Peanut butter and jelly, milkshakes and french fries, peas and carrots—I have to admit it: there are some dynamic yet quite surprising duos out there. But did you know that your vacation rental and Instagram can be one of them? Well, you do now!
In 2014, I jumped on the Instagram “train” mostly because everyone I knew was already on it. At first, I didn’t get it. Was this like Facebook but just for pictures? Pretty much, actually. But it was also much more than that.
While Facebook has become a bit of a conglomerate, Instagram focuses more on visual content. What I like most is that this social media platform allows users to post and share photos and videos, rearrange them in various ways, edit images directly, apply filters, and add text to find the perfect balance for their social media feeds.
If you are the owner or manager of one or more vacation rental properties, there is a variety of Instagram features you can use to convey the cleanliness, coziness, and luxury of your property. What’s more, the site makes available a series of tools you can access in order to create a more cohesive brand image, which could help you build brand identity and achieve your marketing goals more easily.
Without a doubt, Instagram offers a unique opportunity to promote your short-term vacation rentals while also engaging your followers in different ways. By posting the right images and coming up with the right text, you can encourage your audience to like, comment on, and share your posts. That’s one of the best strategies for growing your organic reach and creating a successful vacation rental business. Now, if you’re still on the fence about using Instagram to promote your vacation rental properties, here are 3 valid reasons why you should stop sitting on the fence, and just hop on over!
1) Instagram Has All the Visual Bells and Whistles You Need
Finding the perfect accommodation for a vacation sometimes involves a lot of research. That’s because there is a wide variety of vacation accommodation options, ranging from big city hotels to cottages located in the countryside, which can suit different budgets and expectations. How can you make your listing stand out in a sea of vacation accommodations? In a nutshell, by posting pictures and videos. Lots of them.
This is where Instagram steps in. One of the greatest things about using this platform to promote your short-term rental business is that you can upload endless numbers of pictures, videos, and tours of your vacation rental properties. Anything, from interior makeovers to stunning views, can have a picture snapped and shared on Instagram. Additional posts, like a video of a local concert, a photo of food at a local restaurant, or pictures of top-rated tourist attractions in the area, could help you attract even more guests.
Furthermore, Instagram allows you to upload up to 10 videos or photos as a single “carousel” post that followers and visitors can swipe through and share in the same format. Using this feature, you can easily create an enticing mix of photos or videos to present your properties along with any local events and activities that guests can engage in while there.
2) Instagram Can Help You Reach Your Target Audience
One of the most important rules of marketing is to go where your “customers” are. Currently, Instagram has more than one billion monthly active users and growing. And guess what! Most of them go on vacation at least once a year. But the really good news is that hundreds of people use Instagram to look for travel deals and find vacation rental properties every single day!
In this context, the more exposure you get for your vacation rental, the better it is. With a few strategic hashtags and location tags, your posts will pop up to those looking for vacation rentals in your area. Furthermore, using Instagram to promote your vacation rentals gives you an invaluable opportunity to interact with guests before as well as after their stay. This could lead to an enhanced and more personal experience. Guests can also use Instagram to post their own pictures, reviews, and experiences of their stay, providing you with free advertising.
3) Instagram Is Simple to Use
Nowadays, a series of Instagram features and tools can make the work of social media marketers much easier. For instance, a number of scheduling tools allow you to craft your posts ahead of time and create different posting schedules, like Blitz Software Solutions. You can also use different features to monitor posts, comments, and tags from multiple social media accounts so you can get back to people quickly. As well a series of standalone apps can be connected to your Instagram account to showcase your brand in a new, unique way and provide your audience with interesting information.
Creating and maintaining a social media account that perfectly captures your brand’s identity may seem intimidating. However, Instagram is one of the few platforms that can make it fun and easy. Sign up today—It’s free!
