The Complete Guide to Setting Up Social Media for Vacation Rental Success

In travel and hospitality, social media is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s one of the most powerful channels for discovery, engagement, and bookings.

If you’re still questioning its reach or impact, the data tells a clear story. 78% of travelers use social media for inspiration, and 81% rely on it for research, meaning social platforms now influence destination decisions more than traditional media ever did.

Trust quickly turns that inspiration into action. 92% of users say they trust brands more after engaging with them on social media, and that trust drives real bookings. Instagram continues to be the leading platform for travel planning among Millennials (33%), while TikTok dominates with Gen Z (16%). And it’s not just about scrolling, nearly one-third of travelers (32%) have booked a stay at a property they first discovered on TikTok.

Simply put: social media isn’t optional anymore, it’s where travel decisions are made.

Whether you’re a property owner, vacation rental manager, or hospitality brand looking to build meaningful connections and drive demand, setting up your social media accounts correctly from the start creates a strong foundation for growth. To do that effectively, there are a few key steps you should follow:

1. Choose the Platforms that match your audience
Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest and LinkedIn each serve different purposes. Start with 2 to 3 platforms where your audience is most active. You can use Instagram and Tiktok for virality and platforms like LinkedIn to show progress of your site.

Instagram is one of the most powerful channels for property marketing, serving as a visual first impression for potential guests. Stories and Reels are especially effective for showcasing virtual tours, standout amenities, and nearby attractions, helping travelers imagine themselves in the space before they ever click through to book. A consistent posting schedule paired with relevant, location-specific hashtags increases discoverability and keeps your property top of mind.

Facebook is equally valuable, particularly for building trust and engagement. Local groups and community-focused content allow you to tap into existing audiences, while sharing area events reinforces the destination experience. Facebook Marketplace offers an additional layer of visibility, and paid Facebook ads can significantly amplify reach and conversions, especially during peak booking seasons.

Together, Instagram and Facebook create a high-impact distribution engine. Cross-posting allows you to share photos and videos across both platforms simultaneously, extending reach, reinforcing your brand, and maximizing results without increasing workload.

TikTok is especially effective for reaching younger travelers and driving destination discovery. The platform plays a major role in travel inspiration, 66% of users say TikTok helps them plan trips, and 83% discover destinations they hadn’t previously considered, and 77% say TikTok influenced their most recent trip purchase.

2. Set up Business profiles
Always use business profiles to unlock analytics, ads, and professional contact features. Doing this will help to analyze performance, build reports and understand how your audience is interacting with your content. 

3. Optimize your profile
Make sure your bio, username, website link, and contact details clearly explain who you are and what you offer. 

4. Create a Content Strategy
Define 3 to 5 content pillars such as property highlights, local experiences, guest stories, tips, and behind-the-scenes content. At Wander, we create a content calendar that helps us allocate the content in the pillars and days, and also this helps us to have an overall view on our communication strategy.

5. Stay consistent
Consistency matters more than frequency. Aim for a realistic posting schedule you can maintain. Property managers using consistent social content report 25-40% increases in direct booking inquiries

Aim to publish 3–5 posts per week on Instagram/Facebook, rotating between high-quality property photos, local area highlights, and guest experience moments. This balanced mix keeps your content fresh while reinforcing both the stay and the destination.

More importantly, consistency outweighs volume. A reliable posting cadence signals to Instagram’s algorithm that your account is active, while also reassuring potential guests that your property is professionally managed, well cared for, and worth booking.

6. Use Hashtags & Location tags
Combine broad and niche hashtags and always tag your location to boost discovery. It is recommended to use between 3 to 5 hashtags. 

7. Encourage engagement
Meaningful engagement builds trust. Ask questions, use interactive story features, respond to comments, and share guest or user-generated content to create two-way conversations.

At Wander, we encourage creators to produce content that feels authentic to both their audience and the brand, as this drives more organic engagement. Partnering with influencers and running giveaways can also help expand reach, introduce your brand to new audiences, and spark ongoing interaction.

8. Track performance
Review analytics regularly to understand what content works best. You can use Meta Business Suit for Instagram and Facebook, and Tiktok Studio. You can measure views, interactions, and reach depending on what you are aiming for. 

9. Study your Competition

Analyzing how comparable properties and hospitality brands approach social media can help inform smarter decisions. Review their content mix, posting cadence, visual style, and engagement patterns to understand what performs well within your category. The goal isn’t imitation, but insight and identifying gaps, best practices, and opportunities to refine your positioning and strengthen your own social media strategy in a competitive market. A few tools we encourage you to test: Google Alerts, Hootsuite free 

10. Adapt & Evolve
Social media trends change fast: test new formats, edit styles, see what is trending in your target audience and always stay open and flexible. Social media invites us all to innovate. 

To conclude, setting up your social media correctly from the start creates lasting value. With clear positioning, consistent execution, and thoughtful storytelling, your social presence becomes more than just content, it becomes a powerful engine for connection, brand awareness, and bookings.