social media icons on smartphone

How Vacation Rental Operators can use Social Media to Promote Your Listings

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that social media can be a seriously powerful way to get eyeballs on your content and guests to your rentals – enabling you to stop relying on OTAs to bring in the bookings. 

But the sheer array of platforms out there – which all have different styles, focuses, needs and tools – can make social media seem like a dark art you have no hope of mastering. If you’re not super tech-savvy, or don’t want to spend all day online, it can feel impossible to know where to begin.

But with a few tips, you can choose the right social media platform for you, and quickly get serious results online, whether you build your audience for free (also called “organic” growth) or invest some cash into paid ads to boost your results (or both). 

With a little know-how, social media can work a treat, and get your business thriving.

At Boostly, we’ve helped thousands of hosts to grow their short-term rental businesses by helping them to set up great websites and successful social media accounts, so they can increase their potential audience, skyrocket direct bookings, and stop relying on OTAs. We can help you do the same, too.

We have an entire vacation rental marketing guide here, but this post goes deep on social media specifically – because it’s such a powerful way to attract ideal clients and get bookings for your business.

Our social media marketing guide below will show you:

✔ How to promote your vacation rental for free on social media 

✔ How to advertise your vacation rental on social media

✔ Simple and actionable social media marketing strategies you can start using today

✔ How to get more actual bookings for your vacation rental from social media

Why be dependent on OTAs like Airbnb and Booking.com? Did you know you can save thousands on commission fees by getting direct bookings? Get our free blueprint on how to double direct bookings for free.

Table of Contents

How can I promote my vacation rental for free on social media?

The key is to remember that you will likely not have time to do all social media platforms well, and not all of them will apply to your business. Instead, choose 1-3 platforms maximum that work for you, and show up there consistently.

The table below offers a quick breakdown of most of the major social media platforms out there right now, so you can see at a glance which will work best for you and your business.

What is the platform?Who uses it most?What is it especially good for?Content ideas for rental hosts
Instagram
Visual app, including static images, Live videos, longer videos, and short video snippets, with long or short captions.Often used by lifestyle brands and influencers.
51% women.

1 billion people use it every month. 

Tends to be used by early 20s to late 40s.
Visual people who like sharing / watching images and videos.

Great for “behind the scenes” informal content, quick posts or longer captions, and/or showing off your rental visually.
Show beautiful photos and video tours of your rental space.

Explain to camera why you started your rental business.

Recommend the top 5 local attractions your ideal guests would love to visit.
Pinterest
Visual platform.
A cross between a social media platform and a search engine.
322 million monthly active users.

Mainly women, with 70%/30% female to male split.
Bringing people to your website or page, as each image can contain a direct link. 

An excellent way to get more eyes on your blog posts and visual content.
Create “pins” publicising your latest blog post with a great image.

Create interesting infographics on your niche or industry.

Share video tours and images of your rental.
Facebook

Logo here  (and the others below)
The biggest social network platform. 

Includes photos, videos, simple written posts, and link sharing.
2.74 billion monthly active users. 

57%/43% male to female user split.
Longer posts, links, and photos.

Prioritises video content that is shareable, inspirational, original, and prompts engagement.
Ask questions related to your niche to spark engagement.

Share regular blog posts and ask people for their views.


Share beautiful videos or photos and ask people which they prefer.
TwitterThe original “microblogging” website. 

Short messages that can include media content such as links, photos, or videos.
187 million daily active users.
70%/30% male to female split.

Largest demographic 25-34 years old.

59% use it for news.
Video views were up 62% in 2020 vs 2019.
Short and sweet info or snippets. 
News, or excerpts of blog posts that then lead to a link. 

Posts stand out more with an image or video included.
Share your latest blog post, content or deal with a link and photo of your rental.

Ask questions to spark engagement and conversation.

Share memes or funny phrases in your niche to inspire Retweets.
LinkedInSocial media, but for business professionals. Written and visual posts, links, and professional recommendations.722 million members, across 200 countries worldwide.

57% male and 43% female.
Finding corporate or business guests; sharing news, blog posts, and personal responses.

Building your business reputation.
Answer a common question you get from guests or prospective guests.

Share predictions of what’s going to happen in your industry or area.

Create a “top 10” list of things people should know about being a rental host or booking with you.
QuoraA “questions” website, where people can ask any question they like and receive answers from the community.300 million monthly active users. 57% men, 43% women. 

Users 65% more likely than average to report a college degree and 54% more likely to have an income of $100,000+.
Answering questions and showing your knowledge as a vacation rental specialist or local business guide. 

Connect with your audience where they already are online.
Share an opinion or photo and ask people what they think.

Ask people for opinions on an issue.

Answer popular questions and show your knowledge or what you’ve learned as a rental host.
RedditWorks like a forum with strong “communities”. 

Lots of questions and user-generated content such as links, images, and videos.
430 million monthly active users worldwide. 

Most popular among people aged 25 to 29.
Posting short original content, including text, photos, links, and video.

Especially works if it is engaging or asking the audience for their views or support.
Post beautiful photos of your rental and ask people what they think.

Share behind-the-scenes transformations or room makeovers.

Post or comment on questions and other content in relevant subreddits (communities) in your niche or area.
SnapchatAn image and video messaging app.

Allows you to share multimedia messages that  “self-destruct” in up to 10 seconds.

Also has “Stories” that last for 24 hours.
229 million daily active users worldwide. 

More than half (53%) of all users in the US are aged 15-25.
Showing your personality and face, with a huge array of funny or interesting filters. 

Great for short and sweet communication that feels personal.
Offer quick “sneak peeks” of new rooms or areas of your rental.

Do a Q&A session of common myths of questions from guests or hosts.

Offer quick tips for hosts or guests.
TikTokThe “viral” video app especially popular among teenagers and younger adults.

Huge variety of short videos, set to original or popular library music.
689 million monthly active users worldwide. 62% are aged 10-29 years old. 

Super-high engagement. Average daily time spent by users is 52 minutes.
Short video content that is funny, useful, sharable, or inspirational.

Voiceover content, video tours, showing your personality.
Showcase beautiful tours of your rental.

Do a Q&A session of common myths of questions from guests or hosts.

Show before and afters of a makeover or tidying your rental
YouTubeVideo website with longer-form videos on user channels. 

Works like a search engine with keywords.
2.3 billion users worldwide, second only to Facebook.

79% of internet users say they have an account.
Longer-form video content that is well-shot and highly-produced (but doesn’t have to be). 

Great for creating video series or a “day in the life”-style “vlogs”, and building up a community.
Take viewers on a journey through your rental makeover or renovation.

Answer common questions in a series.

Do a tour of the top 5 things to do in your rental area or a behind-the-scenes of your business.
MeetupAllows people to set up their own groups on almost any topic, and organise in-person events to “meet up”. 

Now more online.
More than 35m users, and approx. 140,000 organisers. 

Pivoted to online events in 2020 due to Covid-19.

More than 1m online “meet-ups” held March-October 2020.
Creating small communities centred around specific interests or topics. 

Great for sparking conversation and hosting events based on topics or themes.
Host online events that are relevant to your niche, e.g. if your rental has a pizza oven, you could do pizza-making lessons.

Host events for other hosts in your area and showcase your vacation rental knowledge.
MediumPublishing platform.

Users write long-form articles, for a wider audience than their own blogs.
Medium does not publish official user stats, but in May 2017, it said it had 60 million unique monthly readers.Longer-form written pieces. 

Especially blog post style articles or opinion pieces that are shareable, useful, or fascinating. 

With or without images.
Write a strong opinion piece on something you feel strongly about when it comes to being a rental host.

Answer common or burning questions guests have post-Covid-19.

Write a post on how your rental aligns with your personal ethos, e.g. eco-friendly products.
ClubhouseThe “new kid on the block”, launched in April 2020 and booming. 

Audio-only, Live app.

Currently only available on iPhone, but an Android version is coming soon. Invite-only.
More than 10 million weekly active users as of February 2021, up from 600,000 in December 2020.Live podcast-style shows or group conversations.

Especially good to show off your knowledge or recommendations, or host discussions with your friends, guests, or fellow rental hosts.
Host a weekly show discussing trends in your area or industry.

Solo episodes where you chat about values close to your rental, e.g. providing organic treats to guests.

Overall, with social media, the 7 key things to remember when you’re starting out are:

1. Social media is social. 

Take part and engage as much as you post. You can’t just post and run. You wouldn’t just run into a room, shout your news, and then leave again immediately – so don’t do it on social either! 

Before and after you post, engage with other accounts in your space or on your page; like and comment and message others, and that will get them coming back to your page and chatting with you. This will help them build rapport with your account and see you as a real human.

2. Good quality photos and copy are paramount. 

Social media is moving away from “perfect” and stylised feeds and accounts, but you still want to appear professional. You don’t need a full-on photoshoot each time, but make sure that your photos are crisp, well-shot, with enough light, and focus.

And while copy or text should show your brand voice or personality, you still want to make sure it’s clear, to the point, and well-written. Some typos and casual chat are one thing, but too far and you risk looking unprofessional. Good quality is still key.

3. A consistent brand style helps.

Carefully-planned, curated feeds are not as important as they once were, but it makes sense to maintain a consistent brand style across social media platforms or even on your posts on a single platform.

Set brand colours, fonts, post sizes and settings that fit with your rental and guest profile, and don’t deviate. This will make your posts look professional and also encourage users to recognise your brand more and more.

4. Consistency is key.

You don’t have to be online every day or post three times a day, but social media works best when you’re consistent. Set a schedule and stick to it, e.g. Post 5 days a week on Instagram, publish a YouTube video once a week, or whatever feels manageable to you.

Try to build up a “series” or regular-style content so people know what to expect from you. They may even start to look forward to your posts and follow you for regular updates.

5. Plan ahead.

Having a content calendar a few months in advance, even if only very basic, can help you to plan for events or special days, such as Mother’s Day or Easter. This means that you can tailor discounts, deals, packages or content around those themes, to encourage people to think of your business and book around those times.

You’ll look professional and prepared – and likely get more advance bookings – if you are ready for such dates in good time.

6. Alternate between types of posts.

You only want to post out-and-out “sales” posts between 10-20% of the time. The rest of the time, alternate your content between educational, interesting, entertaining or engaging, such as asking questions, showing people you understand them and their lives, or giving tips or behind-the-scenes insights.

Too much “sales” can put people off, so get them interested in your business and personality first, and then share a sales post every so often. Even engagement on non-sales posts can boost your brand – allowing you to “sell” without being “salesy”.

7. Play to your strengths.

No one expects you to be on social media all day, or across all platforms. The key is to pick 1-3 platforms maximum and choose one that feels fun, manageable and sustainable to you. If you hate showing your face, choose audio (such as Clubhouse). If you love writing, try Medium and Twitter. If you find video fun and easy to do, go with IG Live or YouTube. The easier it feels, the more likely you are to stick to it, stay consistent and authentic.

social media apps on smartphone

How can I advertise my vacation rental online?

Most of the platforms you can use for free also offer an advertising option. Advertising can help boost the number of people who see your content quickly and bring fresh eyes to your page and site.

Remember though: Advertising means that many of the people who see your page won’t know anything about you or your business, so they’re known as “cold traffic”, and could take a while to warm up to you or be ready to book. 

So while they might not book a £1,000 luxury rental instantly; they might follow you, download a free guide, subscribe to your YouTube channel, or sign up to receive future discounts and deals. This is especially true if your rental is particularly high-end, niche, or remote.

Think of it like dating – most ads are like the first date, not the wedding! 

At Boostly, we can help you get set up to start advertising your rental online, and either work with you to help you set it up and manage it yourself, show you how to set up a successful, highly converting website, and even manage your entire business social media strategy for you. 

All of these elements work together because your advert (and even your free, organic social media posts and content) will also need to “point” to something. For example, the link on the advert will need to go somewhere – so you’ll also need to have a matching vacation rental website, social media page, or landing page (a standalone web page where people can sign up to receive something by email) first.

Social media for vacation rental operators: Getting started with paid ads

What works best for ads here?How can I get started?How much do I need to spend?
InstagramStatic images, videos, with captions. 

Ads can have links in them, unlike organic posts.
Instagram is owned by Facebook, so you need a connected Facebook Page account with a Business page to set up ads. 

You can then use Facebook’s Ads Manager. Varied copy and media depending on size or platform intended.
A budget of at least £10 a day per ad advised, to give it a chance to optimise your ad and show it to enough people to get results.

Choose a budget that works for you, and set a time limit or maximum spend.
PinterestHighly engaging visual content.

Images and scroll-stopping videos overlaid with easy-to-read text.
You’ll need to switch to a Business account on Pinterest, and then click “Create ad”. 

You can then upload media and post.
You can set a daily budget, billing, and the duration of the campaign in a couple of clicks. 

Small businesses generally pay up to £1 or more per targeted click.
FacebookHighly engaging visual content such as images and videos. 

Engaging first lines, as not much text allowed on images.
You’ll need a Business page on Facebook, which you then use to access Ads Manager and upload content. 

You can set a budget and track results.
Facebook / Instagram advises a budget of at least £10 a day per ad. 

(See Instagram above.)
TwitterEngaging, interesting or controversial short snippets of text, images and videos, and/or excerpts.

You can promote single tweets, accounts, or trends.
Head to Twitter’s Business website and hit “Create an ad”. 

You can then choose objectives, such as video views or clicks.
You can then set up billing and set a daily or total budget, and retain control. 

No minimum budget needed, but 50p to £1.50 per tweet is considered standard.
LinkedInAttention-grabbing images and headlines, linked to important and relevant articles in your industry or niche.Head to LinkedIn’s Business website and hit “Create ad”. 

Once signed in, you can set currency and other assets.
The minimum for ads is $10 per day. 

Start low and increase the better your ads perform or to increase your reach.
QuoraScroll-stopping images, questions or short sentences, that encourage people to click.Head to Quora for Business and hit “Get Started”. 

You can then set up an account and campaign, choose objectives and targets, and set your schedule and budget.
The minimum spend is $0.01. 

The amount you pay will depend on your objectives, such as impressions or clicks.
RedditHighly engaging visual content such as images, along with need-to-know copy.Head to Reddit Inc, the site’s corporate page, and hit “Advertise on Reddit”. 

You can then set up your account, choose your audience and objectives.
Minimum daily spend of $5.

Ads work on a cost-per-click (CPC) basis.
SnapchatFull-screen videos, photos, and gifs that inspire instant action such as clicking to a link.Head to Snapchat for Business, and hit “Create an Ad”. You can then create assets, monitor results and optimise ads to your goals in one place.Minimum $5 a day.

You can tweak the budget as results start coming in.
TikTokScroll-stopping, full-screen videos that inspire people to stop, watch and click between user content.Head to TikTok’s Business pages, and hit “Create an Ad”. 

Adjust targeting that adapts in real-time and repurposes your existing content.Minimum spend of £50 per day per campaign when using a daily budget. 

For a “lifetime budget”, the daily spend is closer to £20/day.
YouTubeShort or longer-form landscape videos that start strong to prevent users from skipping them, with great visuals and sound.Head to the YouTube Ads page, and hit “start now”. You can also call YouTube on 0800 026 5941 in the UK. 

Choose your audience, ad length and search keywords.
YouTube recommends at least £6 per day for local campaigns. 

Start small and work up for larger campaigns.
MeetupMeetup doesn’t have paid ads as such.

But, you can sponsor groups, and brand your meetups to your style.
You can start drawing attention to your business and Meetup group. 

Head to the website and hit “Get started” to go through the site’s online tutorial.
Organisers pay between $9.99 and $23.99 a month, depending on the size and type of group. 

Free to join and RSVP to groups.
MediumMedium is “ad-free”, but you are able to promote your own work, such as a link to your rental site. 

Images that look like ads aren’t allowed.
Head to Medium and hit “Get started”. You can then sign up and hit “Write a story”.

There is also a Partner Program to earn money for your work if it gets enough views.
It’s free to sign up.

Medium has a Membership model from $5/month or $50/year, for unlimited reading access, and you can also support other writers.
ClubhouseClubhouse doesn’t have direct advertising, but some third-party tools are popping up. 

You can sponsor “clubrooms” with third-party apps, receive sponsorship, or promote your business in your clubroom along with your content.
Still need an invitation from an existing user to join, Currently only on iOS. 

Once you’ve signed up, you can build a network and host shows. 

Some third-party apps are now allowing sponsorship.
Clubhouse is free to use and currently has no advertising model. 

You can attract sponsorship for your show, sponsor others or arrange for paid-for “read outs” during sessions. 

Cost negotiable by user.

What social media marketing strategies can I start using today?

As much as we wish it were true, you can’t just start posting randomly on Instagram and think that will be enough to bring in the bookings.

At Boostly, we always say that your social media marketing efforts work best when they’re all linked to a proper strategy and plan. You can’t just post and run, throw some posts on your brand new Instagram account, and hope it sticks. 

“Hoping and praying” is not a sustainable long-term business strategy!

That’s why we recommend a plan like this for vacation rental owners:

  1. An online “home”: Set up your website and rental booking portal first, so you have a “home” to send people to from social and can collect bookings easily and directly. We can help you do this at Boostly – it’s one of our specialities.
  2. Choose 1-3 social media platforms and really focus on building relationships and growing them first before branching out.
  3. Set up a weekly or daily schedule for producing content, such as an Instagram Live, Instagram post, a new YouTube video, or a blog post with tips, and share it with your community regularly.
  4. Show up consistently wherever you’ve chosen to be, e.g. Instagram posts, and setting a goal – such as one post a day, a Story five days a week, a weekly IGTV or Live – and sticking to it. 
  5. Make your content “findable” – e.g. on Instagram, make sure you choose niche hashtags that aren’t too overused (anything over 500k-1m is far too big) that your audience will search for. Some platforms use hashtags, others use keywords or topics.
  6. Engage as much as you post, and follow accounts you like that are in your space, or that you genuinely enjoy, and engage (like, comment, follow, subscribe…) with other accounts first.
  7. Plan ahead so you can time your content and posts with events and holidays.
  8. Ask people to join your email list (e.g. newsletter or freebie) as much as to your website or booking page, and then email them regularly to continue that relationship
  9. Try paid ads once you feel confident on social media and want a boost of new leads.
  10. Don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things, and see what works best.
  11. Track your goals and progress and tweak or change things up depending on results

How can I get more actual bookings for my vacation rental from social media?

I’m glad you asked. Because, despite appearances, social media isn’t actually about “vanity metrics” – stuff that “looks good” such as how many likes or followers you have. 

As many of our successful rental owners can tell you at Boostly, you can build a sustainable and thriving business with very few likes and just a few hundred or thousand followers. In contrast, lots of people on social media have thousands of followers and look super-successful, but can’t make a sale or get bookings for love nor money.

The way social looks – and how many people see your posts is important – but it’s not the most important thing when you’re running a business. At the end of the day, the key to success on social media is the relationships you build with followers, and how many genuine enquiries and bookings you actually get.  After all, “Likes” don’t pay the bills.

Once your followers know, like and trust you as a human, it will be much easier for you to “sell” to them without coming across as overtly salesy. 

Know, like and trust

Social media is an excellent way to show your personality. You don’t just have to stick to “business” posts or photos of your space – many platforms will actively respond well to you showing your funny side, or sharing something completely unrelated to business. Show your face too, or at least your voice. After all, people buy from people – so show them you’re a real human and they'll respond; and be more likely to like you and trust you when you later show them what you’re selling (e.g. your vacation rental).

After all, selling people something they need and want is actually a real service – not sleazy. 

If you do the legwork to show them why your rental is great, why you’re great, and why and how people can book with you – then “asking for the sale” or the booking, will feel natural, positive, and easy.

Our relationship-building tips

  • Start conversations. Thank people for following you, ask questions, respond to comments, be interested in others and they will return the favour.
  • Show your personality. Build that know, like, and trust factor.
  • Show parts of your life that aren’t about business. It won’t seem unprofessional (within reason), it will allow people to know you as a human being.
  • Show personal touches you bring to your rental. If something is important, unique or special about your approach or rental, say so. Why would people stay with you and not someone else?
  • Encourage people to send you questions, messages, emails or DMs to start a conversation. This doesn’t have to begin by talking about booking, but once you build a rapport, you can then ask them if they’d like to book or learn more, and you can send them a link to sign up for deals or to book directly.
  • Make the booking process really easy. Put a “book now” button on your page, or have a clear process and/or easy links to book and pay, both on your social and your website.
  • Enable online payments and direct bookings, with easy payment options. The fewer obstacles to booking and paying the better to encourage people to book asap.

The key is to direct people to one place online and ask them to do a specific thing when they’re there. This might be your website booking page, landing page, or booking portal. At Boostly, we’re experts in helping you set this up.

If they’re “new” to your online space, you might ask them to sign up for a freebie, newsletter, or low-cost “introductory” item from you, such as an e-Guide book, before asking them to spend hundreds on booking directly. 

This means that they are “on your list”, and you can email them regularly with updates or behind-the-scenes content, send them regular discounts or deals, update them on new media or blog posts, and gradually build up your relationship, so they get to know, like, and trust you and your business. 

(Remember though: if you’re emailing people in Europe, GDPR laws mean that people must opt-in to be contacted in that specific way, so if you’re sending them a freebie, you need to get permission to send them that freebie and to email them later as part of a separate newsletter.)

You can also send people straight to your booking page and get direct guests that way, especially if your rental is relatively low-cost, or they’ve already got to know you via social media.

And remember: track your results

Vanity metrics such as “Likes” might feel good but won’t pay your bills. Instead, depending on your business goals, decide the metrics you want to track, such as bookings from Direct Messages, the number of DM enquiries, or overall bookings from social media sources.

This will allow you to see how well your marketing is going, and see what you need to tweak, and at what stage of the process. Change one thing at a time and see what happens, so you can see what’s working and what isn’t.

Most social media platforms and ad platforms allow you to track insights, such as reach, impressions, click-throughs, or views, so you can keep an eye on what’s working, and tweak what’s not. Most trends or changes take around 30-90 days to show up, so remember this is a marathon, not a sprint.

If bookings are your main goal, then track the number of enquiries, clicks, or direct bookings. If you’re just starting out, and simply want to get “cold” traffic “warmed up” to your brand (people who’ve never heard of you before to start to know you) then your goals might be different.

Getting vacation rental bookings from social media: Making the sale

How can people contact you on the platform?How can people go to your site or book?
InstagramPeople can Like, Follow, or Direct Message (DM) you. Accounts with 10k+ followers can also put a direct link in Stories. One link per account page.Ask people to DM you for a direct link to your site or booking page. People can “Swipe Up” to a link on Stories, or click a link on your profile page (bio). Ask people to comment and then DM them!
PinterestPinterest offers you direct links to URLs, so make sure it counts. Direct it to a page that has a sign-up option, or “book now” button visible and ready to go.Directly clicking the link. They might click through for the content or the blog post value, but once they’re on your site, make it really easy to book, with a “book now”, “check dates” or “view rooms” button.
FacebookPeople can Message you, Like and Comment, or click a direct link. Make sure the link counts - but also be sure to build up a rapport in the comments or messenger chat.People can go directly to your Book Now page or might download a freebie or sign up for discounts, especially if they’re new to you.

You can also send direct URLs in the chat if people ask for it, or they accept when you ask permission.
TwitterPeople can click on a link, retweet, reply, favourite your Tweet or send you a DM.Make your link count, either by going directly to booking, or some other valuable page, post, or content. 

Chat in the DMs, and reply or contact people who like, comment or retweet, building rapport and/or sending links.
LinkedInLinks are clickable, and people can Like, Comment, Share and Send your posts. 

If you have Premium, you can also message people whether you’re connected to them or not.
Again, make your links count, and build up rapport with people by replying to comments and messages. 

Start slow and friendly, and only then move to the next step.
QuoraPeople can Upvote or Downvote, Reshare posts, or Comment. 

You can also Follow people, or ask them a question on their page.
You can share “questions” with long, blog post-like answers, and photos.

Invite people to comment and then follow up to share your link or page with them later.
RedditUsers can Upvote or Downvote, Save, and Share posts, and click on links underneath text posts or questions. 

They can also subscribe to Subreddit, so posts from that community appear in the user’s home feed.
Interact, answer questions, and get chatting, and then talk about what you do or send the link later. 

Make links you post valuable and not too salesy, and invite people to click, with interesting content or questions.
SnapchatPeople can send Snaps to single contacts or to several. You can also add users as Friends. 

Once you tap on a Snap, it technically “disappears” forever - although people can still screenshot or save.
You can add direct links to your Snapchat Stories and invite people to Swipe up. 

Make the link count and make it interesting and valuable to tempt people. You can also chat with Friends.
TikTokPeople can Like, Comment, Share, or Message users, as well as reuse sounds and music.Make your videos engaging, ask questions, invite comments and opinions, and follow up with people who like, comment or message you, to build rapport and send links.
YouTubePeople can Subscribe to your channel, Thumbs up or Thumbs Down (Like or Dislike) videos, and Comment. 

There are also paid options to join communities if the channel makes this an option.
You can build a community by inviting comments and reminding people to subscribe. 

Get chatting by responding to comments and thanking people who subscribe. 

You can also put links in the video description, so be sure to let people know if you have.
MeetupUsers can request to join Meetup groups, which means they will receive messages and updates about new events.

Event organisers can also send messages to their members, and users can message each other too.
Just as with other platforms, the gold is in the messages and the connection you build with your members and guests. 

Let them know you, build rapport, and share links only when it feels like they know, like, and trust you already.
MediumReaders can follow specific topics and writers.

Users can also share articles, “clap” ones they like, and comment.
If people comment on your piece, thank them and reply. Again, this is about being social rather than just writing and running off. 

Thank people who share pieces if they mention you. 

You can also share links in your articles, but beware that Medium doesn’t allow overt advertising of any kind.
ClubhouseUsers can join Clubrooms, Follow and be followed, and you can also put links to your other social accounts on your bio. 

A “home” feed, called the “Hallway”, where people can discover new rooms. When you join the app, you also get five Invites to invite other people to join.
You can share details of links, deals, or freebies with people when talking in your room. 

Because Clubhouse is audio-only, it's a good idea to shorten your links or make them really easy to say and remember. 

If you make your audio content interesting and valuable, people will be more inclined to follow your links and hit that “Book Now” button.

Vacation rental marketing: The secret to a successful and independent rental business

As you can see, when it comes to using social media for your business, the possibilities are almost endless. The key is to choose platforms that feel sustainable and right for you, decide on a consistent strategy, show up regularly, interact as much as you post and track your chosen metrics.

Test, rinse, and repeat.

I cannot stress this enough: social media and having an online presence is about building relationships. That “know, like and trust” factor goes a long way until people are practically begging you to give them your direct booking link so they can experience a stay at your incredible rental.

The best way to market your rental and ensure your business is sustainable is to stop relying entirely on OTAs such as Airbnb or Vrbo and build your own website and online presence through social media, so you retain control and can generate bookings on demand. And that’s what we at Boostly specialise in helping you to do.

Managing your own social media confidently is a major part of a winning marketing strategy, meaning that your vacation rental business is truly in your own hands, and not dependent on OTAs – and all the issues, commission fees, and stringent rules they demand.

Because serious property owners in the vacation rental industry know that they cannot rely on listing sites, and need to leverage social media well – alongside a comprehensive online strategy – to succeed. It might not be easy, but it’s worth it.

Why be dependent on OTAs like Airbnb and Booking.com? Did you know you can save thousands on commission fees by getting direct bookings? Get our free blueprint on how to double direct bookings for free.

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