Airbnb marketing strategy.

Airbnb marketing is becoming increasingly competitive as more people embrace the B&B concept. Thus, you need to have a robust marketing strategy growing awareness for your listing and edge over your competitors. Read on to discover the top 10 Airbnb online marketing strategies & tips to reach more people and increase your booking rates.

A carefully executed Airbnb marketing strategy is enough to catapult your business to success.

Airbnb Marketing Strategy Definition

An Airbnb market strategy involves a series of actions to position your business in front of potential bookers. The strategies are supposed to expose your Airbnb to both online and offline prospects and increase the booking frequency. Examples of such strategies include social media promotion, content marketing, video marketing, influencer marketing, etc. They can be done expertly executed by an experienced marketing agency or freelancer.

Why is Online Marketing Important for Your Vacation Rental Property Business?

Unknown to most Airbnb owners, online marketing is beneficial in several ways, such as growing revenue as a result of intensified bookings and giving you a competitive edge in a saturated market. Another reason you should embrace Airbnb online marketing is being able to build lasting customer relations. More importantly, online marketing is cost-effective when compared to other strategies like TV advertising.

Now that you understand how effective online marketing can transform your Airbnb business, below are the tips to use to increase house bookings:

10 Best Airbnb Marketing Strategies to Increase Bookings;

1. Use Clear Description with Relevant Keywords for Your Target Audience.

Engaging your audience through relatable, clear, and solution-giving content helps to create lasting relationships. Once you have established your Airbnb audience, create clear descriptions using relevant and competitive keywords in order to rank organically on the first pages of search engines. Communicate with your audience using catchy apartment marketing slogans that they can easily comprehend and be compelled to make bookings. Rely on reputable keyword research tools to look for phrases commonly used by your audience on search engines. Consider reading the copies out loud before publishing them to ascertain that your audience gets the best and most readable content.

Image Source: (Airbnb Vactional Rental Listing)

2. Leverage on Airbnb Digital Marketing SEO, PPC & Social Media

• SEO for Airbnb listing: SEO optimization helps Airbnb listings to appear on the first SERPs, thus attracting quality traffic. Ensure that your Airbnb calendar is active so that the search engine algorithm prioritizes your ranking. Having an inactive calendar is a sign of not being responsive and a reason for search engines like Google not to rank. Higher rankings can also be facilitated by positive reviews from your Airbnb guests.

• Google ads for Airbnb listing: Attracting more audience for your Airbnb business can be boosted by Google Ads. This involves creating ads using searchable terms related to your Airbnb business which Google displays on its result pages, third-party apps, and websites. Google Ads’ marketing strategy is cost-effective because you only pay for clicked ads.

• Social Media:  Instagram and Facebook are among the most useful social media platforms for promoting vacation rentals, especially for the younger audience. A significant percentage of travelers rely on social media to look up their next destination. Create social media pages for your business and use them to post content about your property. You can also pay for Facebook and Instagram Ads for more exposure.

3. List on Multiple Platforms

Another way to increase Airbnb bookings is by listing your rental on several platforms. Multiple listings work best if your properties are spread in different locations. Your occupancy rate and revenue can improve by listing your rental on various sites. Some platforms do not charge listing fees, but take small commissions from your bookings. There are several platforms to consider, but you need to be aware of the challenges associated with multiple listings. For example, double bookings may arise as a result of using many platforms. Updating your calendar can prevent the likelihood of double-bookings Managing several sites is also hectic, and you may be overwhelmed, although you can solve it by hiring an online marketing agency. Most platforms publish listings within 72 hours, after which they can appear on search results. In case you are asking ‘where can I promote my Airbnb’, you can list it on alternative Airbnb sites like HomeAway, VRBO, FlipKey, and Booking.com.

4. Get Social Proofs

Make your listing stand out by partnering with influencers and encouraging your guests to leave reviews. Reviews and mentions are some of the social proofs that potential guests rely on to gauge the worthiness of a vacation rental. For positive reviews, invest in making your guest’s stay memorable, and in return, they won’t hesitate to share their experience online. Apart from facilitating a comfortable and fulfilling rental period for your guests, offering them custom or braided gifts can encourage them to leave positive reviews. Partnering with travel influencers provides another Airbnb online marketing alternative where you pay them to promote your brand to their audience. They can mention your business in a live video or a social media post detailing the worthiness of your vacation rental.

5. Get Great Photos and Content on Your Listing

Photos provide a great impact in marketing your Airbnb because they tell a story of what is captured in them. Images can evoke strong consumer emotions if used purposefully and at the right time. They create memories and encourage visitors to keep digging for more, and eventually increase bookings. However, you need to provide quality photos that are not blurry or grainy. Also, consider capturing several photos showcasing different areas of your property to trigger the target audience’s desire to make bookings. Create content that aligns with the photos so that visitors can find your information satisfying. Sharing relevant content is a sure way of getting new guests and increasing the retention rate. Pay attention to posting optimized content so that your blogs can rank high on search engines and bring more traffic.

6. List Your Property on Local Tourist Companies Websites

Your Airbnb property can score additional bookings if you list it on local tourist companies’ websites. Sites owned by local tourist companies provide information about places that tourists can visit and also rentals where they can find accommodation. It is an affordable online marketing strategy since all you are required to do is provide brief and precise information about your property. This includes the name of your business, the address, contacts, and a little property description. You need to optimize your listing to stand out from the competition and rank high on local searches. Ensure to include accurate and consistent information across all the websites to prevent confusion. A great example of such a website is TripAdvisor.

7. Give Offer and Seasonal Discounts

Offers and discounts always work the trick of endearing potential guests to try out new properties. You are missing out on scoring new guests if you haven’t thought about giving discounted rates. Any offer that enables guests to save some money is a nice strategy to get new bookings and gain repeat guests. Running discounts for a limited time increases sales because a significant percentage of your target audience wouldn’t want to miss out on such a money-saving opportunity. If you are having challenges covering your Airbnb calendar, consider offering discounts and seasonal promotions.

8. Create Videos to Promote Your Property

Videos give marketers an opportunity to display a lot of information in a short time. They also show authenticity and are one of the quickest ways to create awareness and earn brand loyalty. Take a video of your property’s interior and exterior and upload it on your social channels like YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram, or embed it in your site. To capture all angles, use a drone for clear aerial shots of your property. The video helps your audience familiarize themselves with your property. Ensure that the video’s quality is top-notch to drive engagements and drive conversions. Don’t forget to update the video content after making changes or renovating your property.

9. Hire Airbnb Online Marketing Agent

Promoting an Airbnb business online requires undivided attention if great returns are to be achieved. Hiring an Airbnb online marketing agency can take the marketing burden off your shoulders. These are individuals with relevant marketing skills in the property rental industry. You can scout an online marketing agent from freelance sites like Upwork and Fiverr. Bear in mind that these are individual talents that do not work under agencies. Among the roles played by online marketing agents include crafting a tailored marketing campaign in accordance with your business needs. The agents are also tasked with executing the marketing campaigns and recording progress. Some of the marketing strategies they can help with include social media management, website development, and content management. Pay attention to the portfolio of an online marketing agent before recruiting them to avoid wasting money.

10. Partner with Airbnb Online Marketing Agency

In addition to hiring an online marketing agency, you can involve a digital marketing agency. Marketing agencies provide a solution for those who cannot trust or hire individual talents. Not all online marketing agents who do not work under an agency are untrustworthy. However, working with a company assures you that they will do their best to maintain their online reputation. An Airbnb online marketing agency seeks to establish an online presence for your property, a move that wins new guests and repeat visits. They understand which online audience to target and the channels to use to win them over. They also rely on analytics to measure the performance of online marketing campaigns.
Conclusion
The internet is clearly a heavily relied-on source of information for most travelers looking for their next destination locally and internationally. Make your Airbnb one of the most booked rental properties throughout the year by giving it the online exposure it deserves. Hopefully, with the above information you can get creative with your Airbnb marketing strategy to increase your bookings.