Where is the best place to market your property for direct bookings?

There is no single best place to market your property for direct bookings. However, there are best places to market your property. The culmination of all of these best places can add up to a formidable strategic in maximizing your success and speeding up the process of getting direct bookings. Here is a list of best places in order of importance.

1. Get a book direct website. With all this marketing you're about to do, you need a website to send all these people. The website needs to showcase the property, show available dates, and take direct bookings where the guest pays right then and there.
2. Get a Google MyBusiness listing. This will put your listing on Google maps. Your Google MyBusines listing will let you tell all about your listing, and it has a spot for you to specify your book direct website. This is a very solid backlink that starts sending you traffic faster than just about anything out there.
3. Send emails to all of your past guests. A very effective way to raise awareness about your book direct website is to contact people who have already done business with you before. Reach out to these former customers as least a couple times a year. Classic email marketing is a very powerful marketing tool.
4. Set up your social profiles. If you already have social profiles be sure to edit your bio to include a direct link to your website. We've found Facebook and Instagram to be the best, but some folks do will with X, too. The link from these social profiles won't be very strong, but having a social presence will lend some degree of credibility. There is one exception to the link value. If you set up a LinkedIn company page for your website we find that those are stronger links that other social networks.
5. Join nearby Chambers of Commerce and Tourism Bureaus. Do this not necessarily because they're great at sending business your day, but because many of them offer listings of your business on their website. More often than not this is a strong link that will build the authority of your website. When that happens more search traffic comes to your website.
6. List your property on local websites. This can be even other properties that you compete with. Often well-established competitors will list your property on their website with a link to your website for a small fee. Here's an example of exactly that being done on this site: Toledo Bend Cabin Rentals
7. List your property on eBay. Yes, that's right, eBay. It's not that you'll necessarily get lots of bookings on eBay, but it's another place to be. It's like having another hook in the water. You might be surprised at how many conversations get started on eBay that end up as a booking!
8. Engage in link building. Research your competition, and find out where they are getting links from. Not all links are good. Find out wwhere they are getting links from and get those places to link to you.
9. Join Facebook vacation rental groups for your area. I put this dead last because that it si the last place before it drops off of this strategy forever. In the past Facebook groups were a good place to pick up direct bookings. Lately they have become saturated. Many of the Facebook groups are becoming the shopping groups for bargain hunters with unrealistic expectations with regard to nighly rates. Nevertheless Facebook groups still makes the list because there is a small value still to be had. Join the group has the Facebook page you created in step 4. Hopefully those on the group will like your page, and you can potentially grow your audience.

So this, in its entirety is the best place to market your property for direct bookings.

To recap, let's have a micro FAQ about the answer to the question of "Where is the best place to market your property for direct bookings?"

Q: Why is having a "book direct" website so important?

A: Your website serves as the central hub for all your marketing efforts. It allows you to showcase your property, provide real-time availability, and process bookings directly, eliminating reliance on third-party platforms.

Q: How can Google My Business help with direct bookings?

A: A Google My Business listing enhances your visibility on Google Maps and search results. It also provides a valuable backlink to your website, driving traffic and boosting your online authority.

Q: Is email marketing still effective for vacation rentals?

A: Absolutely! Emailing past guests is a powerful way to generate repeat bookings and promote your "book direct" website. Maintaining regular communication with your previous customers keeps your property top-of-mind.

Q: What role does social media play in attracting direct bookings?

A: Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram can help build your brand presence and drive traffic to your website. While the link value might not be as strong as other methods, a solid social media presence adds credibility.

Q: Should I list my property on local websites or Chambers of Commerce?

A: Yes, these listings can provide valuable backlinks and increase your website's authority, leading to more organic search traffic.

Q: Is eBay a viable platform for vacation rental marketing?

A: While it might seem unconventional, eBay can be another avenue for generating leads and starting conversations that lead to bookings. It's about diversifying your marketing efforts.

Q: What is link building and why is it important?

A: Link building involves acquiring backlinks from other websites to your own, which improves your website's search engine ranking.

Q: Are Facebook vacation rental groups still useful for direct bookings?

A: While they have become more saturated, Facebook groups can still offer some value for building your audience and generating leads.