The Billboard Effect is a very real phenomenon in marketing. It is the power to be in many places at one time, driving direct traffic to your website, your place of business and product so that the public can purchase your goods or services that you offer.
The Billboard Effect was developed by the largest of companies in the US and around the globe. Take Coca Cola for instance. There is hardly a store, a sporting venue, a community event, or time watching television or listening to the radio that you don’t hear a commercial or see a sign about Coca Cola. This marketing spread has made them the largest beverage company in the world! They know the art of being everywhere, all the time.
Now vacation rental companies can only wish to have the marketing budget and reach of the likes of Coca Cola. However, you don’t have to be Coke to have the reach like them. As a property management company, you can use your assets to your advantage. And there are large companies out there who need you even though they will never tell you they do!
Online Travel Agencies (OTA’s) of the world are just such companies. The VRBO’s, the Airbnb’s, the TripAdvisor’s and Booking.com’s need what you offer. These conglomerates want you as much as you need them. So, working with them is absolutely a positive for you in that they are your Billboard Effect! They spend millions of dollars a year on advertising and marketing the industry to the world. With this, you in turn get the exposure you need for your vacation rental property owners. But how you harness this great marketing opportunity can make a real difference in your own bottom-line revenue.
Be smart about working with the OTA’s. They are good solid players in the market. But use them like they use you. They cannot operate without your properties, but they will never tell you that they need you! So, in return for using you, and your properties for capital gain, you can use your properties for your own capital gain.
"Always have your website mirror the information on the OTA sites. Why? GOOGLE! People WILL find you!!"
Here are some tips you may want to consider to maximize the Billboard Effect:
Tip #1 - Use the same property name/title on all your channels
When possible and safe to do so, always display the specific address of the property on your website and the OTA sites. If this isn’t possible, then use a consistent name for the property e.g., Beach Palms of St Augustine or Twin Towers of Orlando. Whatever the name is, make sure it’s on all the sites and especially your own. This way a Google Search made for the property name will most likely show your website and property page on the #1 position in the SERPs and prospective guests will click on it.
Tip #2 - Use the same photos on all your channels
Always use the same initial 3 photos of the property. With the advent of Google Lens and the increased market share of the Chrome browser which has Google Lens built in as an option to search for the same exact property image on the web.
Tip #3 -Brand Your Photos
Adjust your photos so your Company Logo is displayed on the TVs on the listings. Subliminal messaging is super impactful, and it is free display advertising for your brand!
Tip #4 - Use Your Company Brand Name as the Host Name
Make sure you are represented as your company as the contact for the OTA site whenever possible. If you want to personalize it, you can use a name but be sure and add your company name as well.
"When you implement these types of tactics into your marketing distribution you will see your online traffic increase immediately. It’s a matter of being diligent in keeping your information consistent so that the public has a chance of finding you directly. "
This is where Direct Booking Tools comes into play for you! Now that you have driven clients to your site through effective and collective marketing efforts, you want to ensure they convert while on your site. And with Direct Booking Tools first ever price comparison tool for vacation rentals, that is exactly what will happen. With our tool on your site, you can show guests (and back up your claim) a Best Price Guarantee! This is all done in real time and there is no other product or service in the vacation rental market that has this dramatic impact on the conversion of your guest and making them your client for life! Direct Booking Tools is your answer for converting bookings and backing it up with analytics that will help you understand your market even better than you do now.
Let Direct Booking Tools be a partner with you and convert more of your guests to directly book with you! Win-Win-Win for everyone.