So bookings are down..... How Should You Decide What to Do to Generate More Bookings (for STR managers who've been in the game for at least a year)

Stressing over slow bookings?

This is the #1 question I'm getting this year from short-term rental hosts

“My bookings are down; what should I do to get more bookings?”

Have you been in this position? Well I can tell you, in the 5 years I've been running my 2 STR properties, I never have missed my targets. And, neither property has ever missed my goals of being at least 20% profitable (net, net) after all all expenses (including property taxes). I don't point this out to gloat, I say this to let you know this isn't an AI written post, nor is it based on theory. It's based on the strategies and tactics I've done from day 1 (and still today) to manage and build my STR business.

If you’ve ever gone onto forums or social media to ask that question, you’ve probably been flooded with different answers — often contradictory. Most of those answers are based on other hosts’ experience and levels of success. It's ok to ask and get ideas, but how do you know what to implement and what to ignore? And if you’re running your rentals as a business, it's important that you get it right. I'm certainly a believer in trying new ideas, but you need to have a core base of stratagies and tactics that you know will perform.

The truth, and challenge; there are many levers you can pull to improve performance. So, how do you know which levers to pull and which to ignore?

Well, that depends on your goals, your market, and what your data tells you. The better you understand those factors, the smarter — and more confident — your decisions become.

Start with Understanding Your Baseline

Before you make changes, you need to understand what’s happening in your market, and what is achievable for your property.

Dig into all your KPI numbers (and understand that the more historical data and market data you have, the better visibility you have)

• Revenue, occupancy and ADR by year, season, month, weekend, and day of week: 

  • Recognize patterns and trends - When are you consistently full, and when do you struggle to fill nights?

  • Identify your strongest and weakest days — and how your nightly rates align with those patterns.

• Booking source mix:  How many nights, what is the ADR and how much revenue comes from each OTA (Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, etc), how much comes from direct bookings and how much from repeat bookings?

• Expenses: What’s your true break-even point? And how much profit do you want to make

  
  

Rember to use the principle, "measure 9 times, cut once." Know your numbers (and ensure they're reliable) before you make strategic decisions.

Reliable data gives you context and insights into what’s working, what’s slipping, and where your biggest opportunities lie. And when you understand that, decisions stop feeling random and start feeling strategic.

1. Property Competitiveness: Know Your Market

Before adjusting pricing or running ads, make sure you truly understand your market — and where your property fits within it.

You’re not just competing with other short-term rentals. In many markets, hotels, resorts, and boutique inns could be competing for the same travelers — depending on factors like group size, trip purpose, budget, and expectations.

Knowing your market means understanding why guests travel to your area; do they typically come for business, family vacations, special events, just passing through? And, what do they value most? Price, convenience, amenities, design, experience? Once you have a read on these factors, you can better position the property and listing.

Ask yourself:

• What’s my unique advantage — what can I offer that hotels or other STRs can’t (space, privacy, character, location, value)?

• How do my decor and amenities compare to nearby properties and hotels with similar guest capacity?

• What am I doing to deliver a level of hospitality that earns five-star reviews every time?

• Would my photos make me want to book here?

• How do I plan to position my property? Do you want to be a premium offering in the area? Do you want to beat your competition on pricing?

  
  

Remember, strong reviews, thoughtful touches, and a well-maintained property are the base layer of reliable performance. Without them, everything else — pricing, ads, and listing optimization — becomes harder and will force you to either change your approach to compete, or force you to improve so you can truly be competitive.

2. Your Listing: Build the Bridge Between What You Offer and What Guests Want

Your listing it’s your marketing. You have 3 seconds to grab attention and get visitors to look further. When guests scroll OTAs, they see three things first:

a photo, a headline, and a price. That’s your moment of truth.

• The photo conveys emotion — it should instantly make guests think, “Do I want to be there?”  The right image doesn’t just show the property; it hints at the experience. Maybe it captures the lifestyle or activities guests can enjoy nearby — surfing, biking, bird watching, concerts, or even business travel done in comfort. Or it evokes the kind of stay they imagine — watching sunsets, having a BBQ in a big back yard, swimming, or simply relaxing. The goal is to make them picture themselves there, living that moment.

• The headline should speak to what’s most desirable about the property or experience, not just a list of features.

• The price signals both value and expectation. It should fit what you’re offering and what guests perceive from the visuals and headline.

  
  

Your listing’s job is to connect what you offer with what a specific type of experience travelers to your area are looking for. When that connection is clear, clicks and conversions follow.

3. Pricing: The Balancing Act Between Data and Awareness

Deciding how you set pricing is up to you. I've heard from people who love dynmaic pricing tools, and others (like myself), who don't use them (for any number of reasons). Dynamic pricing tools can be helpful, but if you use one you still need to stay connected to what’s really happening in your market. No algorithm knows your property or neighborhood as well as you do (or as you should).

Always periodically spot-check your pricing and market conditions manually — especially during season changes, event weeks, or slower periods. Look at what similar properties are charging, if they’re booking, and whether your ADR or occupancy trends are staying in sync. Also remember, in STR your inventory is finite, meaning once vacant dates pass, they're permanent zeros. There are times you might want to lower your price to ensure you're collecting revenue (that is the name of the game).

When data and awareness work together, pricing becomes one of your strongest levers for control — not guesswork.

4. Guest Relationships: The Most Overlooked Growth Lever

Far too many hosts treat each stay as a one-off transaction. Repeat guests could — and should — be a known quantity. The more you learn about each guest, the better your chances of building a strong relationship based on trust — and that trust increases the likelihood they’ll return to stay with you again.

Think beyond check-in and check-out. Collect details about your guests — why they traveled, what they enjoyed, their preferences, and what would make them return. When guests feel known and valued, they’re far more likely to book again, refer friends, or even leave better reviews.

A guest who’s stayed once and returns next year isn’t just another booking — they're an asset and they’re proof that your brand, your guest management efforts and the overall guest experience work.

5. Advertising and Visibility: Reaching the Right People, Not Everyone

Online and social media ads can be highly effective, but only when they speak to the right audience with the right message.

Choose your platforms based on who your ideal guest actually is. I personally use online ads to further grow my direct bookings. I use Facebook and Instagram for leisure travelers, and Reddit or niche communities for experience-driven stays. Your ads should reflect what makes your property unique in its market, not just that it’s available.

Dial into topics that resonate — a weekend getaway, a family-friendly beach trip, or a quiet remote-work stay.The more specific your message, the better your chance of attracting the guests who will value your property most.

Making Better Decisions: Go From Guessing to Knowing

Slow periods are part of the business. What separates average hosts from great ones isn’t whether they react — it’s how (and how soon) they react. With good data and a clear plan, you’re not guessing; you’re making informed decisions, even when the outcome isn’t guaranteed.

Sometimes that means running a test — trying a new approach to pricing, messaging, or marketing. It might not always work, but it gives you insight, and that’s progress. Data doesn’t remove uncertainty; it helps you take smarter risks that move you forward.

Ask yourself regularly:

• What’s underperforming — visibility, conversion, or retention?

• What data supports that conclusion?

• How does my performance compare to other STRs and nearby hotels competing for the same demand?

• Which change would have the biggest measurable impact this month?

  
  

The most successful hosts don’t chase every new tactic — they focus on mastering the fundamentals that always matter: property quality, pricing awareness, strong guest relationships, and understanding their market. Those are what carry you through both busy seasons and the slow ones.

And when those slow or uncertain periods come — whether it’s a travel downturn, changing demand, or something unexpected — that foundation becomes your advantage.

I've built HostIQ to automate many processess, and provide trusted data and insights so you can see clearly how each STR property is performing. It's also built to help you run your STR business like a business. Using your historical data and trusted market data, we help you forecast and build goals so you can track your real-time performance VS those goals. We also have a powerful AI engine that learns all this data, tracks your real-time performance and gives you suggested actions to improve the outcome.