How to Build Your Brand So You Don’t Have to Rely on OTAs and Social Media
Build your vacation rental brand the way YOU want to.
It’s all about having control over your business.
Listen. OTAs are great. I actually love Airbnb and VRBO. They’re great tools for guests to find you. They’re popular, well-known, and easy to use. If guests don’t know who you are, they can still find you on OTAs.
But they’re not your brand. They’ve spent millions of marketing dollars on their brand.
Use them on a tool, but don’t rely on them.
The same goes for social media. It’s a great way to market your vacation rental properties. It’s fun and laidback – and lots of ideal guests are scrolling all day long.
But there’s no way to make sure they find you. The algorithms are constantly changing. It’s so frustrating and soooo not in your control.
You can’t build a business on rented land. You don’t own social media. You don’t own Airbnb.
So what do you own? Your direct booking website. Your email list. If you’re not focusing on these high-impact, totally-within-your-control marketing channels, you’re missing out big time.
Take Control of Your Brand
You’re not just a host – you’re a local expert, a hospitality professional, an experience builder. Whatever it is that sets you apart, that’s your brand. It’s not just colors and fonts and logos. Your brand is who you are, what you stand for, what’s important to you. It’s the why behind what you do.
OTAs have rules. Social media algorithms change. It’s time for you to make the rules and craft the guest experience your way.
Direct Booking Website
OTAs are a great starting point, but there’s no guarantee you’ll show up early enough in a search for guests to find you. And if they do, you’re beholden to third-party meddling, restrictive regulations, and fees galore.
You can certainly leverage them, but you can’t control them.
When you have a direct booking website, it’s your home base. And it’s all about you and your brand. You make the rules, you showcase your properties the way you want to, you share your unique story in your own voice, and you build trust with your potential guests.
Post Useful Content
If you have a direct booking website, make it work for you. Use it to provide value to your guests with useful content that answers burning questions, provides helpful information, and positions you as an expert in your location.
Not only will your content showcase your knowledge and expertise, but it’ll also attract organic leads. If people are searching for information regarding your destination and you’re the one to provide the answer, you will naturally drive traffic to your website. Plus Google values truly helpful content, so you’ll move up in the rankings to help more guests find you.
Evergreen content about your destination, area guides, and regular blog posts all work wonders for both providing value and boosting SEO.
Nurture Your Email List
Okay, I’m not here to tell you that using social media to promote your properties is bad. You should definitely have a social media presence. But if that’s the only way you’re communicating with guests, you’re leaving your marketing in the hands of ever-changing algorithms.
Your email list is yours and yours alone. It’s a collection of potential and past guests who want to hear from you. They’ve allowed you into their inbox – so it pays to nurture that relationship with regular emails.
Here’s the thing. Your social media posts might show up in someone’s feed. But they might not. Your emails, on the other hand, are guaranteed to land in their inbox. Whether they open your email or not is up to you and your interest-piquing subject lines.
Your email list is a chance to get your offers, discounts, and promotions in front of potential customers. To build a loyal audience to encourage repeat bookings. To provide insider tips that keep guests wanting more. To engage with your audience and further demonstrate your hospitality.
It’s your chance to build relationships that benefit your business. Period.
Building a Vacation Rental Brand for the Future
By focusing on your direct booking website and email marketing, you're securing the future of your vacation rental business.
Things are always shifting – remember that your business's foundation should be solid and entirely yours. Invest in your digital real estate, serve up some awesome content, and make your email list a priority. So when things do shift, you’re ready to ride that wave.
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