Power Positioning in STR: Boost Bookings with Headlines, Photos & Pricing
Kate Stoermer 
Master power positioning in STR—optimize headlines, photos, pricing & copy to attract guests and increase bookings.
I the crowded world of short-term rentals, it’s not the fanciest property or the biggest budget that wins the booking — it’s the one that nails power positioning.
When I had branding photos done a couple of years ago, the photographer put me in position and took photos from many different angles. When we reviewed them later, she pointed out how each angle communicated differently to the viewer - more authorative in one, friendlier in another, etc.
We essentially do the same with our listing - the angle we use to present our STR communicates differently depending on the angle.
I've come to think of the 5 key elements that communicate to potential bookers as power positioning.
It’s the strategic way you show up in the marketplace through four key elements:
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Headline – the hook that stops the scroll.
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Thumbnail (cover photo) – the image that convinces them to click.
Postcard - the first 5 photos visable when a potential booker clicks
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Pricing – your signal of value and budget tier.
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First two sentences of your listing copy – the micro-story that builds trust and fit instantly.
Get those pieces right, and you’ve won the battle before the guest even digs deeper.
The Marketing Triangle Behind Power Positioning
Power positioning doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It’s built on age-old principles in marketing.
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Target Audience: who you serve - the broadest catagory often defined by type of traveler, purpose of travel, composition of group traveling and that they book using a booking platform like Airbnb or VRBO.
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Market: where you compete - travel lodging choice is primarily decided on budget and location, so the budget tier and geographic market are key here
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Submarket: what you’re compared against - these are your comps, other properties with similiar amenities or price drivers
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Niche: how you stand out - a sub-catagory of your target audience we target with our marketing
When you align your positioning with this triangle, you’re not just throwing words and photos online — you’re influencing perception. And perception drives bookings.
Why It’s So Influential
In a world where we have mico-seconds to grab a potential bookers attention, pwer positioning makes that snap judgment work in your favor.
Done well, it:
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Attracts the right guest (reducing mismatched expectations)
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Justifies your rate (you’re not in a race to the bottom)
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Creates trust instantly (critical in a low-trust, high-choice market)
This is where hosts either lose guests to the competition… or lock in conversions.
Power Positioning at Work
I worked with a client to reposition their STR by getting clearer about the niche, and how we used that niche to decide on its presentation on the booking platforms. It was a nicely done one-bedroom in an area where people visit to hike, spend time outdoors and enjoy "getting away". It was clear to me it stood out among its competition as a place to celebrate - its newly renovated, upscale decor made it a "splurge-worthy" buy. At least 50% of reviews referenced celebrating a birthday, annivarsary, baby-moon at the property. So we tweaked the listing headline, added a couple of photos with wine in the wine bucket, added language about celebrating to the first (2) sentences and took a more aggressive pricing approach to lean into "splurge-worthy" celebration and increased revenue 18% in the first 6 months. When I last checked in the property was solidly in the top 5 "top grossing" 1 bedroom properties in the marketplace.
A Final Word
Power positioning is the backbone of STR marketing. If you want your property to move from “just another listing” to a market leader, you can’t afford to treat your headline, photos, price, and intro copy as afterthoughts. Pair this with a solid SEO approach, you'll find your STR results skyrocketing!
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My business The CEO Host is all about helping STR owners and manger run their business like a Boss; whether its Just Getting Started or Optimizing your Results, I'm here for it. I specialize in 1:1 personal consulting - be it a package or one hour together. If you are looking for some help to achieve this, lets CHAT and see how I can support you - be it getting more clarity, more organized and efficient, or just starting. My corporate experience, education, and logical, strategic approach to business has been a boon to short-term rental owners, operators, investors. I'm here to help those seeking to be in achieving goals faster with more confidence.
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Hey Boss! I'm Kate, owner/founder of The CEO Host. If you are interested in taking a leap into short-term rentals - or have some questions about your existing business, my goal - passion, and career, is to help YOU succeed. I've coached hundreds of folks getting started or looking to optimize, analyzed more deals (and duds) than I could count, completed thousands of hours of education and training, attended conferences... So don't be shy. A good CEO knows to bring in expert help - and that's what I'm here for! Lets HOP ON A CALL and chat!
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Categories: : Marketing & Revenue