The key to getting bookings is to engage with your potential audience and highlight what makes your holiday home and the area so desirable. So here at Owners Websites, we recommend you post a blog on your website at least every once in a while (though the more frequent the better!) and let guests know what they can expect from their holiday.
So, what sort of topics can you cover in your blog? Here are a few examples!
Your Favourite Day Out
Do you have a favourite walk or a favourite family outing that you love when you stay at your home? If so, next time, grab your camera and jot down some notes as soon as you get back, ready for your next blog! If you love spending time doing a certain hike or spending time in a favourite place, the chances are guests will too. So, for example, it could be a favourite hike in the mountains which is easy for all the family to do – or it could be visiting a certain town or village with a picturesque backdrop and a favourite tea-room! It can be anything – just make sure you take a photo that sells it as a day out and pop a few details in your blog (you can even bullet point it if writing’s not your thing) and bingo, you have a blog you can share on your website, share to social media and then re-post a year later if you want to!
Why You Chose your Holiday Home
Your next blog could be a bit more personal and you could tell guests a little about yourself and why you chose your particular holiday home. Maybe it was the area you met your partner or spouse, maybe it was fond childhood holiday memories – anything that shows a little of your passion for the area. You could also re-live some of the great holidays you’ve had there and include some of your favourite haunts.
Local Events Past and Present
Guests will get a real flavour for the area if they understand the sort of things that go on in the neighbourhood. Maybe you have a local music festival, a farmers market, a guided walk around a historical place of interest … research what’s going on in your area and put it up on your website. If you live locally, even better, go along and take photos. There’s nothing like a photo of an event to get people interested and feel like they are visiting an area where there’s stuff going on! And next year, you have a ready made blog – just remember to post it a couple of months before the event. Ideal if you have availability that week too – you can share it to social media along with a plug for a spare week or weekend at your home.
Accentuate your Property’s Assets
Do you have a lovely feature in your property that you could write a few lines about? Maybe it’s a roll-top bath and you could post a photo of it with steam and bubble bath coming out … or maybe it’s a beautiful fireplace – you could light it and take photos, then write a guide to making the perfect fire!
Do you Accept Pets?
If you accept pets in your property, you could write a blog on all things doggy-related. From local dog-friendly pubs to local walks – ideal when people want to take their four-legged friends out for a quick stroll and don’t want to venture too far. You could list a local butchers where you can get top-notch canine culinary delights 🙂
Cooking in Your Holiday Home
Another blog could be related to where guests can obtain the best food for their holiday. A lot of people love cooking in a different kitchen and don’t always want to eat out – so you could blog about how wonderful your kitchen is and detail how well-equipped it is. On from that, you can mention your favourite local farm shop or local, independent, supplier that you recommend. People love the authenticity of local produce, so wet their appetites by giving them great information!
A Bit About You
This doesn’t suit every holiday home owner as some people prefer anonymity, however, some guests really appreciate knowing a little bit about the people who they are going to be letting through – especially if you are able to have them book directly. You can write a post about you, your hobbies, a little bit about your life and again, why you love holidaying in your holiday home or why you also choose to live locally.
There really is no limit to the amount you can blog about – but we hope you’ve enjoyed the above ideas and it gives you some inspiration!
Happy Blogging!
The Owners Websites Team