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Booking.com is one of the most important holiday rental platforms and is essential for any holiday rental owner or manager to be listed on given the millions of users that visit the website every day all over the world. At Smoobu we want to help you get more visibility on Booking.com so that your occupancy rate continues to grow. That is why we have compiled some tips that you can put into practice immediately and will ensure a greater impact on potential guests.

5 keys to improving visibility on Booking.com

In a sea of holiday rentals, hotels and other listings, it can be harder than it seems to get a good ranking and visibility on such a vast platform.

But it’s not all about the number of competitors; Booking.com‘s algorithm is the key player here, and understanding how it works and what factors it analyses will help you start building your visibility strategy.

Offer flexible bookings on Booking.com

Flexible bookings are a big draw for most travelers, as circumstances can change suddenly and having a flexible rate gives travelers more peace of mind. Flexible bookings are also good for you (the host), as they give you more room to maneuver in the event of a cancellation or unforeseen event and make it easier for you to fill those dates.

In addition to an increase in the number of guests preferring flexible bookings, there is also a preference for longer stays or combining different stays within the same trip. Therefore, by enabling these two options you have a better chance of reaching more potential travelers and appearing in more searches on the platform.

Special rates for bookings from mobile devices

Almost all of us use our smartphones to carry out all kinds of searches, and the same is true for Booking.com bookings. Especially recently, bookings made from mobile devices have increased and in response Booking.com allows hosts to create special offers for guests who book through the Booking.com App or with their mobile phones.

Make your reviews your best cover letter

Reviews and opinions from previous guests are a great showcase and for many users the best way to make sure that your accommodation delivers what you promise.

In addition, reviews can help you if you are just starting out on Booking.com and even if you haven’t received any yet. As we explained in this article, Booking.com’s new external reviews have proven to be very effective for hosts who need a little boost.

Take care of your listings and make your property stand out

You’ve probably already taken a look at our guide to creating the best holiday rental listing, as this is a fundamental step if you want to improve your visibility on Booking.com. Adapting it to the season, improving the quality of the photos and, in short, making it look as attractive as possible, will undoubtedly help to catch the potential guest’s eye.

Extend your availability calendar

The more dates you have available to book, the more chances you have of attracting customers, even in the long term. Booking restrictions were a necessity during the toughest months of the pandemic, but the trend has now reversed.

Get more visibility on Booking.com with these tips

Other Booking.com options for extra visibility

That’s not all! Booking.com also has tools available on its platform for those hosts who wish to get an extra percentage of visibility.

Booking.com’s Extra Visibility tool

The Extra Visibility tool is very easy to set up from the Booking.com user extranet. From the “Opportunities” window you can choose the “Extra Visibility” option and once there, the dates on which you want your holiday home to stand out. It also allows you to choose which countries in the world you would like to be featured in, which is a plus if you prefer to focus on international tourists. Then select “Apply new commission” and you’re done.

The Extra Visibility tool is a great support for hosts, as you can get better results whenever you want, and turn it off when you no longer need that boost of visitors. Use it for specific dates, such as holidays, local events, holidays or low season, to secure bookings for your vacation rental.

Discounts and promotions on Booking.com for guests

Special offers, promotions and discounts are always welcome and a fantastic way to attract potential guests. Throughout the year we see more and more dates for potential promotions and discounts, such as Black Friday, and the vacation rental industry is getting in on the act too. You can offer exclusive promotions and discounts for both new and returning guests to get extra visibility and booking early.

Last minute offers also work very well on important dates and in high season, as you will create a sense of fear of missing out. On the other hand, offers at the beginning of the year, from January to March and coinciding with the low season in most destinations, will also help you generate revenue and improve your conversion rate.

How to add an offer or promotion on Booking.com? It’s very simple:

Log in to the Booking.com user Extranet.
Go to the “Promotions” tab.
You can choose an offer template or customize it to your liking. Then simply click on “Configure offer”.
You can then activate it and publish it on the platform.

Conclusion: more visibility on Booking.com = better results

Although it may seem unfair, appearing on the first page of Booking.com is essential if you want to enjoy a continuous flow of visitors to your holiday rental. However, achieving this is not impossible, all it takes is time and dedication.

We hope these tips will help you improve your visibility on the platform and ensure that your bookings never falter. And remember, Smoobu is a Booking 2022 Premium Partner, which means that our users get special attention and services. Why not try it out and see for yourself?

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