7 Professional Tips to Effectively Promote Your Vacation Rental Listing

The vacation rental industry has been booming in recent years. It has become the preferred way of seeking holiday accommodation. However, learning how to promote vacation rental property can be difficult. Guests are overwhelmed by too many choices, so ensuring that your property stands out is a must. Here are some great vacation rental marketing tips that every host should read.

Make Use of Vacation Rental Sites

Vacation rental sites are a great way to advertise your properties. Over 97% of all vacation rental listings get their traffic from various vacation rental platforms, such as:

Airbnb
VRBO
HomeAway
Booking.com
Expedia
Homestay

That said, It would be smart to list your rental on multiple platforms, to ensure that you're reaching a wider audience. However, the vacation rental industry is becoming increasingly saturated. Therefore, it is vital to learn how to promote vacation rental property in the most efficient way possible. The key to attracting more guests is making your profile stand out. Here are some tips on how to do that:

Invest in trendy décor to entice guests
Hire an interior designer
Become an Airbnb Superhost
Write catchy titles and descriptions
Sell a lifestyle and not just the product
Offer seasonal discounts

Use SEO Principles to Increase Organic Traffic

When it comes to online marketing, SEO has become a valuable tool for organic growth. SEO is also essential for vacation rental marketing. As there are millions of vacation rental listings out there, knowing how to properly promote your vacation rental property will help you reach your target audience faster. Here are some tips on how to do that:

Respond to messages quickly
Get as many 5-star reviews as possible
Use social media to promote your listing
Research popular keywords and use them in your title and description
Increase occupancy rate through seasonal discounts

Hire Professionals to Take Photos

Hiring a professional photographer to take photos is the secret ingredient for the ultimate vacation rental advertising. Guests are drawn to beautiful images of modern interiors. Photographers have been trained to look for the best angles. They know how to make the room appear larger, and how to manipulate light to create a specific mood. Here are some tips on how to prep your listing before taking photos:

Declutter the space
Make sure that everything is clean
Add plants and other interesting decorative pieces
Emphasize unique amenities

Use Videos to Entice Potential Guests

Creating short stylish videos is one of the best marketing strategies for vacation rentals. Most hosts only use images for advertising their properties, which is why videos will give you a substantial competitive advantage. It would be best to hire a professional because they:

Know how to remove background noise
Have high-quality equipment
Know how to tell a story through visual media

Bear in mind that Airbnb doesn't allow hosts to post videos directly on their listings. However, you can always upload it to your profile. Here are some useful tips on how to promote your vacation rental property using video:

Keep it under two minutes
Include a call-to-action
Post your video on YouTube
Keep it professional
Show off the entire rental

Use Social Media and Vacation Rental Forums

Using social media will allow you to reach a massive audience in a matter of days. You can use Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest, and such forums as Reddit, Smarthosts, Airhostsforum, etc.

Social media channels are also great for seeking feedback from potential customers. That way, you can receive actionable advice you can use to improve your listing.

Encourage Local Partnerships

Knowing how to promote vacation rental property includes thinking outside the box. Local shops, restaurants, gas stations, and other businesses can become great marketing assets. Sometimes, elderly guests don't know how to use the Internet to find accommodation to rent. Instead, they turn to local businesses for advice. You can talk to local business-owners and propose some quid-pro-quo marketing. They can recommend your listing to their customers, and you can promote their services in return.

Create Special Offers for Your Guests

Every customer loves good offers because traveling can get quite expensive. When you receive a tentative booking inquiry, try to seal the deal with Airbnb's Special Offer feature. You can customize the price, provide free breakfast, reduce the cleaning fee, offer an extra night free of charge, etc. Customers love feeling special!

Now that you know how to advertise your property, the sky is the limit for your vacation rental business. Don't be afraid to take risks and learn more about algorithms until you find what works best. Do your research, learn more about your target audience, improve and update your listings regularly. The vacation rental industry is constantly changing, thus, keeping up with the latest industry trends is essential for a successful business.