Direct booking website for your rental: software or custom?
For owners of one to a few properties. What rental software websites do well, where a custom site wins, and what actually brings direct bookings.
First, what brings direct bookings
A website does not create guests by existing. Direct bookings mostly come from three places: past guests who want to come back, people searching Google for the type of stay you offer in your area, and word of mouth. The website's job is to be easy to find for those people and to make booking feel safe.
- Real photos and honest details
- Clear total price, with fees shown before the last step
- Visible cancellation and house rules
- Secure payment on a site that looks professional
- Reviews from real guests, shown accurately
- Pages about the area and seasons that people actually search
Rental software websites
Lodgify, Hostaway, Guesty, OwnerRez and similar tools include a website builder connected to their booking engine and channel manager. If you already use one for calendars and messaging, their website is the quickest path to taking direct bookings.
- Good: fast setup, payments and calendar built in, one bill
- Less good: template design, limited SEO control, monthly fee, site tied to the subscription
A custom website
A custom site is designed around your property and region, gives you full control over content and search pages, and costs little to run. It can sync calendars from the platforms, and add direct booking when you are ready, or link to your software's booking engine.
- Good: your design, strong SEO, owned outright, low running costs
- Less good: higher upfront cost, and a channel manager may still be useful if you list on several platforms
Comparison
| Rental software site | Custom site | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Low | Higher |
| Monthly cost | Subscription | Hosting only |
| Design | Templates | Built for your property |
| SEO and content | Limited | Full control |
| Direct booking | Built in | Added when you are ready |
| If you cancel | Site goes with it | Site stays yours |
A path that works for many owners
- Start with a custom showcase site with synced calendar and inquiry form
- Build local pages and a guest email list
- Add direct booking with payment once inquiries come in regularly
More on our vacation rental websites.
Questions, answered
Can I take direct bookings without a channel manager?
With one or two platforms, iCal sync works for many owners. With many channels or properties, a channel manager is safer.
Do I need a business license or permit?
Rules for short term rentals vary by city, province and country. Check yours before taking direct bookings.
Will Google show my rental?
Google can show vacation rentals in its travel features through approved partners, and your site can rank for regional searches with good content.
Keep reading
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