While a robust first page impression rate can drive potential guests to your listing, the true success metric is your conversion rate: how many of those visitors actually book your property?
When Pam, a property owner, faced a conversion crisis, Jeff from IntelliHost stepped in. Let’s dive into Pam’s transformation journey.
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Pam’s Problem
Although Pam’s IntelliHost dashboard painted a rosy picture for her first-page impression rate at 50%, a deep dive revealed conversion challenges. While she was ahead in garnering clicks compared to her competitors, she was not converting these into actual bookings as efficiently.
Her conversion rate was consistently below .46% while her competitors were enjoying rates of 0.66% +. This meant Pam’s property was much less likely to be booked.
The Diagnosis
Pam’s property listing checked most of the boxes:
- No additional guest fees that could deter potential guests.
- An efficient property description with clear bullet points.
- Positive recent reviews.
So, where was the problem? It lay in a seemingly minor detail: Pam required guests to answer questions before booking. This small ask was, in fact, a significant barrier.
The strong language employed to communicate this requirement might have deterred even the well-intentioned guests, projecting a potential difficulty in dealing with the host.
The Solution
IntelliHost’s recommendation was straightforward: remove the barrier. By enabling auto-book with requirements for verified identities and good reviews, Pam could still ensure quality guests without hindering the booking process.
The Results
Just 16 days after implementing this change, the transformation was evident:
- First page impression rate: Increased from 50% to 52%.
- Click rate: Remained steady at 22%.
- Conversion rate: Jumped from below 0.46% to an MASSIVELY improved 1.23%.
The result of this near 2.5x increase in conversion rate was astounding: Pam’s revenue skyrocketed from $2,400 to $8,700 in just over two weeks.
Conclusion
Pam’s journey is a testament to the fact that sometimes, it’s the smallest barriers that can hinder the biggest successes. By understanding guest behavior and making informed tweaks to property listings based on IntelliHost’s insights, vacation rental managers and hosts can witness significant growth in bookings and revenue.
Are you ready to identify and tackle your property’s hidden challenges? Begin your optimization journey using IntelliHost today.
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