Building a website for STR properties

[Bruce Woodruff]

I'm building a website on WIX. It has 3 properties on it, all on different pages, plus an 'About Us' page and a 'Contact Info' page. I read people on here stressing the need for a website so here I go.....

First time doing this so any/all advise and criticism welcome. Lots of photos v few photos? Lots of text v little verbiage?

After it is built, how do I promote it so that people looking for rentals?

And is the purpose of a website to bypass ABNB or VRBO, or to just have more exposure in general?

Thank You All.....

[Ken Boone]

So I have a website as well but like @Jon Crosby said as far as generating new traffic and leads you can forget it.  My cabins are in the Smoky Mountains with 20,000 other cabins to which a large portion of them are in management companies promoting their cabins on their own websites.  You won't rank on your keywords or even be able to compete.  

These are the reasons I have a website:

1) It helps legitimize your business

2) It is a landing page I can send people to.  It is a lot easier to just tell them go to peacefulcabinrentals.com to see my cabins than it is for me to give them a vrbo or airbnb reference.  It is just easier.  

3) It gives me a website I can put on an email signature, a business card or any promotional material I may decide to use.

Generating tons of traffic so I don't need vrbo and airbnb  - ain't gonna happen.

Hope that helps.