Short-term vacation rentals can be an exciting and profitable investment. However, as is with any other rental investment, the key to success lies in keeping the units booked.

At Anchor Down Property Management, we have the right marketing strategies to help you have high booking rates all year-round – and we’re here to share them with you!

In this post, we are listing 7 tips to get you started!

Let’s get into it!

1. List your Vacation Rental Property on Multiple Sites

Generally, more reach equals more prospective tenants. As such, for maximum visibility, market your short-term rental on as many rental listing sites as possible.

Some of the best vacation rental sites include:

Expedia
Airbnb
Booking.com
TripAdvisor
HomeAway

You should also use social media! Instagram and Facebook, in particular, can be great advertising platforms.

This is because:

They allow re-targeting, which means you may be able to target people who recently made vacation bookings; and,
You can target people from certain locations, or who are just interested in travelling.

2. Create a Website for your Vacation Rental

Did you know that 96% of travelers start their accommodation search online?

As such, creating a website for your rental property can be a great way to increase bookings.

Once you have the website up and running, leverage the power of Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

Here are some high-quality and engaging content topic ideas you can consider:

10 things you didn’t know about CITY.
CITY beach guide: Everything you need to know.
A weekend guide to CITY: 4 things you must see!
8 FREE things to do in CITY.
The best family-friendly restaurants in CITY.
Top 5 things you must do in CITY.

When done right, SEO will help you boost rankings and improve your online visibility as your website will appear higher on the search engine results pages.

3. Ask for Reviews from Satisfied Customers

Most prospective guests will look at reviews before booking. In fact, according to Lodging Magazine, more than 75% of travelers check reviews for hotels and alternative accommodations prior to making reservations.

Evidently, travelers rely on others’ opinions to make the best decision for their trips. As such, reviews have the potential to make or break your vacation rental business.

So, how do you get started?

Make sure you take good care of your tenants.
Follow up and ask them to consider leaving a rating or review about their experience.
Once a visitor leaves a review, be quick to respond with a short “thank you” note.

You’ll also want to follow up on reviews that contain criticism. Always be polite, listen, and take the concerns expressed seriously. Doing so can help you turn a potentially negative review into a positive experience.

4. Make Use of High-Quality Photos

When marketing your vacation rental, be sure to include unique and high-quality photos. According to FutureStay, potential guests are 20% more likely to book a property that has at least 20 quality photos.

This 20% can make a big difference in your financial wellbeing. So, hiring a professional photographer is advisable.

5. Create Engaging Videos

Did you know that videos are the #1 type of content consumers want to see? Also, did you know that listings containing videos receive up to 4X more inquiries than listings without?

That’s why it’s a good idea to create a captivating video tour that highlights the best features your property has to offer.

You can also include nearby scenery and let potential travelers know how they can take full advantage of their time off!

6. Optimize your Headlines

The headlines you use can make or break your rental listing. You should optimize them to ensure they are powerful enough to catch the attention of prospective guests.

When writing your listing’s headline:

Be clear on the listing type – home, cottage, village, condo, etc.
Highlight any special amenities the home might have.
Mention any nearby attractions.
Focus on the type of guest you’re looking to attract – hikers, surfers, families, etc.

7. Build an Email List

Although social media, vacation rental sites and SEO are great ways to market your vacation rental property, you should also consider email marketing.

Email marketing is especially effective as it allows you to target a relevant audience.

To start email campaigns, you need to build a mailing list. An easy way to do so is to have a simple sign-up form on your homepage.

Bottom Line

There you have it – 7 tips on how to successfully advertise your vacation rental home!

As an overview, here are some of our ideas:

List your vacation rental property on multiple sites
Create a website for your vacation rental
Ask for reviews from satisfied customers
Make use of high-quality photos
Create engaging videos
Optimize your headlines
Build an email list

If you’re looking for more help, consider hiring Anchor Down Property Management. We can help you with your vacation rental marketing strategy, or with any other management need.

How to Successfully Advertise Your Vacation Rental Property