Marketing Your Rental: The Definitive Guide

Mar 13, 2019 | Marketing

Unless you’re really lucky, keeping the bookings rolling in for your rental isn’t as easy as putting a listing online and crossing your fingers.

If you really want to unlock your rental’s potential, we recommend a three-pronged approach. With all the hard work and effort you’ve put in to perfecting your place, it would be a shame not to get as many guests through the door as possible – that’s where these top marketing tips come in…

#1 Marketing your TripAdvisor listing

We’ve got tons of advice on how to create the most bookable listing (and how to keep it that way!). From quick and simple maintenance to showing off your rental in all its glory, getting your listing in shape is the first step to success.

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Calendars

Keeping your calendar up-to-date will help you to avoid cancellations and will allow guests to book your place. Use calendar sync to make things easier.

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Prices

If guests don’t know the price, they can’t book, so it’s really important to set your prices for as far into the future as possible.

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Reviews

Be proactive and ask your guests to write a review. Not only will you get that warm, fuzzy feeling from their feedback, listings with recent reviews appear higher in searches.

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Property description

Writing a property description might seem like a daunting task, but once you get going you’ll probably find that the words flow and your passion for your rental comes through. Your listing’s title also needs some consideration so that it’s as ‘clickable’ as it can be.

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Photos

There’s no point in having a beautiful rental if your photos aren’t doing it justice. Take pictures like a pro with these top tips. And did you know that even the order of your photos can make a difference? Find out why.

Instant Book

Save yourself (and your guest) time by using Instant Book. Travelers who meet your requirements and agree to your house rules, can book your rental without submitting a booking request (and without you needing to log into your dashboard to accept it). Easy-peasy!

#2 Marketing your vacation rental online

Aside from your listing with us, there are plenty of other ways to get your rental noticed online. You might already be using Facebook to promote your place, but that’s just the tip of the internet marketing iceberg…

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Social media

Our guide to marketing your rental using social media is the best place to start if you’ve not yet explored this huge opportunity. From using hashtags on Twitter to building a fanbase on Facebook, we’ve got it covered.

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Marketing toolbox

If you want to get to grips with Google and build a blog, or learn the tricks of the trade when marketing your rental online, check out our toolbox (in partnership with VillaMarketers.com). These services and platforms will help you to enhance your marketing.

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Share your content

Get your friends and family to help spread the word about your rental by sharing your posts. This will help you to build your audience on social media and extend your rental listing’s reach. Don’t forget to include a link to your listing!

#3 Marketing your vacation rental offline

Word of mouth is still a very powerful marketing tool. If your friends can’t help but wax lyrical about how amazing a place was, you’ll probably want to check it out, right? So, how can you get tongues wagging about your rental? Here’s how…

Earn a Certificate of Excellence

Having this accolade will not only give your listing a huge boost, but you can display your sticker in the window of your rental so that passers by can see. You’ll also have access to the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence merchandise store where you can purchase special items.

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Extend your reach

Have some business cards or leaflets made that include a link to your listing so potential guests can go online and book. Keep some at your rental so guests can take them home and give them to their friends, drop some off at your local information centre and ask nearby cafes, restaurants and bars if they’ll display them.

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Spread the word

If you’re just starting out, tell all your friends and family about your new venture. Friends of friends will find out and before you know it, you’ll have guests lining up to stay at your rental.

The VIP treatment

Encourage repeat bookings by building a rapport with guests. The guests’ experience isn’t just about the rental it’s also about the host. If they feel like they’ve been looked after, they’re likely to book with you again.