Increase Your Bookings with Perfect Boat Listing Descriptions

Secure more bookings and help grow your business to reach more customers than ever before on Getmyboat.

When renters use Getmyboat, they are often browsing dozens of options in their selected city and comparing various offerings available to them for their desired dates. It can be tough to choose when there are many boats and yachts of similar specs available, but one way to make your boats stand out and capture the attention of a renter is to write clear and detailed descriptions. If you haven’t updated your boat listing descriptions in a while, here are some suggestions for polishing them to attract more customers who are ready to book with you.

Regularly Updated Listings Get More Bookings

When it comes to your boat listings, “set it and forget it” is not the best strategy to secure more business and convert interested renters into confirmed and paying customers. Regularly updating your boat descriptions/listing titles to reflect seasonal changes, special events, (i.e., rent a boat during Summer Fest 2022!), new special offerings on your charters, and weekend deals can lead to more secured bookings. Changing your title to “SUNDAY SPECIAL!” on a Friday to offer a small discount or deal for an unbooked Sunday can lead to a full day of confirmed bookings and more money for your boat rental business.

Guide to Updating Your Listings on Getmyboat

Title

The title of your boat listing should be spicy! This is the initial attention-grabber that will get renters to click on your listing for more information. Don’t use obvious adjectives or boring descriptions. This is the place to pop in any information that makes your boat charters unique and enticing.

Despite what some people seem to think, using ALL CAPS does not work as well to entice renters as specific, descriptive words do. A TITLE IN ALL CAPS CAN BE OVERWHELMING AND SUBCONSCIOUSLY CAUSE A RENTER TO KEEP SCROLLING. Don’t yell at your customers, invite them in to learn more!

Listing Images

Display the best images first. Add a beautiful cover photo to catch the renter’s attention. Blurry, outdated, or low-quality images are a no-go, especially for the first four uploaded. The pixels of your images should be, at minimum, 1024 x 768 @ 72dpi.

Upload at least 5-10 high-quality images showing a variety of aspects of your boat - multiple angles, interior, and exterior, as well as photos from renters or with people enjoying your boat.

Listing Photo Tips & Tricks

1. Take clear, high-quality photos of your boat from multiple angles on the water. It’s good to highlight both the interior and exterior, any special features (waterslides, galley kitchens, bimini tops, extra seating, bedrooms, etc.)
2. Include photos of people onboard. Guests can give permission to use their pictures or if you’ve done photoshoots with models for marketing purposes, upload those photos to your Getmyboat listing. Nothing helps convince a renter to book more than seeing photos that show other people having a good time on your boat!
3. Add photos of the experiences you offer and the surroundings that can be explored with your boat. Don’t just show photos of your boat on a trailer or in a dock slip - show renters the places they can see on the water when they rent your boat.
4. Do not include any photos with direct contact information, company logos, or watermarks on Getmyboat. This will be blurred and will decrease the image quality.

1st Part of Description

The first paragraph of 250 characters which are initially visible on your listing once a renter clicks on it. Writing a brief and snappy summary of what renters can expect to enjoy with you is a great way to draw them in to read more. This is also a good place to put any important updates. (ex. holiday or seasonal offers, event-specific pricing, or new vessel features)

Full Description

This is where you’ll want to include as much detail as possible about your boat and the experiences you offer. It’s a good idea to break up the full description into paragraph sections or bullet points with clear sub-categories so renters can easily find the relevant information they are looking for.

Details to Include on Your Boat Listing’s Full Description:

Include an Accurate Description of the Boat/Vessel. This is crucial. When a renter sees your boat for the first time, they want to feel they are getting exactly what they booked when they confirmed and paid online.

Boat Specs/Details to Include:

• Boat Length
• Make & Model
• Year
• Guest Capacity

Rental & Charter Rates

• Add specific weekend pricing (if different than weekday)
• Note any days that have discounted rates
• Clearly state if fuel is included in your listing price
• Clarify if a captain’s fee is included in your listing price
• Rates based on duration (hourly, 3-hour, half-day, full-day, etc.)
• Expected gratuity and preferred form of payment, i.e., cash, Venmo.

Remember, Getmyboat does not handle tips/gratuity.

Highlight Experiences & Events on Your Boat

• Do you offer special experiences beyond the scope of a regular boat cruise? Talk about it! Sunset cruises, dolphin tours, harbor tours, island-hopping, and other unique offerings like this are things people are looking for when renting a boat. Think of any unique experiences specific to your area that you can provide for your renters. all the things that boat owners in your area get to experience that non-boat owners may not have access to. These
• Do you specialize in celebrations? If you’ve officiated or helped host weddings, elopements, bachelor parties, birthday parties, etc.
• Specific locations you can visit (for example - sandbars, islands, waterfront restaurants)
• If you offer catering options/ full-service bar

Add Special Boat Amenities or Unique Features

It’s important to highlight boat amenities that would entice renters to book with you. These aspects add value to your listing and give renters an idea of how they would spend their day on your watercraft. Include features that add convenience, comfort, and fun to a trip!

Examples of what to include:

• Bluetooth speaker/sound system details
• Kitchen & utensil offerings
• Grill/BBQ
• Seating and dining area capacity
• Canopy/Bimini Top for shade on the deck
• Bathroom
• Swimming ladder
• Cooler with Ice
• Snacks & drinks
• Tubes, floating mats, lily pads, and other water toys
• If renters are welcome to bring their own food & drinks
• If your boat is pet-friendly

Full Descriptions will reduce the amount of messaging and back and forth with each renter. They will improve the quality of your inquiries and such convert more into business. Just make sure to respond quickly!

Highlight Your Boating Background & Experience

When renters book a boat with you, they aren’t just booking a vessel. They are booking an experience with you as their captain or rental provider, and communicating your skills and background can help renters feel confident in their choices. Owners who have detailed and completed profiles secure more bookings than owners with templated content in their profiles.

Encourage Guests to Leave Reviews

After you’ve completed a trip, you can kindly ask your guests to leave a review on your listing. Real customer reviews are great recommendations and unbiased opinions from past customers. Having reviews attached to your listing can be the key to customers booking with you. You can also better understand the customer experience you provide from reading reviews and using the feedback to improve overall customer satisfaction.

Examples of Top Boat Listings on Getmyboat

Sail Right from South Beach!

42' Spacious Yacht in Newport Beach