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How to use social media to grow your vacation rental business

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RentalSlew AirbnbClone
How to use social media to grow your vacation rental business

 

Social media is very important to all types of businesses and the vacation rental industry is no exception. There are millions of potential guests in the world who could rent your property and it is very likely that they are all using social media. You have surely noticed that travelers love to share their travel experiences on the internet. They like to upload beautiful photos of the house they have rented and the region they have traveled to. Since your potential guests spend a lot of time on the networks, you need to develop a strategy to promote your vacation rental properties.

A clear strategy will allow you to promote your vacation home in the best way and grow your best vacation rental business. As a result, you will gain greater visibility and attract more guests.

Define your strategy for social networks

You must define several questions before launching your strategy on social networks.

What are your goals?

When you start developing your social media strategy, the first thing you should do is define your goals. What do you want to achieve? For what? Here are some examples of goals:

  • Make your brand better known
  • Increase traffic to your website (x% per month)
  • Increase the number of reservations (x% per month)

Set goals and evaluate the results you get at the end of each month to see if your strategy is working or if you need to change it.

What social networks?

After this first step, select the social networks you want to prioritize according to the time you can dedicate to them, what you know about them, your abilities and, especially, the preferences of the guests.

How often?

It is important that you decide how often you will upload content. The frequency can vary according to the social network, but you have to keep a constant rhythm . If you stop respecting your routine, you could lose fans.

That says?

Don't mix your private life with your business. You have to create a professional account on the social network you use. This account will represent your properties and your vacation rental business; it will not show your personal life.

Promote your properties

When you have completed the first steps of your social media strategy, you should focus on the content you want to upload. Social networks are a great tool to promote your properties, as well as your brand. Here are some tips to become a social media expert:

Establish a visual identity

Establish a visual identity for your business and keep it constant so that people can recognize you. For example, you can use a specific logo and colors. It will help people identify you when they see your posts among many others on the Facebook or LinkedIn wall.

Photos and videos

Choose only your best photos and videos . Although you know that your property is the most beautiful in the area, unfortunately your potential guests have not seen it yet. There is nothing like pretty and attractive photos to convince them. To make sure you have the best ones, you can hire a professional photographer. However, you can take great photos on your own by following these simple steps .

Add a link to your website

When you upload photos, don't forget to add a link to your website in the caption, in particular to the page of that property that you are highlighting. Having a direct booking engine on your website is very helpful - your guests can book directly instead of spending hours searching for their dream home on other websites. In the same way, add a link to your social networks on your website.

Location and hashtags

Don't forget to use the location and some hashtags . They will help people find you on the networks.

Promote the experience

Remember to promote the experience more than the property . Show travelers how amazing it is to stay there. Mention additional activities and details you offer guests. Those are the attractions of your property.

Upload varied content

Upload a variety of content to attract the attention of the public, such as offers, lower prices, updated information on your area, local activities and more. Introduce yourself as a local expert.

Be sociable and interact with others

Social media is… social! For this reason, a key part of your social media strategy for your vacation rental business should be interacting with other people. It can help you grow your vacation rental business by doing the following:

  • Your interactions allow you to increase the number of fans. Share your page or professional account with your family, friends and acquaintances and ask them to follow you. The more followers you have, the more serious your business will look.
  • Stay in touch with guests . Ask them to tag you and tag them if you think your content will interest them. Encourage them to leave you comments and share these evaluations on social media. Think of your social networks as if they were an online guestbook.
  • Respond to all comments , even negatives. Frame them as an opportunity to improve your business and show yourself transparent and professional in front of your potential guests.
  • Join groups of property managers . They will give you the opportunity to talk about your experience and any problems you may have.

Stay on top of the vacation rental industry

The main objective of using social networks is to promote your properties. However, these channels are great for keeping you up to date on the latest industry news and regulatory changes.

  • Follow magazines or websites specialized in your business , such as Short Term Rentalz , Skift or Travel Weekly . They all have at least one Facebook account.
  • Also service providers such as Your.Rentals , Properly , or Noise Aware . They often post offers and tips to help you improve your business.
  • If you find news that may be of interest to guests, share it in your professional account. In this way, you show guests that you know about the industry and that they can trust you.

What to do and do not

  • Choose the social networks you want to work with: Facebook? Instagram? Twitter? Pinterest?…
  • Do not use the same account for personal and professional matters.
  • Don't upload low quality images.
  • Do not change the frequency with which you upload content.
  • Use location and hashtags.
  • Interact with guests and other professionals on social media.
  • Respond to negative (as well as positive) comments.
  • Combine your social media strategy with other advertising strategies. Read our tips to promote your properties like an expert .

 

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