$18,450 Instagram Reel Secrets

I spent $18,450 finding the secrets to Instagram Reels that drive bookings.

Today, I'm going to give those secrets away for free.

Quick intro. Let's dive in. You ready? I'm ready.

Secret #1: Create Content For Your Perfect Guest

Most rental operators are scared to exclude the majority population.

Fear that, if they focus on one type of guest, they'll lose business.

Here's a secret:

Your perfect guest has specific interests they are passionate about.

(i.e. mountain biking, art, family time, etc...)

If your stay increases the experience of that interest, your perfect guest will:

• Stop their scroll.

• Remember you longer.

• Worry less about the price.

"But I don't think many people are interested in {thing}!"

You'd be surprised how many folks share common interests. Even the weird stuff.

This is my #1 tip to stand out above everyone else in 2025.

Secret #2: Use Winning Formats

We tested a few dozen formats. Only three did well on repeat.

• Guest callouts

• "Yes" videos

• Stories

#1: Guest Callouts

Here's how it works:

• Come up with headlines that speak directly to your perfect guest. (i.e. "This Maine Farmhouse is perfect for families").

• Place your headline over a 10-15 second video of your stay.

• Continue using the callout headlines that spark the most chatter in the comments.

#2: "Yes" Videos

Place text on your video everyone agrees with.

Example:

Don't say this: "Minnesota summer nights are the best."

That's a mistake.

Instead, say this: "Summer nights are the best."

That small change will make a huge difference.

#3: Stories

Tell a story with the footage.

Example:

If your headline is "< spring mornings"

Create a video where the actor is doing a common morning activity at your stay.

• Cooking breakfast

• Drinking coffee on the porch

• Doing Yoga

Are all stories that would do well.

Secret #3: Find What Works and Do Better

I'll kick this off with a story.

Back in January, we started to notice a video format consistently doing well.

• If the first three seconds was an exterior shot

• Paired with a headline that speaks to the perfect guest (callout)

It would do substantially better than any other video. This was true across our entire client portfolio.

So we made more.

They continued to work.

We decided to turn these videos into ads. This was the ultimate test.

Now, this format is responsible for 80% of our conversions. Across our entire portfolio.

Stress the little things. Pick apart your content. Take your top 10 videos on a monthly or quarterly basis and find the common variables that might contribute to its success.

It's worth it.

That's all for today. I'll see you in the next article.

P.S. Writing this from New York City. First time ever visiting. The $1 pizza was better then the $25 pizza.

Before you go

I spend about 10 hours writing this newsletter each week. The rest of my time is spent running Lodge Social.

Our marketing team will help you get more guests to like, share and book.

Work with me and my team here.

Links you might like:

1. Instagram vs. Google ads. Which is better? (The Lodge Social)

2. How influencer marketing drives bookings (Wander)

3. The world’s best treehouses (Isaac French)

4. 99% of guests don’t book right away. Here’s what to do about it (LinkedIn)