Bed and Breakfast Marketing Strategy for 2024

Are you looking for a cozy getaway with a personal touch? Introducing bed and breakfasts, these are accommodations where charm meets diversity.

They are often in the form of quaint boutique hideaways or sustainable eco-retreats, there’s actually more of everything in between. With their rise in popularity, your options are endless. 

With many B&Bs out there, what makes yours stand out in 2024?

With a tough market, it’s hard for B&B businesses these days. Sometimes, it all comes down to creating a good marketing strategy.

In this article, you’ll learn how to make your mark in the thriving B&B industry.

Bed and Breakfast Marketing: Why Is It Important? 

The abundance of choice for travelers is the primary reason why most B&Bs are not profiting. Common problems include:

• Low occupancy
• Almost zero online presence
• Not reaching potential customers.

Plus, if there are too many B&Bs in the area, how can your business stand out?

If you’re serving the same hearty breakfast and intimate room settings, how can you attract guests? This is where a good bed and breakfast marketing can make a difference. 

Creating a bed and breakfast marketing strategy

A bullet-proof B&B marketing strategy can redefine your business to stand out even in the most competitive location. You don’t have to have the best location in town to succeed—a good B&B marketing strategy can help you focus on the best aspects of your business and turn it into a selling point for customers. 

The Importance of Good SEO

Did you know that 66% of travelers book their vacations online? It’s hard to imagine a time when planning a vacation didn’t involve a trusty internet connection.

Before the internet, we’d probably go to the destination and then look for hotels nearby. Today, it’s the opposite. First, we look online for accommodations then we go to the destination. 

Enhance your Online Discoverability

When potential customers consider your B&B, most would first google your business name to look for your website. This is why SEO or search engine optimization is one of the most important things in B&B marketing. 

SEO strategies help your business rank higher in search engines.

It’s all about optimizing your website’s content, structure, and visibility to align with the ever-changing algorithms of search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. 

Take, for instance, the website for “Queen Victoria Bed & Breakfast”

Their team diligently crafts meta tags that include targeted keywords such as “luxury B&B in the heart of wine country” and “scenic views and gourmet breakfasts.” These tags not only help search engines understand the content of their site but also entice potential guests searching for similar experiences.

Furthermore, Victoria queen B&B ensures that each page is filled with rich, relevant content, incorporating keywords naturally into descriptions of their cozy rooms, breathtaking vistas, and locally sourced breakfast menus.

Their commitment to optimizing load times means that even with high-resolution images showcasing their stunning property, guests experience lightning-fast page loading, keeping them engaged and preventing them from bouncing to other sites.

When it comes to design, the website is not only aesthetically pleasing but also fully responsive, adapting seamlessly to any device, whether it’s a desktop computer or a smartphone. This ensures that potential guests can easily browse and book their stay, no matter where they are or what device they’re using.

Good SEO also allows you to target the travelers your business wants with the help of keyword research. If you know what your potential customers are searching for, you can target them successfully. 

For example, if you have a luxury B&B, your target audience would be affluent travelers seeking personalized experiences, intimate settings, and high-end amenities.

These guests want large rooms that cost as much as a local 4 or 5-star hotel. If your B&B is in that price range, this is exactly the customers you want to target. 

Build a Strong Brand Reputation

An enviable brand reputation is another strong factor that can dictate how many customers and visitors you can gain. B&Bs that are positively reviewed online often attract more visitors compared to those that are lowly rated. 

When potential guests are considering where to stay for their next getaway, what’s one of the first things they do? They whip out their smartphones and start scouring the internet for reviews and ratings of B&Bs in the area.

Imagine Sarah, a traveler planning her holidays to the picturesque countryside. Excited to experience local charm, she begins her search for the perfect bed and breakfast. As she scrolls through options, she notices two B&Bs in the same area: Willow Grove Inn and Rustic Retreat.

Curious, Sarah starts reading reviews. Willow Grove Inn boasts glowing testimonials praising its cozy ambiance, friendly hosts, and delicious homemade breakfasts.

On the other hand, Rustic Retreat’s reviews are mixed, with complaints about cleanliness and outdated decor.

Despite Rustic Retreat’s attractive pricing, Sarah decides to book her stay at Willow Grove Inn. Why? Because its enviable brand reputation, built on positive online reviews, instills confidence and promises a memorable experience.

In this scenario, the power of online reviews illustrates how an exceptional brand reputation can sway a traveler’s decision and drive bookings to your B&B.

Google My Business

Back in 2018, Google changed its algorithm for search results for “Hotel + Location”. With his update, local hotels were removed from organic search results whilst Online Travel Sites (OTA) sites topped the search. This made Google Business Profile listings more important than ever. If you’re a business that wants to maintain your visibility in the search engine, you have to create your Google Business Profile.

Remarketing Strategy

While many people may visit your website, it’s a fact that only a few will end up booking a room. 

Research reveals that 75 percent of consumers prefer to browse through online travel agencies, while 85 percent of consumers opt to consult search engines before making a reservation directly on a hotel’s branded website. That’s why a good remarketing strategy is crucial. Plus, customers love brands that re-engage with them. So, how do you do it? 

Remarketing is all about capitalizing on those valuable interactions with potential guests who have already shown interest in your B&B. These are folks who have browsed your website, explored your accommodations, and perhaps even booked a room—but for whatever reason, they didn’t seal the deal.

One way is by offering discounts to past customers or sending them ads of deals in your upcoming B&B.

Many kinds of remarketing strategies could also be done online. For example, in Google Ads, you can create a custom segment of users who may have looked for hotels in your location.

This campaign will allow Google to target those specific individuals and serve them ads for your B&B. These strategies can persuade them to do business with you again. 

Improve Social Media Strategy

Facebook 

What makes Facebook a great platform for B&Bs?

For starters, it’s all about reach. With its global reach and sophisticated targeting capabilities, Facebook allows you to connect with potential guests from all parts of the globe. It reaches far and wide, attracting attention and generating interest in your B&B from near and far. So if your B&B doesn’t have a Facebook page at this point, then you’re seriously missing out on a lot of potential customers. 

Facebook makes your business easy to understand for your customers. On the platform, you can do a lot of things like update your contact information, upload high-quality photos or video tours, and even answer customer questions on your page. 

Instagram

Another great platform for your B&B is Instagram. Instagram is probably the best avenue if you want to expand your presence online. For B&B owners, it’s the perfect place to show picture-perfect portraits of their accommodations and attract potential guests. With its highly visual nature, Instagram allows you to showcase high-quality photos of your B&B, from the romantic cozy bedrooms to the lush gardens and scenic views that surround it.

Using Instagram effectively as a bed and breakfast (B&B) owner can greatly enhance your online presence and attract more guests. Here are some best practices:

• Showcase Your Property: Use Instagram to highlight the unique features of your B&B. Share photos and videos of cozy rooms, stunning views, delicious breakfast spreads, and any special amenities or activities you offer.

• Tell Your Story: Share the story behind your B&B. What makes it special? How did you get started? 

• Engage with Your Audience: Respond to comments and messages promptly, and engage with your followers by asking questions, running polls, and encouraging user-generated content (UGC) like guest photos and testimonials.

• Use Hashtags Strategically: Research and use relevant hashtags to increase the visibility of your posts. Include a mix of popular hashtags (e.g., #bedandbreakfast, #travel) and niche hashtags (e.g., #countrysideretreat, #farmstay) to reach a wider audience.

Email Campaigns 

Email campaigns are another powerful bed and breakfast marketing strategy. There is so much value in having an email list. Your email list is composed of website visitors, past customers, potential customers, and everyone who has taken an interest and given you their email address. 

With the right email marketing platform, you can track key metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates. This allows you to measure the effectiveness of your campaigns and refine your strategies for the best results.

Email campaigns also offer a high return on investment (ROI), making them a cost-effective and efficient way to drive bookings and generate revenue for your B&B. Here are some examples of email marketing platforms that allow you to track key metrics:

• Mailchimp: Mailchimp is a popular email marketing platform that offers comprehensive analytics tools. 
• Constant Contact: Constant Contact provides robust tracking and reporting features to help you measure the success of your email campaigns. 
• Campaign Monitor: Campaign Monitor offers advanced analytics tools that allow you to track key metrics and gain valuable insights into your email marketing performance. 
• GetResponse: GetResponse offers comprehensive tracking and reporting capabilities to help you measure the effectiveness of your email campaigns. 
• HubSpot: HubSpot’s email marketing platform includes robust analytics tools that allow you to track key metrics and monitor the performance of your campaigns. 

Intuitive and Effective Website Design 

There is a good amount of research that says that a web design can make or break your B&B. Your website is similar to your storefront. You want it to be a reflection of your company.

If it’s not responsive, poorly designed, and has low-quality images—then your business is probably of the same nature. It’s a negative look and it’s bad for your business.

How To Create a Great B&B Website 

• Intuitive Site Design – Customers should be able to do the entire booking process on your B&B website in less than 2 minutes. Every important piece of information like contact details, rates, policies, and special offers should be easily found. 
• Use High-Quality Photos – Create a website that is visually appealing as it’s effective. You should include high-quality photos of rooms, bathrooms, amenities, food, and activities in your B&B. 
• Include Reviews – Showcase positive reviews and testimonials from past guests to build credibility. The best way to do this is to integrate review widgets from trusted review platforms like Google My Business or Trip Advisor. 

Establish collaborations with local partners 

The best way to grow is to grow together. So, don’t shy away from collaborating with local partners may it be other businesses, organizations, or institutions. The important thing to remember is to do your research and of course, don’t partner with your competitor. 

Take the time to identify potential partners who share your values, target audience, and goals. Look for partners who complement your B&B’s offerings and align with your brand ethos.

Examples of partners would be cafes and restaurants so your guests can enjoy local cuisines. 

For example, Starbucks, the global coffee chain, often collaborates with local bakeries to offer customers a selection of freshly baked goods. By partnering with local bakeries, Starbucks supports small businesses while providing customers with a variety of high-quality treats to complement their coffee experience.

Airbnb, the online marketplace for lodging and tourism experiences, partners with local hosts to offer a wide range of unique experiences to travelers. These experiences, led by locals, range from culinary tours and cooking classes to outdoor adventures and cultural immersions. By collaborating with local hosts, Airbnb enhances the travel experience for guests while supporting entrepreneurship and cultural exchange.

Once you’ve identified potential partners, reach out and start the conversation. Share your vision, discuss your goals, and explore ways to collaborate on marketing initiatives, promotions, or events that benefit both parties.

Collaboration Through Backlinking 

Developing a comprehensive backlinking strategy is crucial for improving the online visibility and authority of a B&B website. Here’s a detailed strategy tailored specifically for a bed and breakfast business (B&B):

• Identify Relevant Websites: Start by identifying websites that are relevant to the B&B industry, travel, hospitality, and local tourism. This could include travel blogs, tourism directories, local business directories, and websites focusing on accommodations and vacation rentals.

• Local Directories and Listings: Ensure the B&B is listed on local directories such as Google My Business, Yelp, TripAdvisor, and local tourism boards. These listings not only provide valuable backlinks but also improve local search visibility and credibility.

• Guest Blogging: Reach out to travel bloggers, local publications, and tourism websites to offer guest blog posts related to travel tips, destination guides, or experiences in the B&B’s area. Guest blogging allows you to showcase your expertise, reach new audiences, and earn high-quality backlinks to your website.

• Create High-Quality Content: Develop engaging and informative content on the B&B’s website, such as blog posts, travel guides, local attractions, and events. Content that provides value to readers is more likely to be shared and linked to by other websites, improving your backlink profile.

Other Important Tips 

• Increase the marketing budget during the high-demand season – If you’re a B&B owner you know that some times of the year are simply more profitable than others. Tourists may flock to B&Bs near the beach when it’s summer months while B&Bs near ski resorts thrive in the winter holidays. There are also events in your area that might attract visitors at certain times of the year. For this reason, you must adapt your marketing strategy by increasing your marketing budget.

• Focus on improving customer experience – Always prioritize your guest’s experience. Make sure that it’s memorable for every guest. Personalize interactions, anticipate needs and go above and beyond to exceed expectations, leading to positive word-of-mouth recommendations and repeat bookings.

• Analyze performance – Which part of your marketing did well? Which didn’t? Track these metrics and allocate your budget wisely. Use analytics tools and guest feedback to identify areas for improvement and refine your strategies over time.

If done right these bed and breakfast marketing strategies can work wonders, helping you not only attract more visitors but also boost your revenue. At the end of the day, it’s not just about having the best location  (although it helps), in the B&B industry, a bullet-proof B&B marketing strategy will ultimately be the key to helping your business grow, expand reach, and enhance brand recognition.