Crystal Coast Vacation Rental Show

When it comes to promoting our properties, our first thought is often, “I’m on my property manager’s (or Airbnb’s, or VRBO’s, or whoever’s) website. Why do I need to do this?” Here’s four reasons why:

Your management partner’s goal is “heads on beds” not heads in your beds. Your PM means well, and wants rentals, but no one is as invested in your success as you are. Blow your own horn. This is your opportunity to post that sunset over the water or that cool, new, local restaurant that just opened. Potential guests like this. The property managers like this. It’s advertising they don’t pay for. If you’re self managed, it’s an absolute must.

When people ask about your property, are they able to see it easily? Friends, family, and acquaintances will ask about you property. People want to rent from someone they know. It’s much easier to say @queenofthesea_EI on Instagram or restassured.vacations. (Yes, these are ours, and I’ll discuss websites in a future post.) Create an easy way to give people what they want. As a bonus, this helps your guests promote it to others, particularly if they tag your property in a post.

Your guests become attached to your property, let them see what’s happening. I’ve talked to people who have been staying in the same property for 30 years. There is no better feeling in the STR world than a re-booking by a guest as soon as they leave. Letting them know changes throughout the year helps foster that “same time next year” dynamic. Especially posts of things done in response to guest requests. A quick post saying “New mattresses in the upstairs bedrooms.” or “Kitchen remodel completed!” excites your guests and social media is the quickest and most sure way to get that to them.

It’s important to create your brand. Today your happy and everything is moving along well. But what about five, ten, or twenty years out. If your using a local property manager they could close or move in a direction your not as pleased with. The same with one of the big .com platforms. Or your life could change. With more or less time available, perhaps you want to be more or less involved. You work hard to create a consistent guest list. Make sure they don’t solely rely on intellectual property you don’t control when they want to find your property.

Now that we have discussed “why” let’s look a little more in depth.

First, it may go without saying, but create a new profile that is just for your property. We may become friends in real life with our guests. However, it’s best to separate your personal life from your property life. This will help promote a professional image and is more likely to hold the viewers attention. Additionally this will give you the opportunity to have consistent branding across platforms.

To maximize your reach, carefully select the social media platforms that best align with your target audience. For example, Instagram is an excellent platform for visually appealing content, while TikTok is ideal for short, engaging videos. Don’t forget about Facebook. I know it’s not the trendiest, but what are the people who rent your property using? Especially if you skew middle age or older, it’s hard to pass on Facebook. Once you’ve chosen the right platforms, maintain a consistent posting schedule to keep your audience engaged and top-of-mind. Don’t worry about chasing every new platform (Google+, anyone?) and concentrate on using the one or two your guests are on.

High-quality visual content is key to captivating your audience. Use stunning photos and videos to showcase the unique features and amenities of your property. This will entice potential guests and give them a realistic sense of what to expect. Most social media platforms are very visually oriented. This is great if you’re selling the opportunity for beach sunsets.

Social media provides a valuable opportunity for direct guest communication. Respond promptly to messages and comments, demonstrating excellent customer service and building trust with your audience. Consider using interactive elements to engage with your followers. Include questions, polls, and contests. These activities help to foster a sense of community and loyalty.

Encourage your guests to share their experiences on social media by tagging your property and using relevant hashtags. Re-share this user-generated content on your own channels to amplify its reach and showcase authentic guest experiences.

A strong social media presence gives you a significant competitive edge. It allows you to differentiate your property from the competition. You can effectively target specific demographics and interests through social media advertising. Most platforms have tools that let you schedule posts in advance. This allows you to target when your guests are most active. They also allow you to make a single post for multiple services. For example, Facebook and Instagram.

Investing time and effort into building a strong social media presence is crucial. It can elevate your short-term rental business. You’ll attract more bookings and enhance the overall guest experience. But most of all, enjoy yourself. Don’t get hung up on the numbers. If you have a few dozen followers and you recognize many of the names as repeat guests, that is immensely better than hundreds, or thousands, who never book with you. Your long goal is bookings, not followers.