An Airbnb host brought in $25,000 using Facebook and Instagram | Tech Reddy

• Amie Sommer, a resident of Alaska, will rent a $1 million Arizona home for 10 years.
• When he launched his list, he used Facebook to get books directly from family and friends.
• Sommer uses Lodgify to coordinate requests across platforms, including Airbnb and Vrbo.

Alaska resident Amie Sommer’s first step toward her short-term rental was building a website. Although he lists his Arizona pad on Airbnb and Vrbo, Sommer knew he wanted more visitors.

“I don’t want all my products in one package,” he told Insider.

Sommer’s business benefits. In his first year listing the $1.08 million desert-oasis home that sleeps 10, he’s already racked up $50,000 in books, Insider confirmed via documents. Half of those registrations, he told Insider, came from promoting his affiliate link directly on social media sites Facebook and Instagram.

The explosion of new listings has made the vacation rental market more competitive, and the some hosts are worried about the “Airnbust.” Recent data from analytics website AirDNA showed demand rose by 24% year-on-year in September but occupancy fell to 1.2% due to overbooking by fans. the choice.

Instead, leaders are being creative. Sommer believes his strategy is accessible to all leaders, even those who are not very tech-savvy.

“I’m not the most tech-savvy, technical person in the world, but I was able to get in there and do it,” he said.

Sommer created a website and enlisted Facebook friends as the first visitors

Sommer started by setting up a simple website using Wix and then an account on a vacation-rental-computer site. Install it. He said he chose the $380-a-year plan because he preferred paying a flat rate to plans that took a 2 to 4% cut of all reservations.

Lodgify provides Sommer with a central calendar that syncs bookings between his website, Airbnb, and Vrbo. A single store keeps its weekends organized and prevents double-digit rates, he said.

When it comes time to book his first guests, Sommer is looking for “food pigs.” He posted a link on his Facebook profile offering some family members a discounted rate of $350 per night, down from $550.

He said he was shocked by the demand, and ended up writing almost entirely in his first six weeks. He encourages other visitors to search through their networks to find visitors. It may be worth a price, but this type of application seems to have fewer visitors and headaches.

“When I get to know them, I know they’re good people,” he said.

Sommer uses Instagram to attract visitors and brand her house as an experience

Sommer made several trips to Arizona and knew the area well before buying a home. As a visitor turned owner, he has a good idea of ​​the types of tourists he wants to attract.

The house is located in northeast Scottsdale, close to the night spots around Phoenix. But Sommer says it’s better for a quiet desert getaway.

“We’re out in the country where you can walk down the street and pet a horse,” he said.

She began tagging the property as #LunaHouseAZ on Instagram and enhanced her website description of how secluded it was. It seems to be working: a visitor found it while looking for a home for the 2023 Super Bowl in Glendale, Arizona.

For just two nights, they are charging $3,000.