Let’s be honest, social media can sometimes feel like a rabbit hole of endless cat videos, memes, and dance crazes. But when used right, it’s a brilliant way to get your holiday let noticed, connect with the right guests, and fill your calendar faster…
Bookings can go up and down throughout the year, so it’s more important than ever to make sure your cottage stands out online. You don’t need a huge mansion, a pool, or a jaw-dropping view – just a genuine, authentic social media presence that shows off what makes your place special.
Our social media expert Elin has pulled together this simple, practical guide to help you create an engaging, eye-catching social media presence for your holiday home — whether you’re on Facebook, Instagram, or both.
Keep reading to learn how to advertise your holiday home on social media…
Start With Your Ideal Guest in Mind
Good marketing isn’t about reaching everyone — it’s about reaching the right people.
Ask yourself: who is your holiday home perfect for? Families? Dog owners? Couples looking for a romantic escape?
Everything you post should help those people imagine themselves staying with you.
Use location-specific keywords like “Anglesey family cottage”, “dog-friendly holiday let in North Wales”, or “Snowdonia weekend break” in your captions and bio to help the right guests find you.
Now Let’s Choose a Username:
Your Instagram username and Facebook Page name are your online shop windows. Use your cottage name plus location to keep it simple and clear, so potential guests can find you easily.
For example:
On Instagram @dolwaenyddanglesey
Or on Facebook, “Dolwaenydd, Anglesey”
💡 TOP TIP: Avoid quirky nicknames, personal names, or lots of symbols. These can look like spam accounts, and can confuse visitors – making it harder for your cottage to appear in search results.
Reels & Video — The Future of Holiday Home Marketing
Video content is king — especially short, snappy videos called Reels on Instagram and Facebook. These vertical clips are designed to grab attention quickly and keep viewers engaged. You can use the in-app editor, or you can download apps like CapCup or Edits.
Here’s how to make great reels for your holiday home:
- Keep videos short and sweet — 15 to 30 seconds is ideal.
- Grab attention in the first few seconds with a great hook like ‘You’re not going to believe this place is in North Wales…’ or an interesting shot.
- Snappy snippets from multiple clips keep viewers hooked — with attention spans so short these days, your goal is to keep them watching till the end!
- Use good lighting and clear audio; natural daylight works wonders.
- Film in portrait orientation (vertical video) so your content fits perfectly on mobile screens.
- Showcase your property’s best bits — think quick tours, cosy corners, local walks, or guest moments (with permission).
- Use trending sounds — they can boost your reach. Look for the arrow pointing up to see if the sound is trending!
- Add captions or text overlays to make your videos accessible without sound.
Reels give you a chance to be creative and authentic — which guests love! They also get shown to non-followers, so it’s a great way to expand your reach.
One of our best-performing Reels is surprisingly simple — a short video featuring clips of our favourite beaches in the area. The caption shares a bit more information about each one so it’s useful, and we also made sure to include the keyword ‘best beaches in North Wales’ to boost visibility.
Photos: Make Your Images Work Hard for You
Even with video taking centre stage, photos remain essential for holiday home marketing.
- Use high-quality, well-lit images that show your cottage in the best light.
- Keep rooms tidy and add a few welcoming touches like fresh flowers or a basket of local treats.
- Highlight key features like a hot tub, dog-friendly areas, or a roaring fire.
- Mix up shots of interiors, exteriors, and local scenery – add more than one image to your post.
- Avoid heavy filters — aim for natural colours and true-to-life images. – The built in filters are a big no no!
- Vertical photos perform better on Instagram, but square and horizontal work well on Facebook.
Menai Holidays will take professional photos for you when you sign up with us, so feel free to share them on your feed! Head to our blog about all about Getting Your Holiday Home Photoshoot Ready for more tips and tricks!
Photo dimensions and resolutions
Instagram: Vertical photos (1080 x 1350 px) perform best. Use portrait mode on your phone for professional-looking shots.
Facebook: Square or horizontal photos work well and you can create albums for different rooms or nearby attractions.
💡 TOP TIP: If you don’t visit your property often, make the most of each trip by taking plenty of photos and videos. Keep them organised in a dedicated folder so you’ve always got great content to repurpose — whether it’s for fresh captions, seasonal posts, or Reels throughout the year.
Need Some Content Inspiration?
Once you’ve got your Instagram or Facebook set up, the next question is: What do I actually post? Don’t worry, you don’t need to be a professional content creator to build a brilliant presence. The key is showing off what makes your property special, sharing useful tips for your guests, and keeping things real and relatable.
Here are 18 easy, scroll-stopping post ideas to help you get started (or get back on track) — no fancy equipment or filters required!
- “Imagine Waking Up Here…” Reel or Photo Post
A dreamy bedroom view or morning coffee moment to hook viewers instantly.
- POV Arrival Video
A walk-through from the driveway to the front door to create that “I’m here!” feeling.
- Mini Property Tour Reel
Short clips of each room, cut to trending audio.
- A Day in the Life at the Cottage
From breakfast to evening wine – show what a day staying there feels like.
- Your Favourite Cosy Corner
A styled moment with a book, blanket, and brew – perfect for autumn or rainy days.
- Before & After Transformation
Show off any glow-ups or styling changes – people love a makeover.
- Showcase Your Welcome Basket or Local Touches
Share what makes your property extra thoughtful.
- “What’s Outside the Window” Shot
Highlight your view — mountains, garden, sea, or starlit sky.
- Feature One Room with a Story
E.g., “We added this bench after a guest said they loved reading by the window…”
- Guest Photo Feature
Re-share tagged photos or user-generated content (with permission!).
- Local Hidden Gems
A beach, walk, or shop that’s not in the guidebooks.
- What’s On This Month?
Recommend a market, live music night, or festival.
- “Walk of the Week” Post
Regular short walk suggestions with a simple map or link.
- Local Shop Feature
Promote a local producer or farm shop your guests might love.
- “This or That?” Style Poll
Sea view or countryside? Hot tub or log fire? Get people interacting.
- Packing Tip or Travel Hack
Useful, shareable advice for future guests.
- Booking Reminder Post
“Spotted this sunset last September – now’s the time to book for autumn escapes!
- Create a Graphic of a Kind Guest Quote
Use Canva or a template app to create a branded, review-based post. (Head to our blog on how to improve your holiday lets reviews for tips and tricks.)
🗺️ Show Off What’s Nearby
Guests don’t just book a cottage – they book the experience. Help them imagine their holiday by highlighting the best of your local area.
Local content ideas:
- “Top 5 Places to Eat Near Our Cottage”
- “Hidden Beaches You’ll Want to Keep Secret”
- “Best Family Walks Within 10 Minutes of the Door”
- “Rainy Day Activities for Your North Wales Stay”
- “What’s On in [Month] Near [Cottage Name]”
💡 TOP TIP: Tag local businesses in your posts — it not only boosts your reach (many will happily reshare to their own followers), but it also helps build strong community connections that benefit everyone long-term.
How to Write a Caption
Captions are more than just a space to describe your video or photo — they’re your chance to tell a story, build a connection, and encourage bookings. When it comes to reels, you can tell people to ‘read the caption for more details’ instead of trying to fit everything into the short video.
Here’s how to make your captions work harder:
- Use keywords like holiday cottage in North Wales, dog friendly stay, or Anglesey getaway to help boost visibility.
- Share a moment, not just a fact. Instead of “New bedding,” say something like “Fresh sheets and a morning cuppa with this view — who’s in?”
- Personality: speak like a human, not a sales pitch. Use AI to help with spelling or ideas, but make sure it still sounds like you — keep it honest and genuine.
- Ask questions. This encourages interaction — e.g. “Which book would you read by this log burner?”
- Use emojis sparingly. They can add a warm, playful tone, but don’t overdo it.
- Add a call to action (CTA). A simple “Tap the link in our bio to check availability” or “Tag someone who’d love this” makes a difference.
Captions bring your photos and videos to life — and when written well, they help your content feel more personal and engaging to potential guests.
How to Write Your Bio
Your bio is your online introduction and can make a big difference in converting visitors into followers or bookings.
- Clearly state your holiday home name, location, and unique selling points (dog friendly, sleeps 6, parking, close to the beach).
- Include a friendly call to action — e.g., “Book direct here ⬇️” or “Check availability.”
- Add your booking website link — whether your own site or Menai Holiday Cottages — so visitors can easily book.
- Make sure your contact info (email, phone) is easy to find.
A good example of this is Moondunes. They clearly state the name, the type of property, dog friendly and how many it sleeps and the locations.
Follow Similar Accounts and Engage With Your Followers
Social media is a community — the more you interact, the more visible you become. If you’re looking for ways to increase your following, try this…
- Follow local tourism boards, visitor centres, nearby businesses, and other holiday lets.
- Like and comment on their posts to build relationships and increase your exposure.
- Tag local businesses in your posts — it often encourages them to reshare your content.
- Engage with your own followers by replying to comments and messages promptly.
- Ask questions in your posts and stories to invite conversation.
Engagement signals to social media algorithms that your content is valuable, helping you reach more potential guests. To get you started here are a few great accounts based in North Wales that you should follow:
@ribride
@visitwales
@abersochtoday
@visit_eryri
@northwalesadventures
@zipworld
Post on Your Stories — Chat, Ask, and Share Behind-the-Scenes
Stories are a brilliant, low-pressure way to keep your audience updated daily.
- Use stickers like polls, quizzes, and question boxes to encourage followers to tap and interact.
- Share behind-the-scenes moments — from cleaning and prepping to guest arrivals or local events.
- Repost tagged guest photos and reviews to show real experiences.
- Use Stories to promote special offers, last-minute availability, or events.
Stories let you connect on a more personal level and keep your cottage top-of-mind for potential guests.
At Menai, we love showing what goes on behind the scenes — from photoshoots to office antics and everything in between. It’s a great way to connect on a human level.
Watch our short video below explaining how to create a story from scratch:
Hashtags — Still Useful, But Use Them Wisely
Hashtags aren’t the powerhouse they used to be, but they still help with discovery if used correctly.
- Use 7 to 8 relevant hashtags per post, combining broad and niche tags.
- Examples: #NorthWalesHolidayLet #DogFriendlyCottage #HolidayCottageWithHotTub #AngleseyCottages #SnowdoniaHoliday
- Avoid overloading posts with too many hashtags — quality over quantity.
More important than hashtags is writing captions rich in keywords related to your property and location to boost organic reach.
What About TikTok?
TikTok is a rapidly growing platform that’s great for reaching new audiences — especially younger travellers. However, if you’re just starting out with social media, it’s best to focus your efforts on Instagram and Facebook first, where most holiday let guests are still active.
Once your Instagram and Facebook presence is strong, repurposing your video content on TikTok is a smart, time-efficient way to grow without doubling your workload.
2025 Tips From Meta to Grow Your Holiday Let’s Social Presence
Meta (the company behind Facebook and Instagram) advises creators and businesses to:
- Prioritise video content, especially Reels, for maximum reach.
- Use authentic, unpolished content over overly staged posts.
- Focus on meaningful interactions — reply to comments and DMs to boost engagement.
- Share timely content relevant to your audience’s interests and seasonal trends.
- Experiment with new features like collaborative posts.
Other quick tips…
- Pin your best-performing content to the top of your Instagram grid so it doesn’t get lost in your feed.
- Post regularly — consistency is key.
- Monitor your analytics — look at what works and do more of it.
- Use a mix of Reels, carousels, stories, and single image posts to keep your feed interesting.
- Quality over quantity – you don’t need to post every day! If a post is doing well, give it time to grow organically before posting again.
Following these tips keeps your holiday home ahead of the curve and maximises your social media impact.
How Menai Holidays Uses Social Media to Grow
At Menai Holidays, our social media channels are rapidly growing thanks to these very strategies — authentic, engaging content and consistent interaction with our audience. We’ve also teamed up with influencers to boost our reach even further.
If you’re open to offering gifted stays, collaborating with influencers is a fantastic way to get your holiday home in front of new, engaged audiences. Just make sure you choose influencers with a strong engagement rate — that means their followers genuinely interact with their content, rather than just high follower counts.
We’re also always happy to re-share content from our owners on our Menai Holidays pages. Owner-generated posts and guest photos add authenticity and help spread the word about your property naturally.
Ready to Take Your Social Media to the Next Level?
Advertising your holiday home on social media doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With a little consistency and a focus on authentic, engaging content that showcases the unique charm of your property, you can attract the right guests and build a loyal following.
By sharing helpful tips, beautiful photos, and genuine stories, you’ll increase your holiday let’s online visibility and stand out in a crowded market. Over time, this approach will help grow your bookings, keep your calendar fuller throughout the year, and create lasting connections with travellers who truly appreciate what your holiday home has to offer.
If you’d like help planning your social media or writing captions that connect with your ideal guests, just get in touch — we’re here to help make it simple!
