Optimise your Holiday Let with a Google Business Profile

According to BrightLocal’s 2023 Local Business Discovery & Trust Report, Google Business Profile ranks as the most trusted platform for researching local businesses, meaning that setting up a Google Business profile can be a great way to boost occupancy rates.

With increasing demand for short-term breaks, having a Google Business Profile can help your property stand out from the competition and generate higher rental yields than those without.   While holiday let agencies can't create or verify a Google Business Profile on your behalf due to Google's verification process, the setup is simple and takes just a few minutes.

To find out how to optimise your Google listing, read our detailed step-by-step guide below:

How to set up a Google Business profile listing

• Sign up for a free Google Business Profile

• Complete all your details, including essential contact information and location

• Apply for verification, which usually takes between 3-4 days

 There are 5 ways to verify your listing:  

• By phone: You’ll receive a Google automated call or text with your verification code 

• By email: You will receive an email containing your verification code 

• By postcard: You will receive a postcard at your registered address containing your verification code

• By video recording: Record a video showing proof of location, your business equipment, and that you are an authorised manager of the business 

• By live video call: Show the same proof for the video recording but on a live call with a support representative 

The verification options change depending on whether you’ve added a location. If you have a physical location, then you need to verify your business by postcard. The postcard contains a five-digit code, which you’ll enter when logged into your account. 

Your Business Profile won’t become searchable until you verify it. So, while you have the option to skip business verification during your initial setup, you’ll need to verify your listing eventually. Google gives you 750 characters to briefly describe your business.

Tips to optimise your Google Business Profile

• Create a strong first impression by clearly highlighting your products or services

• Showcase your unique selling points - is the property in a honeypot location? Do you have a coastal or rural property? Is it a pet-friendly holiday let?

• Build customer confidence and trust for your holiday let with verified Google Reviews

Use high-quality photos

When it comes to showcasing your property's best features, using high-quality images is a great way to achieve this.

Get your holiday let photo-ready by furnishing the property to a high standard and keeping rooms clutter-free. 

Respond to guest reviews

Communication is key to guest satisfaction, especially when it comes to holiday letting. Thanking guests for feedback and addressing any concerns promptly can be one of the best ways to improve your holiday let guest reviews.

Update information regularly

When it comes to marketing your holiday let, it's important to keep everything up to date. Ensure your property listing includes accurate details about your holiday let and its features.

What are the benefits of a Google Business Profile?

Increased visibility

When guests search for properties in your area on Google Maps or Google search, your property is more likely to appear in the results and generate traffic to your business.

Having a Google Business Profile can be a powerful marketing tool that allows you to showcase your property's information and boost your ranking on search engine results pages, attracting potential bookings your way.

Working with a holiday let agent such as Sykes can also help increase exposure and generate consistent year-round bookings to your holiday let from multiple platforms.

Direct bookings

Including a link to your property page directly in your Google Business profile creates a seamless experience for interested guests to book their stay.

In conclusion, creating a Google Business Profile increases the visibility of your business, which can attract more guests to your property and maximise your rental income.

If you're thinking of letting your property, read our comprehensive guide to setting up a holiday home with Sykes and start reaping the rewards of hassle-free holiday letting.