Marketing Your Bed and Breakfast

Online travel agencies like Airbnb, Booking.com, and Expedia give you reach you cannot easily replicate on your own — especially when you are starting out. But they come at a cost: commissions typically run between 15 and 20 percent, and the guest relationship belongs to the platform, not to you.

The goal for most operators is to use OTAs to fill gaps and attract new guests, then convert those guests to direct bookings over time. A direct booking costs you nothing in commission, gives you the guest's contact information, and lets you build a relationship that brings them back.

Offer a small incentive for direct bookings — a complimentary bottle of local wine, a late check-out, a discount on their next stay. The lifetime value of a loyal returning guest far exceeds the cost of that gesture.

Guests book with their eyes. Professional photography is not a luxury for a B&B — it is a necessity. Poor photos will cost you bookings regardless of how good the property actually is. Good photos will sell the experience before a guest reads a single word.

Invest in a professional photographer who understands hospitality spaces. Shoot in natural light, style the rooms carefully, and capture the details that make your property distinctive — the garden, the breakfast table, the view from the guest room window.

A strong review profile is worth more than any advertising spend. Most travellers read reviews before booking, and a consistent pattern of warm, specific reviews builds trust in a way that nothing else can.

Ask every guest to leave a review — at check-out, in a follow-up email, or with a small card in the room. Make it easy by including a direct link. Respond to every review, positive or negative, with genuine warmth and professionalism.

Instagram and Facebook remain the most effective social platforms for B&Bs. A consistent presence — seasonal photos, local recommendations, behind-the-scenes glimpses of breakfast preparation — keeps your property top of mind for past guests and discoverable by new ones.

You do not need to post every day. Two or three quality posts a week, with genuine captions and local hashtags, will outperform a high volume of generic content. Authenticity resonates in this market.

Repeat guests are the foundation of a sustainable B&B business. They cost nothing to acquire, they book directly, they leave good reviews, and they refer their friends. Cultivating them is the highest-return marketing activity available to you.

Keep a simple guest database. Note preferences, anniversaries, and special occasions. A birthday card or a personalised welcome note costs almost nothing and creates the kind of loyalty that no advertising budget can buy.

Your website is your direct booking engine and your brand home. It needs to load quickly, look beautiful on a phone, and make it easy to check availability and book. A clunky or outdated website will send guests straight to an OTA — where you pay commission on a booking you could have had for free.

Include your story, your photos, your policies, and genuine guest testimonials. Make the booking process as simple as possible. And keep the content current — seasonal updates and fresh photography signal that the property is actively managed.