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Have you ever wondered if paying to be featured on a TV show is really worth it for your STR business?
In this episode of Get Paid For Your Pad, Eric Moeller, Co-Founder of Freewyld, and Kaye Putnam, Head of Marketing at Freewyld, share the behind-the-scenes story of how their short-term rental brand was featured on the Emmy-awarded TV show Staycation. They reveal why they invested, what the experience was like, and the real results that came from it.
They also break down why “Other People’s Audiences” (OPA) is one of the fastest ways to build trust, boost direct bookings, and grow your STR brand without doing everything yourself.
You will learn:
- How Freewyld got featured on Staycation and what it cost
- The results in terms of website traffic, direct bookings, and brand exposure
- Why content and social proof might matter more than raw audience numbers
- How to use podcasts, PR, and influencer collabs to build STR authority
We also talk about:
- Leveraging backlinks and SEO for direct booking growth
- AI’s impact on search and what it means for STR owners
- Why local influencer partnerships often outperform big global names
Mentioned in this episode:
- Freewyld’s Staycation episode: freewyld.com/staycation
- PodPitch: AI-powered podcast pitching tool
⭐ Favorite takeaway:
Investing in Staycation wasn’t just about bookings. It was about credibility, social proof, and creating world-class video content that Freewyld can repurpose for years to come.
Listen to the episode:
Watch the episode:
PREFER TO READ THE EPISODE?
Kaye Putnam:
If you want to grow your short-term rental business faster without doing everything yourself, you’ll want to listen to this episode. We’re talking about a strategy I call OPA, Other People’s Audiences. Eric, what’s going on?
Eric Moeller:
Hello, hello. That takes me back to my rental arbitrage days when I joked about OPP, Other People’s Properties. I like OPA. I’m excited to dig in because it has been important for us.
Kaye Putnam:
Let’s start with a behind-the-scenes look at a recent case study and the results so far. About six months ago we received an email from a TV show that wanted to feature Freewyld. The show had won an Emmy. After watching a few episodes about unique vacation rentals, we thought it could be a fit. It was Staycation. What went through your mind when the email came in?
Eric Moeller:
I already knew Staycation. I watched the first season and knew someone involved early on. It wasn’t on my radar to pitch them, so it felt great that they found us and wanted to showcase Freewyld. Their model was different from what I expected, but the process was fun. It also opened my eyes to another marketing channel. LA is only two hours from our property, which makes media opportunities easier.
Kaye Putnam:
It also gave us something like a showreel. Speakers use reels to showcase their talks. Now we have that for our brand. The model surprised us though. With this show it’s pay to play. We paid a fee to be featured. In return they handled production end to end and we received the distribution benefit and professionally shot content. We compared the cost to hiring our own videographers and it was similar, with the added benefit of the show’s name and audience. It felt aligned, so we said yes.
Eric Moeller:
Exactly. It’s pay to play. The crew was amazing and the videographers were talented. The experience was great. For me, the two big wins were the high-quality content we received and the ability to say our property was featured on an Emmy-awarded show. That social proof matters. The episode streamed locally, and it’s on Roku now. The episode is “Palm Springs.” At the end of the shoot the videographer stayed a bit longer, we captured sunset shots, and left with a lot of extra content we can use for a long time. It was a win-win. Some of our community members are filming their own features now.
Kaye Putnam:
We also realized the style of the final cut wasn’t quite our brand. Reality TV leans into drama. Freewyld invites people to slow down and be present. That’s a different tone. Some producers wanted us to over-dramatize the Wyld Mode experience. It wasn’t a fit. Still, the professionally shot footage is an incredible launchpad to tell our story our way. It’s a great starting point for our own YouTube series.
Eric Moeller:
And we now have social proof for our site. “As seen on Staycation” is powerful. Are we adding the episode to the website?
Kaye Putnam:
Yes. If you’re not driving, go to freewyld.com/staycation. We linked the full episode there. We’re also repurposing the content on YouTube and social. We have been mixing clips into our Instagram Reels. Do you want to talk about results and your impression after being on the show?
Eric Moeller:
Right away I noticed the social proof. People messaged us saying how awesome it was and that they wanted to stay at the property. The credibility boost was real. Kaye, you have the numbers.
Kaye Putnam:
The week after it aired live we saw about a 30 percent bump in website traffic over our baseline. We also doubled our direct bookings that week. We are trending at around 50 percent direct bookings, and the week after the episode we hit 76 percent. That is a meaningful lift. We were told the show’s reach was about a million people. Based on our numbers, it hasn’t hit that scale for us yet. Viewing habits have shifted to streaming, so I expect discovery to be more spread out over time through Roku. We’ll keep promoting the content ourselves and lean into the authority by association.
Eric Moeller:
Years ago people paid to get logos like Entrepreneur on their site for social proof. I look at this similarly. The biggest value for us was the content and the social proof. The audience lift from their channels gave us a small bump, but unless you’re on a huge show, the spike is limited. I’m happy we did it. The experience was great, and we built strong relationships with the crew that we can collaborate with again.
Kaye Putnam:
We also want to share other ways to leverage OPA that don’t require investing in a TV production. One is podcast guesting. We’ve been pitching you to industry podcasts, and I want to move into general travel shows to reach ideal guests. What has your experience been?
Eric Moeller:
It’s awesome. If you’re building a brand, you have to talk about it consistently. You don’t do one show and call it a day. The brands I admire are always telling their story. Seth and Tori Bolt from Bolt Farm are great examples. They constantly show up on podcasts and shows. The key is a strong storyline. For us it’s Wyld Mode. We talk about Idyllwild, our cabins, and design, but the core is helping people disconnect from technology in beautiful places. People connect with that. The more podcasts I do, the more the brand is recognized. Anyone on your team can be a face if they are willing. Over time, podcast appearances compound. When people search you, there is a lot of content.
Kaye Putnam:
If you don’t have a clear story yet, ask yourself what you would change about the world. What do you disagree with. What is your brand the antidote to. Our origin story came from noticing that phones were consuming our attention even on vacation. That frustration became Wyld Mode. Ask the same question for your brand. What is your enemy. Brand archetypes can help as a starting place.
Eric Moeller:
One client is passionate about pet-friendly homes. She travels with her family and two dogs and struggles to find properties that truly accommodate pets. That’s her story and the problem she’s solving. Design the brand and messaging around that. If you try to serve everyone, you serve no one. Another client, Troy, talks about bringing cleaning in house in a seasonal market and how he handles winter. Those stories resonate because others face the same challenges.
Kaye Putnam:
A tool we used for a while is PodPitch, an AI-driven podcast pitching tool. It finds shows based on keywords, stores your bio, and writes customized pitches. You have to review the pitches because AI can be off, but it can save time. Podcast guesting also helps SEO. The more websites that link to your direct booking site, the more likely you are to rank. Backlinks are foundational. Podcasts are a great way to earn them.
Eric Moeller:
We’re starting to see SEO drive more direct bookings at Freewyld. People researching Idyllwild or cabins stumble across us and book through our site. It takes time, but it’s scalable. Where do you see SEO going with AI and tools like ChatGPT?
Kaye Putnam:
SEO has evolved many times. Now we see AI summaries at the top of results, and many people ask questions to AI assistants. If you’re not a full-time marketer, keep it simple. Create valuable content and leverage OPA. That wins in both traditional SEO and AI-driven results. For those who want to go deeper, right now a lot of AI citations come from Wikipedia, Reddit, and YouTube. Being present on those platforms increases the chance you are referenced by AI. On your site, structured FAQs that answer common questions can also help.
Eric Moeller:
We’ll save the deep dive on AI and SEO for another episode. Back to OPA, another path is working with existing YouTube channels or content creators whose audiences match yours.
Kaye Putnam:
Another OPA tactic that earns backlinks is pitching yourself to tourism boards and local press. Early on I pitched Visit California. They added Freewyld to their Idyllwild article as a recommended place to stay. That continues to drive traffic and is a high-authority link. You can also pitch local news sites or chamber sites. Those features send actual visitors and strengthen SEO.
Eric Moeller:
Do they create the content or do you.
Kaye Putnam:
Both happen. With Visit California they added us into existing content. In other cases we did text interviews that became published articles. Traditional PR also works when you tie your brand to a trend or study. For example, if a study shows people check their phones 100 times a day and it harms well-being, we can share how Wyld Mode helps guests disconnect. Seasonal angles work too, like best cabins for Christmas or unique bachelorette stays.
Eric Moeller:
That ties back to niches. The riches are in the niches. Instead of saying “vacation rentals,” tell a specific story like design-forward cabins that help you disconnect from technology. That specificity sticks.
Kaye Putnam:
Exactly. The more specific the story, the easier it is for press and creators to feature you.
Eric Moeller:
Influencer partnerships are another OPA channel, but we’re selective. We often say no to large global influencers. Our business is localized, so we look for creators with engaged audiences in LA, Orange County, or San Diego. A massive global audience can work if the creator is truly huge, but for most operators local relevance wins.
Kaye Putnam:
Our recent giveaway with a Southern California travel curator is a good example. We reached about 220,000 views, generated over 12,000 dollars in direct bookings right after, and added about 5,000 Instagram followers. The audience was aligned and the collaboration worked.
Eric Moeller:
How does the team find creators.
Kaye Putnam:
It’s low tech. Think like your ideal guest and search Instagram or TikTok the way they would. Queries like “unique stays,” “Idyllwild,” “weekend trips from LA,” or “day trips from San Diego.” Then check engagement, content quality, and audience fit. If those align, reach out by DM or email and propose a collaboration.
Eric Moeller:
Over the weekend I journaled about the highest and best use of my time. Marketing is at the top. Even with a marketing team, it’s worth my time to show up on shows, help identify creators, and support these channels. For anyone starting without a team, carve out one to two hours a day to build one channel. Pick platforms you actually consume. I don’t love Instagram, but I consume a lot of YouTube and podcasts, and I enjoy writing on LinkedIn. Lean into what you’ll do consistently.
Kaye Putnam:
As a founder you have a unique point of view. If you don’t tell the story, no one will tell it as well. There are millions of people on every platform. Guests often discover stays on TikTok or Instagram, but you can still reach them through podcasts and press if that fits you better. The key is to be visible.
Eric Moeller:
People in our mastermind ask where to start and who to hire. Sometimes it doesn’t make financial sense to build a full team. It’s still worth one to two hours a day to pitch yourself to podcasts. Search for short-term rental and Airbnb shows and start reaching out. The effort compounds. People find us now because of podcasts, Google, and even AI, all driven by the content trail. Talk about your business, your location, and why people should travel there. If there’s a big event in your area, share it. Creators and hosts need good stories. Reach out and keep going.
Kaye Putnam:
Let’s land it there. Put OPA on your calendar as a daily or weekly block. Tell us how it goes. Connect with Eric on LinkedIn and follow him. Please subscribe to Get Paid For Your Pad if you haven’t yet. Anything to add before we close.
Eric Moeller:
Watch the Staycation episode. If you have Roku, search “Palm Springs,” or go to freewyld.com/staycation to watch it. Let us know what you think.
Kaye Putnam:
Boom.
