How to maximise your earnings with a great quality listing before the peak season

As summer approaches, thousands of Aussies and international travellers are already planning their summer adventures, eager to explore our stunning landscapes and spend quality time with their friends and families. This year, RV travel is predicted to surge again over summer, creating a massive demand for motorhomes, campervans and caravans for holidaymakers to hire.

As a Camplify RV owner running a thriving small business or side hustle, to ensure your RV converts this high demand into maximum bookings and earnings with the peak summer season approaching, now is the time to ensure you have a great listing to maximise your profit potential.

In this blog, we’ll dive into the best strategies to optimise your RV listing on Camplify, attract more hirers and increase your earnings this summer.

Why a great listing matters

While Camplify has a dedicated marketing team working hard to drive hirers to the platform, it’s also essential, as an owner, to ensure your listing is optimised to attract those hirers and increase your bookings. With thousands of RV owners listing their RVs on Camplify, having a great listing helps you stand out from the crowd.

A great listing with clear, inviting images and a compelling description does more than just showcase your vehicle, it appeals more to a hirer, let’s them know your RV meets their needs and allows them to fully imagine themselves beginning their next unforgettable adventure in your RV.

Beyond appearances, a top-quality listing is vital because Camplify’s search algorithm prioritises them, meaning if your listing is great, hirers are more likely to see it when searching.

How the Camplify search algorithm works, and how to make it work in your favour

Camplify’s algorithm is designed to connect hirers with the perfect RV for their trip. Search results are personalised based on each hirer’s criteria, making it easier to find and book the ideal RV for their next adventure. It’s important to know how this search algorithm works, to ensure you’re making it work in your favour where possible.

How to optimise your listing to appear higher in search

Camplify’s search algorithm evaluates multiple factors to determine the best order for search results. Some criteria carry more weight than others, and a combination of these elements shapes the final ranking. The system also ensures a diverse selection of RVs are displayed, giving hirers the flexibility to choose the best option for their trip.

• Engagement: Fast response times to requests and in-app communication can improve your listing’s visibility in search results.

Tip for owners: Make sure you’re responding to all requests from hirers in a timely manner - whether you’re accepting or declining a booking request!

• Membership status: Camplify Premium Members are prioritised in search. Becoming a Premium Member will not only boost your listing in search results, but also gives you a reduced commission fee of just 7%, allowing you to keep more of your earnings and maximise your income.

• Quality listings: Top-quality listings are prioritised in search results including those with a selected cover image, multiple high-quality photos, up-to-date and accurate descriptions, Instant Book enabled, and a strong review rating. Keep reading to learn what steps you can take to ensure your listing is top quality, attract more hirers and increase your income this summer.

Review your pricing strategy: Is your pricing competitive?

Your pricing is one of the first things hirers see, and they will often compare prices and value for money with the various listings on the platform.

Reviewing your pricing against competitors:

To get a clear sense of fair and competitive pricing, owners can compare rates with similar Camplify RVs in their local area and also compare what commercial operators are charging, helping you to understand the full market landscape.

For example, many RV owners increase their hire rates through December and January. Is there room to increase your hire fee around this period while still staying competitive? This can be a great way to increase your income, but still appeal to hirers looking for a bargain.

Alternatively, upon reviewing similar RV listings, you may find that your hire fee is well above comparative RVs. In this case, it might be worth considering if you can adjust your hire fee, to make your listing more attractive to hirers and increase your chances of receiving bookings.

Increasing the number of your RV’s minimum hire days over the peak season can also help you secure longer hires and increase your income per booking. If you RV becomes mostly booked out for the summer, you can then decide if you’d like to reduce the minimum number of hire days, to fill those smaller gaps between hires.

Offer a discount code:

By utilising our new feature, owner discount codes, you can now also appeal to more hirers by creating custom discount codes, that give hirers a fixed dollar amount off their total booking cost.

This is a great tool for Aussies who travel locally every summer as a great trip can bring in return bookings for seasons to come e.g. using code REBOOK100 for $100 off their next booking.

Peak season booking policies

Tip for owners: Plan ahead for peak season and set competitive rates for early bookings. It's also an industry standard practice to set a Strict Cancellation Policy for these high-demand periods. This helps manage the impact of last-minute cancellations, ensuring that owners, who rely on peak season income, are protected. We encourage owners to check their seasonal calendar view in the owner dashboard to ensure their peak season policies are up to date and clearly communicated.

Update your images and listing description

These are the elements that sell the dream to hirers! Just like your pricing, your images are also one of the first features of your listing that hirers notice, and a huge factor for them to decide whether your van is the one they want to hire or not.

The key to quality images that attract hirers

When was the last time you updated your listing images? Do they have a high resolution, or are they blurry? Do you have a great cover image of your RV, showing hirers what they can experience if they book your van?

Make sure to select images for your listing that are good quality, and not blurry. Hirers want to see a clear view of your RV.

Giving hirers the best representation of your van from the get-go is vital. When someone is searching through multiple vans to book their next adventure, getting straight to the point without having to scroll through too many images will go a long way towards them choosing your van.

The most important image is your cover photo. This is displayed in search results and is also the first image a hirer will see at the top of your listing page - the golden opportunity to show off your van right off the bat. Your cover image should feature a good clear exterior image that shows your entire van so hirers can see exactly what type of vehicle you offer. You can then build on the story of your van from here.

To maximise your listing’s potential, we also recommend having additional images, showcasing your van at different angles:

• Photo 2: A shot of the entire interior area of your van that shows most of the space

• Photo 3: If drivable, follow up with a shot of the cabin area and seating allocation

• Photo 4: Exterior living space and any outdoor furnishings you provide with your van

• Photos 5+: Set your listing apart and add further context by providing additional angles on the above features and shots that highlight the more personal aspects of your van

Tip: Potential hirers want to see themselves in your van! Increase your listing's appeal by featuring images that showcase the holiday experience. Photograph the van set up at a beach location, or a campsite, ready for a trip or include authentic shots of people making memories, enjoying the camping life, and having fun - this vividly demonstrates the value and good times your van offers.

Read our photo guide to learn more about how to ensure your listing has quality images that will help attract hirers.

Describe why your RV is great

Creating an engaging and informative description is also crucial to attract potential hirers and maximise your booking conversions. Besides having great images, a great quality listing starts with a captivating introduction and highlights a unique or charming feature of your RV to get the hirer’s attention. If your listing doesn’t describe why your RV is great and why a hirer should book with you, it’s time for a refresh.

Many hirers search for listings through the Camplify app, so incorporating a catchy, concise description in the first 50 character of your listing allows the hirer to see this information easily when viewing your listing via the app. The remaining section of your listing can then be used for additional information and hiring rules. The hiring rules are also listed on the booking contract so it’s important to be clear and to the point.

Check out our resources on creating your listing description.

If you need help with your listing, or have a question, please reach out to our owner community team or community success team.

Phone: Give us a call at 02 4075 2000 during our operating hours for immediate assistance.

• Emphasise the comfort and convenience of your RV, and mention any amenities or features that will make their trip more enjoyable. Even if you have ticked the amenities boxes, make sure you still list the amenities in your description to point out your RV’s features, e.g. a BBQ or bike rack. Use your RV’s amenities as a guide for what features to point out in your listing description.

It's also a good idea to mention its suitability for different types of trips, such as weekend getaways, family holidays, or extended road trips.

• Tailoring your description to your target audience is also important. Consider the type of hirer you want to attract and adjust your description accordingly. By creating an appealing and detailed description, you can showcase your RV's best features and convince potential hirers that it's the perfect choice for their trip.

Some suggestions of what to include in your listing description are:

• The more personality you can add to your listing, the better. This helps hirers understand what type of adventure your van is best suited for

• Vehicle size

• Bedding configuration/berths

• Kitchen/cooking/food preparation inclusions

• Ensuite/water setup

• Power/solar/gas setup

• Towing suitability/set up (if applicable)

• Any other key features, such as awning, BBQ, number of chairs/seating, Wi-Fi, Netflix, satellite TV, etc.

• If you offer delivery, one way hire or airport pick up

• If you have any strict rules or holiday types you wish to highlight i.e. pet-friendly, not suitable for festivals, minimum booking nights, suitable for long trips, etc.

Tip: Does your listing have a unique name? When listing your RV on Camplify, it's a great idea to choose a creative and unique name that not only captures its personality but also sets it apart from other listings. Instead of just mentioning the brand, year, and make, consider using puns and play-on-words to give your van character. Before finalising your RV’s name, check to make sure it hasn’t been used already so that hirers can identify your unique RV. 

Here's a few examples of unique names we love: Rolling Retreat, Coco Loco Van, RV There Yet

Allow hirers to ‘Instant Book’

If you're not already using Instant Book, it's worth considering switching it on to increase your booking conversions.

Instant Book allows hirers to book your van immediately without waiting for approval, which can significantly increase your booking rate. In addition to this, listings that have instant book enabled also appear higher in search results, meaning more potential hirers are looking at those listings.

Often, hirers are eager to lock in their adventures and secure their perfect van, so they’ll submit multiple booking requests and go through with the first owner to respond. If you have instant book turned on, this means if a hirer is interested in booking your van, they can commit straight away without any barriers - a great way to ensure you get more bookings and maximise your income!

Offer RV delivery options

Offering delivery options immediately appeals to a wider range of hirers and provides an opportunity to gain an additional income stream through an associated delivery fee. Delivery options are a huge appeal to families eager to arrive at their campsite and relax immediately, or those who want a caravan holiday but aren't confident towing.

Additionally, one-way hires offer many exciting opportunities for van owners to expand their business. By offering this flexible option, you can unlock new revenue streams while gaining access to longer booking periods that often command premium rates. It's particularly valuable for tapping into the international traveller market, who frequently seek extended journeys between major destinations.

Both of these approaches diversify your rental options and positions your van to capture a broader range of booking opportunities.

Read our guide on offering one way hires to learn more.

Encourage hirers to leave a review so you can become a ‘Hirer Favourite’ or ‘Super Owner’

You may have noticed that Camplify has introduced new badges to owner listings. These badges are designed to reward owners who provide great experiences to hirers. By qualifying for these badges, it sends a positive signal to hirers that your RV is a top pick amongst other listings.

• Hirer Favourite: This badge is applied to a listing when an owner has had more than 10 bookings, and an average review score of 4.9 and above.

• Super Owner: This badge is applied to a listing when an owner has had more than 50 bookings, and an average review score of 4.9 and above.

Ensure you are encouraging hirers to leave a review after each hire, so you can increase your score and qualify for these badges once you reached the threshold of the minimum number of bookings to be eligible.

Use social media to boost your listings

So you’ve updated your listing - you’ve got great images and a killer description that tells hirers why to book your van, now what?

Camplify’s marketing team are always working to bring more hirers to the platform, but you don't just have to wait for hirers to find you, take your listing to where they are!

Promote your van on Instagram and Tik Tok:

Social media platforms, like Instagram Tik Tok are great platforms for getting your listings in front of more potential hirers. To ensure your content resonates with the right audience, be sure to conduct competitor research to understand what kind of engaging content performs best within the van-hire and travel community.

Tip: Make sure you include a link in your social media bios to your listing! This makes it easy for hirers to find your listing and book your van.

Use your Camplify listing in Facebook Marketplace:

Many of our owners have found that promoting their Camplify listing on Facebook Marketplace has helped to increase their bookings. This strategy gets your RV in front of a local audience who are actively searching for RVs. You might just find that you attract a few hirers who are interested to try before they buy a van of their own!

Tip: Make sure you let those who are interested in hiring your van from Facebook Marketplace know where to find your listing on Camplify, as hiring cannot be processed directly through Facebook.

Join relevant Facebook groups and to connect with potential hirers

Joining the right Facebook community groups, for example, a JB Caravans enthusiasts group, can also help to get your van listing in front of loads of potential hirers.

Local community noticeboards, can also be a great place to connect with potential hirers, especially in rural areas - you can let the locals know that they can hire directly from you rather than travelling to main cities to hire an RV.

Tip: Be sure to check the Facebook or community group allows this type of post in their guidelines when joining.

Join the Camplify Owners Facebook Group

Your success is our success, and we’re here to support your journey on Camplify. Join our dedicated Facebook group to access support from our Camplify community to help enhance your listing, get expert tips and tricks and share ideas with fellow Aussie RV owners.

Get ready to maximise your earnings this summer with a great listing

Now that you’re equipped with the best strategies to attract hires with a quality listing, it’s time to put them into action. With peak season right around the corner, now is the time to get ahead and make sure your listing is seen by more hirers to maximise your earnings. If you need help with your listing, or have a question, please reach out to our owner community team or community success team

Phone: Give us a call at 02 4075 2000 during our operating hours for immediate assistance.