5 tips for vacation rental Facebook pages

Social media is not just another advertising medium. It is also a way to build relationships and gain trust as a result. With around 25 million users, Facebook is the preferred social network in Germany. With Facebook, you can convert existing customers into returning customers who at the same time make valuable recommendations. Facebook is the platform on which you maintain and build relationships with former guests, prospects who have not booked after all, and influential people (such as family and friends who serve as ambassadors). If you don't have a Facebook page for your vacation rental yet, they can here create one. This isn't the same as a personal profile, but a page specifically for your business. Once you've created your page and filled out all the important information, pay attention to the following tips to make the most of your Facebook page:

1. Don't just publish posts about your own business

If every post on your Facebook page includes phrases like “rent our villa,” “wonderful vacation rental” or “stay with us,” you won't attract many fans to your page in the long term. Social networks are not sales channels. One-way communication and intrusive advertising have no chance here. Facebook users want to be entertained. To do this, build a relationship with your fans by entertaining them, making them laugh and posting interesting facts about vacation rentals or other related topics. For example, you can report on the sights in the region of your holiday home or provide tips about holidays in your region, such as “5 things to look out for if you want to rent a holiday apartment in Sylt.” Only lively, active profiles are of interest to visitors. Also provide information about general holiday topics (tips on sun protection, wellness, etc.) and news from the region. These can be local events or even catering offers. The local newspaper is a good source of information about this. Just give it a try. The aim of the whole thing is to arouse visitors' interest, establish a relationship with you and thus win them over as new customers.

2. Eye-catching photos

The posts that attract the most attention on Facebook are photos, i.e. photos that are posted usually receive more comments and “likes” than text posts or links. Breathtaking photos of your vacation rental or region are perfect for this. Remember, your fans have liked your page because they want to stay connected with you. Not every guest is necessarily ready to book on the same day, but would like to find out more about the future and keep several options open. You should therefore try to make the decision as easy as possible for the potential customer by clearly presenting all the advantages of your holiday home and the region. At the same time, you can also encourage your fans and followers to participate and ask for feedback. For interested parties, testimonials from real guests are more credible than advertising statements from the provider.

3. The right balance is crucial

In general, it is not ideal to overwhelm potential customers with information, but at the same time, you should post content regularly to stay in the customer's mind. You should post at least once or twice a week, but at the same time you should be careful not to annoy your fans. Take enough time to do this and research the content in detail. Facebook offers a planning function for this purpose, which allows you to publish posts at a pre-selected time in the future.

4. Use the network effect

Since Facebook only shows your post to a sub-set of fans, not every post is automatically seen by every fan. The more engagement your fans show in connection with your posts, the more people see the post, including Facebook friends of your fans who haven't “liked” your page yet.

5. Measure your success

The way guests book holiday apartments is no longer the same as it was ten years ago. Potential customers do a lot more research before they make and book inquiries, which is why you should perceive and evaluate Facebook as an influential source of information about inquiries and bookings. Examples include: How many people who have enquired also liked your Facebook page? How many liked the page after they visited your website or made a request? How many recommendations did you get from Facebook fans? Based on these measurements, you can track whether your efforts on Facebook are worthwhile, or whether you should improve your posts or pursue other advertising measures. With our WiFi marketing package, your customers/patients/guests advertise for you, are happy and recommend you to others.