From the rise of TikTok to the use of stunning visuals, customers want to be immersed in your world. Within the villa rental space, this is more important than ever.

Every villa on the SandyBlue portfolio is its own small business and we treat them as such in our own marketing strategy. The Algarve is a place of beauty and wonder, so this needs to be conveyed to show guests exactly what they’re missing.

In 2022, our team saw great success when it came to marketing. Therefore, it was an honour to be recognised at the Algarve Business Awards, winning the award for ‘Best Marketing Initiative’. However, the hard work never stops. We are already thinking of new ways to spread our message to keep customers engaged and our owner partners fully booked for the year.

Social Media & travel: A match made in heaven


If you think about your own social media consumption, it’s likely you have come across visuals of stunning scenery, golden beaches and crystal waters. The impact this has on social media users is significant, because it instils the ‘fear of missing out’.

However, it should also be about joy. At SandyBlue, we infuse our social messaging with positivity to create an engaging narrative about things to do in the Algarve and the properties we offer. Our social channels have evolved, with beautiful imagery, video and more lifestyle content.

As a result, social media traffic increased by 142% in the second half of 2022. Followers and post engagements continue to rise, creating a wonderful community for fans of the Algarve. To keep up with trends, we have also launched our own TikTok account, bringing our properties to an even wider pool of guests.

Consistently making an impact with our marketing


For SandyBlue, marketing is not a priority for peak seasons and significant holidays alone. It has to be a 365-day-a-year focus. So, it’s not just about attracting new guests - keeping past customers engaged will help owners secure a steady stream of repeat guests, maximising their rental income for the year.

The power of email marketing is underestimated by many. A carefully planned newsletter, curated with the latest property availability and fresh content works wonders. Naturally, we do this on a weekly basis, seeing a 27% increase in email marketing enquiries from 2021 to 2022.

As mentioned, marketing should be immersive as possible. We want people to imagine themselves in our luxury properties so strongly, that booking a holiday is the logical next step. Video content supports this, which is something our team is investing in. At SandyBlue, we have already started doing this within our property portfolio, with lovely video teasers of our properties. We also utilise the use of drone video and imagery for that extra wow factor - the more spectacular, the better!

A year for innovation


SandyBlue has always put a huge investment into its marketing strategy and 2023 will be no exception. Keeping on top of trends will in turn help our owners put their properties firmly on the map. Tapping into new markets and audiences will only help us make 2023 the most successful year yet.


For more information contact SandyBlue at +44 (0) 207 183 0412 or +351 289 392 236