Updated on November 25, 2024
Social media can be a potent tool for sharing your story, building trust, growing your brand, and boosting your bookings—if you know how to use it effectively.
In this session at the RR Summit: Rise and Thrive, John Hildebrand, founder of Hilde Homes and Vice President of Arizonans for Responsible Tourism, and Heidy Seoenz, co-founder of Made by Seoez and President of the El Paso Short-Term Rental Alliance, share their strategies for success in building a social media presence, drawing a loyal following, and solidifying your brand.
How to attract a loyal following
Let your personality shine through
Authenticity is magnetic on social media. John’s own Instagram account illustrates this point: He has 73,600 followers and counting. He encourages STR operators to embrace and stay consistent in their natural tone of voice—whether it’s professional, humorous, or laid-back.
Find your niche
Find a niche that fulfills your personal interests and brand mission. Maybe it’s sharing insights from behind-the-scenes experiences in running your rental, guiding first-time hosts, or highlighting the local gems in your destination.
Read more: How John Hildebrand overcame dyslexia to become an STR advocate and influencer
Provide Free, Valuable Content
When you consistently provide helpful content, your audience is likelier to return, engage, and seek your expertise.
For example, John shared his experience installing a “cowboy pool” at one of his properties and answered a few FAQs in the caption. He encouraged engagement by writing at the bottom: “Want the full [price] list broken out, comment ‘Cowboy Pool.’”
Engage regularly
John recommends posting Instagram stories daily with personal and work-related content to keep things interesting.
“Very consistent content will help to spike your growth and engagement,” he said.
In addition, post Instagram reels, YouTube shorts, or a TikTok video at least three to four times a week.
John said a good way to get into the habit is to do a 60-day challenge, where you post 60 reels in 60 days.
Prompt audience engagement
Here are John and Heidy’s strategies for driving engagement:
- Use polls, Q&As, or Instagram story features to invite follower input and foster a sense of community.
- Respond personally to messages and comments. This thoughtful attention will endear you to your audience. John recommends using ManyChat to streamline responses while maintaining a personal touch.
- Bring followers into your day-to-day and special moments through casual snapshots, project updates, or day-to-day routines.
- Showcase the highs and lows of running your short-term rental. Transparency creates deeper connections with your audience. “Don’t always share the wins; show the struggles, the process, and be very vulnerable,” John said.
- End posts with questions or calls to action to encourage back-and-forth engagement.
Expand your content horizons
- Experiment with different formats. Stories are great for casual updates, reels work well for quick, shareable videos, and carousel posts can deliver in-depth, educational content, John said.
- Partner with influencers, creators, or local businesses in your niche for joint Q&As, collaborative reels, or shared content to reach new audiences. Collaborating with brands or creators who align with your values can help organically grow your audience, Heidy said.
- Watch for trends in your feed and adapt them to fit your brand voice.
- Seek feedback: Poll your followers about the content they want to see.
Read more: 10 Social media strategies to market your vacation rental
Go beyond social media
Social media is a powerful tool, but it’s not the only way to connect with your audience. Host local meetups, collaborate on community projects, or attend industry events to deepen relationships and strengthen your brand presence.
How to build and maintain brand consistency
“The whole purpose behind your brand is for more people to know about you: Who are you? What are you doing? Because next time that they’re thinking about Airbnb or a short-term rental, they’re gonna think about you, and they’re gonna refer you,” Heidy said.
Stick to your style
Consistency in style can help cement your brand identity. Heidy advises choosing a cohesive set of colors, fonts, and visual styles.
“For example, I use a lot of white and hot pink. Why? Because I’m called the Airbnb Queen,” Heidy said.
She also recommends using your logo in every post. Choose a logo that conveys meaning to your audience or sparks curiosity. For example, Made by Seoenz’s logo is an umbrella.
“I don’t sell umbrellas, but it’s the meaning behind it,” Heidy said. “I’m telling everyone that as long as you stay close to me, you do business with me, we’re going to take care of you.”
48HoursLogo is a highly rated and affordable place to start designing your logo. You could also hire a freelance logo designer through sites like Fiverr.
Read more: How Heidy Seoenz became known as the Airbnb Queen of El Paso
Find your why
Heidy’s logo also symbolizes the reason behind her company—to stay close to her family under the same umbrella.
“Find that story behind what you’re trying to do, what your biggest why is, and then get that going in within your social media, Instagram, and brand,” Heidy said.
Tell your story
People remember stories more than products and services. Share your brand journey—why you started your short-term rental business and what drives you. This will help humanize your brand and make it more memorable, Heidy said.
Heidy has mastered the art of intimate storytelling on her Instagram, sharing her story about starting in short-term rentals to help her dad earn enough income to retire.
Watch the full replay in “Replays & Downloads” on the RR Network for more advice, anecdotes, and insights from John and Heidy.
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