Houfy — guests love smooth transactions by credit card.

How to increase your vacation rental bookings with Houfy

3. Review Your Listing

Take a critical look at your listing. Review your vacation rental name and description. Is it enticing enough to make potential guests daydream about your stay? Does it include all the information visitors might be looking for? Are your photos high-quality, well-lit, and flattering?

A vacation rental listing should be complete and accurate to build trust. This is essentially your sales page that'll attract potential guests to book with you. As a property owner, you're already competing with thousands of similar homes in your area. The only way to stand out is by putting the time and effort into creating a stellar listing.

4. Be Available and Responsive

If you want to increase vacation rental bookings, you've got to be available to answer guests' inquiries. No matter how stunning your home is and how perfect its listing, don't expect any bookings unless you build trust with visitors.

Respond promptly to guest inquiries and booking requests, as quick response times can positively impact your booking rate. At the same time, keep your calendar updated and ensure your listing is available for the desired dates. Also, ensure you're properly synced with Airbnb to avoid double bookings.

How to boost bookings for vacation rentals online

5. Promote Your Rentals

Houfy is free for everyone on a basic plan and doesn't charge its members service fees or commissions. Its mission has always been to disrupt the current system of large OTAs that impose big profit cuts on hosts and hefty booking fees to guests.

However, Houfy doesn't have the millions needed to market listings worldwide. As a result, it's up to hosts to promote their own listings through social media, advertising, blogging, and email campaigns. At the same time, Houfy boosts their efforts by providing promotional tools and a special badge for "Wonderful hosts".

6. Take Advantage of Local Events

Any unique local events in your area that might attract potential guests? Let travelers know! Visitors today want more than an apartment where they can spend the night. They want the whole experience — drink coffee at the quirky neighborhood cafe, buy tickets to a local concert, and take that pottery class two blocks down your house.

Emphasize nearby amenities, tourist spots, or activities to entice guests to visit. Storytelling sells, and it's the fastest way to increase your vacation rental bookings. Houfy offers a free blogging feature to help you share valuable information with guests before their stay.

Booking vacation rentals with Houfy

7. Encourage Positive Reviews

Positive guest reviews are crucial for building trust and attracting future guests. Having a great listing is one thing, but having guests raving about their stay is another. In fact, 92% of US travelers will check rental reviews before booking, as they trust tried and tested stays more than fluffy descriptions.

The easiest way to secure positive reviews is by offering a stellar stay and encouraging guests to share their feedback upon checkout. Once guests leave their reviews, promptly respond to any concerns and take into account any suggestions for improvement.

8. Inform Departing Guests

As mentioned, Houfy is a work in progress and grows with its community. Most hosts don't inform departing guests about Houfy's book-direct solution and continue to promote their OTA listings. As a result, it's going to take that much longer for travelers to learn about Houfy.

Departing guests are likely to become returning guests after their stay. They'll also advocate for your rentals to their friends and family, especially if you offer a stellar stay. The best thing you can do as a book-direct homeowner is to inform them about the option to save on service fees by booking their next rental through Houfy.

Boost your vacation rental bookings

Why Join the Houfy Subscription When I Haven't Got Any Bookings?

In other words, why should you consider investing money into your Houfy listings when you haven't seen immediate results? Here are the most important reasons:

Enjoy Unprecedented Autonomy and Control

Houfy is a pioneer in providing property owners full control of their businesses. No more commissions, punishments, or guidelines from large OTAs. Unlike other platforms, Houfy allows direct communication with guests, eliminating middlemen. This autonomy fosters a more personal and honest booking experience, which is pivotal in today's market.

Get Access to More Features

Houfy offers two paid subscription plans:

• Lite: for just $7.19 per listing per month, hosts can import their Airbnb pricing and sync their calendars, get a higher position in search results, integrate with Hostify and Ownerrez, and many more features.
• Premium: for just $8.99 per listing per month, hosts enjoy all the perks of the Lite plan plus fully customizable website builder tools, widgets, and connections with multiple external domains.

The plans are tailored to hosts who want to take their business to the next level and open a world of possibilities to skyrocket their book-direct endeavors.

List your vacation home on Houfy to get direct bookings

Benefit From Early-adopter Benefits

Joining Houfy as an early adopter means more than just being a member; it's about being a pioneer, shaping the future of the short-term rental industry. We hold those who believed in us from the start in a special place within our community, and we hope to give back for their belief and support all these years.

Early members may have the chance to access unique opportunities in the future, such as stock purchase options, pre-capital raising, grandfathered rates, and more. This aligns with Houfy's ideals of rewarding those instrumental to our book-direct journey.

Join a Collective Vision

At its core, Houfy champions a collective vision — a platform built by and for its community. This approach starkly contrasts traditional booking platforms that prioritize profits over people. By joining Houfy, you're not just listing a property; you're investing in a movement that believes in empowering property owners and guests alike.

If you're not on Houfy yet, we urge you to take the leap and become part of the 68,000 members who joined before you. It's time to stop passively relying on OTAs for your rental profit. Take control of your business and contribute to a more personalized booking experience for you and your guests. List with us today!