Facebook for your Vacation Rental Business

Facebook has over 2.9 billion active users and a study shows that 87% of Millennials on Facebook use social media for travel inspiration. With that said, Facebook is a great platform for vacation rental businesses to market their website, connect with local businesses, reach prospective guests, increase bookings, and much more.

It is unlikely you will be able to reach your audience if you have not created a Facebook Vacation Rental business page or logged in. Today, being present and active on Facebook is the key to success in growing your business.

Here are some tips from the article:

• Reasons to use Facebook for your vacation rental business
• Step-by-step guide in setting up your Facebook vacation rental business page
• How does Facebook help increase traffic to your vacation rental business?

Reasons To Use Facebook For Your Vacation Rental Business

1. Generates Traffic

By sharing content such as photos, posts, updates, and even special deals on your Facebook Vacation Rental Page, it generates traffic to your website. As a result, allowing you to have more opportunities leads to a conversion of bookings.

With that said, one of the features that Facebook provides is to integrate a share button onto your website; resulting in sharing your site with other Facebook users.

2. Connect With Local Businesses

With Facebook, you can connect and engage with local businesses. By doing so, it will help promote your vacation rental business with other networks and create a virtual community.

Here are some tips for collaborating with local businesses:

• Mention businesses with using related tags like @ and #
• Be active and ‘Like’ their Facebook page

Additionally, it will suggest a list of local businesses such as restaurants, local attractions and sends it to your guest before their arrival. That way, they return the favor by promoting you on their Facebook page- a two-way street.

3. Keep In Touch With Guests

With the use of the Facebook Vacation Rental business page, you are able to keep in touch with past guests and keep them in the loop with what’s new on your property. At the same time, encourage current and previous guests to post-holiday pictures and reviews, giving your rental more exposure. Do make sure to engage with guests by commenting, like or simply adding moods to their posts.

By doing so, you are also earning credibility and building a reputation as a host. The more engagement your page gets, the more credibility your website receives. Take note, happy guests are the best supporters and offer insights to your business.

4. Reach Target Audiences

Facebook is used on a daily basis and not to forget it is the largest social media platform. Just by joining Facebook groups or specific pages, you can post and share listings to their pages and reach a new target audience that you may not know.

Additionally, with Facebook Insights, you can study and understand your audience. Therefore, based on the information you can target Facebook Ads and promote your vacation rental.

5. Advertise Special Deals and Promotions

Managing Facebook is simple. It allows you to schedule posts at the desired time if you are not available. Do post regularly to keep guests involved. Though, make sure you post alternatively that may be interesting for prospective guests.

One advantage of Facebook is that you can notify guests with special offers such as ‘Black Friday’, events, or even promotions like ‘stay 2 nights and your 3rd night is completely free’.

Step-by-Step Guide In Setting Up Your Facebook Vacation Rental Business Page

Don’t have an account yet? Well, whether you are a new or an existing Facebook user, setting up an account is simple as 1, 2, 3. Though, keep in mind that new users do need to firstly set up a Facebook personal account before creating a Facebook Business page.

Here are tips in creating your Vacation Rental Facebook page:

Step 1: Create a business page

Firstly, is to create a business page for your vacation rental. Click here for the step-by-step breakdown in creating your Facebook page.

In this step, it will ask you whether you are creating a page for either:

• Business or Brand
• Community or Public Figure

Once you have completed this step, it will require information such as your:

• Page Information- the name of your business
• Category- describes what type of business or topic the page represents
• Bio- information about what your business does, services you provide, and the purpose of the page

Step 2: Choose a username for your page

In this step, create a username that appears simple and professional. That way, it makes it easier for users to find your vacation rental page in a Facebook search.

At the same time, consider having a clean URL. This way it will help make your page easier to share. With that said, you have the option to edit and enter a new URL, if you wish to do so. If the URL is available, then it is all set!

Tip: You are free to change only once so do ensure to double-check your username for any typo errors.

Step 3: Add attractive cover and profile photos

In this step, do consider adding enticing photos of your vacation rental property. It could be the picturesque surroundings of your property or simply a panoramic view of your pool (if you have one). Either way, photos should represent what makes your property special.

Though, if you are managing several properties, the best practice is to use a business logo in your profile picture. With that said, it is important to use professional photos in building your business and keeping your profile consistent. Some other great options to consider are:

• Update your cover photos based on seasons
• Add alluring photos in your Photo Album

Step 4: Content on the ‘About’ page

At this step, fill in information such as:

• Contact Information
• Services
• Links to the company website and other social media platforms
• Working hours (if required)
• Language
• Other information that is required

This section mostly describes what the business does and what it represents. Hence, do take your time and provide details that will entice guests in choosing your property over others.

Step 5: Tabs for services and amenities

Facebook allows you to set up several tabs in organizing your information. It could be from services, amenities, house rules, to even digital guidebook. The idea of having several tabs is for potential guests to easily navigate information without difficulties.

Take note, Facebook provides several default tabs. However, you can edit those tabs through your page settings and select ‘Template and Tabs’. To learn more on how to create and customize tabs, check out: How to create custom tabs for your Facebook Business Page

Step 6: Autoresponder Message

Ideally, potential guests expect an immediate response. Though, it is understandable that being on call 24/7 is difficult. Therefore, setting up an autoresponder message allows guests to know when they may expect to hear back from you soon.

To know more on how to create automated messages, check out these tips below:

• Don’t be generic
• Show gratitude
• Include booking details and appropriate contact information
• Give a time frame. Notify when they expect to hear back from you soon
• Do a test run and ask for feedback

Step 7: Call-to-action button

The best practice is to add a call-to-action button by inviting potential guests to contact us with one click. You also have the option of customizing the button to ‘Book Now’ on your page.

What is an Action Button? It is a call to action at the top of your page that lets you control how people engage with you.

How Does Facebook Help Increase Traffic to Your Vacation Rental Business?

Word of Mouth

Take note, the use of social media is a powerful tool. With that said, people are more likely to be influenced by social media and likely to get information on what’s new, promotions, special deals, and services provided; shared on Facebook by their friends. If you don’t own a Facebook page, you will miss out on opportunities for potential guests to interact and share your content.

In addition, keep in mind guests love to share their experiences, testimonials, reviews of your property on Facebook. This way, it creates traffic to your page resulting in engaging with future guests.

Visibility

When thinking of purchasing a product or service, people ideally go to social media for information. According to a study done, it is found that 81% of 12,000 survey respondents from the UK and US admitted that their purchasing decisions are influenced by shared content posted by their friends (Market Force).

To simplify, if one of your friends posted an enticing photo of a rental property in Nashville. Even though you have no plans in going to Nashville, the picture posted has made a purchasing influence on you, encouraging you to travel there.

With that said, it makes sense to have a Facebook page knowing it is one of the largest websites in the world. Take note, that not only does Facebook allow you to share pictures and information about your vacation rental property but also helps you to:

• Generate awareness
• Make new connections
• Strengthen new and existing relationships
• Reach future guests

Engagement

By having a Facebook vacation rental business page, it compliments your website by:

• building trust with potential guests
• notifies past guests
• drives direct bookings

Prospective guests normally glance through their Facebook page for either recommendations, reviews, additional information/photos of your property. However, not only do you connect with future and past guests with Facebook, but you can also connect with other experts by joining Facebook groups and enjoy marketing incentives.

Here are some Facebook business tips to consider:

1. Know your audience
2. Share who you are
3. Write and share evergreen content
4. Create and share high-resolution videos
5. Use Graphics Images
6. Post your page to other social media platforms
7. Create Facebook Ads

Targeted Facebook Ads

Is your Facebook vacation rental business page being noticed? If not, consider investing in targeted Facebook ads. That way it attracts traffic to your page and highlights your advertisement right in front of a clearly defined Facebook audience. For both property owners and managers, targeted Facebook ads will lead to more success. Hence, here are four easy steps in creating targeted Facebook ads:

Step 1: Create a Facebook Ads Account

Step 2: Connect Ads Account to Business Manager

Step 3: Add a valid payment method

Step 4: Install Facebook pixel and verify domain name

Bottom Line

Facebook is a great tool in growing your vacation rental business. Not only do you generate traffic to your website but you increase your chances of direct bookings. Other than that, it builds a reputation as a host and credibility. Don’t miss out! Sign up, if you don’t have a Facebook vacation rental business already!