You’ve probably heard the phrase “All publicity is good publicity” in regards to those in Hollywood, but does the same sentiment apply to short term rentals? In short, no. Unlike Hollywood press, where bad publicity can actually spike interest in the person in question, bad publicity for a short term rental can ruin the business. Short term rental businesses and their success are built on their reputation — that is if they exceed guest expectations, they tend to do well. So if their reputation is ruined, the business may not be far behind.
Staying out of the spotlight
If you’re trying to maintain a stellar reputation, the biggest risk is a guest throwing a party in your rental. Depending on the size of the party, your guest could put you in some serious trouble, and it may even get picked up by a local news source (some have before). In order to combat this, think of instituting some preventative measures like noise sensors. Certain smart noise sensors can actually send you and your guest a notification if it senses that they’re being too noisy. This way you can keep tabs on your guests without invading their privacy, and ensuring the safety of your business’ image.
Getting good publicity
It’s relatively rare to see a short term rental show up in the news for good reasons. This, however, doesn’t mean you can’t try and get good publicity on the OTAs you list your property on. Garnering good reviews and guest experiences will tell other potential guests that you care for your property and the sake of your guests. We’ve written other articles that discuss how to get more 5 star reviews, in case you’ve found yourself in a stand-still.
Maintaining guest expectations
This is probably the easiest step. If you are already a great short term rental operator (by your guest standards), then continue what you’re already doing. If you are unsure about your services, reach out to past guests and see what they thought of their stay. At the end of the day, you’ll gain great insight to what you need to improve, if you need to improve at all.
