Marketing and Airbnb Strategies

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Collin HaysBusiness Member
Property Manager · Gatlinburg, TN · Member since 2020 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
1y

Marketing is great!  But if you are listing on Airbnb and/or VRBO, they are going to comprise 95% or more of your reservations, even if you invest heavily in your own marketing.  

You’re shoveling snow with a shovel; they are using a snow plow.  And no matter how much you spend on the shovel, it’s still just a shovel. 

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  • Collin HaysBusiness Member
    Property Manager · Gatlinburg, TN · Member since 2020 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    1y

    Marketing is great!  But if you are listing on Airbnb and/or VRBO, they are going to comprise 95% or more of your reservations, even if you invest heavily in your own marketing.  

    You’re shoveling snow with a shovel; they are using a snow plow.  And no matter how much you spend on the shovel, it’s still just a shovel. 

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  • Andrew SteffensBusiness Member
    Tampa, FL · Member since 2022 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    1y

    Hi Dayana

    As a PM with 65 properties we did experiment with social media ads, google ads, etc.  As Colin noted above it is hard to compete with the large players in the field.

    Where we found a better bang for our buck was getting on more channels like Marriott, Booking.com, and about 20 others.  Marriott will not work with you unless you have 50+ properties but perhaps partnering with a PM in your state (like we do in FL) to provide limited service engagements that includes marketing.

    Good luck!

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  • Sarah KensingerPro Member
    Real Estate Consultant · OH · Member since 2023 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    1y

    My goodness yes! Without marketing, how does the world know you have something to sell.

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  • Drew SygitBusiness Member
    Property Manager · Royal Oak, MI · Member since 2012 · 12k+ posts · 9k+ votes
    1y

    @Dayana Castellon the only marketing that would make sense is marketing Airbnb & VRBO are NOT covering already.

    Maybe market directly to insurance companies looking for rentals for their clients needing temporary housing while their fire-damaged home is being repaired.

    Corporate travel departments might be another option.

    Hospitals with resident doctor programs.

    The challenge will be doing this marketing efficiently enough to make it worthwhile.

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  • Garrett BrownPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Houston, TX · Member since 2024 · 505 posts · 551 votes
    1y

    Yes, if you have the right property type, marketing is key to not only relying on Airbnb and VRBO. You need to know your target audience. Most of my places are romantic getaways. We tailor our marketing on social media and who we let make content for us with that in mind. We do around 70-80% direct booking through our social media pages and have built around 50,000 followers in total. 
    If you have a plain jane property, you are better off learning how to get repeat customers and partner with local businesses.

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  • Account Closed
    Investor · FL · Member since 2016 · 332 posts · 388 votes
    1y

    @Dayana Castellon I self manage and had spent the last six months focusing more on direct booking marketing. I preface this with, I am not an Instagram or TikTok person. I hate texting (prefer phone calls) and struggle with the marketing task. I have been able in 2024 to generate (as of today) 22% of my Smokys properties income via direct booking and 38% of my beach properties income via direct booking. My goal for 2025 is to get income in the Smokys to 40% direct and the Beach properties to 50% direct. I am focused on the income side not the number of bookings from different platforms. Airbnb has more bookings with shorrer stays and fills the holes in the calendar. If I as a self manager who struggles with social media can accomplish this I expect property managers can market even better.

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