Successfully marketing your holiday rental online is not something that’s going to happen overnight. But, it is achievable if you’re willing to invest a bit of time and effort on a regular basis.
There are six key steps involved:
- Preparation
- Creating a website
- Search engine optimisation (SEO)
- Online promotion
- Building trust
- Measuring success
Today we’ll focus on the first one. So let’s take a look at that in more detail …
Step 1. Preparation
Before doing anything, take some time to think about the accommodation you’re offering. Gather together all the details that will allow you to create an online presence and determine who you should be marketing to.
For example:
- What type of property is it?
- Is it set up for couples, families, groups, pets?
- Does it have any unique selling points that will help it stand out from the competition, or that will help you market it and appeal to a certain type of person?
- Have you taken good quality external and internal photos?
- How will you grab attention instantly – what headlines and formatting can you use to do so?
- What are your rates? (And remember to think of the different seasons and holidays)
Stuck with a particular area, here are a few articles that may help:
1) Your property is best suited to a certain type of guest. Do you know who yours is?
Is Your Holiday Let Ready for Your Target Market gives some suggestions on how to determine who your ideal guest is, which in turn allows you to focus your marketing material on your target market.
2) What’s unique about your accommodation? What makes it stand out? What are its key selling points that will entice people to book?
What’s Your USP prompts you to really think about these questions and use the answers to market your accommodation more effectively.
3) Any holiday rental can have a web presence, but not every rental’s website will receive those all-important enquiries. The difference is in the preparation.
Be Prepared to Wow Your Visitors with Your Website guides you through the process of creating an effective website.
4) You’ve only got seven seconds to make an impact online. We’re busy people and competition is rife. Your headline could be the determining factor that grabs the user’s attention.
How to Write a Compelling Headline for Your Website or Listing Adverts gives a few tips on how to make yours as powerful as possible.
5) Deciding on your rental rates can be tricky. But there are a few key considerations that should make the process a whole lot easier.
Tips on Setting Your Rental Rates outlines what they are.
6) A picture speaks a thousand words. Showcasing quality photos on your website plays a huge role in its success as a marketing tool.
10 Holiday Let Photography Tips from a Pro offers you a few insider secrets.
7) Remember, photos of the outside of the property need to be just as enticing as the inside, but it’s an area that often gets overlooked.
7 Ideas to Make Your Outdoor Photos More Enticing outlines a few great ideas in this area.
8) Staging photos helps your website visitors visualise themselves holidaying there. It’s a great way to paint the perfect picture of what potential guests can expect.
A Simple Guide to Staging Your Accommodation for Perfect Photos does exactly that. Follow these simple techniques to make your property more appealing.
Good preparation is a fundamental step in marketing your holiday let successfully. If you spend some time upfront gathering and clarifying these key elements, the following steps will become so much easier.
Keep an eye out for the next post in the series which is all about creating your own website to market your holiday rental.
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