Get more Airbnb bookings with these 7 simple fixes

You’ve got a great property, in a great location, but still struggle to get bookings?

Well that’s probably because of a few simple, but extremely important, fixes that take minutes to put right. Airbnb now hosts over 2 million properties worldwide with more being added every day, so it is essential to have your listing looking its best. Set yourself aside from the competition with Guesthoo’s 7 simple fixes and get more Airbnb bookings today!

1) Optimise your price

Use smart pricing to get more Airbnb bookings

 

This is the number one thing people get wrong. If you’re new to Airbnb, it’s essential to start low to draw in guests and get a couple of reviews, then increase your price thereafter. We also highly recommend that you use Airbnb’s smart pricing tool that automatically sets the daily price based on a number of factors such as seasonal demand, prices of other properties in the area, property size etc.. This will ensure that your bookings are always maximised. You just need to set your minimum price, maximum price and how frequently you would like to rent. Its a surefire way to get more Airbnb bookings!

2) Improve your photos to guarantee more Airbnb bookings!

Photos are the first thing people see, they are what draw in potential guests and ultimately secure the booking. You should make sure photos are well lit and high resolution – never use smart phone photos! Browse your listing as if you were a potential guest. Make sure you choose thumbnail and banner photos that fit properly and display your space clearly.

Consider the left hand photo below. Whilst it is good to show the area surrounding your property, this is not ideal for the thumbnail. This is because it does not tell potential guests anything about your space and could cause guests to skim past your listing. The second photo is better but low resolution, overexposed and crooked – the perfect example of why not to use smart phone photos.

Example of bad Airbnb thumbnail photos

Now take a look at the next set of photos. They are all bright, well framed and high resolution and therefore stand out to potential guests. The perceived value of your property, and hence the price you charge, is based upon your photos. You will notice how the second set of properties are able to charge far higher prices for similar properties.

Get more Airbnb bookings with good listing photos

Airbnb offer a free professional photography service. If you qualify, this is a must – if not, consider having a shoot!

3) Rethink your listing title

The title of your listing is extremely important for Airbnb SEO. This is because good titles lead to more guests finding your space and a higher click through rate. Airbnb state:

If guests frequently click through to your listing page or try to book your space, this can also positively affect your placement in search.

So a title that draws in viewers can result in your space ranking higher in Airbnb search results. Even if they don’t book, this will help to secure future bookings. The same goes for photos.

Use adjectives like stunning, beautiful or breath-taking in your property title. Think about the most popular tourist destination or travel connection and include it. For example, ‘Quirky 2 bedroom flat nr Heathrow airport’ or ‘Massive farmhouse nr The Eden Project.’ This is because people often look for places near a travel connection or a famous tourist attraction.

Don’t want to leave it down to guess work? At Guesthoo, we analyse search traffic to determine exactly which terms potential guests search for most in your area. Find out more.

4) Update your description

Potential guests trawl through tons of listings, so make it easy to quickly identify the main attributes of your space. Keep it short and snappy by using dashes as bullet points to break up the text into the number of rooms, bathrooms etc. Include an activities section listing all the famous landmarks and tourist destinations, as well as a travel section. Similarly to the title, this will increase traffic to your listing and contribute toward’s your Airbnb SEO. Learn more about Airbnb SEO here.

Below you should then a write a couple of paragraphs going into more depth. People who rent on Airbnb are looking for something a little different than the standard hotel goer. They are looking for an experience, so sell the experience! Don’t say ‘We have a fully equipped kitchen’, say ‘Wonder down to the local farm shop and collect delicious fresh produce to cook in our fully equipped kitchen’. Don’t say ‘we have a large, relaxing living space’, say ‘after a long day enjoying the local beaches and attractions, relax with a glass of wine in our luxurious living space’.

5) Design a guide book

This can be provided either as an email or a booklet guests receive on arrival. You should include all the information they will need for their stay as well as personal recommendations for local restaurants or attractions. Once made it requires minimal effort, but makes guests feel valued. This is an essential in ‘how to get more 5 star Airbnb reviews’ and will lead to more future bookings. Our full management package includes a bespoke guide book for your property.

Include activities to get more Airbnb bookings

Bike Cornwall

6) Cleaning fee?

If you’re wondering whether to charge a cleaning fee on Airbnb, the answer is yes! The majority of Airbnb hosts charge a cleaning fee – usually £30-60. Whilst this will not get you more Airbnb bookings, it will help recuperate costs and increase the profitability of your property. You should consider spending some of this extra cash on guest toiletries as this will lead to more 5 star reviews and more Airbnb bookings. Makro offer a great wholesale service.

7) Always leave a public review response

This is something many forget to do, but you should always leave a public response to guest reviews! Thank guests for coming, welcome them to come again or tell them you will take feedback on board. Every guest checks written reviews, and responses show a good relationship between you as a host and the guest, which will help to secure more Airbnb bookings.

Feeling overwhelmed?

Our experienced team at Guesthoo will troubleshoot your listing to determine what can be improved in order to increase views and bookings. We then analyse search traffic to ascertain what the most popular tourist attractions and travel connections are in your area, thereby ensuring that guests always find your space first! You will then receive a report summarising our analysis of your listing. Our optimisation package has proven results so you can sit back and watch your Airbnb listing views triple:

Airbnb search results

We also offer a full management package for those wanting hassle free Airbnb management.

Why not give us a try? With no upfront costs, it’s completely risk free!

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