Marketing Short Term Rentals in 7 Easy Steps

As the short-term vacation rental industry continues to evolve and professionalize, property managers require a more mature and robust marketing strategy to build a lucrative, sustainable responsible tourism business. Gone are the days when the bare minimum was enough: market your properties on only one or two websites now and you’ll struggle to succeed – or even survive – in this competitive environment, where it becomes increasingly difficult to find prominence. You need to learn the tricks of marketing short term rentals.

The simple fact is that travelers are holding vacation rental owners and managers to much higher standards than they used to, something that the new era of post-pandemic travel is only exacerbating.

Don’t fear that – embrace it!

We’ve put together 7 practical marketing steps, that’ll ensure you’re well on your way to achieving long-term success. 

The secret to marketing short term rentals

In the wake of Covid-19, there’s a growing demand for rented private accommodation as travelers prize cleanliness and safety more than ever and have been gravitating to lodgings where minimizing human contact is their number one priority. Villas are rocketing in popularity, owing to the space and seclusion they provide.

The surge in popularity of vacation rental properties also ties in with the shift towards remote working. The pandemic has proved that people can work from anywhere, as long as there is a good Wi-Fi connection, and that they’re willing and able to be away from home and the office for longer periods of time.

A recent survey ‘Destination X – Where to Next’ by Amadeus found that 55% of travelers said they would travel for 14 days or more and 60% said they now expected to take fewer trips a year, favoring longer stays over short breaks. Airbnb has already shifted its entire business model to mid-term stays.

This development presents opportunities for the shrewd vacation rental market property manager. Now is the time to capitalize on ‘bleisure travelers’ looking for a home-away-from-home, and those looking to reconnect with friends and family in a spacious home.

With so many rental properties out there, here are the 7 steps on how to how to market your vacation rental property is most findable way and how to make it stand out from the crowd. 

Step one to villa marketing: quality photos are the keys to unlocking your entire marketing operation

As we all know, first impressions count, so it goes without saying that professional-looking photographs are the best way to show off your properties. Your business will benefit as a direct result, lending it more credibility, value, and, yes, professionalism.

Hiring an experienced photographer to take pictures of your real estate is advisable as they know about lighting, lenses, and the best angles to deliver the wow factor. Amateur photographs will give the impression you cut corners, and that you’ll perhaps do the same elsewhere. The better your images, the better your chances of a booking. It’s as simple as that.

If you do decide to take the photos yourself, here are some things to consider when photographing your property:

• Tidy and clean beforehand. A camera will pick up crumpled bed linen and stains on the carpets that you may not have noticed. Clear away clutter and arrange furniture so the house looks presentable and welcoming.
• Maximize light by opening curtains and turning on lamps in dark rooms or corners.
• Keep the camera straight. Jaunty angles confuse and put off the viewer.
• Mix close-ups with wide-angle shots. Provide interest by having a range of different perspectives in your photographs. People want to get an overview of the whole room and the space but they are also interested in details. Show close-ups of cozy corners and wall art or bookshelves.
• Take lots of photos! Customers want to see an extensive gallery of images – think of 20 as a minimum to offer a tantalizing portrayal of the property (but be careful not to misrepresent your property, as discovering things are not as advertised is a bugbear for travelers).

Think carefully about the main photo. You’re relying on this to hold the attention of potential guests and entice them to click through the gallery. Your opening image will be the showpiece: the heart of the home, or the exterior.

It’s worth staging the space to maximize its appeal and make it sing. Potted plants outside the front door? A roaring fire in the hearth? A continental breakfast on the kitchen island? Flowers on the sideboard? Don’t hold back!

Step two for how to market your vacation rental property: build a professional website

Another great way to help cultivate a professional identity and build trust is by having a high-quality website, especially in an industry where dated designs are commonplace.

As the industry evolves, increasing numbers of travelers want to book exclusively with professional vacation rental managers (as opposed to home-owners) so your website is a chance to build trust and demonstrate your professional credentials, for example, your profile, your territory, and the number of properties you have, as well as to showcase all those wonderful property photographs.

A professional looking website can also act as another sales channel – even if you expect the majority of your bookings to come through listing sites, such as Vrbo, Airbnb, or Tripadvisor, or via a Metasearch the first time, if renters have a good experience, they’ll likely book directly through your website on repeat visits.

Don’t be daunted by the prospect of integrating booking features into your website – your vacation rental property software should offer this as part of your package. If not then now might be the time to consider an alternative.

Having your own website will give you, as a property manager, more control of your business and will save you commission on rental listing through external sites.

There are a lot of things to consider when building your own listings website, but priority should be given to an uncluttered, user-friendly interface and a robust, secure booking system. Elements like user reviews, an “about us” page, and details about the local area are also elements that ought to be considered.

Step three in the property manager’s guide to marketing: harness the power of SEO

For those who aren’t familiar with Search Engine Optimization, think of it as the way you super-charge your website’s content to increase the quantity and quality of visitors to your online business from Google and other search engines. Statistics show that every minute 3.8 million searches are made, where users are looking for desired information and seeking out new brands. It’s vital you have a strong Vacation Rental SEO strategy to stand a chance of being found organically in this highly competitive sector.

Well-written content is just the start – a website that is optimized for search engines “speaks the same language” as its target audience, with keywords that help connect searchers to your site is a great beginning to learning how to market your vacation rental property.

A blog linked to your website is a surefire way to gain you visibility. Writing regular, topical blog posts using keywords will boost your business in search rankings. By offering relevant information to your target audience, you are positioning yourself as a local expert and building credibility and trust among your potential customers.

Bear in mind that users are able to spot content that has been written with the sole purpose of SEO ranking. You must provide people with qualitative information that they want to read, or else you risk losing their attention and trust.

For example, this article from CMI explains that travelers book places to stay because they have already decided to travel. They don’t travel based on finding a place to stay. With this in mind, the article explains the value of building experiences around pre-existing reasons for travel (business, passion for exploration) as a way to connect with a ready-made audience seeking what you’re able to offer.

Here’s what to consider when defining your content strategy:

1. Know your audience 

You’re aware of the typical questions and inquiries from tourists coming to your area, so make sure you address these and share expert local insight in the content you publish.

2. Choose the right tone

Make your copy clear and easy to understand. You want to connect with the largest audience possible, so avoid jargon and industry speak that might alienate people unfamiliar with the topic. Also, keep things snappy and concise, especially important for mobile users.

3. Research the needs of your customer

Understanding what your target audience needs and is interested in on Google will help build content appealing to them.

4. Keyword optimization

The keywords for your area, properties, and services should appear in your content. This is important for your SEO, and the reader can quickly and clearly identify your content as relevant and expect the same of the rest of your content.

Ultimately, your aim is to rank higher than your competitors by uploading interesting material that’s deemed attractive to Google. The huge benefit is that not only should SEO lead to more sales, but it’s essentially free advertising.