6 Things Airbnb Hosts Should Do to Increase Their Bookings
Airbnb hosts may feel like they have done all they can with their property listings with nothing to show for it in terms of bookings. A profit loss isn’t something any host wants to hear. Luckily, there are a few tips that you can take to ensure more days are booked, and more guests check your listing.
The most important thing to consider is how Airbnb works. There’s definitely some clarity when you start to see a theme in the top listings being displayed in the search results. Here are some things you should consider doing, so your listing becomes one of them.
Put Effort into Your Pictures
Humans respond to visual cues, no matter the product or service. The best way to appeal is by showing fabulous pictures of what you have to offer. When you present photos that are low in quality and make the property look considerably different from how it looks, it can give people the wrong impression and make them click off.
Take good pictures of the room and the amenities they can access. Specific smartphone cameras can work, but you might also want to try a DSLR to ensure top-notch quality. If you don’t have an eye for photography, get a professional who can fully capture your Airbnb.
Be Descriptive in Writing
Aside from photos, another thing guests will be looking for is text. Consider the title and description as tools to help a host entice someone into booking your place. Use the appropriate adjectives and be descriptive to effectively communicate the perks and inclusions they’ll get from going to your place.
Just don’t misrepresent or oversell the place. Focus on what existing strong points your apartment has, such as Wi-Fi and television. You could also look to a copywriter if you want to be concise in your writing to hook in potential guests.
Highlight Positive Reviews
The experience of past guests is heavily relied on by the Airbnb community and platform. Be sure to highlight positive reviews and thank your past guests. Emulate that you are the most accommodating host and that your apartment will give them an equally pleasant time during their stay.
Optimize Your Customer Service
When there are inquiries flowing in, don’t procrastinate getting back to them. Reply as soon as you can, and provide good customer service. The booking process and transaction should be smooth to earn a good review from the host. If a guest runs into a problem during their stay, make yourself available to respond as well.
Pick the Right Price
Many Airbnb hosts use the filter feature to limit the search results to fit the price range they can afford. You don’t want to have your price too high or too low, but you would also want it to appeal to the general public and pool of short-term occupants to increase bookings. Price your listing accordingly to attract the right guests.
Explore Other Platforms
Airbnb is one of the biggest names when it comes to apartment rentals. However, you may want to consider putting your listing on other websites and booking platforms, such as Booking.com, too. You virtually increase your chances of having your place booked when you have it on more platforms. Consider starting a website too to have a single hub of advertising your Airbnb room.
Conclusion
Don’t expect to see results overnight, but taking these measures will undoubtedly help your bookings increase over time. Be smart about what you’ll be posting and ensure it helps in your goal of attracting more guests.
If you're looking to learn more about how to maximize your Airbnb's earnings, join us for our next free training event, where we’ll go into detail on how we've helped hosts increase their earnings by up to 112%.