How To Make Your Vacation Rental More Social
You want to fit in, but you also want to stand out. It’s the classic American conundrum. The same is true even for your rental properties. It’s important to be flashy, but not so taste-specific that you frighten away potential renters. If you’ve found that your property fails to gain its maximum visibility through traditional booking sites, here are some (free) ways on social media to boost its visibility. Since, 3.6 billion people engage in social media,
TARGET YOUR COMMUNITY
Learning about local community events is a useful way to learn what could be attracting renters. Learn the events’ hashtags and contact the coordinators to see if they’d be interested in a cross-promotion. Tag local businesses and restaurants as well, for community-building. This allows users to see what’s nearby. Pinterest is a great site to broadcast what your local community has to offer. This could prove useful for those seeking long-term rental agreements. Don’t use inappropriate hashtags, however, just for the sake of being findable. You want to optimize what works best for you.
GIVE VIRTUAL TOURS
The more photos, the better, but 3D virtual walk-thrus have become increasingly popular (especially since COVID-19), and allow users to experience your home in a more in-depth and personal way.The more sure a renter is, the less likely they are to cancel. Just make sure that the lighting is flattering and the toilet seat is down!
While it’s not always possible to embed a virtual tour in apps like Instagram and Facebook, they do provide places for links. Don’t forget to highlight any upgrades or special amenities in the tour.
OFFER GIVEAWAYS
Hotels do this all the time. Five nights for the price of four, one free weekend, etc. Your business is no different. This could generate more interest if your property is in a seasonal location. Twitter allows users to easily re-tweet these kinds of announcements. But every giveaway should also benefit you. Require entrants tag three friends and share a photo card. If you can’t afford to give away stays, try to drum up local promotions with nearby restaurants or activities. “Two free lattes at Coffee Brewers, within walking distance!”
PAY FOR UPGRADED AD SPACE
Posting vacancies on sites like Facebook and Twitter are an easy and measurable way to generate interest. Plus, they’re free for basic-levels, and the upgrades are affordable. Make sure to target your ads around dates that renters will find most attractive: holidays, three-day weekends, etc. This would be an optimal place to announce your giveaways.
ENCOURAGE RENTERS TO SHARE
In your welcome binder and on your webpage, make sure it’s easy for renters to share photos of their experiences with re-posts and hashtags. Maybe come up with a personalized hashtag for your property that allows users to find a thorough history of experiences. Ask them to share your booking page on their personal accounts. It’s important to stay on top of these reviews, however, and to respond to any that could be construed as negative.