Would like to have your comments on Villa BellaVista

Get some feedback on your site or ad from other rental owners and techies. Also a library of online resources so you can make DIY improvements to your web presence.
pizza-salsa
Posts: 51
Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2012 9:34 am
Location: Trogir, Croatia
Contact:

Would like to have your comments on Villa BellaVista

Post by pizza-salsa »

hi there, I am new here, would be grateful to get some comments on our website (mainly the contents), it's with IO standard layout.

-house is on the Croatian coast, unique selling points are the amazing view, pool, proximity to the beach
-target market couples + families
-seaside vacation + Unesco sites + sailing

2013 will be our first rental season, but we want to rent just to friends, to get feedback etc. We are therefore not listed with any agencies / rental sites etc. and we don't have an "availability calender".
Just using the first season to test the water and getting the website, and everything else (inc. the pool) ready for when we will "go global" :wink:

thanks for looking and thanks in advance for your comments. :) :)
B&B netherlands
Posts: 659
Joined: Wed May 25, 2011 4:48 pm
Location: netherlands
Contact:

Post by B&B netherlands »

welcome to the forum!

i think you have a truly stunning property, what a pity you only rent in 2013 to friends... what are you going to respond if 'non friends' want to book, for that utterly low price...? you'll be findable through google, i suppose, as my B&B was pretty quickly as well, though i initially advertised on only one cheap listing site.

i LOVE your photos. the local atmosphere reminds me of the far more expensive places on the french mediterranean coast. you can truly compete with those, your place is the unaffordable dream 'there', but in a different corner of europe, croatia has much more to offer - i've only sailed from trieste to durres, along the croatian coastline.

rakija! get me a bottle... i've spent quite a few years in the past, in underdeveloped albania... raki was what i got offered, by the bottle, home distilled, in many cases. it takes some time to get used to it...

hope you get lots and lots of friends, lucky bastards!
User avatar
CSE
Posts: 4414
Joined: Mon Nov 06, 2006 3:34 pm
Location: Galicia

Post by CSE »

Arr I have to say straight away I do not like these iowners websites. They all look the same. So that a part here are some observations. Only in English, but I saw in another posting you are Italian you should make use of your multi lingual skills.

In your album could you take a photo of the hosue with the gates open or jus the other side of the gates?


Pricing; I am not sure about the use of the following:
Villa BellaVista is not advertised on the open market for the first 2013 holiday season, but will only be rented to friends.
For this first season we are applying heavily discounted rates, as it is a trial period for us and we would like to have lots of feedback.
I maybe missing a point here, but seeing you have a website up and running you are advertising the property. If you are then I suggest you change the words about this begin your trail period.

The rest seems in order, nice lot of detail and clear photos.
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
B&B netherlands
Posts: 659
Joined: Wed May 25, 2011 4:48 pm
Location: netherlands
Contact:

Post by B&B netherlands »

i do agree to that, should have explained as you do, casas. but was in doubt to put it as firmly as you do...

we all go through that stage. as long as you explain it to 'first guests', nobody will take offense.

friends might even not give you the feedback that others might give...? just a thought.
pizza-salsa
Posts: 51
Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2012 9:34 am
Location: Trogir, Croatia
Contact:

Post by pizza-salsa »

b&b and casasantoestevo, thank you very much for your comments!
Maybe we will phrase the "pricing" section differently, but that's actually what we want to do. It will not be advertised on rental sites, nor agencies, and for the first year we only want to rent to friends and family and we don't accept other bookings.
So the pricing "page" is for friends only for the 2013 season, so they can see it when we send them the link.
Once we start renting to the "open market" we will have a proper price list + availability calender.

And yes I will translate it also in German, Italian and Russian, but first I wanted some feedback (Forum...) about the contents, so I don't waste time having to change all the translations.... :(

Thanks again for your comments, much appreciated!
hobbo
Posts: 81
Joined: Sat Aug 25, 2012 8:28 pm
Location: Kalkan, Turkey
Contact:

Post by hobbo »

the io format is a bit restrictive but the site works you can find the info and looks like a really nice place, especially like the what to do suggestions.

Perhaps you should incorporate the availability calendar and full prices now, setting 2013 as not available, then when you email your friends and family you can tell them about availability and their special discounted price..

Also for search engine purposes I would include the word rental and holiday in the meta title.
I have a very responsible position, if anything goes wrong I'm responsible ..
www.villa-in-kalkan.co.uk
pizza-salsa
Posts: 51
Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2012 9:34 am
Location: Trogir, Croatia
Contact:

Post by pizza-salsa »

thank you Hobbo for taking the time to look at my website, and for your comments.

I think this pricing issue seems to create confusion, as the property is not yet available for everybody (we want to start slowly so we are doing a trial run the first summer), so I have changed this page and will email the rates only to friends & family.

sorry I am ignorant about meta and all that (just starting out...) how do I add these words in the meta title? (maybe it's not possible on IO, I don't know..). I will try and search other posts if this subject has already been mentioned for an IO site. Thank you also for pointing this out to me.
hobbo
Posts: 81
Joined: Sat Aug 25, 2012 8:28 pm
Location: Kalkan, Turkey
Contact:

Post by hobbo »

if you right click on your home page background and select show source code, it will open another window showing the code, you should be able to find the meta data which includes the phrase:
<title>Villa BellaVista -Trogir - Croatia </title>

google (and other search engines) use this data (along with other info) hence is should closely reflect what people might search for, so if people seach for BellaVista Croatia they may well find your site whilst if the search for holiday rentals in Croatia your site may not be found..

not sure but suspect IO may auto create the title, as each page is similar .. e.g. details page has:
<title>Villa BellaVista -Trogir - Croatia Details </title>
I have a very responsible position, if anything goes wrong I'm responsible ..
www.villa-in-kalkan.co.uk
pizza-salsa
Posts: 51
Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2012 9:34 am
Location: Trogir, Croatia
Contact:

Post by pizza-salsa »

Thank you ! I will try this.
Post Reply