How Do You Market a Holiday Let?

When it comes to holiday letting, savvy marketing is paramount to success. There are two main routes: you can either work with a professional or go it alone. The former remains a strong and stable option, while the latter can help you to save money, although the amount of work shouldn’t be underestimated!

From social media and showstopping photography to old-school print, in this article we’re going to share some methods to market your holiday home.

Go professional

While it will cost you, taking the professional route to marketing is undeniably the most effective strategy. Let’s not forget that the money you spend can be seen as an investment in your business (indeed, it’s a business cost and so should be tax deductible), with a high chance that the product will pay for itself by generating a healthy amount of bookings and great exposure… much more than you’d get from going it alone!

You could take the leap and do the entirety of your marketing with a professional, putting everything into their hands while you sit back and take care of the rest of business. In our view this is a sensible route for new holiday let owners, especially for the first couple of years, as there is so much you can learn about the process by working closely with a professional.

Here are some things to think about when searching for your perfect holiday letting agency…

• The costs: Holiday letting agents will charge commission on any bookings your property makes, so the question is, are you happy with their rates? The holiday agent’s fees will vary, depending on how much work they do for you; there will be less of a charge if they only take care of the marketing, while fees will be heftier if you appoint them to manage your holiday let in full. In all likelihood, there will also be an annual charge to stay on the agent’s books, and perhaps an initial fee when you sign up, too.
• Personal taste: Your own preferences are important when it comes to finding a holiday letting agency – you could go with the best agency in the country, but it won’t be a good match if they don’t understand your needs. Creating a positive working relationship is key, so you’ll want a team who you get on with and communicates as much or as little as you desire. Some owners are extremely hands on and want to be kept up to date with every guest booking, whilst others want to relieve the responsibility entirely!
• Proven track record: A good way to see which holiday letting agencies are thriving is to search online for holiday cottages, and see which websites come up top. Those ranking highly on Google are the ones doing their job well – you want to be on those websites for maximum visibility. You could always browse through the catalogue to see the availability of various holiday lets; if you find numerous properties with empty calendars, it could be a warning flag.
• The competition: While you want to stand out against the competition, it is important to find a holiday letting agency that complements your brand. There’s no point signing up with the most deluxe of agents (and paying the premium fees!) if your holiday home just doesn’t compare to the others. This isn’t a bad thing – you might own a quaint two-bedroom cottage that’s brimming with character and that will appeal to many people… but not those searching for a luxurious, sprawling property that’s decked out with all the latest trends.

If you would prefer to stay involved in the running of your holiday let, but are wary about doing everything yourself, you could forgo the agency route and instead hire a professional for specific tasks.

Website

Whilst there are plenty of ‘off-the-shelf websites’ you can buy and configure these days, you also have the option of getting a designer to make a professional website for you, and even a copywriter who can create an attractive description of your holiday let. This could include hiring someone to help with your search engine optimisation (SEO), letting them provide the keywords and phrases which will help people to find your website.

But let’s get real here – your website, no matter how smart and attractive it might be, is highly unlikely to be found on page one of Google’s organic search results for key terms such as ‘holiday lets UK’ or ‘luxury holiday cottages’, as these search terms are extremely competitive and the major holiday letting agents spend thousands making sure their sites appear in the top search results! We often meet owners who say that their site ranks really well and you can find it on page one. While that might be true when you search for very specific words such as ‘Hainault Cottage Stow-on-the-Wold’, that is not the sort of search term your guests will use when they start looking for a holiday let, as they will have no idea of the name of your cottage!

Notwithstanding the above, your website remains a critical part of your overall marketing strategy, and provides a valuable and attractive means of providing your guests with key information and resources such as local shops and restaurants, and things to do with the kids.

Here are some essentials for your website…

• Make it professional. It’s tempting to sign up to create a cheap – or completely free – website, but it’s important to invest the time and money to make a proficient site, with your own domain name (not ending in wordpress.com!) and full functionality. These days, people will expect sites to respond to all mobiles and tablets, as well as desktops, and be easy to navigate with tabs and click throughs. For holiday let websites, you should include a calendar of availability and prices for selected dates; people don’t want to have to phone or email to check these out and if it’s any hassle, are more likely to leave your website for an alternative.
• Make it easy on the eyes. Avoid sections of lengthy text, at least on the home page, opting instead to showcase stunning photographs and key information only: the name, location and a short, sharp statement which encapsulates the heart of your holiday home. Only afterwards is it time to list the essentials: how many people it sleeps, the facilities, prices, local attractions, accessibility, and so on.
• Include a call to action. A ‘book now’ or ‘check availability’ button works as a good way to get website visitors to click through, and it makes the booking process as simple as possible. As mentioned, it can annoy people if they have to phone or fill in an enquiry form, rather than being able to secure an instant booking.
• Check your language. Whether you do the research yourself or appoint a professional, you should dedicate time to your website’s SEO. You might be a brilliant wordsmith, but it’s essential to include keywords which will help to boost your ranking on Google.

Social media

Managing social media is a job in itself these days, what with uploading posts and stories, interacting with others, finding the right hashtags and groups to target, the list goes on. Not only is it time consuming, but it also requires understanding of the various social media platforms, so if you’re clueless or just uninterested, perhaps it’s time to consult an expert.

Here are some tips for good social media…

• Be everywhere! We cannot express how important it is to be present across all the various sites: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and even TikTok – it’s not all about dance moves! It’s becoming more and more common for people to head to social media when they’re researching something on the internet. We’ve all done it, whether we’re checking out a trendy new bar, want a peek of a restaurant’s menu, or trying to choose the most deluxe spa to visit. So, it makes sense that holiday homes should also have good social media presence. Making your presence known across all of the platforms means the best possible reach, and you’ll also find a much younger audience than you would without the aid of social media.
• Be consistent. The best way to grow your audience is to upload regularly. It looks lazy if you log onto a business’s page and the most recent post was made six months ago. Instead, keep things fresh with seasonal photography, new offers and promotions, or sharing news about the local area, attractions, and events in order to showcase why it’s a great place for a holiday. Plus, championing other businesses on your page might earn you a promotion on their page!
• Do your research. It’s all very well and good including hashtags, but it’s important that these are relevant. Avoid generic terms such as #holiday #getaway #luxury and so on, as these won’t reach your target audience and the hashtags will be completely saturated. Instead, use more focused phrases such as #lovethecotswolds #cotswoldholiday #ukholidaycottage #ukbeachholiday – have a little peruse across the social media platform first, to see what works well and what your competitors use. Posting into various Facebook groups is also a great way to reach people that are well-suited to your holiday home. This could be anything from rambling groups to groups dedicated to family holiday ideas – there are so many pages out there, you just have to look around!
• Is your holiday home Instagrammable? There’s no better way to showcase your property than with a feed of glorious photos – specifically, we’re talking about making your holiday home ‘Instagrammable’. For younger guests especially, your holiday home’s attractiveness will be determined by its Instagram feed; it could even be where they begin their search for a cottage, searching for hashtags and locations to find the perfect place. Staged photos of your home’s best features will go miles towards tempting people to book. Think glasses of red wine resting by a cosy log fire, a delicious breakfast spread complete with Cath Kidston crockery, or a spectacular sunset behind the garden, these pictures will get ‘likes’… and hopefully help bookings!

Be social

To continue on the subject of social media, we cannot express how important it is to be present across the various sites: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and even TikTok – it’s not all about dance moves!

It’s becoming more and more common for people to head to social media when they’re researching something on the internet. We’ve all done it, whether we’re checking out a trendy new bar, want a peek of a restaurant’s menu, or trying to choose the most deluxe spa to visit. So, it makes sense that holiday homes should also have good social media presence; what better way to showcase your property than with a feed of glorious photos?    

Instagrammable

Specifically, we’re talking about making your holiday home ‘Instagrammable’. For younger guests especially, your holiday home’s attractiveness will be determined by its Instagram feed; it could even be where they begin their search for a cottage, searching for hashtags and locations to find the perfect place. Staged photos of your home’s best features will go miles towards tempting people to book. Think glasses of red wine resting by a cosy log fire, a delicious breakfast spread complete with Cath Kidston crockery, or a spectacular sunset behind the garden, these pictures will get ‘likes’… and hopefully help bookings!

Sign up

If you don’t want to go with a professional holiday letting agency, it’s still worth signing up to a platform such as Airbnb, which is a go-to for many people booking their holiday. Even though it’s not your own website, it’s still important to create a standout listing with excellent photographs and a clear, comprehensive description of your holiday let. Airbnb is a saturated site to say the least, so your listing needs to shine!  

This is especially important for cottages that sleep two-four people, as there are so many of these smaller properties all competing for bookings.

Set the scene

When it comes to good marketing, professional photography is essential – there’s truth behind the phrase ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’! If you go with a letting agency, they are likely to provide a photographer and if not, it’s highly advised that you find one to do the shoot. You’ll want nothing but top-quality images and ideally even a ‘walk through’ video, which together will create the best possible picture of your property.

Floorplans are extremely useful too, as guests really want to understand the layout of a home before making their decision.

Go to print

While the internet and social media are generally people’s first choice when searching for holidays, it’s important not to forget old reliable methods of marketing, either. Flyers and leaflets work well to complement your online marketing, with the option to post them through doors, or display them in shops, eateries, and local attractions. Indeed, in recent years we have seen a return to the old placard-on-the-wall approach, with characterful cottages baring signs clearly stating it’s a holiday let to passers-by.

Once you’ve designed a suitable advert, you can also choose print marketing. Magazines such as Cotswold Life or Country Living are great for reaching your target audience if you own a countryside bolthole, or titles such as The Resident if you own an urban retreat.

Here are some reminders for your print…

• As with the homepage of your website, your marketing material should first catch people’s attention with great imagery and bold, key phrases. Avoid great chunks of copy and show only the most important information as there is limited space. Instead, include a pointer to your website where there is much more room to provide comprehensive descriptions.
• If you opt for print marketing, it’s all about standing out on the page. You’ll want the very best photo(s) of your holiday let property, so that the reader’s eye is drawn to your advert. It’s also important to choose your advertiser wisely – don’t be drawn in by savvy sales pitches if the outlet isn’t the right fit. If you own a swanky penthouse overlooking the Thames, a rambling or gardening-themed magazine probably isn’t the best option. Whereas if you own a countryside bolthole, those types of magazines could be the perfect choice.

To conclude…

As you can see, there are plenty of choices for your holiday let marketing. Whether you want complete control of the task, or are happy to delegate, it’s important to consider your options.

For more information about how HCM can help you get finance to start your journey, contact us, or complete our five-minute initial assessment to request a free consultation from one of our mortgage experts.