SEO Optimization and what website builders being used for Websites

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SEO Optimization and what website builders being used for Websites

Andy RouschPro Member
Investor · Mt. Arlington NJ · Member since 2018 · 251 posts · 143 votes

Hey all! 

For your property websites, weather if its a direct booking site or not, what website builders are you using? And what are you using to help optimize the SEO? 

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Collin HaysBusiness Member
Property Manager · Gatlinburg, TN · Member since 2020 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
1y

If you are in the vacation rental business, spending even a nickel on SEO is a complete waste of money.  If would be as if you were manufacturing brooms and decided to try to out-market Amazon. There is practically no amount of money that would get you there.

Market on VRBO and/or Airbnb and call it done.

[email protected]806-672-7102
SMOKY MOUNTAIN FALLS INC.51 Review
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  • Michael BaumPro Member
    Olympia, WA · Member since 2016 · 8k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    1y

    Hey @Andy Rousch, so we have a site saved over at Bluehost, but I haven't built it out. It would be a Wordpress site due to the easy to use nature and all the great plug-in's and widgets available.

    Regarding SEO, there are some basic products that help but SEO has gotten so complex over the years, you really need to hire a SEO company to set it all up a make it worthwhile.

    The cost could be exorbitant so it might not be worth the effort.

    2Reply
    • Eugen Adrian Popa
      Member since 2026 · 21 posts · 7 votes
      3mo
      Quote from @Michael Baum:

      Hey @Andy Rousch, so we have a site saved over at Bluehost, but I haven't built it out. It would be a Wordpress site due to the easy to use nature and all the great plug-in's and widgets available.

      Regarding SEO, there are some basic products that help but SEO has gotten so complex over the years, you really need to hire a SEO company to set it all up a make it worthwhile.

      The cost could be exorbitant so it might not be worth the effort.


       Hey there Michael, as the owner of a software company, I would suggest that you do not use wordpress. Though it may seem easy to use, the platform itself is very, very vulnerable to attacks. Hackers buy plugins that are developed for wordpress and then they update them to steal your data, or vulnerabilities can be used to use your host as an attack point for ddos attacks, and so much more. Not to mention that wordpress is just incredibly slow. In this day and age, it needs to load fast, otherwise you lose the few visitors you work so hard to get. 15 years ago Wordpress was the easy choice, but not anymore, not if you want security and high conversion rates.

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  • Collin HaysBusiness Member
    Property Manager · Gatlinburg, TN · Member since 2020 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    1y

    If you are in the vacation rental business, spending even a nickel on SEO is a complete waste of money.  If would be as if you were manufacturing brooms and decided to try to out-market Amazon. There is practically no amount of money that would get you there.

    Market on VRBO and/or Airbnb and call it done.

    [email protected]806-672-7102
    SMOKY MOUNTAIN FALLS INC.51 Review
    WebsiteView Page
    4Reply
  • Jon Martin
    Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    1y

    The Go Daddy vacation rental template was good enough for me and super easy. You don't need much. 

    That said I tried to make a more extensive (yet not complicated) website on word press and it was a nightmare. Square Space is super easy and intuitive. 

    1Reply
  • Edgar U.
    Real Estate Agent · VA · Member since 2008 · 420 posts · 175 votes
    1y

    I personally don't like wordpress sites since they attract a lot of spam. That being said, they do the best in SEO. If you get a carrot site and hire someone from Fiverr you should get ranked pretty quickly. Just make sure it's something local to get better rankings. I do.think that nowadays whoever you hire as an SEO consultant needs to know how to get your ranked for AI as well since the search is giving it priority ranking.

    1Reply
  • Andy RouschPro Member
    OP
    Investor · Mt. Arlington NJ · Member since 2018 · 251 posts · 143 votes
    1y

    @Jon Martin Thanks for the tip on the Go Daddy vacation rental template! That is who I used to purchase my domain name, so I will check for their template as well 

    1Reply
  • Garrett BrownPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Houston, TX · Member since 2024 · 505 posts · 551 votes
    1y

    I use wordpress using Hospitable Widgets for my website. I used Hike SEO to build my SEO out, we do blogs to increase SEO, and try to get as many backlinks to our website as we can throughout. 

    [email protected]
    BiggerPockets
    2Reply
  • Sarah KensingerPro Member
    Real Estate Consultant · OH · Member since 2023 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    1y

    Lots of hosts are enjoying the use of Market my STR created by Bill Faeth and Go Market My STR made by another host whose name is slipping my mind. We haven't used either program but I believe at least one builds out the site and SEO.

    [email protected]330-557-3021
    1Reply
  • Trent Reeve
    Atlanta · Member since 2022 · 706 posts · 634 votes
    9mo
    Quote from @Account Closed:

    I’m a bit late here, but I’ve noticed big differences in how much control each builder gives you. WordPress still feels strongest for things like page speed tweaks and plugins, but Wix and Squarespace have gotten better with clean URLs and schema. Curious if anyone has seen real ranking jumps after switching platforms or if content and backlinks mattered more for you.

    unfortunately, the little guy is never going to make hay against the big players. its like using a bucket to empty the ocean. We went different and name our properties with unique name and find a way to work it into the pictures. they if someone searches on that name it will come up.
    0Reply
  • Jules Aton
    MD/DC · Member since 2024 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    9mo

    Would Houfy be an option instead of website? A booking site without the hassles of you know who.

    https://www.houfy.com/

    0Reply
  • Andrew Street
    Member since 2019 · 1k+ posts · 292 votes
    9mo

    Hey! Great question.

    For property websites, a lot of hosts and operators use WordPress (with themes like Elementor or WPBakery) or Webflow for more control and flexibility. For simpler setups or direct booking pages, Squarespace and Wix are also popular and easy to manage.

    For SEO, common tools are Yoast SEO or Rank Math (if using WordPress), plus Google Search Console and Google Analytics to track performance. Some folks also use SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Ubersuggest for keyword research and optimization.

    If direct bookings are the goal, integrating a channel manager/booking engine like Hospitable, OwnerRez, Lodgify, or Guesty also helps with both SEO and conversion.

    Hope that helps — happy to connect and learn from others in the vlog too!

    1Reply
  • Faxetyoqa Alek
    Member since 2026 · 2 posts · 1 vote
    3mo

    WordPress is great for its flexibility and SEO capabilities. Use tools like Yoast SEO or Rank Math to improve visibility and consider booking engines for increased direct bookings.

    1Reply
  • Eliza Midee
    Virtual Assistant · Member since 2026 · 11 posts · 4 votes
    3mo

    We’ve worked with a few different setups for direct booking websites, and the best results have come from keeping the infrastructure simple and conversion-focused.

    For website builders, we’ve primarily used Squarespace and Lodgify. Both integrate well with booking calendars and channel management tools, and they’re relatively straightforward to maintain without needing heavy technical support.

    From an SEO perspective, we focus on fundamentals rather than overly complex tools:

    • Location-specific landing pages with clear keyword structure
    • Consistent content development targeting local search intent
    • Optimizing Google Business Profile for visibility and trust signals
    • Ensuring strong site performance (mobile speed, UX, and clean navigation)

    Happy to share more specific thoughts:)

    1Reply
  • Faxetyoqa Alek
    Member since 2026 · 2 posts · 1 vote
    2mo

    I've been in a similar boat with direct booking sites, and I found seo consulting services super helpful for boosting visibility. Their comprehensive package really made a difference in organic traffic and keyword rankings. Plus, they had great client support throughout the process. Using their services along with tools like Yoast SEO or Rank Math can solidify your SEO strategy, while integrating booking platforms for seamless conversions.

    0Reply
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