5 MUST-HAVE AIRBNB MARKETING INSIGHTS
FROM THE LUYL SUMMIT 2025
Have You Wondered
“I’ve attended all the conferences. Now what?”
most often A CONFERENCE EXPERIENCE ENDS WITH THE CLOSING KEYNOTE. YOU MAY GET THAT MOUNTAIN TOP HIGH. BUT BACK HOME, THERE ARE PITFALLS.
Even as soon as the following week, the new goals you’ve set start to feel unattainable and you lose steam trying.
In the vacation rental industry, there are plenty of conferences, summits and trainings out there.
If you’ve sat through 2 or 3 days of an STR conference—even the BEST of the BEST, like the Level Up Your Listing Summit—what’s any insight worth if you don't execute on it?
IN THIS ARTICLE, I’M GOING TO EXTRACT ACTION STEPS OUT OF INSIGHTS. Let’s Go!
When I GOT TO THE Level Up Your Listing Summit, it was my first time leaving Los Angeles since the wildfire crisis.
Our family was impacted, and I needed more than a weekend getaway.
At THE summit, I got dedicated time away to dream, learn, and continue challenging myself as an STR business owner—especially in the context of A community with shared values.
Even though the professionals I met were all at varied stages of business with their own unique offerings, our shared values made the connection magic. That connection made me a sponge for information intake.
I came home reenergized.
I unpacked my fabulous SWAG bag—feeling extra proud to have dropped our Sleep Guide Travel Journals into the bags for all 300 attendees to take home! Then I sifted through all my notes. I reflected on expert insights.
I recalled conversations from the stage; at the table; standing in line for the restroom. There's one common thru-line I found:
Every hosting pain point can be solved, starting with experiential marketing.
I really believe that.
Ready to dive into my download?
Why is experiential marketing the place where you begin?
CONNECTIVE EXPERIENCES THAT INVITE & ENGAGE YOUR AUDIENCE INTO CO-CREATING THE PRODUCT OR SERVICE YOU OFFER.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR STR HOSTS? EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING BUILDS A LOYAL FOLLOWING.
As your ideal guest weaves travel into their everyday lifestyle—dreaming about it, planning, checking off bucket lists—they’re seeking connective experiences that will invite & engage them into being a part of, co-creating, the 5-star GETAWAY TO RECONNECT you have to offer. Every time your target traveler (ideal guest) accepts your invitation, they’re eager to engage.
“Give your followers a voice.”
A high-touch, interactive experience makes it easy for your travelers to stick around—this is CHOOSING BELONGING in your brand.
This is brand loyalty.
Ready to build a loyal following?
Steal my TOP 5 take-aways from the Level Up Your Listing Summit 2025.
MY TOP 5 “LEVEL UP” GUIDE
FROM Summit insights TO experiential marketing MOVES
“For us, we don’t sell rooms. We’re curating experiences where people can truly leave with a more connected relationship.”
Bolt Farm Treehouse
1) PEOPLE DON’T BUY WHAT YOU DO, THEY BUY “WHY” YOU DO IT
Seth & Tori Bolt have built an empire on their WHY. Inviting their travelers into the story of their why is marketing. At the summit they spent time breaking down their G.A.P. Finder (Growth & Acceleration Pathway Finder). These are areas in your business where you can identify gaps and opportunities for growth and acceleration. On the topic of MARKETING, they identify 3 key categories of marketing content: organic, paid and nurturing.
The industry talks a lot about organic and paid marketing content; but, the art of nurturing your existing followers to BUILD the relationship is often overlooked completely, or executed in a sales-y way (not effective).
If you need examples of strategic and effective engagement that nurtures the relationship, maybe this action step will inspire you. You can slip it into an ongoing newsletter, or even go direct guest messaging. If you don’t have a newsletter going yet, start direct.
TRY THIS REVIEW HACK:
STEP 1: Use AI to mine your guest reviews for most common accolades. If you didn’t already know your USPs (Unique Selling Points), this is one way to find out. So, let’s say one identified USP is your chef’s kitchen. This gives you information: you make culinary enthusiasts happy.
STEP 2: Build a one-page inspiration guide tied to culinary exploration that connects YOUR vacation rental to THEIR life at home (both places matter). Make it a 1-2-punch: (1) Recommend dishes from a fave local restaurant for their next stay; (2) Spotlight the new cookbook you just dropped into your rental; (3) and finally, share a recipe from that cookbook they can try at home.
STEP 3: Build a spreadsheet of the guests who loved your kitchen and start reaching out.
STEP 4: Deliver a “thanks for visiting” note PAIRED with the inspo guide + one single CTA: “Tell us what your tastebuds say about it!”
You’re using your greatest marketing asset—a juicy home detail by popular vote—to NURTURE your relationship. When do you drop the note? Any day now! Who doesn’t want a chance to daydream in the midst of the daily grind? And now this roster of guests will get to dream about your rental all over again. It’s all good vibes.
2) CONVENIENCE CONVERTS
I loved hearing from Heather Blankenship, an expert in RV Parks. Her RV Park “Buy Box” Guide has it dialed in: How to select a region, choose a park type, and understand costs.
After years of serving non-profits with experiential marketing programming, I am skilled at working with low budgets to yield high impact.
So when Heather shared a few add-on RV Park guest experiences that have turned major profit, a couple really stood out to me:
GOLF CARTS: Golf cart rental add-on
HOW THE NUMBERS WORK: Heather leases a large inventory of golf carts. By leasing, she avoids the expense of ownership, repairs, etc. She charges guests $50/ cart rental—call it golf cart “arbitrage”?—and she’s raking in an extra $50K/year.
The convenience? Golf carts make it easy peasy, and fun, to zip around the campground at minimal cost.
BEDTIME STORIES: Story time reservation add-on
THE EXPERIENCE: As the sun goes down, a seasoned storyteller can visit the guest trailer with cookies & milk in hand. Choosing a cozy spot outside, the kiddos settle in to hear one or two books read aloud. The sweet treat turns it into a multi-sensory experience.
The convenience? Parents get a moment to breathe + entertainment + instant family core memory…ALL IN ONE. And did you catch that it’s all delivered to your door?!
Travelers will never stop buying convenience as long as it 1) solves their problems and 2) connects with their core values—the heart & soul stuff.
Remember when I said that every hosting pain point CAN be solved, starting with experiential marketing? Heather has done the work to know what her guest pain points are AND what they value most.
What’s a next step for you?
IF you can offer convenience that solves your travelers problems and speaks to their heart…THEN you’ve got convenience that converts into cash flow.
Moving on…
3) WELLNESS IS THE NEW TIMELESS “TREND”
Wellness was the unanimous vote when discussing the most popular current “trend.” Funny enough, it was called out in an expert DESIGN panel who spent an hour discussing aesthetics, design process, etc…and closed on a detail that can be executed through details not dependent upon your property design. This isn’t to say that your design investment shouldn’t be made an utmost priority of your STR business.
I’m saying that certain amenities and hospitality touches have universal power in making a strong connection with your traveler.
QUESTIONS: I often hear hosts asking about branded amenities, tossing ideas around…like, “Should I customize my mugs with our logo OR tack my tagline onto a robe?”
ANSWER: Maybe the growing pains of health care within the “wellness” category can be your guide. Wellness isn’t just a trend, it’s here to stay because now we know how important it really is. It’s timeless.
Any unique amenity that invites your traveler into a transformative moment of self-care will be meaningful, deeply appreciated and…marketable. AND, if they can take that experience home with them, it now BELONGS to them, and they find belonging in your brand. Psst—refresh your memory on Experiential Marketing 101 up top.
I don’t treat this topic lightly. Maybe you feel the same way.
I believe human connection is a cure, and it’s baked right into The Olive Jar vision and mission:
Our goal at The Olive Jar is to reverse the trend of isolation that our global community faces. We empower STR hosts to elevate their guest experiences using design, amenities and media as mechanisms that foster belonging and promote memorable connection thru travel and lifelong connection to your brand.
Does that resonates with you?
Let’s keep going.
4) CONSISTENCY—KNOW WHO YOU ARE
On a panel hosted by Wayfair Professional, four industry experts discussed “Building Your Brand to Stand Out.” The listings that stop the scroll have a cohesive look—color, aesthetic, mood—the visual branding of your property must be consistent.
But if experiential marketing is about building a relationship with your traveler, root yourself in the age-old “Know Like & Trust” rule. YOU and YOUR VOICE as host must be consistent, too.
What is your voice? And where are you speaking up?
Need some ideas? I met Gil through the summit. He’s the founder of Crafted Stays, an STR direct booking site builder. He doesn’t just sell templates and say goodbye—he consistently supports his clients by hosting an ongoing podcast that brings more value to them “on the house.” The podcast BOOKED SOLID covers topics ranging from hospitality to operations to direct booking (Crafted Stays’ hero product).
It’s a common mistake to think you can launch a direct booking site, sit back and watch the bookings come in. Gil tells me that he wants his clients have a direct connection to him + ALL the guidance possible to optimize their investment—in this case, he’s teaching his clients HOW TO drive traffic to their direct booking sites.
Not ready to start a podcast for your traveler?
Don’t worry, I’m not just going to say “start showing up on social.”
Start from the beginning.
#1: WRITE IT DOWN: Begin by writing a few one-page rambles that both tell your WHY story and (subtly) prove you’re the right host for your target traveler.
#2: WORKSHOP IT: Ask for feedback. Share those entries with your closest network of hosts and professionals in the marketplace. The Olive Jar is here to support you in this. Ask them and us what resonates most, what they want to hear more of, what’s truly compelling?
#3: LAUNCH IT: Release bits and pieces at a time into the wild. Where can you sprinkle YOU into your STR experience? Start with your listing and guest chat.
Consider your consistent voice essential to building a consistent brand that stands out. We are here to help.
Finally, if there’s one big “t” Truth that was spoken from the stage that shot straight to my Olive Jar heart, it was this one…
5) CARING FOR PEOPLE WILL NEVER GO OUT OF STYLE
Those are words straight from Isaac French, founder of Live Oak Lake in Waco, Texas. A set of stunning cabins that offer both private retreat (captured below) and communal connection with neighboring guests. Guests receive warm cookies upon arrival. They’re provided a Welcome Book that cleverly delivers the range of (often bland) home manuals, turning it into a playful story that reflects the greater Live Oak Lake story.
Articulated so eloquently, French went on to say, “Story is the most powerful tool, and memory comes from story,” said French.
I will add that the best stories have subtle but powerful symbolism.
So for example, a practical touch of hospitality, such as hand towels, can have layers of meaning when your South Carolina guests learn those towels were hand dip-dyed in sustainably grown indigo from a local farm. That farm is changing a part of tangled history as a significant contributor to the indigo artisan revival movement, and your traveler deeply values conscious living.
It doesn’t matter whether you have a luxury concept experience (i.e. the cave homes and Barbie mansions), or a condo designed for travel nurses…it’s the nuanced DETAILS that stick in their minds and land in the description of their 5-star review.
So, my final take…
Details that stay with a guest forever have 3 common denominators:
STORY, NOVELTY, INTERACTION
ABOUT THOSE DETAILS, ASK YOURSELF 3 QUESTIONS:
#1: What is the story you’re telling?
#2: Is it novel?
#3: Does it invite interaction?
°°°
I’m always bringing something home from my travels. This time, it was my ticket to the Level Up Your Listing Summit 2026.
See you there?
CONNECTIVE EXPERIENCES BUILT AROUND SHARED VALUES MAKE A RELATIONSHIP LAST.
If you’re looking for more than a tip or two, like dedicated thought and planning to level up your experiential marketing, book a complimentary Discovery Call to explore our customized support.
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