Make your property STAND OUT by improving performance and creating

amazing traveler experiences!

Understanding Search Results

The “Big 4”

1. Create quality content

2. Set competitive rates
3. Booking Management
4. Earn great reviews
Please note: Listing content and reservations must be managed in your PMS or channel manager unless your
Vrbo account has system of record overrides.

Attractive Listings
• Compelling Headlines
o How to write a great headline
o Note: Search results already display the bed/bath count, so you may not need to
include this information in headlines.
o Focus on the biggest draw, e.g., value, location, size, luxury.

• Engaging Descriptions
o How to write a perfect property description

• Photos
o Key Stats:
▪ Photos are the NUMBER ONE reason a guest selects or does not select a property
in the search results.
▪ Having over 20 photos increases trust by 88%.
o Make it Next Level! Add a Virtual Tour or drone footage via YouTube!
o Captions are a nice and helpful touch!
o Read: Photos matter Read: Taking better photos
▪ Policy: Watermarks are NOT permitted and could result in temporary
disablement of the listing.

• Amenities & House Rules

o Drive more bookings with top-searched amenities and house rules. Learn more
o Key Stat: Nearly 25% of all travelers filtered their vacation rental search for one of these
items in June 2020 alone: [kitchen, television, wireless internet, parking, and/or pet
allowed]
o Pets: If the property is pet-friendly, pets considered, or pets not allowed, set the
appropriate attribute in your software.
o Vrbo supports over one hundred amenities, many of which are included in the search
result filters.
o Stay in control with House Rules. Learn more

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Rates
• Set Competitive Rates
o Key Stat: 85% of guests say price is the most important factor when deciding to book.
• Revenue Management
o Utilize a data-based approach to setting rates. Learn more
o Consider a dynamic pricing software to connection with your property management
software.
• Fees
o Guess what? Guests hate fees. Fewer fees will result in an increase in conversion (page
view to booking). Learn more
o Key Stat: Properties with only one fee see 30% higher conversion than properties with
three fees.

Booking Management
• Manage bookings in property management software. Learn more
• Avoid using Vrbo Inbox to confirm or cancel/decline reservations.
• Enable Instant Booking (do this in your software only)
o Saves Times
o Higher ranking
o Additional exposure on Expedia Group sites
• Offer a flexible and clear cancellation policy
• Key Stats:
o 77% of travelers are more likely to book a rental with flexible cancellation policies
o 49% of travelers consider a flexible cancellation policy extremely important
o Travelers are filtering out less flexible policies (i.e., using the “free cancellation” filter)
o Listings with relaxed cancellation policies see more bookings

Reviews
• Prep your guests:
o When you follow up with the traveler after their stay you can also prepare them for
submitting a review. It may even help to talk through their experience so they have
some ideas of what they can write about. Once you’ve done that, let them know to
expect a post-stay email with a request for a review and that way they will already
have some ideas for what to say.
• Ask more than once
o Vrbo will solicit two requests on your behalf
• Make it easy
o When you send a post-stay email to your guest, remind them that they should have
received a link post-checkout that has a URL for travelers to click on. And it's easy on
you as Vrbo solicits the review for you!
• Key Stats:
o 92% of guests want to see reviews before booking.
o On average, properties with 10 or more reviews have a higher conversion rate of more
than 50%.
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