Lori McKenna

When your vacation rental portfolio is expanding quickly, simply getting photos and listings live feels like a victory. But you’ll have to do more than upload pretty pictures and add a “Book Now” button to get potential guests to commit. It’s a journey—one that requires consistent communication, relationship-building, and the right mix of patience, strategy, and know-how.

We’ve written about email marketing for vacation rentals before and offered suggestions to grab attention with captivating and engaging copy. While those tips will be helpful to promote your vacation rental portfolio, knowing what to steer clear of might be just as important. After all, it’s the most effective form of digital marketing and one of the best ways to reach consumers, build relationships, and establish loyalty.

For professional property managers, few things are more satisfying than happy guests and 5-star reviews across your vacation rental portfolio. Sometimes, it’s more of a comedy of errors. Like when you forget to stock the essentials and get a frantic call from a guest who can’t start their morning without coffee. Or when you lock a guest out because you forgot to change the smart lock settings. 

Ever feel like your blog posts get lost in the shuffle? It’s no surprise, especially if you’re in an industry where everyone seems to be buzzing about the same topics. Even seasoned writers hit roadblocks—finding a fresh angle amid the chatter can be like searching for a needle in a haystack. 

There’s so much to think about as a property manager when marketing your vacation rental portfolio. Keeping booking calendars full, managing guest expectations, and staying ahead of the competition—it never stops. With social media, email marketing, and listing sites all demanding attention, writing a vacation rental blog post might feel like another thing to do on a never-ending to-do list. 

For professional property managers, few things are more satisfying than happy guests and 5-star reviews across your vacation rental portfolio. Sometimes, it’s more of a comedy of errors. Like when you forget to stock the essentials and get a frantic call from a guest who can’t start their morning without coffee. Or when you lock a guest out because you forgot to change the smart lock settings. 

If you’re reading this, you’re probably a vacation rental property manager who oversees more than your share of day-to-day tasks. Your daily agenda might involve tracking bookings, responding to guest inquiries, and handling maintenance issues. It might also include keeping your vacation rental marketing efforts afloat, even though you have limited experience or expertise. It’s all hands on deck, all the time, and you’re always going to do your part. 

Managing a vacation rental business is no day at the beach. Between juggling staff schedules, staying on top of housekeeping and maintenance, and trying to keep guests happy, it’s easy to let marketing slip through the cracks. After all, who has time to craft the perfect Instagram caption or master SEO when you’re chasing down a missing pool float? 

Ever watched your competition’s social media posts and wondered how they’re doing it? Day after day, they’re crafting clever content about their vacation rentals, using stunning images and relevant hashtags and making it all look effortless. Meanwhile, you’re just trying to get through today’s post, staring at a blank screen, and coming up short. 

Are you a vacation rental property manager struggling to create seamless guest experiences? Maybe you find yourself overwhelmed by the complexities of managing operations, reservations, and guest communications. Perhaps you could use a little help optimizing touchpoints that could lead to repeat stays and stellar reviews. If so, you’re not alone.