Let’s face it, Social media has become an unavoidable part of our lives. It is the first thing people check after waking up. How you present your Vacation Rental property on Social media matters the most in present-day marketing.
Even if you don’t reach your target audience through outdoor or TV advertising, you will definitely reach it through Social media. The major difference in other kinds of advertising and social media is that others push the offering to the consumer, while Social media pulls the audience towards the offering.
People follow pages on Social media out of their interest so, you’ll want to keep that in mind while you target market through these channels. You need to garner interest in your social media and create reasons why someone should want to follow you and learn from you.
There are various platforms, each having its own marketing tools. Knowing which to use and practicing them to the fullest can carry lots of dividends. So, let’s find out which platforms and tools will be best for your marketing strategy.
Also, if you want some quick tips into the Social Media Marketing, check out the slides below:
Contents
Adopt a multi-platform strategy:
Each platform has its advantages and disadvantages. Facebook is the oldest among all the platforms and has the highest number of people on board. You simply can’t ignore Facebook. Even though a lot of people suggest that Facebook is becoming less popular each day, you will not find a reduction in the number of profiles on it.
Facebook groups are the easiest tools in which to find niche groups having similar interests. Most groups have a strict non-advertising policy, however, you can find out what’s trending by browsing through such groups. Creating a page for your Vacation Rental is another must-have. Here you can freely advertise and you may even promote your posts by paying a small fee.
Instagram and Pinterest are more useful in promoting through photographs, videos, and campaigns. It is best to have your most beautiful photos online. These could be about a local festival such as the hot air balloon festival in Albuquerque. These could also be about the events and holidays celebrated at the property. Share the most wonderful experiences of your rental and guests.
Youtube is the universal king of video and influencer marketing platforms. You can develop various kinds of videos these days and you’ll want to find out what is becoming viral and add it to your marketing quiver.
Apart from these, Travel forums and websites such as Tripadvisor, and booking and listing websites should also form a part of your online marketing. Remember, this where actual action takes place. This is where you can get exceptionally great reviews from happy guests and really bad reviews from the unhappy ones. Keeping these pages up to date is vital and responding to reviews is indispensable.
Last but certainly not the least, your Google Maps presence and reviews are of utmost importance. Almost everyone will look up your property on Google Maps. Top quality photos, videos, and reviews here can change your VR business overnight.
Find out what’s trending:
Newer promotional content can help you differentiate between the competitors in your market. These days, Drone videos and virtual reality-enabled videos are getting the highest social media traction. Showcase the beautiful landscapes by capturing a drone video of your property, or fly it around nearby attractions and shoot the bounty of nature, touring sites, recreational areas, and whatnot! Get CREATIVE!
Virtual Reality Enabled (VR-enabled) videos help prospective guests experience the property right from the comfort of their homes. It can’t get any more convenient so you’ll want to make the fullest use of this option. Prices range from about $250-$350 for this type of service through Matterport which is one of the leading providers. Highlight the best property features such as the swimming pool, children’s play area, gardens, and much more. Your guests will really know and understand your property.
Hire a professional to shoot these videos or use software but make them a part of your marketing strategy. You can’t fall behind the competition, can you? There are several useful tools to help you so please check them out now!
Social media is a tool that can be used in good and bad ways. You need to know how to deal with either. Your social media presence is a platform for your guests to express a grievance, feedback, gratitude, or suggestion. Therefore, having a social media presence is a great platform for constructive feedback.
This has another underlying benefit. The presence itself builds faith in the minds of the prospective guests that you and your property are trustworthy. It brings a great deal of credibility and professionalism to your property and it assures guests that they will be heard. Ask yourself, would you prefer staying in a VR that doesn’t have a Social media presence?
At times, some guests might abuse such power or your competitors might use it to spread rumors. However, if your property is genuinely worth spending a vacation, the many good reviews will overpower the few bad ones.
It is similar to an open-door policy, your target audience will back you up if they see something going awry. However, make sure you are keeping your presence up to date and responding to reviews sincerely.
The sky is the limit:
The most wonderful thing about living in a globalized world is, that you can target a wider audience. Social media helps you in doing so. Think of all those people with whom you can’t reach through normal marketing. These people might not have heard about your property only because they are international.
Social media reduces these boundaries. With growing incomes in developing countries, travel and tourism are increasing every second. Make use of these changing times. Assure these guests that their stay at your property will be no less than a hotel.
Most of the time, international guests prefer hotels to easily have international food at their disposal. Reassure them that you can take care of these details. Ask them about their food preferences before booking and ensure you have enough supplies for them.
This will open a whole new world of opportunities for your property. The wider your target audience, the higher your booking rate, and the higher your profits.
Stay relevant:
Social media is educational too. None of your competitors will reveal their secrets, but their guests will. The more you browse, the more new things you will get to know. You can keep redeveloping your property suiting to the changing tastes and preferences.
You can run campaigns, polls, and events to find out what it is that your target audience desires. Then you can analyze how can you adapt your property accordingly. A simple poll result can tell you which feature of your property requires the most urgent improvement. This will keep you on your toes.
You are growing a business. You have to invest in it to get the returns. If you see a really happy guest, politely ask them for a review or a rating on your social media presence. You can send them a mail after they check out. This can include a discount coupon on their next stay if they leave you a review.
You may even install a feedback device at the checkout, which can discount your guest’s bill if they leave you feedback. Remember, you are not forcing a good review out of them. You are just getting a review from them. It can be good or bad. It will be genuine, and in any case, the customer will be rewarded.
If it is a bad review, you have something to work on. Otherwise, you might not find out about it until the guest leaves the property. You might even pacify them before they abuse the online review option, so make good use of such opportunities.
United we stand:
Partnering with local businesses can give you a greater edge over your competitors. Not only that, but it will also help you in better marketing your property. If your guests book your property for a longer period, offer them discounted dinners or event tickets.
Such partnerships bring business to the locals and in turn, they publicize your property. Every property can provide a comfortable stay, but how many can provide the best experience and “free extras”?
Run Social media campaigns to promote such partnerships and attract a greater audience. It is another form of incentivizing your target audience. Such campaigns will guide you to correct partnerships because you will go for those which are in greater demand. Your social media interactions and analytics will tell you what is more popular with your target audience.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this short guide to using social media to your benefit in promoting your Vacation rental property. Summing it up: photos, videos, and other unique communications are a must. All relevant platforms should be used to gain wide social media traction. Campaigns, Polls, Events, and Email communications help in understanding what is trending and are also a useful means of analyzing the competition. The information generated helps you find and develop newer marketing strategies which will help you stay strong and stand out among the competition. Further, Social Media puts your property on the map and broadens your target audience. So start working on your social media presence now!
