As a property owner in the vacation rental industry, you need more than must-have amenities at your beach rental — you need effective marketing strategies for your investments to succeed. What’s the point of having a great short-term rental if no one knows about it? Competition is fierce, and it’s crucial to stand out in a sea of other rental properties.
But here’s the good news — when you successfully market your Florida beach rental, you can expect a steady stream of guests and increased revenue. So, what are the key marketing strategies for vacation rentals? Let’s dive in!
Building a Foundation: Who Is Your Target Audience?
Understanding your target audience is the first step to successful vacation rental marketing. Beach rental guests can have very different demographics, preferences, and booking behaviors. By identifying and learning more about your typical guest, you can market your short-term rental more effectively.
You may want to bring in any booking you can get, but not all guests are created equal. By identifying your ideal guest, you can tailor your marketing efforts to reach the right people and increase the chances of booking a stay at your beach rental property.
Key Factors to Get to Know Your Target Audience
- Age group (families, retirees, business travelers)
- Group size (couples, large families, friend groups)
- Interests (water sports, relaxation, local culture)
- Budget range
- Length of stay
One way to gather information about your target audience is through surveys or feedback forms. Ask previous guests about their experiences and what they enjoyed about their stay. You can also use analytics from your website or social media to see who is engaging with your content and booking reservations. With this information, you can begin to compile guest profiles.
Guest Profile Example
- Age: 25-45
- Family status: married with children
- Interests: outdoor activities, beach relaxation, and local culture
- Budget range: $500-2,500
- Length of stay: 4-6 nights
Based on this type of guest, you can create targeted marketing campaigns and promotions that would appeal to this demographic — for example, offering family-friendly packages for a longer stay at a discounted rate or highlighting nearby attractions and outdoor activities in your promotional materials.
Feeling overwhelmed? Florida CFY is a property management company that not only has a detailed database but also has best marketing practices in place to make the most of every opportunity!
Tips for Building Your Online Presence
Once you have your ideal customer in mind, you can begin to develop your digital marketing strategy. When potential guests from your target demographic come across your rental listing, website, or social media pages, they will be more likely to book with you!
Roughly 75% of vacation rental bookings are made online — and over 60% of those come from mobile devices. So make sure you are well-equipped with these marketing tips.
1. Build a Beautiful Website
Your website is often the first impression guests have of your vacation home. When designing your own website, be sure to make it visually appealing and easy to navigate. As you design your vacation rental website to be more customer-centric, make sure it includes the following.
- High quality photos & virtual tours
- Mobile-friendly features
- Clear calls to action
- Informative — showcasing unique property features & area fun!
2. Invest in Strategic SEO
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) helps your property show up higher in search results when guests are looking for rentals in your area. Many vacation rental homeowners overlook this crucial step, but it can have a significant impact on your online visibility and bookings.
So what goes into SEO for vacation rentals? Here are a few of the ways you can help get your listing up to the top of search results!
- Use relevant keywords in your property listing description.
- Create location-specific pages for internal links (e.g. “Best Beaches in Destin, Florida”).
- Optimize image alt tags & meta descriptions.
- Build high-quality backlinks from local tourism websites.
3. Use Listing Sites & Online Travel Agencies
While direct bookings are ideal, listing sites and online travel agencies (OTAs) — like Airbnb, VRBO, Tripadvisor, and Booking.com — can get your vacation rental property in front of more eyes. While you may have to pay a small fee or commission, these platforms have a wide reach and can attract potential guests who may not have found your property otherwise.
But signing up is only the first step. You’ll want to optimize your listings on these platforms by using high-quality, professional photos and writing compelling descriptions that capture the essence of your property and its surroundings. Respond to inquiries and comments quickly. And always encourage guest reviews!
With Florida CFY property management, we maintain an SEO-driven website plus partnerships with many OTAs — so homeowners don’t have to worry about staying on top of multiple listings.
Using Social Media Marketing to Your Advantage
Social media marketing is a powerful way to show off your beach rental and connect with potential guests. You may already have a social media page for your listing, but just posting it to the masses won’t cut through the noise. Here’s how to maximize your social media efforts.
1. Choose Your Platforms
Focus on the social media platforms where your target audience is active. For beach rentals, visual platforms like Instagram and Pinterest are key. Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and X can also be effective for promoting your rental but don’t feel like you need to be on every platform.
At the end of the day, it needs to make sense for your schedule, so scale appropriately. Creating and posting content can become exhausting if you don’t plan ahead.
2. Create Quality Content
“Content is king” is especially true for social media. Your posts should be visually appealing, engaging, and informative. Use a mix of photos, videos, and copy to show off your rental and provide value to potential guests. Also, share tips, upcoming events, and popular attractions that drive people to the local area.
Creating FOMO is key! Need help? Consider working with an influencer that makes sense for your market.
3. Use Hashtags (When Necessary)
There was a time when hashtags were all the rage — but while they may not be as cool anymore, they can still be a useful tool for reaching a wider audience on social media. Research and use relevant hashtags to get your posts seen.
Specific platforms like Instagram and X rely heavily on hashtags so don’t be afraid to use them. Just make sure they’re relevant and not overused. Examples: #FloridaBeachRental #VacationInParadise #DestinGetaway.
4. Run Targeted Ads
While the above ideas all focus on organic traffic, you can put down some money to help drive engagement with paid ads. Use the advanced targeting options on Facebook and Instagram to target potential guests based on demographics, interests, and behaviors.
Don’t have time to manage multiple campaigns across several social media platforms? Florida CFY can help — with targeted Facebook and Instagram posts to push properties!
Critical Email Marketing for Beach Rentals
Do you have a list of potential customers and past bookings? Email marketing is one of the most cost-effective marketing strategies for vacation rentals. But you need a strategy in place to make sure your emails get opened rather than deleted.
1. Build Your List
Your email strategy is only as effective as your email list. Luckily, you can find a large audience to build a list from pretty quickly, like the following.
- Past guests
- Website visitors (offer a newsletter sign-up or a downloadable guide)
- Social media followers/subscribers
2. Segment Your List
Once you have your list, it’s time to start cleaning it up and creating segments. You can segment by past guests, location, interests, or any other criteria that will help you create targeted and personalized emails.
- Past booking history
- Preferences (e.g. quiet getaways vs adventure-packed vacations)
- Location of the recipient
3. Create Campaigns
Email campaigns are focused, short-term bursts of activity that drive quick results. They can be used to promote a specific deal, event, or offer. Be sure to personalize the email and make it visually appealing. Some ideas for email campaigns for beach rentals include the following.
- Pre-arrival info for booked guests with an extension offer
- Post-stay thank you emails with a review request
- Off-season promos to past guests
- Local event announcements to encourage repeat bookings
You can even automate sends so messages appear in inboxes when it makes the most sense for your potential guests!
4. Keep It Personal
Humans love to communicate with humans. So, as you create the content within your email campaigns, try to make it as personal as possible. Use personalized subject lines, include the recipient’s name in the email, and tailor the content based on their past booking history and preferences.
For example, if you know a guest who prefers quiet getaways, mention any nearby secluded beaches or peaceful activities in your emails. If they have previously booked during the offseason, highlight any promotions for future off-season stays.
Taking advantage of multiple marketing channels, Florida CFY has an in-house copywriter and designer to make every email count! Get a Florida rental estimate to see if we’re a good fit for your property investment.
Smart Pricing to Boost Occupancy
Did you know that pricing can be a marketing tool in vacation rental management? You can use dynamic pricing strategies to drive demand and increase revenue.
For instance, you can offer limited-time discounts for certain dates or create special packages for specific target groups. This not only attracts new guests but also encourages repeat bookings from previous customers.
You can also try increasing rates during high demand!
- Peak seasons
- Holidays
- Local events (festivals, conferences, sporting events, etc.)
Consider using vacation rental software that has dynamic pricing to automatically change your rates based on market demand and competitor pricing. Or partner with Florida CFY — we take care of dynamic rates, occupancy strategies, and special offers to help maximize your vacation rental investment!
Guest Experience for Reviews & Referrals
Providing a great guest experience is one of your most powerful marketing strategies. Here’s a simple formula to keep in mind: happy guests = positive reviews. And when you have positive reviews, you’re more likely to attract new guests and receive referrals from happy customers.
So, how can you ensure a great guest experience?
1. Communicate with Guests
Communicate quickly and communicate often. The better you can communicate with your guests, the more likely they will enjoy their say. Offer plenty of information — both through emails, apps, and direct contact as necessary. Ensure all their needs are met and thank them for their stay! Helpful and prompt guest communication is key.
2. Go the Extra Mile
Want to really impress your guests — and get them to share your beach rental with friends? Thankfully, the bar is set low for rental managers and vacation rental owners to impress. Simple things such as a welcome basket, local tips and insights, and small amenities can go a long way.
At Florida CFY, we provide every stay with a starter kit, with essentials like toilet paper, dish soap, a sponge, and more!
3. Don’t Forget the Power of Reviews & Referrals!
Don’t underestimate the power of reviews and referrals as free, organic digital marketing. By asking visitors to leave a review after their stay, you create powerful social proof that can play a key role in boosting referrals and your beach rental’s brand reputation.
Putting Your Marketing Plan in Action
By following these vacation rental marketing strategies, you can get more visibility for your beach rental, increase bookings, and grow your vacation rental business.
Remember: marketing is an ongoing process that requires consistency and adjustment, so always have a set of KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) to measure your success and make changes accordingly. Stay connected with your guests, offer personalized experiences, and keep up with the latest trends to stay competitive in the market.
At FloridaCFY, we are committed to helping beach rental owners and property managers boost their bookings and increase their revenue — with custom vacation rental marketing plans. We even offer our Florida CFY Advantage Plan to cover additional concerns, like pest control, bedbug prevention, smart locks, and more!
Give us a call or send us a message and see how we work to ensure success for our guests and property owners!
