As an Airbnb host, one of the best ways to ensure your rental is always booked is by offering seasonal discounts and promotions. By doing this, you'll be able to attract guests even during the slow season. Plus, you'll still be able to make a profit while offering a lower rate.
There are a few other things that you can do to prevent your happy home from sitting empty when things start to slow down. Keep reading and learn about each of them below.
Keep Your Property Listing Updated
It's important to keep your Airbnb listing up-to-date to get more bookings. Here are some questions to ask yourself:
Is your Airbnb description an accurate portrayal of what you are offering?
Do you have all the necessary amenities for your guests?
Have your garden's spring flowers fully bloomed and are now ready to be photographed and added to your listing pictures?
Have there been any changes to the roads or public transportation that your guests should be aware of?
We suggest you keep your Airbnb listing up-to-date monthly to avoid lost bookings.
Price Your Airbnb Competitively
No matter how lovely your Airbnb is, you won't get many bookings if it's not priced competitively. It is best to consider the following:
What are your competitors charging?
What is the quality/standard of your accommodation?
What is the location of your accommodation?
What time of year are people likely to be staying?
You need to make sure that you are charging a competitive price that is relative to the quality of your accommodation and its location. You also need to be mindful of seasonal fluctuations in demand.
If you want to attract guests during the week, when bookings are usually slower, you could offer lower rates on weekends. This would give people an incentive to stay with you then. Similarly, during the low season, you could reduce your rates to compete with other hotels in the area that are likely to have discounts.
You should keep an eye on how much similar listings in your area are going for and change your prices accordingly. This will help ensure you can compete and attract customers.
Be Efficient in Targeting
Make sure to mention any major events happening near your Airbnb in your listing title or description. This will help you attract guests who are interested in attending the event. You can’t just hope that people will stumble across your vacation rental–you need to make an effort to get their attention and let them know that your rental is in a great location for their holiday. Staying with you will make their vacation even better!
Your title is one of the first things guests see when they come across your listing, so make it count! A great title will make your listing stand out and encourage guests to click through to learn more. When crafting your title, consider using keyword-rich phrases that accurately describe your listing and its location. For example, if you have a cozy studio apartment in the heart of the city, you might use a title like “Cozy Studio in the Heart of the City” or “Central City Studio Perfect for Couples.”
Utilize the Instant Book Feature
The Instant Book feature on Airbnb is a feature that allows guests to book a listing without having to wait for the host to confirm the booking. This can be useful for hosts trying to get last-minute bookings and guests who don't want to wait for a host to confirm their booking. However, there are some potential drawbacks to using Instant Book, such as the fact that it may lower your chances of getting Superhost status and make it harder for guests to find your listing on Airbnb.
Encourage Guests to Leave Reviews
It is always a good idea to encourage your guests to leave a review of their stay on the website, as this can help future hosts know what to expect from them. You can mention this when you say goodbye or write a good review about your guests to encourage them to do the same.
To encourage people to leave reviews, Airbnb offers a discount on their next booking. This often incentivizes people to take the time to write a review of their stay. Having a lot of positive reviews makes it more likely that people will want to book your Airbnb in the future.
Conclusion
There are many things you can do to increase your Airbnb occupancy rate. Some of these include optimizing your listing, using pricing strategies, and providing excellent customer service. By taking these steps, you can attract more guests and keep them coming back.
If you're looking for an Airbnb marketing strategy to maximize your property’s earnings, choose BeyondBNB.io. We help Airbnb hosts who want to list on multiple booking websites but don't know how or want help getting started easily. Join our next training event, where we’ll detail how we've helped hosts increase their earnings by up to 389 percent.