The proverb may say a picture is worth a thousand words, but that doesn’t make your listing’s text any less important. In this article, we’ll detail which key points could turn your text into a catchy listing and hold the potential customers back!

Internet is filled with pictures and ads, so catching the readers’ attention isn’t always an easy task. You’ll need to target your offer and make it powerful and precise at the same time. Know how to select which details you should insist on and which ones you can put aside.

For example, does your property have a private access to the beach but no AC?

Some details need to be highlighted in the description itself -private access to the beach- while others can be relegated to a position of secondary importance, such as Amenities -no AC.

Here are some points that could help you make the difference in the travelers’ eyes:

1° Know and analyze the other offers

Before to write your listing, start with reading what the other owners in the same geographical area have written.
Which details did they highlight? What do they insist on, which points do you notice the most?
Put yourself in the vacationer’s shoes and ask yourself why your property should be selected instead of another one.
However, be careful not to copy an already existing text! Google may not like it…

2° Appeal the users

Your property may be charming, but the users won’t know it unless you work on your text details. Get inspired by travel sites, build a story a vacationer is looking for:
“Discover a secret side of Paris”, “Explore the hidden Alps with your family”, etc. Do not (or rarely) shorten words; don’t forget you’re talking to private travelers, not professionals!

3° A catching title and a concise text

Along with the pictures, the title is the first thing a visitor will see when reading your listing. Paying attention to it is a must-do: always prefer a title such as
“Spacious loft in the historical center, stunning view”
Rather than
“Large apartment in city”
Furthermore, filling in the blank fields available on the vacation rental websites will help reduce your text so that you can focus on what really matters. Be concise; target the information you think is interesting and practical without losing the reader after too many paragraphs!

4° Proofreading and updating

When you’re done writing, ask your relatives to proofread the listing. Looking at things from an outside perspective is always positive and who knows, they could bring new ideas to your text!
Now, the listing may be online but it’s not over yet. Update your pictures and the activities that are available depending on the seasons (skiing and snow during winter, hiking and sun during summer, for example).

5° Adjust your listing to the travelers’ questions

When renting your property for the first time, you may have not had the occasion to face the travelers’ questions yet. You could often hear the same questions being asked again, which means important information is missing to your text. Your listing isn’t written in stone; it must be living and gaining information as you go along with the bookings.

Update your listing and save time!

What about you, which tips would you like to share with us?

As summer is coming, the BookingSync team is growing and is welcoming a new expert, in order to develop its communication and user product experience. Sebastien Grosjean CEO of BookingSync introduces you Romain through a few questions:

Hello Romain, can you introduce yourself?

Hello, my name is Romain Giacalone. I have been working in SEO; for 5 years, I was in charge of the SEO and Social Media department forRueDuCommerce(an e-commerce leader in France), which then lead me to create my own company specialized in digital communication and marketing : Docteur Folimage, at the beginning of the year 2013.

Since the last 3 years, I have worked for a certain number of clients especially in the tourism field such as the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Airbnb, Toocamp, Rendezvouscheznous.

Awesome! And in addition to your professional experience, you’re also an Airbnb host, aren’t you?

Indeed I am, since discovering Airbnb in 2012, my partner and I decided to open a B&B. More than 4 years later, we’ve had guests from 25 different nationalities at home. That’s an amazing experience.

In 2014, we won the Host Awards contest as we were nominated “Top Host Airbnb France”, rewarding our hospitality.

Let’s talk about your current events

I’ve written a book named “Les conseils d’un Top Host Airbnb pour mieux louer” (“Words of advice from a Top Host Airbnb for a better rental”), which is available in bookshops since April 28th, 2016. In this book, I address all the aspects of seasonal renting and have gathered many pieces of advice helping the seasonal renters fully profiting from Airbnb for their activity. I talk about:

• My expertise on communication and marketing, sharing ideas on how to develop your own communication strategy, your image and how to retain customers

• My expertise as an Airbnb host, explaining step-by-step how to use the platform, the traps you should avoid and what can be maximized

Moreover, you can discover the book and download a free extract (only available in french)

Let’s get to the heart of it, what will your position be at BookingSync and why did you join us?

I’ve discovered BookingSync primarily as a user, and got to know the team which is very open and customer centered. I really appreciated that.

At BookingSync, I am in charge of the Marketing and Happiness Strategy, which includes several missions:  

• Develop the BookingSync image, especially in France

• Create partnerships with innovating services, aiming to help our clients saving time and renting more (such as with the startup Meero, for example)

• Helping improve the user experience

I cannot wait to exchange more with the BookingSync customers, and to help them develop their activity.

Published on April 28th, 2016, Les conseils d’un Top Host Airbnb pour mieux louer  (Advice from an Airbnb Top Host for a better rental) is a must-have for every vacation renter as Romain Giacalone, the author, explains every aspect of the vacation rental from the renter’s point of view whether they’re working with Airbnb or not.

It is, for now, only available in French.

By reading the title, you may be wondering what a “Top Host” Airbnb is. A Top Host is a host who received a national Airbnb award (Top Host Awards) rewarding their involvement in the Airbnb community and towards the travelers.

Before being a Top Host, Romain Giacalone was first elected Superhost – but what’s the difference ?

To become a Superhost, you need to follow several criteria :

• To have hosted travelers on at least 10 different occasions during the past year

• Answering to at least 90% of the travelers’ requests in less than 24 hours

• Receiving at least 80% of 5-star ratings

• Never cancel a booking !

With this experience as an awarded host, Romain then decided to start writing a book that could help future or existing hosts in the vacation rental sector.

Eager to share his advice, Romain addresses a great variety of subjects in his book, such as:

• The communication between the hosts and the travelers is a primary issue! For every automatic message sent by the platform, an additional private message is also sent. This way, communication is personalized and the hosts can better target the vacationers’ expectations

• Local recommendation. To a traveler, you’re much more than a simple host! They wish to know your tips, your habits… in order to live a true experience, just like the one you’re living daily

• The importance of pictures, which are a real showcase for your property, as much as the importance of the order in which you arrange them

• The emergence of business travelers in the sector, whose expectations differ from vacationers

• The Airbnb algorithm that manages the ads and their order of appearance in your researches – don’t underestimate this variable if you wish to improve your visibility

• The necessity to adapt yourself to new technologies. Don’t settle for simple emails or calls but start using Facebook, Instagram, Line, WhatsApp, etc. as new ways of communication and tools to make your rentals popular !

You’ll find a free extract of this book on the official website here, in French: http://www.livreairbnb.com/

You can buy the book (paper or Kindle) on Amazon : po.st/livre-airbnb and on Archambault : http://po.st/nTO01z

Les conseils d’un Top Host Airbnb pour mieux louer is the ideal tool if you wish to go into vacation rental in depth or start your own business – or if you’re simply curious to know more on the subject!

Storytelling: how to pull the travelers in

As a vacation rental professional, you might consider the writing of the rental listing as just another step of the renting process.

Yet, focusing on that step is very important. Ask yourself this question:

“If I had to talk about that apartment or house to a friend, what would I tell them to make them want to spend their holidays there?”

Just like your friend, the user who will read your listing needs to dream and be appealed. Taking some holidays and budgeting for it needs some preparation, to spend some good time and live something different than the everyday life.

Is it a nice duplex apartment, downtown, with a terrace?

It may have character, a view, direct access to nearby typical shops… This property will interest customers who are looking for a city trip, as they could take an aperitif there or enjoy the terrace while eating

You’ll need to start building your catchphrase from the highlighted words. This will be the first sentence to be read by the potential customer:

Amazing duplex with patio, downtown Aix-en-Provence. Live the Provence experience during a week, at the heart of the “1,000 fountains city”. Drink a coffee and eat a croissant on a typical street, in the shade of a plane tree. During the day, walk the streets discovering Cézanne’s trail, and when the night comes, enjoy an aperitif on the patio while contemplating the sun going down on the city roofs.

When reading this kind of listing, a foreign traveler knows they will experience a true stay in Provence. Thanks to this apartment, they will live typical moments of life in Provence.

Peter Mayle: a year in Provence

Do you know Peter Mayle ? Peter Mayle, a British former executive in the advertisement sector, fell in love with Provence and settled in Ménerbes, where he wrote his bestseller: A Year in Provence. The book was then translated into 17 languages; but past being a bookshops hit, it really transformed local tourism, particularly in Ménerbes.

How come?

Because the readers were pulled in, they got to dream in Provence during 245 pages. They put themselves in Peter Mayle’s shoes:

• Sipping some rosé wine while listening to the singing of the cicadas
• Watching a pétanque match and hearing chats worthy of a Marcel Pagnol movie
• And many more moments of a typical Provence life

This example works for any destination; every region of the world, every city has its own specifics.

Think about the clichés, about what people ask the most and turn them into attractive features to rent your property and above all: give them the opportunity to live an experience.

In a few hours only, the Euro 2016 will be officially launched and there’s not much chance you haven’t heard about it before. This is a major international soccer event and whether you’re into it or not, you won’t get away from it!

Then, seize the occasion and show your travelers how much you care for them. They’ll surely remember it!

We’ve collected some ideas for you that they could appreciate, at a lesser cost.

1. Make sure the TV is working! It’s crucial! Imagine facing a breakdown right in the middle of a penalty or a free kick… Offer the travelers a broadcast calendar so that they won’t miss a second of it. Here, you can find a detailed list of the TV channels broadcasting the matches, depending on the country

2. If you cannot freely access the TV matches, buy a 2-month subscription! For example, you can subscribe to BeIn Sports for only 26€ for the whole competition. This investment will be much welcomed and will get you good rates

3. Put some beers in the fridge! You could also prepare a special fan kit if some of your vacationers are great soccer fans. Who doesn’t enjoy a cold beer? (Remember to always drink responsibly!)

4. Home delivery! Leave a few brochures of restaurants or fast foods that can deliver to your property: pizza, sushis, burgers...

5. But not everybody enjoys soccer. For the ones who’re not into it, why not negotiate with a local spa for a special relaxing moment? You could also create a list of alternative activities that are available in your city at that moment.

Furthermore, you may be lucky enough to enjoy the Euro in your city! Matches will be held in 10 French cities: Paris, Nice, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Saint-Etienne, Marseille, Lille, Lens, Saint-Denis and Lyon. They’re just as many opportunities for you to make the difference thanks to your property!

The Euro 2016 is, just like any other major event, a true opportunity to catch. Don’t miss it and make your guests happy !