Paid Ads Built for STR Owners, Not Generic Businesses
Running ads without a strategy is expensive. Running ads without proper tracking is a guess. Paid social and search campaigns for short-term rental owners require a different approach than ads for a local plumber or a retail store. Here is what that looks like done right.
What makes STR paid ads different
You are not selling a product. You are selling an experience and a moment. That changes the creative, the targeting, the funnel, and what success looks like. Generic paid ad playbooks do not account for the booking window, the OTA comparison shopping behavior, or the specifics of reaching leisure travelers versus business travelers in your market.
I build campaigns that account for those realities. And I will be honest with you about what paid ads can and cannot do against the marketing budgets Airbnb and VRBO are running.
What is included
Audience research, creative direction, ad copy, targeting setup, and ongoing optimization. Built for guest acquisition and retargeting visitors who have already seen your property.
Search campaigns targeting high-intent travelers looking for properties in your market. Includes keyword strategy, match type setup, and negative keyword management.
Your tracking must be in place before ads go live. I will verify or install the Meta Pixel, Google Tag, and conversion events so you know what your ads are actually producing.
Monthly reporting that tells you cost per click, cost per conversion, and what is working. Not just impressions.
I will tell you upfront what is realistic for your budget and market. No promises I cannot keep.
Who this is for
Paid ads are right for you if you have a direct booking site with conversion tracking in place and you want to drive targeted traffic to it. They are not the right first step if you do not have tracking set up yet or if your landing page is not ready to convert.
If you are not sure whether you are ready for ads, that is exactly what the free strategy call is for.
Questions
How much should I budget for STR paid ads?
It depends on your market and goals, but I generally recommend a minimum of $500 to $1,000 per month in ad spend to get enough data to optimize effectively. I will give you a realistic expectation for your specific situation before we start.Do you handle the creative too?
I provide creative direction and ad copy. For video or photography, I can advise on what to capture and how to use what you already have. If you need a full creative production, I can point you to the right partners.Can you run ads to my Airbnb listing?
Airbnb's terms of service limit what you can do with paid ads pointing to their platform. The stronger play is running ads to your own direct booking site, where you own the conversion data and the guest relationship.