We’ve integrated the Facebook “Like” buttons to all listings. If you “like” a listing on VacationRentalDirect.com and you are a logged member of Facebook, the listing title will appear on your activity feed in Facebook. It can be a great way to showcase your own property or a property you like or recently stayed at, to all your friends on Facebook!

Like a listing today!

We’ve always had the ability to share VacationRentalDirect.com property listings on the top social networking sites.  However, we recently updated this technology to allow Facebook users to post their property directly into their Facebook “Wall”.

Here are a couple of examples:

Periodically posting your listing to your wall is a great way to introduce your property to your network of friends.   If your friends like it, they in turn will visit your listing on VacationRentalDirect.com and may add the listing to their wall, thus introducing your property to their network of friends, starting the process all over again.

Social media vacation rental marketing, if done correctly, can be a powerful way to gain exposure for your vacation rental.

To share your listing on Facebook,  first mouseover the “+ Share Listing” image at the top of your listing.

Next click on the Facebook icon

and finally, add some introductory text to introduce the property to your friends on facebook, choose the image of your property that you would like displayed in the posting and then Share it with all of your friends!!

I’ve gotten many compliments on the VRD (VacationRentalDirect.com) design and ease of use over the years. But the reality is that web 2.0 is here to stay and our interface needs to be easier to search for, and sort through, thousands of properties. I am excited about the new design. I think it retains the best components of the current design and builds upon the foundation of a web 2.0 architecture.

In short, it’s hot. And you’ll like it. Just as important, I think it will decrease our bounce rate, increase the number of inquiries generated for our property owners and also increase the number of pageview per visit!

All great things!! Stay tuned, I am hoping to get this launched in two weeks.

I’m jazzed! My wife and I have been looking for a vacation rental or timeshare rental (gasp!) to spend a week on the beach in either North Carolina or South Carolina. There are some amenities which are important to us, especially now that we have a one year old daughter. Requirements:

1) On the ocean with a deck overlooking the ocean
2) Kiddie splash pool for our daughter
3) Short walk to the beach
4) Very nice pool with umbrellas
5) 2 bedroom + / 2 bath with king bed and high speed wireless Internet
6) Dining on site or very close
7) updated rooms with nice beds
exercise facility
9) within 6 hours of our home in North Carolina
10) Reasonable weekly rates

Then today, while reviewing the new listings for the day, I noticed that the development team at Grande Villas on Emerald Isle in Indian Beach, North Carolina had posted a couple of listings for their 2 bedroom and 3 bedroom vacation rental condos. That place looks amazing! Here is their vacation rental widget from their listing, click on the widget to view more details:

Oceanfront Villa with Fitness Center & Club Lounge United States » North Carolina » Atlantic Beach View This Listing at VacationRentalDirect.com 3 Bedrooms & 3 Full Baths on the Ocean! Imagine feeling the sand between your toes & hearing the waves crash against the shore as you refresh your soul at your new oceanfront retreat. Property Details Listing: 13950 Type: Condo Sleeps : 6 to 8 Bed(s): 3 Bed(s): 3 Pets: Yes Children: Yes Pool :Yes Smoking: No Amenities Air Condition Phone Washers & Dryer DVD Player Stove Internet

Contact: Nathan Wax Phone: (252) 354-3315

Vacation Rentals By Owner | VacationRentalDirect.com | Vacation Homes

I don’t like direct linking to the website of competitors, but the rental team at Emerald Isle Realty has done a nice job of promoting the units on their website, check it out.

Update 2/23/09: My wife and I got a great deal from Nathan at Emerald Isle on a 3 bedroom unit at Grande Villas in late May. Make sure to ask Nathan if they have any specials! I’ll take lots of pictures and videos and post them we we get back!

Located on the Northwest hillside of Pointe Milou, overlooking the Bay de Saint Jean. This place is secluded but convenient. Featuring a private infinity pool, incredible views and a shade terrace with waterfall this vacation rental has it all for the discriminating traveler!

Private 2 bedroom villa magnificent view. Caribbean » St Barthelemy » Pointe Milou View This Listing at VacationRentalDirect.com A new, premier vacation villa, Écoute Ton Coeur (Listening Heart), is professionally designed to bring the most magnificent ocean view of Point Milou into it’s living space. This private, two bedroom villa offers comfort and luxury, harmony surrounds Property Details Listing: 10472 Type: Villa Sleeps : 2 to 4 Bed(s): 2 Bed(s): 2 Pets: No Children: Yes Pool :Yes Smoking: Yes Amenities Air Condition Phone Radio Washers & Dryer TV Cable DVD Player

Contact: Michael Melesurgo Phone: 732-735-8656

VacationRentalDirect.com | Vacation Rental Software

I didn’t have the EPS files for the old logo and it was time to inject a little more color into the site. The blog and the helpspot support area have not been updated yet, but we are getting there. We’ll be relaunching the rest of the index page soon. It’s just time to mix things up a little!!!