Vacation Rental Marketing Plan

Who this is for

12 tasks for getting a rental seen and booked — listing quality, pricing, channels, reviews, and repeat guests. It assumes the property is ready; setup lives in the Initial Setup template.

The photos and the first line do most of the work

Guests scan a grid of thumbnails. Your lead photo determines whether yours is ever opened, and no amount of good copy compensates for a dim one. If you change one thing, change the lead image — bright, wide, and showing the room that's most distinctive.

The title should say what's specific, not what's generic. Two minutes from the harbour, parking included outperforms beautiful modern apartment because it answers the question someone is actually filtering on.

Price against the calendar, not a fixed rate

Demand for short-term rentals swings enormously by season, weekday, and local events. A flat nightly rate leaves money on the table in peak weeks and sits empty in quiet ones. Check what comparable properties charge on the specific dates you're trying to fill.

Occupancy is not the goal — revenue is. A property booked every night is usually underpriced.

Reviews compound

Early reviews determine ranking, which determines views, which determines bookings. Ask every guest, at the point they're happiest — the day after checkout, briefly and without pressure. Respond to the critical ones factually and without argument; future guests read the response more closely than the complaint.

Own the repeat guest

Direct rebooking avoids platform commission entirely. A simple follow-up months later, timed to their season, is the cheapest booking you'll ever get.

Timing

Review quarterly. Plain checklist.