Everything to do with using your own website to advertise your rental property. Design, usability, hosting, getting listed on the search engines, optimising your site, pay-per-click, etc, etc.
Well, it's been 5 years. Bought my place in Turkey, did it up. Then bought my place in Languedoc, nearly killed my self doing it up but it is nearly finished.
It's high time I started advertising them online and want my own website. I figure I'm going to need 15 - 20 pages and I'm looking for one of those companies where you get your domain, they host the site for you and, most importantly, they include a website builder too (I would love to get into Dreamweaver but have decided I don't have the time for now).
Anyhow, 1&1 looked perfect for my needs but then I find out that their website builder doesn't offer enough pages Ok, I could get one of their business packages but it's going to cost over 120quid a year! I'm looking for 30-50quid a year.
Any much needed advice, fellow holiday rental owners?
Do you really need 15-20 pages??? Are you not in danger of having an overcomplicated website?
I have managed very well for the past 3 years with just 8 pages and I have just taken 2 new bookings this week for 2 more weeks in November, bringing my total number of weeks rented out this year to 39...
So remember - size isn't everything
Good luck with your venture! (My dad's Turkish by the way!!!!)
PS - I have signed up with 1and1 and I am impressed with them so far (although I haven't yet transferred my main website onto them, for no other reason than lack of time). But I do recommend them, and they had been recommended to me by a number of other people.
I use 1&1 as well and aside from the fact I hate the template constrictions they're fine. I think you'll find if you take the basic package you then have the option to upgrade to unlimited pages for a couple of extra quid a month, Well I do.
I used to host lots of websites with them and they had a good customer service team but they moved it to India and now they either don't pick up the phone or keep you hanging on for 30 mins and then still can't answer your question.
I use Fasthosts, they are really good. I have changed most of my hosting over to them. Their customer service team are excellent. Also they have great extra add on items, like accepting online payments and bookings. Which come in very handy when building a holiday home rental. Well see what you think of my site Gino, banskobulgaria.co.uk This is using Fasthosts.
I have one domain with www.123-reg.co.uk (who are pipex). I haven't done much to the site, have a look, pieceofthepie.co.uk but this option was very cheap. I can't remember exactly but it was about £40 for the year. This included 10 pages. I think the website looks professional enough for this price !
Wow!! Thanks everyone for the replies and great advice. I've spent some time looking at all your suggestions and websites. It really has been a great help.
Garlic, I'm especially interested in what you said about taking the cheapest 1&1 package then upgrading for more pages at a few extra pounds a month.
How would I go about this? I mean, I already have a firm number of pages in mind for the website (around 14-16), so I will want those number of pages immediately and not gradually more over time. Is it just a matter of signing up for the beginner package and calling up for straight away for an upgrade? What if they tell me I have to take the business package? Please advise on course of action.
This may make me unpopular, but I wouldn't skimp on a website hosting package because of price. I would of course try to find the best price for the features I wanted, but I would never host my site with a company that limited the number of pages I could have to anything near what I felt I needed. Who knows what the future will bring?
Over the years I have become convinced that our website is our primary bread-winner. Plenty of our clients find our website directly and book without ever seeing our ad on a listing site. But even those that find us on listing sites are often convinced by our personal web site (and tell us so).
I think it's well worth 120 quid per year.
But you can also find hosting packages that would easily handle anything a small website (like most of ours are) can throw at it, for very little money. godaddy.com has a hosting package that is US$3.59 per month (for a year), and whose limitations are likely well beyond what a small website would need. For example, as long as you don't store masses of huge images on your site, 14-16 pages would barely make a dent in the 5GB of storage offered with that package, and it leaves plenty of room for expanding your site later on.
I'm sure these types of things can be found for sites hosted in the UK, non?
If being honest leads to unpopularity you are only joint first in the queue.
A few weeks ago a round of drinks in the Edinburgh Holiday Inn cost me the thick end of £60, and I'm going to argue about a full year's worth of Web Site hosting for £120? I don't think so!
Ok within my 1&1 control panel I have the option to upgrade to 'website builder plus' at 4.99 a month. This would give me unlimited pages and lots of other lovely features that I really can't do without. I'm a bit of a skin flint or rather a skint flint but I think that's quite reasonable, part of the reason I haven't done it yet is because I can't quite decide whether to separate my sites ie: have one for my Llama business and then another for my Gite in which case two of the basic packages would suit me or to upgrade the package I have and within my one site try to create two sites if you see what I mean I'm not sure and it's all web stuff to me and not my strength.
Ultimately, your website is only of any value if you have visitors. Sure, you can get inbound links but my experience is that most visits come from google. Doesn't matter who you use, expensive or not, if it is not highly rated by google for your keywords it is an expensive accessory.
You need to discuss this with your suppliers and ask for examples of previous clients.
Having said that, I'm heartbroken that I've lost my No 1 spot with google.com this week. I'm now No 2 from 38m references for "Languedoc". But I've been working on it !
Ok, I could get one of their business packages but it's going to cost over 120quid a year! I'm looking for 30-50quid a year.
I'm not sure and it's all web stuff to me and not my strength.
