If you think about the last time you read a good novel, it probably wasn’t the story that got you immersed in the book to start with, it was the opening lines; the way the writer drew you into the narrative, and the descriptive text that had you identifying with the characters from the get-go.

You might not have thought about your vacation rental listing as an opportunity to tell a compelling story, but Jessica Vozel of Guest Hook, believes that is exactly what you should do.

In this episode, Jessica, who is a seasoned travel copywriter, walks us through the creation of a persuasive listing from headlines that pique interest through to captivating captions for your images. She uses some great examples such as the VRBO listings she found for an upcoming stay in Austin, Texas, that prompted the click through to the main listing page. And that is what we all want to happen.

Tweet: Truly the best way to capture #vacationrental bookings. @JessicaVozel talks #copywriting http://ctt.ec/Uz99M+ pic.twitter.com/fNEG49

Thank you to Tyann Marcinck @MarcinkDesigns, Phil Schofield @schofields and Jeff Cospolich @JeffCospolich for your questions on Twitter. Jessica addresses all these and more in our interview.

Jessica shares:

• Why and how she became a travel copywriter, with a shout-out to Matt Landau
• The biggest mistakes she sees made in listings and how to address them
• Why writing as if you were talking to a friend makes a real difference between bland text and a captivating listing
• The top clichés and overused language
• How to use clear and concrete language to make descriptive text stand out
• Some examples of outstanding headlines
• Ways to write a compelling owner bio
• The one-hour listing revitalization process (free download!)
• Other areas good copywriting can make a difference
• What Guest Hook is and why it works for owners and agencies

Links and sites mentioned in this episode:

Guest Hook
Austin Soul House on VRBO

Where you can find Jessica:

Website

Twitter

Facebook

LinkedIN