Instagram For Vacation Rental

published

We introduced you to Facebook Live for Vacation Rental some time ago, and explained how it could be beneficial for your business. Today, we’d like to show you how Instagram could help you gain visibility. Despite being only available for mobiles and tablets, the photos and short videos sharing app gathers 500 million active users.

We’ve listed a few pieces of advice to help you develop your account and if you don’t have any yet, well, now is time you create one! Your online communication will greatly benefit from this platform that is accessible and easy to use. “Liking” and sharing a picture has never been so easy!

Getting started on Instagram

Before sharing your pics, you need to download the app. It is available on iOS, Android and Windows Phone. Then, choose a nickname: keep it simple, it should contain your business name. For example, our BookingSync Instagram name is… BookingSync. This is the only way you can ensure your potential users can find you under the brand they know.

Once it is done, add a profile picture -why not adding your logo or one of your best-looking properties- and write a short description.

Let’s take, for example, our client’s account: LuxVacation. Their presentation is simple and straightforward. When visiting the page, people know what to expect. Also, don’t forget to add a link to your webpage!

Start taking pictures!

Determine which users you are targeting and what they would like to see published on your account. The first criteria is in direct link with the type of client you’re targeting by your vacation rental activity in general (e.g family travelers, niche markets, businesswomen and men…). You need to adapt your pictures to each target.

Once you’ve selected a photo, put it online and add a description. Information such as the property name, its location, etc. can help bring new clients.

However, highlighting your rentals isn’t enough: appeal your travelers by using storytelling, just like you did with your rental listing. 70% of your posts should be related to travels: places, cities, monuments, activities of the region. People choose a destination before selecting a housing, not the other way round.

Hashtags

This is a key point!

Hashtags allow you to be listed on Instagram: visit similar accounts to yours and learn how to integrate them to your pictures descriptions.

#holidays, #vacationrental, #airbnb, #bythesea… There are endless possibilities, but you need to learn to identify the most used and relevant ones.

When to share on Instagram

Define the rate at which you wish to publish. Once or twice per day or per week, depending on your possibilities and goals. Be careful not to spam your followers, only share what’s pertinent with your business.

Publish time is also an important point, as pictures will only be displayed on your followers’ newsfeed for a few hours at most. Pick the most active hours depending on your time zone and your followers’. No need to post a pic at 4am!

Manage your account

Several tools will help manage your account, such as:

  • Gabstats to see your account’s stats, its followers, and identify which hours are best for publishing

  • Iconosquare to manage your community, answer with your PC, organize photo contests…

  • Schedugr.am the only tool that allows you to schedule your Instagram posts

Joining Instagram and posting regularly will show your future travelers they can trust you and that they can safely travel with you. Visit other accounts, comment, like bloggers’ pics and other vacation rentals photos to get the best results.


If you want us to follow you, write your Instagram account name in the comments and we’ll join you! ;)