TikTok to boost vacation rentals
July 2026
Is your holiday rental on TikTok yet? You might groan when you hear the name of the social media platform, but it’s actually an extremely effective marketing tool, particularly if you want to tap into a younger market. Here’s how to make TikTok work for you.
Why should I use TikTok for holiday home rentals?
TikTok isn’t just for teens anymore. As Gen Z grow up, they’re increasingly using TikTok for lifestyle inspiration — and yes, that includes travel. Many young people prefer to get their information from these bite-size videos instead of searching Google in the traditional way.
Young travellers use TikTok for all kinds of holiday information: where to go, what to do and, crucially, where to stay. An eye-catching TikTok video can do wonders for your advertising campaign.
TikTok is also a good choice when you want to advertise your holiday home because users can easily share videos with each other. Word of mouth is still the best way to advertise, and TikTok makes it easy.
How to advertise on TikTok
Advertising holiday home rentals on TikTok can seem like a minefield sometimes. On the one hand, TikTok users are generally happy to watch ads, paying more attention to them than, say, Youtube users. On the other, they want their ads to look a certain way.
TikTokkers don’t want to feel that you are trying to sell them something. Instead, your videos should be natural, simple, and not focused on special prices or deals.
What’s more, TikTokkers don’t tend to like ads that are too professional-looking. This is ultimately a content creation app, and the basic principle behind it is that all creators are equal. Shaky camera work, odd cuts and a slight stutter in the voiceover are all more appealing to TikTokkers than a perfectly polished video.
TikTok for holiday rentals: how to make your video go viral
Naturally, your TikTok goal should be to reach as many people as possible and encourage them to rent your house for holidays and short stays. Here’s how to do that:
- Keep it short and sweet. TikTok does allow users to upload longer videos, but most people will have scrolled past by the time you finish your two-minute introduction. A short, snappy video that’s entertaining from start to finish is better.
- Use sound. TikTokkers don’t watch videos in silence. Choose a fun song that fits your rental, include a voiceover, or both. Remember, a lively pop song will probably go down better on TikTok than sweeping classical strings.
- Play with timing and cuts. TikTok videos often feature sudden jump cuts or are shown at an ultra-fast speed. For example, a walkthrough of your property at 5x the normal speed will be more entertaining than a standard walkthrough.
- Use trending hashtags. Take a look at the “Explore” tab on the TikTok app and see which hashtags are popular right now. Make sure your content fits — spamming hashtags does not work.
- Take inspiration from travel influencers. Start following popular travel accounts and pay attention to their videos. This can help you make yours better.
- Encourage guests to post. When someone rents your holiday apartment, invite them to tag you in their own TikTok videos. This is a great way to get organic content that you can respond to and share.
Working with influencers on TikTok for business promotion
Your tiny account may not be driving clicks to your listings on holiday rental portals, so what next? It may be time to send in the big guns and collaborate with popular content creators.
Influencer marketing is one of the most popular forms of advertising on social media for holiday home rentals. Users often trust content creators more than traditional advertising, as there is a tight bond between creator and audience. This is what makes influencers a potent form of advertising.
If you want to use influencer advertising, there are a few things to keep in mind:
Choose your collaborators carefully
Do your due diligence on anyone you partner with. Look out for scandals that might be attached to some influencers, and scan their audience. Be wary of creators with a large following and little engagement, as they may have bots (artificial followers).
Make sure your collaborator fits your brand. For example, if you offer a family-friendly holiday rental, look for mum influencers. If your rental is all about bohemian charm, a young travel influencer who makes backpacker-style content will be a good choice.
Give your collaborators creative freedom
To put it bluntly, you’re not the TikTok expert — they are. Content creators know what their audience wants to see, so let them have the space to do their own thing. You can, of course, give them some pointers, but they should be allowed to have plenty of autonomy over the process.
Don’t use too many influencers
Building up a long-term relationship with one or two influencers is generally a better marketing strategy than adopting a scattergun approach and hiring dozens. TikTok users are often highly sceptical, so if they suddenly see lots of influencers shilling your holiday rental at once, they may smell a rat.
Get your guests involved
If you’re targeting younger guests, you might want to place a QR code in your property that links to your TikTok account. Encourage guests to upload their own videos and tag you.
When guests start posting, you should always respond. Everyone wants to feel seen, and that’s especially true on a content creation app like TikTok. Repost their videos or create stitches where you thank them for their posts in a fun way. Remember to keep the mood light and friendly. Although a formal response may be professional in other contexts, it will come across as too stiff here.
Keep creating content
One important thing to remember is that going viral overnight is difficult, if not impossible. Success on TikTok can require a long-term strategy — and that means posting regular videos so you always have some fresh content to share.
Have a brainstorming session to think about what you can post. That could be walkthroughs of your property, videos of events in the local area, or tours of nearby hiking trails. Make fun, short videos that show people relaxing, playing sports or just enjoying your holiday rental. Respond to big trends and memes of the moment in a playful way. People will continue to visit your page as long as you have regular, fresh content.
It will take work, but successful marketing always requires effort. Put the time in, and your TikTok advertising strategy could really pay off in the future.