The Top 10 Viewed Houfy Posts/Stories And What You Can Learn from Them
So you want to write some stories (or posts) on Houfy to get views? You know when you make a quality post, with information that people want or need, you will get “eyes on” your listing!
Lets look at the Top 10 Stories or Posts (as of 7/31/2019) and see what they tell us!
#10 Tiki House Rental Agreement
This post was written for my guests. But it is popular with other owners. I only have about 30 renters a year, and even if they share it with the other adults in the group, it probably doesn't account for all the 200+ views. When owners outside of Houfy ask me to share my RA, I first tell them to check this link. Now they are on Houfy and may be curious. And now they see my home linked at the bottom. I keep in mind that VR owners, as a group, rent VR homes too.
#9 Why Isn't My Beer Cold Yet?!
I have shared this post with renters, but usually only in the case of that a text that arrives shortly after check-in, “The refrigerator isn't cooling.” But I did post it on my FaceBook page. I did this as a preemptive strike, of sorts, for anyone who is renting anywhere. This is such a common problem for guests and owners, that it hit a real nerve. With a lighthearted approach to the issue, many people shared it, including friends, family, potential renters, and owners. Maybe someone also added it to their own Welcome Guide to share with their renters as needed. If the issue is a common one, people will be interested.
#7 Places to Dine around Spruce Pine
This great post by Lesli Montgomery is an example of how to use Guides and Stories. She shares them to her FB page as well as her own website. This is the kind of information that draws anyone in the area to her listing or website. When people visit an area, they search the internet for “places to dine.” And she included in the post links to each place she recommended. Perfect! She mentioned in a FB post that after sharing it, “This simple article that Thijs helped me copy/paste from my own Word doc (which we send to guests prior to arrival) yesterday has gotten over 1900 views and 60+ engagements on FB in about 12 hours. Just goes to show you how easy, yet powerful, writing an article can be! JUST DO IT.” The 18 shares from her FB page, @Parkway Peek, mean even more people will see it. Finding something that people want, find useful, and share, is how you get views.
#6 What Vacation Rental Owners Want You to Know
This is one of those posts that was written with a specific person in mind, to address a specific question. A friend of mine was searching for a place to rent and complained that many people didn't even respond, or did so negatively. She thought she was inquiring in such a way to endear herself to owners. I put the post in my “New to Renting” Guide and posted it to my FB page. Knowing she would see it, and probably read it, I hoped that in print, it would sink in. I don't know if it did, but it struck a nerve with others. It got shared and shared. I imagine a person sharing this to someone's FB page with the comment, “I told you so.” Over 300 people have viewed this post so far, and it keeps on growing.
#5 Airport procedures for Playa del Carmen, MX
This story by Tom and Terry Frazee is a perfect example of necessary or important information that can be delivered in a post. Terry didn't just write and post on Houfy and in her guide. She shared this great information on Say Yes for other owners to use and on her own FB page. They have an active website with a lot of valuable information for guests as well. All the outgoing links and links to her other stories mean this post provides a “double-whammy” by getting people to move from this story to others she has written. This strategy is perfect for Houfy and for owners. It keeps people on your page, surfing Houfy stories and posts. And maybe finally landing on your listing too! “Eyes On” all over the place!
#3 5 Dangers of Mexico No One Is Warning You About
Another post by Tom and Terry Frazee that is actually a video. This is sure to appeal to people for a couple of reasons. First, the title is very serious sounding as you are sure to want to know about the any secret dangers of the country you plan to visit. Secondly, the video is actually very funny! The dangers are about becoming a taco snob, a carb junkie, and losing weight. The joke is on everyone who clicked on it thinking they would hear about gangs, violence, or kidnappings! And once they were laughing, they would want to share it with anyone they think may be nervous about visiting Mexico too! Keep in mind, if you embed videos in your Stories, they have to be on YouTube first.
#2 AirBnB and VRBO/HomeAway vs. Houfy
I wrote this story over a year ago and have updated it many times as needed. (They keep raising the Service Fee!) At the time I had encountered many renters and friends who told me they liked using AirBnB or Vrbo without understanding that they were actually paying for a service that may not be worth the price. I tried to answer the question of “What does the service fee actually cover?” And I tried to dispel the idea that AirBnB somehow “owns” the rental instead of a person who just lists on the site. Somehow it struck a chord with renters, especially those on FB looking to book direct. They shared it with tons of their friends, in rental groups' pages, and on their own pages. Sandra Titus shared it to her rentals FB page, Colorado Dream Vacation, and it received over 500 likes just there! If you provide something of value to others, they will share it!
#1 How to fill out Mexican Immigration(FMM) and Customs forms
This is another post by Tom and Terry Frazee. This is one that is linked to in other posts of theirs and possibly other owners' posts as well. It isn't funny, catchy, trendy, but completely practical. This is something that many people want to know. If you search for “How do I fill out Mexican Immigration (FMM) and Custom forms,” this is the 3rd entry on Google, behind the official Mexico Tourism site, and Mexperience's site, an award winning site about travel in Mexico. The great links, and the details the post provides, offer great SEO opportunities. Once a post shows up high in Google results, it is going to get views! And if the post gets views, so does your listing!
Some take away advice after looking at the top 10 stories/posts on Houfy:
Answer the most common questions or concerns you hear from guests.
Make it fun and/or appealing to readers
Don't neglect “the hook” to get people to click
Post with an audience in mind
Link to other posts you have made or quality websites when relevant
Add a link to your property at the end of your post
Share anywhere and everywhere
Don't be afraid to link, post and share other Houfies' posts if they help make your story better or have valuable information for your guests
Once people start to see Houfy everywhere, they will think about using it, listing on it, or BOTH! And the next rental booked on Houfy might be YOURS!
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Once I listed on Houfy, things changed immediately for me. The Welcome Book PDF with hyperlinks and the on-property Welcome Book are still there. But when the questions come, I no longer have to send a long-winded reply with links and pictures. I send a quick link to my Story or Guide that answers the question(s).
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