Long gone are the days when the only choices for promoting your property rental are through the newspaper, word of mouth, or property listings. The age of the internet is here, and nothing has become more powerful than social media when it comes to getting your property rental out there or just about any business for potential customers to see.

Social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Instagram are making waves on the internet, not just for the online community that they build, but also for their tremendous power in helping business thrive in the industry. See our recommended list of must-have social media sites for your property rental business.

If you’re still unsure whether or not you should use social media to promote your property rental, here are 5 reasons why you should:

It’s Free to Create an Account

No other platform can get your advert more leads for free or at a very little cost than a social media site. All you need is a laptop or PC, internet connection, and creativity to come up with a compelling post – and that’s it! Social media sites provide property owners a platform where you can promote your business at zero cost. Did I mention it’s free to sign-up for an account?

Rank Higher & Get More Online Exposure

The more activity you have on your social media account, the more it is visited by followers and fans. And the more activity it has, the higher the possibility for your website to rank on the search engines. Thus, it will be easier for potential clients to find you online.

Having an online presence on social media makes your property rental more genuine since most business owners and brands are now visible in most social media sites. The first place people search for property rentals is through the internet, as well as through referrals from friends, who coincidentally, refer properties they find on social media sites.

On Facebook and Pinterest for example, you have the ability to post as many pictures of your property as you want. The best part is you can include a link in your post for people to click to go to your website. This will give potential clients the opportunity to view details of your property before enquiring or booking – saving you and your client time of exchanging hundreds of emails just to answer a simple question such as the size of the master bedroom or the land plot.

Attract More Customers & Build Relationship

Facebook is one of the top channels to acquire potential customers online. In fact, there’s a large number of marketers reported to acquiring a high volume of clients through social media. Because you have the capacity to reach millions of people worldwide, the probability of having a large number of potential tenants is quite high.

The “reply,” “comments,” and private message options on social media sites allow you to communicate directly and build a one-on-one relationship with your potential renter/s. With social media, you get to interact with your audience at a very personal level, which will get you closer to your existing customers or potential ones.

It’s the Best Place to Get Feedback

There are people who will tell you right away that they don’t like your property while there are people who would rather be quiet and keep their comments to themselves. When you have a social media account, people are more likely to tell you their impressions and opinions since they are not talking to you, face to face. Besides, negative comments or feedback will help you improve your property and maybe the quality of service you provide.

Announce Promotions & Deals / Generate Leads

Facebook is one of the leading social networking sites online and studies show that 77% of business-to-customer companies actually generate leads from this social media giant. Whether you are a new business or an established company, there is no reason for you not to give social media a try.

Other than generating leads, social media is also a great medium to share news, announcements, and promotions. If you currently have a discount on the rent of your property, there’s no better place than to publish it on social media. Millions of reach are attainable at very little cost.

Whether you have a vacation house in a suburb that you want to have rented, a private villa on a tropical island, or a luxury condo in the city, there’s no better platform than social media to acquire potential tenants.

Other than social media, there are many other ways you can market/advertise your property online to get more bookings such as advertising on travel or real estate magazines, banner advertising and other forms of paid advertising, and if you are really serious about online marketing, go for Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

To read more tips, go to our Villa Owners Guide for property rentals and marketing.