13 Pro Tips to Get More
Airbnb Bookings
01
Create an Amazing
Airbnb Listing
It may seem obvious, but if you’re struggling to max out your Airbnb bookings, you need to start by evaluating your current listing and making some much-needed changes. Begin by looking at your listing as it is right now. If you were looking for a great place to stay, would you be interested in your listing? Low-quality pictures, poor descriptors, and an incomplete profile are all red flags to travelers, and you’ll continue to struggle to get bookings until you make changes. So what should your listing look like?
A solid, attention-grabbing listing considers the needs of your target market and uses attractive language that will appeal to them. It should include:
- An excellent title – First, create a clear, accurate, and inviting title. title. Use this short, sweet description as the “elevator pitch” for why your prospects should check out your property and book with you.
- Stellar Photos – Next, hire a professional photographer to capture the space. If you really want to make money and run a successful Airbnb listing, you need to invest in quality photos that make your space look bright, clean, inviting, and secure. The more photos – the better! According to Airdna.com, a minimum of 6 photos is a must.
- Plenty of details – Once you’ve captured the excitement of your future guests with phenomenal photos, you need to write honest, accurate, detailed descriptions of your listing’s facilities and amenities.
- Keywords/SEO – Throughout your listing both the title and the description – you should be incorporating a couple of strategic keywords that will boost your rankings and get you noticed over your competition.
Finally, don’t forget about your profile. Airbnb guests want to know they’re booking with someone trustworthy, likable, and reputable. Your profile allows you to demonstrate your value and establish trust and security, making people more likely to book.
02
Enable INstant Book
If you haven’t turned on the “Instant Book” feature for your listing, it’s time to make a change. This is, by far, one of the simplest ways to fill up your calendar. Guests appreciate the option to secure their reservation without having to be pre-approved by you. What’s more, using Instant Book moves you closer to becoming a Superhost. Be advised, though, that in order for Instant Book to be a good thing for your rental business, you must stay on top of your calendar availability. This is where a good booking management software or a management company becomes extremely helpful. But we’ll get to that later.
03
Avoid
Cancellations
Airbnb hosts who cancel multiple reservation requests are viewed with skepticism and less credibility. A pattern of cancellations can actually lead to penalties that will further decrease your bookings. Additionally, if numerous guests cancel their stays with you, Airbnb will assume there’s something wrong with your listing and reduce your visibility. So how do you prevent this? For starters, you need to set the right guest expectations by being precise and accurate in your property descriptions. Secondly, you must be an excellent communicator. Thirdly, you need to ensure that your calendar is always up-to-date and accurate. Finally, make sure you choose the right cancellation policy for your listing. Being too strict with cancellations can be off- putting, but being too flexible could cause you to lose business consistently. Choosing to stick with a moderate cancellation policy that allows people to cancel a few days out will provide you and your guests with a security net.
04
LEVERAGE DYNAMIC PRICING
A “set it and forget it” mentality has no place in Airbnb listings. Instead, you need to take advantage a dynamic pricing software. A dynamic pricing software will take care of the price adjustments based on supply and demand in your locale, thus enabling you to maximize your income. You should also benchmark your property’s performance and compare it against your competition in real-time. If this sounds exhausting, we recommend utilizing a smart rate tool or connecting with a reliable property management company.
05
ALLOW SINGLE NIGHT STAYS WHILE REWARDING LONGER STAYS
It can be tempting to turn off the option for single-night stays (after all, who wants to lose time and money on cleaning costs after a one-night booking!?), but you should reconsider. Many travelers need single-night accommodations, and most people who are on the go don’t make much of a mess anyway! You’ll get a lot more bookings (and more reviews and more credibility…) when you allow for single-night stays. At the same time, it’s also a good idea to reward people who book longer stays with you. Offering reduced rates for those who stay for X amount of nights is a great way to stand out from the competition and secure reservations.
06
UPDATE YOUR CALENDAR
REGULARLY
Never underestimate the importance of staying on top of your availability calendar. Failing to do so will mean that your property may not appear in search results as a prospective traveler searches for available listings on a specific date. Additionally, Airbnb gives priority to hosts who are in the habit of regularly updating their calendars. And while calendar updates are important for all Airbnb hosts, they are especially critical for those who list their properties on multiple platforms. Being diligent in this area will help you to avoid double bookings, cancellations, bad reviews, and penalties. Not sure you’re up to the task? There are tons of great calendar automation tools out there, or you can enlist the help of a management company or co-host to handle the heavy lifting for you.
07
SET A SMART CLEANING FEE THAT DOESN’T DETER GUESTS FROM BOOKING
Guests want a clean place to stay, but they also tend to be very sensitive about cleaning fees. So what’s a host to do? According to Airdna.com, cleaning fees need to make sense compared to the property’s size. Travelers aren’t going to want to shell out the big bucks on cleaning if they’re staying in a small studio. It can also be helpful to look at what your competitors charge for cleaning. If your rates are way higher for a comparable property, you’ll get more bookings by lowering the fees. Finally, if you’re serious about listing Airbnbs as a source of income, you may consider hiring a professional cleaning service. Yes, you will have to pay them to do the work, but they’ll be much quicker and more efficient while delivering a sparkling clean environment that guests will rave about and feel is worth the cleaning fee.
08
BECOME A
SUPERHOST
If you’re not an Airbnb Superhost, you’re probably missing out on a lot of bookings. Travelers love to book with Superhosts because it gives them the peace of mind that they’ll be in excellent hands. So how do you achieve Superhost status? The requirements include the following:
- Hosting at least ten unique guests.
- Maintaining a response rate of 90% or higher.
- Achieving a cancellation rate of 1% or lower.
- Maintaining positive ratings (a minimum of 4.8 overall).
Once you become a Superhost, you’ll enjoy
increased search visibility, you’ll stand out from competitors, and you may even be able to increase your rates. But, of course, you’ve got to work to maintain your status, so don’t rest on your laurels once you receive the honor. A Superhost’s work is never done!
09
DELIGHT YOUR
GUESTS
One of the reasons that people choose Airbnb over a traditional hotel is because they want to be wowed with amenities and experiences they wouldn’t have otherwise. So the more you’re able to set your listing apart with delightful experiences and extras, the more bookings you’ll receive. Here’s a quick checklist for creating an awesome guest experience:
- Easy, secure check-in – Airbnbers want to know that it’s going to be easy for them to get settled into your property as soon as they arrive. And while they don’t want to jump through hoops to access the place, they also want to know that it is safe and secure. The best way to provide this experience is by using a lockbox to store a key on or near the door or a keypad entry system. Send each guest a unique code prior to their arrival.
- Provide a guest manual – Although we suggest creating an online guidebook that will get your guests geared up for their stay at your place, it’s also smart to have an on-site manual. This book can explain how guests use amenities (i.e., how to access wifi or how to use the Keurig coffee machine), as well as provide tips for local restaurants and attractions.
- Be a great communicator – After a new guest makes a reservation with you, send them a personalized welcome note. It’s also great to check in with your visitors to make sure they’re settling in well and let them know you’re available to help them 24/7. If they message you with questions, respond quickly.
- Add personal touches – Make guests feel extra welcome with special, personal touches. If you have a rural property with chickens, consider offering fresh eggs each day. Leave chocolates on each pillow or a plate of cookies on the table. Whatever you can do to stand out and enhance the guest experience will make a big difference in ratings and future bookings.
- Offer plenty of amenities – Beyond photos and descriptions, one of the first things potential guests look at is your list of amenities. Guests love fireplaces, hot tubs, outdoor fire pits, barbecues, etc. These touches add to perceived value and create a better, more memorable stay.
- Be pet friendly – This can be a touchy subject, as some Airbnb hosts don’t feel comfortable with animals staying in their properties. If you’re willing to keep an open mind, allowing pets can make a huge difference in your bookings. Most pet owners are respectful and don’t leave a mess, and should a mess happen, the pet fee will cover it.
- Think outside the box – People love unique stays and experiences. If you have a tiny home or a house that used to be a haunted church – great! If you don’t, that’s not a problem! You can make your home stand out with unique decor or themes. Think outside of the box to find something that makes your property one-of-a-kind
10
BRING IN MORE POSITIVE
REVIEWS
Great reviews are crucial in achieving and maintaining Superhost status and increasing your bookings. Positive reviews begin with positive guest interactions and experiences. Be aware, too, that Airbnb itself can help you get visitors to leave a review. It allows hosts to write guest reviews that can only be unlocked and seen by the guest once they have written a review about the property and host. Write reviews quickly to elicit a fast response.
11
LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY
As an Airbnb host, technology is your best friend. Managing short-term rentals can be overwhelming, and there are many moving parts. With the help of technology, you can streamline many processes and make better use of your time. Numerous tools are available to automate guest communication, reviews, dynamic pricing, cleaning, and repairs. Of course, if it all seems too daunting, you can bring a co-host or property management group ono your team to help out.
12
PROMOTE YOUR PROPERTY
If you want to take your Airbnb rental business to the next level, start promoting your listings outside the Airbnb app and website. Creating social media accounts like Facebook and Instagram for your property will attract the interest of visitors from all over and inspire them to intentionally book with your listing. Another great medium is TikTok. If you have an especially unique property, show it off with a short video that will get people talking and booking with you.
13
GET A CO-HOST OR A RENTAL
MANAGER
Last but certainly not least, let’s talk about enlisting some outside help for your Airbnb rentals. If you have multiple properties and want to max out bookings and generate an amazing income from your listings, you’ll need some assistance. A co-host or professional management company can take on the bulk of the work so you can enjoy profits while living your best life. They’ll help you ensure your listings and profile are in great shape, help you manage your bookings, and help take care of the property and your guests. Many management companies also utilize automated technology to ensure you get the best prices and keep your reviews and ratings high.
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you’re really serious about earning money from Airbnb rentals, you need to treat your listings as a business – not as a hobby. This means taking measures to understand your guest’s needs and desires and to set yourself apart with unique offerings, outstanding guest experiences, stellar communication, and dynamic pricing. Are you curious how your property or properties perform compared to your most successful competitors? Find out how much you could start making from your listings and how to maximize profitability. As property management experts, we can use real data from the best- performing Airbnb and VRBO rentals to provide you with a rental revenue estimate. We’re also happy to offer a free review of your listing and to provide more detailed tips that will help you to immediately boost your bookings. Get in touch with us today!