Advertise on podcast: Heads In Beds Show

In this episode Conrad and Paul give an update on the ever-changing landscape of Google Ads and how we set them up (both homeowner and guest) into 2026 to get excellent results. Enjoy! ⭐️ Links & Show Notes Paul Manzey Conrad O'ConnellConrad's Book: Mastering Vacation Rental MarketingConrad's Course: Mastering Vacation Rental Marketing 101 🔗 Connect With BuildUp Bookings WebsiteBook A Call With Us🚀 About BuildUp Bookings BuildUp Bookings is a team of creative, problem solvers made to drive you more traffic, direct bookings and results for your accommodations brand. Reach out to us for help on search, social and email marketing for your vacation rental brand.

In this episode Conrad and Paul talk all about the death of the standard 60 day or 90 day booking windows and instead tell you what you need to work on inside of your vacation rental business to drive more demand and appropriately market your properties for maximum revenue and occupancy.  Enjoy! ⭐️ Links & Show Notes Paul Manzey Conrad O'ConnellConrad's Book: Mastering Vacation Rental MarketingConrad's Course: Mastering Vacation Rental Marketing 101 🔗 Connect With BuildUp Bookings WebsiteBook A Call With Us🚀 About BuildUp Bookings BuildUp Bookings is a team of creative, problem solvers made to drive you more traffic, direct bookings and results for your accommodations brand. Reach out to us for help on search, social and email marketing for your vacation rental brand.

In this episode Conrad and Paul break down building marketing opportunities with events. The duo specifically focuses on how to leverage landing pages, search volume trends, and other signals in your local community to take advantage of people traveling for these events. Drive more bookings with these tips. Enjoy! ⭐️ Links & Show Notes Paul Manzey Conrad O'ConnellConrad's Book: Mastering Vacation Rental MarketingConrad's Course: Mastering Vacation Rental Marketing 101 🔗 Connect With BuildUp Bookings WebsiteBook A Call With Us🚀 About BuildUp Bookings BuildUp Bookings is a team of creative, problem solvers made to drive you more traffic, direct bookings and results for your accommodations brand. Reach out to us for help on search, social and email marketing for your vacation rental brand.

In this episode Conrad and Paul talk about the realities of AI slop, how you know if you’re making real progress or fake progress, being fooled by hallucinations in AI data, and a lot more!  Enjoy! ⭐️ Links & Show Notes Paul Manzey Conrad O'ConnellConrad's Book: Mastering Vacation Rental MarketingConrad's Course: Mastering Vacation Rental Marketing 101 🔗 Connect With BuildUp Bookings WebsiteBook A Call With Us🚀 About BuildUp Bookings BuildUp Bookings is a team of creative, problem solvers made to drive you more traffic, direct bookings and results for your accommodations brand. Reach out to us for help on search, social and email marketing for your vacation rental brand.

Welcome to our second-ever guest episode! We're joined by Arthur Colker to chat all things direct bookings, OTAs vs direct booking "sourcing", what percent of Airbnb listings are direct bookable and a LOT more topics. A special thanks to Arthur for reaching out and joining us. Enjoy! ⭐️ Links & Show Notes Paul Manzey Conrad O'ConnellConrad's Book: Mastering Vacation Rental MarketingConrad's Course: Mastering Vacation Rental Marketing 101Arthur ColkerStayFi 🔗 Connect With BuildUp Bookings WebsiteBook A Call With Us🚀 About BuildUp Bookings BuildUp Bookings is a team of creative, problem solvers made to drive you more traffic, direct bookings and results for your accommodations brand. Reach out to us for help on search, social and email marketing for your vacation rental brand.

In this episode Conrad and Paul talk "All About Attribution" including how ads platforms track "bookings made", limits of pixels, how to proceed when you get conflicting data, Meta vs Google and a LOT more...  Enjoy! ⭐️ Links & Show Notes Paul Manzey Conrad O'ConnellConrad's Book: Mastering Vacation Rental MarketingConrad's Course: Mastering Vacation Rental Marketing 101 🔗 Connect With BuildUp Bookings WebsiteBook A Call With Us🚀 About BuildUp Bookings BuildUp Bookings is a team of creative, problem solvers made to drive you more traffic, direct bookings and results for your accommodations brand. Reach out to us for help on search, social and email marketing for your vacation rental brand.

In this episode Conrad and Paul take a crack at defining what a LLM / GEO / AEO whatever ya wanna call it audit should look like.  Want a copy of the audit? Email [email protected] with subject line "LLM Audit doc" and you'll get it!  Enjoy! ⭐️ Links & Show Notes Paul Manzey Conrad O'ConnellConrad's Book: Mastering Vacation Rental MarketingConrad's Course: Mastering Vacation Rental Marketing 101 🔗 Connect With BuildUp Bookings WebsiteBook A Call With Us🚀 About BuildUp Bookings BuildUp Bookings is a team of creative, problem solvers made to drive you more traffic, direct bookings and results for your accommodations brand. Reach out to us for help on search, social and email marketing for your vacation rental brand.

In this episode Conrad and Paul break down ALL of the sections you need to build a killer, lead-generating machine of a homeowner landing page. From the episode: 1. Hero The first thing a homeowner sees. A bold, benefit-driven headline, a subheadline with your USP, a compelling property photo, and a CTA (form or button). The entire job of this section is to get them to keep scrolling — or fill out the form immediately. 2. Trust Bar A slim strip of logos and proof points directly below the hero: Google rating, Airbnb/VRBO partner badges, VRMA membership, BBB, years in business, properties managed. Builds instant credibility before the homeowner has read a single word of copy. 3. Pain Point / Problem Agitation Addresses the homeowner's frustration before pitching solutions. Speaks to the stress of self-managing, the underwhelming results from big-box managers, or the fear of leaving money on the table. Creates emotional resonance and makes everything that follows feel relevant. 4. Earnings Estimator / Revenue Calculator An interactive tool where the owner enters their address or property details and gets a projected annual income range. One of the highest-converting elements on any owner page — makes the value immediately personal and tangible. 5. What Makes Us Different / USP Explains the core differentiators vs. competitors and self-managing. Boutique vs. national, local vs. generic, hands-on vs. automated. Should answer "why you specifically?" not just "why a manager?" 6. How It Works / Onboarding Process A 3–5 step visual walkthrough of what happens after a homeowner signs up — from evaluation to first booking. Reduces fear of the unknown and lowers the psychological friction of committing. 7. Full-Service Checklist / Everything Included An exhaustive breakdown of every service covered under management: dynamic pricing, professional photography, guest screening, 24/7 support, maintenance coordination, tax remittance, owner reporting, etc. Homeowners need to feel like every detail is handled. 8. Channel Distribution / Where You'll Be Listed A logo wall showing all the platforms their property will appear on — Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, direct site, Google Vacation Rentals. Reassures owners their home gets maximum market exposure. 9. Technology & Tools Showcases the software stack: PMS, dynamic pricing tool, channel manager, housekeeping platform, owner portal. Signals that you run a modern, professional operation — not a spreadsheet-based mom-and-pop. 10. Owner Portal Preview A screenshot or short UI demo of the owner dashboard. "See your bookings, earnings, and maintenance requests anytime." Transparency about visibility is one of the top concerns prospective owners have. 11. Explainer Video A 60–90 second video walking through the owner value prop — ideally featuring the founder or a real owner story. Vintory's research shows this alone can lift conversions by ~34%. 12. Owner Testimonials Full-name quotes from real homeowners, ideally with photo, property type, and location. Best if mixed between long-form narrative quotes and short punchy pull-quotes. Video testimonials are even better. 13. Owner Success Story / Case Study A single deep-dive narrative: one real owner, specific numbers, before/after comparison. "Sarah had a 2BR in Pacific Beach. Year one with us: $58,000 — 37% more than she earned solo." Makes results feel concrete and achievable. 14. Star Ratings & Review Count A standalone visual callout of your aggregate Google/Airbnb rating and review volume. Deserves its own moment rather than being buried in the trust bar. 15. Side-by-Side Comparison Table Self-managing vs. big national manager vs. you. One of the most persuasive conversion tools on the page. Directly neutralizes the "why not just list it myself?" objection with a visual, scannable answer. 16. Risk Reversals / Guarantees Placed near CTAs to eliminate commitment fear. No long-term contracts, no startup fees, satisfaction guarantee, 30-day out clause, performance guarantee — whatever you actually offer. Reduces the perceived risk of saying yes. 17. Local Market Expertise / Market Data Average nightly rates, occupancy benchmarks, peak season data, demand trends for your specific market. Positions your company as the local authority, not just a vendor. Especially powerful against national competitors. 18. About the Team / Company Story A brief, human section with founder photo and origin story. Builds emotional connection and trust — particularly important for boutique operators competing against faceless national brands. 19. FAQ / Objection Crusher An accordion of the real questions homeowners ask during the sales process: fees, personal use, damage protection, revenue reporting, how long to get started. Each answer should resolve a specific objection. 20. Press / Awards / Recognition Any local media coverage, industry awards, or "As Featured In" mentions. Even modest recognition adds a layer of legitimacy that social proof alone doesn't cover. 21. Property Types We Manage A visual grid showing the range of properties in your portfolio — condos, single-family homes, beach cottages, luxury homes. Helps different owner types self-identify and feel like you can handle their specific situation. 22. Final Lead Capture Form / CTA Section The conversion close at the bottom of the page. Mirrors the hero but with a softer, benefit-forward framing: "Discover Your Property's True Potential." Should include risk reversals nearby ("No obligation. No contracts."). 23. Sticky / Floating CTA A persistent bar or button that follows the user as they scroll — "Get Your Free Rental Estimate →". Critical on mobile where the hero form scrolls out of view almost immediately. Enjoy! ⭐️ Links & Show Notes Paul Manzey Conrad O'ConnellConrad's Book: Mastering Vacation Rental MarketingConrad's Course: Mastering Vacation Rental Marketing 101 🔗 Connect With BuildUp Bookings WebsiteBook A Call With Us🚀 About BuildUp Bookings BuildUp Bookings is a team of creative, problem solvers made to drive you more traffic, direct bookings and results for your accommodations brand. Reach out to us for help on search, social and email marketing for your vacation rental brand.

In this episode Conrad and Paul flip the script and break down WHY a hotel often is a better stay than a vacation rental.  Enjoy! ⭐️ Links & Show Notes Paul Manzey Conrad O'ConnellConrad's Book: Mastering Vacation Rental MarketingConrad's Course: Mastering Vacation Rental Marketing 101 🔗 Connect With BuildUp Bookings WebsiteBook A Call With Us🚀 About BuildUp Bookings BuildUp Bookings is a team of creative, problem solvers made to drive you more traffic, direct bookings and results for your accommodations brand. Reach out to us for help on search, social and email marketing for your vacation rental brand.

In this episode Conrad and Paul dive into a 2026 trend: your website traffic is up, but your bookings are down - why?  Enjoy! ⭐️ Links & Show Notes Paul Manzey Conrad O'ConnellConrad's Book: Mastering Vacation Rental MarketingConrad's Course: Mastering Vacation Rental Marketing 101 🔗 Connect With BuildUp Bookings WebsiteBook A Call With Us🚀 About BuildUp Bookings BuildUp Bookings is a team of creative, problem solvers made to drive you more traffic, direct bookings and results for your accommodations brand. Reach out to us for help on search, social and email marketing for your vacation rental brand.

In this episode Conrad and Paul give their regular update on AI: what tools they're using, what's changing, and how you can use it to grow and scale your vacation rental business. They talk ClawdBot (aka OpenClaw), traffic from LLMs going down month over month, prompt tracking value (it's useless?!), and what tools they're using MORE and LESS of...  Enjoy! ⭐️ Links & Show Notes Paul Manzey Conrad O'ConnellOpenClawNEW Research: AIs are highly inconsistent when recommending brands or products; marketers should take care when tracking AI visibilityChatGPT vs Google Traffic DataConrad's Book: Mastering Vacation Rental MarketingConrad's Course: Mastering Vacation Rental Marketing 101 🔗 Connect With BuildUp Bookings WebsiteBook A Call With Us🚀 About BuildUp Bookings BuildUp Bookings is a team of creative, problem solvers made to drive you more traffic, direct bookings and results for your accommodations brand. Reach out to us for help on search, social and email marketing for your vacation rental brand.

In this episode Conrad and Paul take a (not too far back) look into memory lane and see what's changed from 2020 to 2025 in marketing, brand, the Covid boom and bust and a LOT more. A casual chat!  Enjoy! ⭐️ Links & Show Notes Paul Manzey Conrad O'ConnellConrad's Book: Mastering Vacation Rental MarketingConrad's Course: Mastering Vacation Rental Marketing 101 🔗 Connect With BuildUp Bookings WebsiteBook A Call With Us🚀 About BuildUp Bookings BuildUp Bookings is a team of creative, problem solvers made to drive you more traffic, direct bookings and results for your accommodations brand. Reach out to us for help on search, social and email marketing for your vacation rental brand.

In this episode Conrad and Paul talk all about how much it actually costs to get direct bookings and scale your bookings with paid ads.  Enjoy! ⭐️ Links & Show Notes Paul Manzey Conrad O'ConnellConrad's Book: Mastering Vacation Rental MarketingConrad's Course: Mastering Vacation Rental Marketing 101 🔗 Connect With BuildUp Bookings WebsiteBook A Call With Us🚀 About BuildUp Bookings BuildUp Bookings is a team of creative, problem solvers made to drive you more traffic, direct bookings and results for your accommodations brand. Reach out to us for help on search, social and email marketing for your vacation rental brand.

In this episode Conrad and Paul talk about when and how to consider expanding your marketing and advertising into new channels you may not have used before like TikTok, Pinterest, native, Digital TV ads and more... Enjoy! ⭐️ Links & Show Notes Paul Manzey Conrad O'ConnellConrad's Book: Mastering Vacation Rental MarketingConrad's Course: Mastering Vacation Rental Marketing 101 🔗 Connect With BuildUp Bookings WebsiteBook A Call With Us🚀 About BuildUp Bookings BuildUp Bookings is a team of creative, problem solvers made to drive you more traffic, direct bookings and results for your accommodations brand. Reach out to us for help on search, social and email marketing for your vacation rental brand.

In this episode Conrad and Paul finish in part two their chat on how to best spend budget if you have between $3k and $10k a month in marketing budget.  Enjoy! ⭐️ Links & Show Notes Paul Manzey Conrad O'ConnellConrad's Book: Mastering Vacation Rental MarketingConrad's Course: Mastering Vacation Rental Marketing 101 🔗 Connect With BuildUp Bookings WebsiteBook A Call With Us🚀 About BuildUp Bookings BuildUp Bookings is a team of creative, problem solvers made to drive you more traffic, direct bookings and results for your accommodations brand. Reach out to us for help on search, social and email marketing for your vacation rental brand.