You’ve taken phenomenal vacation rental photos, written a compelling listing description, and posted it for the world to see (and book) on Airbnb and Vrbo. Now what? You can sit back and hope you stand out from the competition on those channels. Or, you can take a proactive approach to get more eyes on your vacation rental on your own.
One smart way to do that is to market your vacation rental on social media. Not only is it free advertising, it’s a simple way to interact with potential and past guests who are already online looking for travel inspiration.
We turned to Roman Anisimov, Vacasa’s social media manager—who oversees our social media and engages with our followers daily on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter—for some inspiration. His recommendations for social media beginners:
Whose opinions have the most influence on potential guests? Past guests. Their vacation photo sitting by your pool and the review they left behind can have a big impact on another traveler’s decisions. Some ways to repurpose guest reviews:
Social media is highly visual—and authentic. So don’t simply post the same property photos over and over. Instead, focus on the experience and special moments that guests can have at your vacation rental and the amenities that make it happen.
Show them what vacation looks like at your home (and the surrounding area). You might even consider setting up a photoshoot with family and friends to act as mock guests. Some ideas for photo and video content:
Nothing thrills travelers more than winning a free vacation. Offering a chance to win a stay at your vacation rental is a great way to get more visibility and attract new followers. First, make sure to follow Facebook and Instagram’s rules on running promotions and giveaways. Then, make it immersive and think of creative ways for people to participate.
Some ideas:
People love to have their say. Use surveys and polls to let them do so. The added bonus: You can get insight into what people like. For instance, you can ask for advice on what amenity to invest in next: hot tub or outdoor fire pit? Or, find out which activities draw people to your destination the most: hiking or fishing?
Surveys should be quick and easy for people to answer—one or two questions, tops. This also doesn’t have to be complicated. Ask users to vote by leaving a comment or create an Instagram Stories poll.
Put simply, an influencer is someone who influences. On social media, influencers are users who consistently create content and have a dedicated audience who know and trust them. Partnering with an influencer is a great way to get endorsements.
An agreement with an influencer usually involves hosting a 2–3 night stay in exchange for content. The influencer should agree to do a good mix of photo and video assets (for example, 10 photos and 2 videos) that they’ll share with their audience and you can reuse for your own marketing.
Before partnering up on anything, though, make sure you thoroughly research the influencer. How big is their audience? How engaged are they with their followers? “Audience size is important, but engagement is vital,” Roman says. “Someone with a small audience can still have a strong impact on their followers’ decisions.”
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Keep your social media channels relevant and up to date. Stay on top of which hashtags are trending at the time, especially in your destination. (Search your location’s name in Instagram to find out which hashtags are most popular.)
Holidays are another way to tie in related content from time to time. Think beyond national holidays—there are days that celebrate all things imaginable. For National Pie Day (January 23rd, if you’re wondering), give a shout out to your favorite local pie spots. On National Lazy Day (August 10), show guests all the ways they can kick back at your vacation home.
Travelers are already on social media looking for inspiration for upcoming getaways. By joining them there, you can interact with future guests directly and get more exposure for your vacation rental. Use Roman’s tips to create a steady flow of content that will keep your vacation home top of mind, while keeping your audience interested and engaged.
There are seemingly endless ways to market your vacation home and get it in front of a wide audience. At Vacasa, we like to think creatively, while also leveraging tried and tested marketing strategies. Some tips for marketing your own vacation home:
When creating a Facebook page for your vacation rental, treat it as you would the homepage of your website. Some tips:
Call 844-518-0967 to speak with a Homeowner Consultant, who can answer preliminary questions and see if we’d be a good fit for you.
If you'd like to move forward, we’ll put you in touch with our market expert in your neighborhood to explore the financial potential of your home, outline our management fee, and introduce your local team.
California licenses
Vacasa Seasonals Inc.
California DRE #02160171
Vacation Palm Springs Real Estate, Inc.
California DRE #01523013
Vacasa offers property management and other real estate services directly through Vacasa LLC and through Vacasa LLC's licensed subsidiaries. Click here for more information about Vacasa's licensed real estate brokerage/property manager in your state. Vacasa’s licensed real estate brokerages/property managers include: Vacasa Alabama LLC; Vacasa Arizona LLC; Vacasa of Arkansas LLC; Vacasa Colorado LLC (Micah Victory); Vacasa Delaware LLC, 302-541-8999; Vacasa Florida LLC; Vacasa Illinois LLC 481.014072, Micah Victory Managing Broker Lic# 471.021837; Vacasa Louisiana LLC, Dana MacCord, Principal Broker, ph 504.252.0155 (Licensed in LA); Vacasa Michigan LLC, 602-330-9934; Vacasa Missouri LLC, Vicki Lyn Brown, Designated Broker; Vacasa Nevada LLC; Vacasa New Hampshire LLC,45 NH-25, Meredith, NH 03253, Susan Scanlon, Broker of Record; Vacasa Minnesota, Broker: Micah Victory, license #40877637; Vacasa New Mexico LLC, 503-345-9399; Vacasa New York LLC, 888-433-0068, Susan Scanlon, Real Estate Broker; Vacasa North Carolina LLC; Vacasa Oregon LLC; Vacasa Pennsylvania LLC; Vacation Palm Springs Real Estate, Inc., California DRE #01523013, Mark Graham, California DRE #00700720; Vacasa Real Estate LLC (licensed in Texas, Debra Brock, Designated Broker); Vacasa Real Estate LLC (licensed in Washington, Robert Brush, Designated Broker); Vacasa Seasonals Inc., California DRE #02160171, Lisa Renee Stevens, California DRE #01485234; Vacasa South Carolina LLC; Vacasa South Dakota LLC; Vacasa Tennessee LLC; Vacasa Vacation Rentals of Hawaii LLC, 69-201 Waikoloa Beach Dr. Ste. #2F17, Waikoloa, HI 96738; Vacasa Vacation Rentals of Montana LLC, Terah M. Young, Licensed Property Manager; Vacasa Virginia LLC; Vacasa Wisconsin LLC; Vacasa Wyoming LLC. In Canada, this advertisement is provided by Vacasa Canada ULC, CPBC lic. number 75826, 172 Asher Rd. V1X 3H6 Kelowna, BC.