Kigo Blog

The weekly roundup brings you complete coverage on the top articles and tweets from the previous week relative to the vacation rental industry.

In the grand Schema of things in travel search
The next big thing in SEO for websites in the travel industry might be to leverage the features of Schema.org. It allows them to structure their data in tags recognized by major search engines like Google. For example featured properties and their pricing would be visible at Google’s search page level. A chance for them to consolidate their web presence.

5 Easy Ways to Go Green
No excuses for your property to not be eco-friendly : energy-saving light bulb cost the same as regular ones and organic soaps lack harmful chemicals. Plus local-produce fruits and vegetables give your guests a taste of what your region has best to offer.

16 Pixels for body copy. Anything less is a costly mistake
If you feel unconvinced at first sight it might be the size font we’re using. It’s hard to not to be when Bnonn Tenant gives simple facts : there are 9% visually impaired in the States, at 40 only 20% of light gets through to the retina as it did at 20, etc. It’s simple as that : when your readership can’t read your copy it cost you money.

101 search marketing tips for hotels
Alright these tips are for hotels but we swear a lot of them also apply to vacation rental websites.

The weekly roundup brings you complete coverage on the top articles and tweets from the previous week relative to the vacation rental industry.

Catering to Chinese tourists. Have money, will travel
With a $232 billion dollar market, the Chinese tourist boom which stays mainly domestic is only beginning. In fact, chinese spending far more percentage of their income than other emerging markets. The online travel industry wants a piece of the fortune cookie and invests to develop online booking in a market where travel agents are still kings. The middle class and business people travelling more and more outside of the country, it’s not too early to cater your vacation rentals to their taste.

What’s happening on your site right now?
Real time data is available now on Google Analytics and lets you know what users are doing on your website right now (pages visited, links clicked, etc.). It means you can see which properties are the most popular and know which featured properties are the most attractive to visitors. In other words, get an instant feedback on how your website is performing.

Redefining Affluence

Hit the affluent customer with the relevant message at the critical time, and the payoffs are bigger than ever.

Affluent customers are the ones who can afford additional services. Target them and propose extras such as tours, photo shoots, flowers, etc.

What Should I Be Looking For in a Camera Used For Real Estate?
If you can’t afford to hire a professional to take pictures for you, a good camera can also make a difference. The look of your property and the surroundings is what will catch your guests’ eyes so be sure to take great pictures for your properties.

The weekly roundup brings you complete coverage on the top articles and tweets from the previous week relative to the vacation rental industry.

How the new Facebook will impact travel (hint: massively)
Facebook announced last week an update representing a huge leap for users and businesses. Going beyond the popular “Like” sharing button, users can now tell their friends they “booked” (or using any other verb!) a property without clicking a single button. It can appear both in a live ticker and on their profile page. We shouldn’t wait too long see new apps by travel and vacation rental companies using it.

Travel companies suffer from rise in online fraud

A lot of travel is sold remotely and that is where a lot of fraud is occurring, so the travel industry is probably suffering more fraud than the average.

Is this a problem affecting as heavily vacation rentals?

Google+ Lays the Groundwork for Business Profiles
Google will probably allow businesses to create profile on its social network. Be ready to claim your vacation rental business brand as soon as possible to avoid squatters.

Five simple steps to building trust online
If your guests don’t trust you, they will never buy from you. And the first thing they will see is your website which is your face on the Internet. Building trust comes from displaying your actual face, adding testimonials from other guests and engaging them using social media.

Thinking of starting a bed and breakfast? Learn to set goals!
If you think about starting a bed and breakfast you need to set achievable goals (measurable, specific) and keep track of your progress. It’s the first step towards a successful journey.

The weekly roundup brings you complete coverage on the top articles and tweets from the previous week relative to the vacation rental industry.

Turn vacation home into cash cow
Generating income, covering mortgage costs and individual management are a few reasons behind the boom in vacation rentals and renting out second homes.

Ask the holiday home insurance expert roundup – part 1
Are you wondering about which second home insurance policies are right for you, what you can claim, liabilities for your rental and cancellation policies? Schofields helpful q and a responds to over 10 commonly asked rental home insurance questions.

7 Best Practices for Improving Your Website’s Usability
Concise content, using headings to break up articles, and having content readers can easily scan are simple and effective ways to dramatically improve your websites usability.

Balancing key new marketing trends with limited time and resources
Digital marketing strategies are essential for online travel. Allocating your budget, developing a content strategy for each platform, and making sure your content can be viewed on a mobile or portable device can help you make the most of your marketing objectives.

The weekly roundup brings you complete coverage on the top articles and tweets from the previous week relative to the vacation rental industry.

6 ways to fill a vacation rental cancellation
Never underestimating the last-minute shopper, looking offline and locally, and planning a maintenance week/weekend are some excellent alternatives for when last minute cancellations arrive. These tips will leave you prepared, get your vacation rental filled or make the most of your empty property.

Vacation Rental Savings in the Stores Now!
With summer rental season coming to a close, this article from Cottage Blogger sums up the bittersweet feelings of finishing off a busy rental season, and how now may be the perfect time for owners to stock up and save. While you are gearing down, why not take advantage of the clearance inventory of summer staples like patio furniture, beach toys,etc, or stock up on key replacement items for the upcoming season.

SEO vs social media for finding new travellers online [INFOGRAPHIC]
World Independent Hotels Promotion tracked down over 10,000 online bookings to see exactly how users got to their site and the differences between how customers use search engines and social media sites when looking for new places to stay. This informative SEO and social media comparison can also help you with targeting and positioning your vacation rental online.

Creating compelling social media content and building meaningful relationships
By listening to what your customers have to say, you can build a long-lasting and successful social media relationship with them. Looking for the right engagement opportunities, setting the tone of your company and brand and establishing credibility will earn your company respect and create a platform on which you can effectively connect with consumers.

The weekly roundup brings you complete coverage on the top articles and tweets from the previous week relative to the vacation rental industry.

Using Facebook To Promote Your Vacation Rental
Using Facebook to promote your vacation rental is worth your time and money. Being able to reach a large demographic, the ability to share content and engage with your audience will generate more buzz about your business and more publicity.

How to Take on a Hurricane in a Vacation Rental
Take cover the right way with 8 tips to keep you safe and sound. By charging all battery-operated devices, looking into vacation rental insurance policies and stocking up on safety supplies, you will keep your guests safe when mother nature is at its worst.

Study: Negative Reviews Grow More Powerful
Negative reviews can impact up to 80% of your potential customers. With this in mind, it is important to see why taking the extra steps to protect your business and ensure a good review with each customer is crucial in the long run.

7 Tips for Dealing With Upset Facebook Fans
Responding immediately, understanding needs and concerns and privately contacting the customer are key examples of how you can work with your upset Facebook fans. With photo’s of real comments taken from Facebook pages, you can see exactly what you can do to make sure you customers on Facebook are satisfied.

The weekly roundup brings you complete coverage on the top articles and tweets from the previous week relative to the vacation rental industry.

TripAdvisor Survey Reveals Autumn Travel Trends
Cater your vacation rental this fall and see what guests are really looking for in their vacations. TripAdvisor brings you the top three fall activities: festivals, fall foliage and wine tasting/visiting a vineyard and the top U.S. destinations for travellers this autumn.

Top Eight Things to Consider When Booking a Vacation Rental
From reading reviews to propert research to early bird planning and payment options, Flipkey offers eight excellent tips for booking your dream vacation rental. Things tips can also be used by owners and property managers to ensure that you are meeting the needs or your guests.

How to Get Business from Business Travellers
Adding a workspace, complimentary stationary, WiFi, and an early bird breakfast are just a few touches you can add to help you cater your vacation home to the needs of corporate travelers.

Guidelines on Bed Bug Control and Prevention in HUD Insured and Assisted Multifamily Housing
With the bed bug scare being posing a serious threat to the hospitality industry, it is important to take the necessary precautions to make sure your property is protected against bed bug’s. These 12 principles such as correctly identifying pests, keeping records, monitoring potential nesting areas and proper cleaning for integrated pest management will help you avoid future encounters and deal with potential pest problems in your rental home.

The weekly roundup brings you complete coverage on the top articles and tweets from the previous week relative to the vacation rental industry.

TripAdvisor Offers Up Ten Great American Vacation Rental Amenities
What are the key selling points of your vacation rental? This report from TripAdvisor explains why a full kitchen is a top amenity for travelers and includes examples of dream rental amenities, such as boat rentals, great game rooms and private chefs.

Tnooz-TripAdvisor webinar: VIDEO for Reputation management and beyond
This 60 minute webinar is aimed at providing you with the tools to deliver the best possible guest experience, website optimization and how to maximize and market positive reviews from your guests.

7-Point Checklist for a Healthy Website
Does your website have the right contact information, social media icons and niche area and trending opportunities? This checklist covers the 7 vital things your website needs to properly represent your company.

The weekly roundup brings you complete coverage on the top articles and tweets from the previous week relative to the vacation rental industry.

5 renovations that are cheaper in the summer
Want to upgrade your vacation rental on a budget? Home renovations like paving your driveway and landscaping are some ways that you can take your property to the next level and won’t brake your bank.

How to Deal with Customer Complaints
In the vacation rental industry, the customer is always right even if they are not. Positive rental experiences are the key to what keeps renters coming back and generate word of mouth publicity. These top do’s and don’ts, key tips on dealing with customer complaints like how to follow-up and investigate and recommended principles of your complaints policy will help you retain your guests and maintain excellent customer relationships.

7 ways to avoid renters trashing your holiday home
In light of the Airbnb debacle, it is increasingly important to protect the safety and security of your rental property. From damage deposits to the right insurance policy and avoiding renting to guests with pets of larger groups are some of the necessary steps to insure your vacation rental is in good hands.