15 Proven Ways To Increase Bookings Of Short-Term Rental Using Social Media
July 26, 2024
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The market for short-term rentals is increasing exponentially as people now prefer to rent a whole property for their vacation instead of using a hotel. It is crucial for property owners to know how to make the most of available leads and ways to attract them to their property. Social media has become a vital tool for hosts aiming to maximize their property’s visibility and bookings.
Nowadays most people are connected and hooked on the platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. if you manage to appear on the screen of an individual who likes your property or is looking to go on a vacation, he might share that piece of content with people who he might want to go with and in this way, your property is getting marketed without any additional cost.
We will soon dive into actionable strategies to enhance your short-term rental business using social media, sprinkled with real-life anecdotes and emotional insights to make the journey relatable and impactful.
We must realize why social media is such a game-changer for short-term rentals. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Pinterest are more than just spaces for social interaction. These platforms are powerful marketing tools that allow you to reach a global audience, build a community, and showcase your property in a visually appealing manner.
Let us take an example to understand this better.
We can take Emma, for example. She owns a retro bungalow in a small hillside town. Initially, her bookings were less, and she struggled to get more business. Emma decided to leverage Instagram, sharing photos and stories about her bungalow’s unique charm, the nearby scenic spots, and the delightful experiences her guests enjoyed.
It was noticeable how quickly Social Media helped her get more inquiries and bookings when she displayed her property in the best possible way. It took Emma only a few months to change the fate of her bungalow, now she was going fully booked, often months in advance. The transformation was amazing, and it all began with an easy Instagram post.
15 Tips To Create an Enchanting Social Media For Your Short-Term Rental:
1: Understand Your Audience
In the world of sales, it is crucial to market your product to the right audience. It may not be an easy task to initially evaluate which people would be most interested in your property. It could be solo travellers, families, or digital nomads. Each group has different preferences and requirements. Tailoring your content to meet their specific needs will make your social media efforts more effective.
Pro Tip: Create audience personas to visualize your target guests. Include details like age, interests, travel habits, and social media preferences. Creating such content will increase the appeal of your property.
2: High-Quality Visual Content
Visuals are everything when it comes to bookings and social media platforms. Investing in Professional Photography to showcase your property’s best features can be a good way to improve your content quality. High-quality pictures and videos help you attract the viewer towards your property. Highlight cosy corners, stunning views, and unique amenities. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words, and in this case, it could be worth a thousand bookings if you play the cards right.
Pro Tip: Make sure the content is of high quality, professionally taken and showcases the unique features of your property.
3: Leverage Instagram Stories and Reels
Instagram allows every user to upload stories and reels. These two are excellent modes for engaging with your audience. Sharing behind-the-scenes glimpses, guest testimonials, and local adventures can enhance your property’s appeal. When people come across such content they start getting attracted towards your property, it also makes the followers feel connected to your property on a deeper level.
Example: Emma regularly posts stories of the sunrise from her bungalow’s balcony and short videos of local artists who perform near her property. Doing this is not a difficult activity for her as she can use old pictures and videos to upload stories on Instagram.
4: Utilize Guest-Generated Content
Remember to encourage your guests to share their experiences on social media and tag your property too. Content made by your guests is often looked at as authentic and builds trust. Repost their content on your profiles, giving a shoutout to the guest. This enables a sense of community and shows potential guests the real experiences they can expect.
Pro Tip: You can convince the guest to post about your property on social media and in return they will get some product/service. A happy guest can do this for free but a little treat will encourage the guest to produce good content for your property.
Engaging with Your Audience
5: Prompt and Personal Responses
Engagement is a two-way street, especially with guests. Quick responses to comments, messages, and reviews promptly and personally make your property stand out from other properties on the gram. Whether it’s answering a question or thanking a guest for their review, your responsiveness shows that you care about your guest’s experiences.
Pro Tip: If you have many tasks on your hand during the day leaving you with less time to manage social media, it would be advisable to hire someone to manage your online presence. The social media individual can work on many tasks that will help you get more bookings and also elevate your online presence.
6: Hosting Social Media Contests
Contests and giveaways are fantastic for boosting engagement and expanding your reach. Encourage followers to participate by offering some type of discount based on your choice. This not only attracts new followers but also keeps your existing audience engaged.
Pro Tip: You can run an offer that gives the winner a discount if they book for the specified duration. The winner can get 1 night’s stay free if they book 2 nights with you. Also, you can keep the difficulty of this contest easy so that more people take part in it.
7: Collaborate with Influencers
Influencer marketing can significantly boost your reach. Collaborating with regional influencers whose followers match your target audience can be a game changer for you. Invite them for a complimentary stay in exchange for content on their social media. Influencers these days charge a hefty amount for such services so it is better to negotiate at your full capacity before agreeing. An influencer’s endorsement can increase credibility and attract a larger audience to your property.
Pro Tip: You can start with influencers that are trying to make it big as they would not charge you a lot and also provide content for your property which can be used again by you in the future.
Expanding Your Reach
8: Utilize Facebook Ads
Facebook Ads offer a robust platform for targeted advertising. You can create custom ads tailored to specific interests, and behaviours. It is advisable to contact an agency for running ads as people do not know how to run Facebook ads efficiently and end up spending a huge amount without many benefits. Running Facebook ads ensures your property is visible to potential guests who are most likely to book.
Pro Tip: Use high-quality images and compelling ad copy. Highlight special promotions or unique aspects of your property. Keep an eye on the ad performance and adjust the targeting as needed to maximize effectiveness. Use trial and error to see what settings work best for you.
9: Explore Pinterest
Pinterest is a visual discovery platform that can drive traffic to your booking site. It would be difficult to drive huge traffic to your website using Pinterest but since it is a free source every property owner should make the most of it. Create boards that showcase not just your property but also the surrounding attractions, local cuisine, and travel tips. Pin regularly and use content-rich pins of high quality for better engagement.
Pro Tip: Pinterest is all about aesthetics, so make sure the pins you post are well-edited and of high quality so that they can be recommended to someone on the platform.
Building a Community
10: Share Local Insights and Experiences
Become a local guide for your guests. Share insights about hidden gems, local events, and must-try experiences. On Instagram, people are always looking at places which are hidden and unknown to the masses. There must be someplace near your property that has some unique or creepy thing about it. Doing this positions your property as more than just a place to stay. It helps your property to become a gateway to an unforgettable local adventure.
Pro Tip: You can visit any mysterious place near your property, it can even be within the range of 10-15kms and shoot a video to upload on social media. Keep the suspense high so that people are more curious and interact with your content.
11: Make Guests Feel At Home
Create a sense of community among your guests. Upload pictures of happy guests, encourage them to share their stories and experiences, and make them feel part of a larger family. This emotional connection can turn one-time visitors into repeat guests. A guest needs to have a happy stay, it will help you get free word-of-mouth marketing.
Pro Tip: At the time of check-out make sure to take guest’s feedback and their group pictures. Do not forget to take their consent.
Staying Authentic and Relatable
12: Show the Human Side of Hosting
Don’t be afraid to show the human side of your hosting journey. Share your story, your motivations, and the highs and lows of managing a short-term rental. People often like to indulge with someone who has some story to tell especially when they are on a vacation. Authenticity connects with people and builds a deeper connection with your audience.
Pro Tip: You can provide a complimentary service to the guests in the evening and also share a thing or two about the property which would make them more curious about the property.
13: Celebrate Guest Milestones
It is best to celebrate special moments with your guests. Whether it’s a birthday, anniversary, or any milestone, acknowledging these moments makes guests feel cherished and appreciated. By doing this you will also get content which may be posted by guests on their social media and yours too.
Pro Tip: On an event such as a birthday or an anniversary of the guest you can give them a complimentary cake. A half-k kg cake would not cost a fortune and would also improve the overall experience of the guest.
14: Continuous Learning and Adaptation
The social media landscape is constantly evolving. Stay updated with the latest trends and be willing to adapt your strategies. Continuous learning ensures that you remain relevant and effective in your marketing efforts.
Pro Tip: Try to stay up to date and use the latest trends as new content has a higher chance of being promoted by the app.
15: Engage on TikTok
TikTok’s popularity continues to soar and its short engaging videos are perfect for showcasing your property. Unfortunately, this option is not available in India but people from other countries can make use of TikTok to increase their property’s fame.
Share quick tours, highlight local attractions, or even create fun, themed content that aligns with your property’s vibe.
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Final Thoughts:
Using the power of social media can significantly boost your short-term rental bookings. Start by creating captivating visual content and engaging with your audience leveraging influencer partnerships and exploring various platforms. The goal is to stay authentic, relatable, and genuinely invested in creating memorable experiences for your guests.
Just like Emma’s bungalow, your property has a unique story waiting to be shared. Embrace the journey, connect with your audience on a personal level and see how greatly it benefits you in the future.
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