Challenge: Aligning the target market with added inventory
One small vacation rental company with 36 cabins in the Northeast was preparing to build two large properties. One of them would include an indoor swimming pool and be located about a mile away from a popular resort. The expansion came on top of bringing in a few newly constructed homes to their management program, which meant that 20% of their cabins had eight bedrooms or more. By the year 2024 they will own 8% or the properties that they manage.
The majority of their revenues came from Vrbo. As their inventory evolved, it demanded a different kind of clientele. They needed a change in their marketing strategy. marketing strategy. The logo was the same as the one the owner had drawn on a napkin in 1999. The website hadn’t been updated for more than five year and most of the inbound inquiries concerned budget-friendly accommodations or general trips to the area.
Marketing Strategy: ADR vs Conversion
To align the marketing to the future direction of our products and services, we began at the top. Our months-long efforts resulted in an increase of 217% in sales revenue by January 2025.
The company’s mission and vision was to create a space that would allow people of all kinds to spend time together in a clean, comfortable and spacious environment. The cofounders designed and built many of the homes as vacation homes. Every bedroom had an en-suite bathroom, and each home included a hot tub outside, a fireplace, and game rooms. As the homes grew larger and more luxurious, the ADR increased and the conversions decreased.
Advertisements
It was decided to use the refreshed branding and messaging to redesign the website to give it a better look and feel. Google Ads changed its strategy to target different keyword categories and direct the traffic to dedicated landing page on the new site, resulting in an improved overall experience. Conversions increased from 1% up to 2.2%.
Driving Revenue Directly Over OTAs
We created branded collages that showcased the amenities. In addition, we used a photoshoot to show how outdoor spaces bring people together. The photos were viewed for longer and more qualified leads contacted the company.
The transformation culminated with social media videos that showed walkthroughs of spaces, and a concerted effort in local public relations. This led to large corporate brands requesting blocks of reservations across multiple properties, and local event coordinators negotiating many reservations simultaneously. The new business opportunities were exactly what the company hoped to attract through their upscale properties, enhanced management services and social media videos showing walkthroughs of the spaces.
Results of Google and Social Media on Revenue
Combined, the efforts led to significant improvements in all metrics.
- Bookings are up 17.9% compared to the previous year, with an increase of 10.3% in ADR
- The revenue from the website increased by 81% in January 2025, compared to January 2024
- Bookings increased by 30% after Google Ads
- Social media had the highest click-through rates over a 12 month period, at 7.4%
- Google Reviews: 8 stars, which are usually between 4.0 and 4.5 in the area
Learnings about Branding and Online Reviews
Aligning brand and user experience online to match the quality guest experience has increased REVpar and allowed the company grow in the correct direction. Social proof points that supported this alignment amplified the overall marketing ecosystem’s effectiveness, resulting in a virtuous circle of positive reviews and quality guests.
The likelihood that you will reach the right audience, and thus increase your satisfaction, is increased when the logo, tagline, and photography accurately represent the experience a guest can expect. This case shows how strategic alignment of marketing creates growth opportunities that are sustainable for hospitality providers.
The vacation rental company that built a website to match their beautiful cabins, which were well-equipped, saw an increase of revenue by 11% year over the year, while positioning them for further expansion in the market of luxury accommodations.
