How to Successfully Market Your Vacation Rental Online
Managing your vacation rental property is one thing—effectively marketing it online is another. As a savvy property owner, you want to focus on using relevant marketing channels, attracting the right kind of guests, and visually presenting your vacation home in the best way possible.
By marketing your vacation rental online you’ll be setting up your property for maximum exposure. Using popular marketing channels such as Airbnb and Vrbo increases the chances of your vacation rental being booked year-round.
Hosting more than half a billion guests per year, Airbnb is a leading force in the short-term rental marketplace. Vrbo is also very promising, allowing property owners to earn an average of $33,000 in annual profit. You definitely want to make sure your presence on both platforms is strong.
Aside from listing properties on major online platforms, you also want to market your vacation rental on your own marketing channels whether this be on social media, via email, or by blogging. This essentially gives your vacation rental a “home” online, allowing for you to have some control over how your vacation home is advertised.
On-Platform Marketing
Airbnb & Vrbo are incredibly powerful marketing tools for your vacation rental business. Here are a few ways you can improve your chances of ranking on these platforms.
Identify Your Ideal Guests
The first thing you want to do is identify your target audience. Who would be an ideal guest for your property? Given your vacation rental’s proximity to downtown, your ideal guest may be a business traveler. If you’re renting out an entire vacation home in the woods, your target audience may be families or large groups.
A lot of this decision is based on the location and size of your property. You should also take into account any special amenities your property offers that perhaps competitors don’t.
If you have a hot tub or a jacuzzi, your property could be ideal for a couple’s getaway. Properties with a full kitchen will attract travelers who enjoy home-cooked meals. Keep all of this in mind when marketing your vacation rental online and play up the parts of your property that will attract your type of guest.
Post Enough Quality Photos
After deciding who your property would be ideal for, you want to communicate its value through multiple, high-quality photos. Investing in professional photos will go a long way, allowing you to showcase the best parts of your airbnb.
You also want to make sure you post enough photos to give potential guests as much viewing power as possible. This will help establish trust between you and your guests and add to your overall credibility as a host.
A study conducted by FlipKey found that property listings containing more than 20 photos received more inquiries than properties with less than 20 photos. Travelers are 83% more likely to inquire about a property listing if it has a substantial amount of photos posted.
Write Enticing Headlines
Descriptive headlines that capture the true essence of your property are game-changers in the online marketplace. With millions of vacation rentals listed on each app, you want to make sure your airbnb stands out among the rest. You do this by capitalizing on the first few words your target audience reads.
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Focus on Your Ideal Guest - Family, Couple, Business Traveler
Cleary State the Type of Listing - Home, Villa, Condo, Cottege, etc.
Mention Nerby Major Attractions
Emphasize a Special Amenity
Proofread & Check Grammar
Secure Exceptional Reviews
Lastly, you want to make a sincere effort to get stellar reviews on each site. This will help Airbnb and Vrbo understand that you deliver exceptional experiences and push you to the top of its search pages. Be honest in your property listing description and deliver on your promises. Don’t be afraid to ask satisfied guests for a positive review!
Off-Platform Marketing
A good rule of business is to not put all your eggs in one basket. Although Airbnb and Vrbo are excellent tools, you also want to maintain some control over when and how your property is being marketed.
That’s why it’s important to establish your own marketing channels and regularly communicate with your target audience about vacancies. Here are a few ways you can take control of your marketing efforts:
Build Your Email List
One of the simplest, yet most impactful forms of marketing is email marketing. This is true for any type of business. Creating and sending out emails helps your target audience remain engaged with your business even when the algorithms on Airbnb or Vrbo aren't working in your favor.
Keep your emails simple and easy to read. The goal is to inform former and future guests of upcoming deals and destination recommendations. Sending out monthly or bi-weekly emails is enough to keep your guests interested.
Leverage Social Media
Marketing your airbnb on social media not only increases your property’s visibility, but it also provides a direct method of communication between you and your guests.
Whether you use LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, or other social media platforms is completely up to you. Choose one, or a combination of platforms, that best serves your target audience.
Consider Blogging
Last, but not least, consider blogging. Writing SEO-optimized blog posts tailored to your target audience is a sure way to attract the right customer. Having a professional website gives you much needed credibility, but an informative blog that readers trust provides you with the online authority you need to seal the deal.
You can blog about a number of topics. Write about whatever interests your target audience. Make sure to be consistent and post valuable content on a regular basis. This will help readers identify you as a worthy source of information and makes them much more likely to book with you in the near future.
Worried about how to get started with one of these marketing tactics? Contact MB Experiences to find out how we’re able to secure long and short-term Airbnb rentals for our valued property owners. We look forward to working with you!
