Before the season
- Booking pages that work on a phone, with total prices, availability and a deposit. See direct booking websites.
- Google listings current: summer hours, seasonal services, new photos from last year’s best days.
- Reviews from last season, requested before guests forget.
- Pages for the areas guests ask about: Cherry Grove, Ocean Drive, Windy Hill, Crescent Beach, and Little River for charters, if you serve them.
- A security check before summer, when a hacked booking page or a lapsed domain costs the most.
Scam listings using your property
Rental scams copy real listings and photos, post them at a low price, and ask for a wire or payment app transfer. Guests who lose money often blame the real owner. Say on your site and in confirmation emails that you never take payment by wire, gift card or payment app, and make sure nobody can send email from your domain. Our rental and property manager security page covers the rest.
The shoulder seasons
Changing hours or availability between seasons without updating Google is a common mistake on the Grand Strand. Set a reminder for every change.
- Spring: golf trips, spring break and early beach weekends.
- Fall: the Society of Stranders shag dance gatherings bring crowds to Ocean Drive in spring and fall, plus fall golf and fishing.
- Winter: snowbirds and longer stays. A monthly rate page helps.
Written by Nikita Huttenlocher, founder and lead engineer at Huttenlocher Technologies, a web design and software company in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.