Did you know that 4 million hosts on Airbnb contribute to over 7 million listings? Therefore, standing out in this sea of plenty seems like a challenging task.
And let’s be honest, it is.
However, with a well-crafted approach, strategy, and tools, the road to succeeding on Airbnb can be much less bumpy.
That’s where we step in – to provide you with 10 expert tips on how to get more bookings on Airbnb and enhance your success as an Airbnb host.
Let’s dive in!
What is Airbnb?
Airbnb is an online platform that helps connect people renting out their properties to travelers.
Over the course of years, Airbnb has grown to become one of the largest and most popular online marketplaces for short-term rentals.
This doesn’t come as a surprise considering the great variety of accommodation you can rent: from private rooms to unique properties such as castles or treehouses.
Airbnb allows hosts to:
- list their properties,
- set prices, and
- provide details about the space.
Meanwhile, travelers can search for accommodations based on location, dates, property types, price range, etc.
How Airbnb Functions: Breakdown
1. Host Registration
Hosts sign up on the Airbnb platform, create a profile, and provide information about their property, including details about the space, amenities, house rules, and photos.
2. Listing Creation
As a host, you list your property and include:
- a title,
- description,
- pricing,
- availability calendar, and
- house rules.
3. Guest Search and Booking
Potential guests search for accommodations based on their destination, travel dates, and other preferences.
They can browse through available listings and read reviews from previous guests.
4. Reservation Request
If a potential guest likes your property, they can send you a booking request, which you can accept or decline based on availability and compatibility with your house rules.
5. Payment Processing
As a host, you need to set up a desired payout method and choose a payout currency.
Airbnb usually releases your payout 24 hours after your guest’s scheduled check-in time.
6. Confirmation and Communication
Once you confirm the reservation, both you and your guest receive confirmation details.
Afterward, you can communicate through the Airbnb messaging system to discuss check-in details, ask questions, and address concerns.
7. Check-In and Stay
You can meet guests in person or provide self-check-in instructions depending on your availability or preference.
8. Review and Feedback
After the stay, both you and your guests can leave reviews.
It goes without saying that reviews contribute to the overall reputation of the host and guest alike.
9. Payment to Hosts
Airbnb processes the payment and releases the funds minus any applicable service fees.
10. Resolution Center
In case of issues or disputes, a Resolution Center, with the assistance of Airbnb support, tries to help you and your guests resolve any issues.
? Note
If you are new to Airbnb and want to list a property but aren’t really sure how to start, jump to our blog How to Start on Airbnb and What Do You Need to Know? for more details.
10 Hot Tips on How To Get More Bookings On Airbnb
1. Target Your Audience
Targeting a specific audience ensures that your listing is relevant to the types of guests you want to attract.
For example, if your property is surrounded by nature, there is a big chance that guests who prefer outdoor activities would be most interested in the property.
Or if you cater to families with children, childproof furniture or some toys and games would be a great addition.
2. Optimize Your Listing
2.1. Create a Compelling Listing Description and Title
You can use keywords that potential guests might search for and highlight unique features of your property.
Furthermore, you should provide thorough information about the space, amenities, and nearby attractions.
2.2. Use High-Quality Photos
The first thing Airbnb visitors see is the property photos.
Thus, invest in professional-quality photos with high resolution, which showcase your property in the best light ( literally and figuratively).
If you offer something unique, make sure to capture it in a photo.
2.3. Complete Your Profile
Describing yourself is also a deciding factor for guests when choosing your property.
It enables potential guests to create a virtual picture of you and your personality, which might make them choose you over another listing.
3. Promote Your Listings on Other Channels
Being visible on multiple platforms enables you to extend your reach and attract more guests.
This includes other OTA channels but also social media.
However, advertising on multiple channels is time-consuming and prone to errors that can cause overbooking.
? ProTip
One way to avoid overbooking is to use hospitality management solutions, like OTA SYNC, that allow you to sync across all channels simultaneously.
Furthermore, the Channel Manager is also integrated with the PMS and The Booking Engine, so the booking system on your website can serve as an additional sales channel.
In addition, OTA SYNC also provides iCAL links and API integration.
4. Set Flexible Pricing
Besides inspecting similar listings in your areas and setting competitive prices, you should also consider having dynamic pricing that depends on seasons.
Not all seasons are the same, so you should adjust your pricing accordingly.
For example, in low seasons, you can reduce your minimum stay to 2 nights instead of 3.
Following the same principle, you can also increase your maximum stay in high seasons.
? ProTip
Did you know that with OTA SYNC’s Plug and Play Revenue Booster, you can change sales and pricing settings independently, based on pre-set limitations?
5. Boost Guest Experience
Providing an ultimate guest experience is one of the ways to keep them returning and getting great reviews and referrals.
5.1 Provide Smoothless Check-In
The “best” way to defer potential guests is to have a complicated and lengthy check-in process that requires too many back and forths.
To simplify the process, you can activate AirBnb’s Instant Book, which lets guests book a property instantly without the host’s approval.
However, although it is a convenient option, it can lead to more cancellations since guests might ignore the listing details and change their minds later.
? ProTip
With OTA SYNC’s Booking Engine, you can get direct bookings from your website with zero commission.
You can customize it to match your brand and style, include an amenities list, a Custom thank-you page, etc.
Thus, guests can check room availability, view pricing, and complete secure bookings in real time.
5.2. Pamper Your Guests
Little things go a long way, so you can pleasantly surprise your guests with small tokens of attention and gratitude:
- A complimentary wine bottle,
- Local products,
- A box of chocolates,
- Activity guides,
- Toiletries,
- Souvenirs from the area,
- Flowers, etc.
Naturally, the type of gift will depend on your target audience and their preferences.
6. Include Extras and Add-Ons
Offering guests additional services, amenities, or features beyond basic accommodation is a good way to enhance their stay and boost your revenue.
For example, you can include:
✨ Early check-ins or late check-outs,
✨ Cleaning services,
✨ Grocery deliveries,
✨ Airport transfers,
✨ Bike or car rentals,
✨ Special packages,
✨ Event hosting, etc.
? ProTip
OTA SYNC offers premium functionalities to streamline the planning and execution of events and banquets within a hospitality or hotel event venue.
Furthermore, a SPA & Wellness management solution streamlines and enhances the operations of the hotel or resort’s spas, wellness centers, and fitness facilities.
7. Collect Positive Reviews
You should take reviews and ratings seriously and use them to see the areas where you can improve your service.
On the other hand, positive reviews serve as a great referral tool.
Thus, pay attention to whether your property is clean, if appliances are working, etc. Make sure everything you advertise on Airbnb matches the reality.
? ProTip
Don’t hesitate to ask your guests to leave a review after their stay.
With OTA SYNC, you can send automated after-booking, pre-arrival, and post-departure emails?
You can even send birthday emails.?
8. Regularly Update Your Info
In order to practice what you preach, it is necessary to regularly update any changes in your property, pricing, offers, packages, etc.
Furthermore, make sure that your Availability Calendar works like a charm so all listings appear correctly in search results.
? Note
The Airbnb algorithm prioritizes hosts who regularly update their calendars because it means they’re active on the platform.
9. Become a Superhost
A great way to get more bookings on Airbnb is to become a Superhost.?
However, in order to do this, you must meet specific requirements by Airbnb.
10. Implement Hospitality Management Software
Being active on Airbnb as a host, even with only one property, is a time-consuming and error-prone task.
Imagine having multiple properties to run and manage.?
Hospitality management software can greatly help because it will help you automate and facilitate day-to-day operations, activities, mail sending, requests, etc.
As a result, you’ll
- avoid overbooking,
- get a much better organization,
- get a more transparent overview, and
- get deep insights into operational activities.
? Note
When choosing the right hospitality management software for your business needs, make sure to carefully evaluate your specific requirements and consider the scalability of the solution in question.
Wrapping It Up
There’s no such thing as an easy start or business running, but with our pro tips, you’ll be on the right track to unlock the full potential of your listing on Airbnb.
A tool that can greatly help you with that is our OTA SYNC, a cloud-based hospitality solution.
How Can OTA SYNC Help You Get More Bookings on Airbnb?
OTA SYNC is a hotel and property management system that helps you automate everyday operations, tasks, and activities in order to streamline your processes.
Furthermore, it also provides rich features to enhance your guests’ experience while creating revenue.
? Channel Manager – Optimizes the distribution of hotel room inventory across various online channels.
? Property Manager – Centralizes hotel operations, allowing you to efficiently handle bookings, monitor room occupancy, and manage guest services.
? The Booking Engine – A user-friendly interface for visitors to check room availability, view pricing, and complete secure bookings in real time.
? Multiple integrations and support in 15 languages.
? Multi-property dashboard – Enables you to manage multiple properties from a single dashboard.
? Guest App – Provides quick check-ins, tailored recommendations, and instant notifications.
? OTA Payments System – A fully integrated payment gateway that uses automation to process transactions instantly
? Easy setup of different market-specific tax and general settings.
? And much more.
Ready to take a deep dive into OTA SYNC?
Sign up for OTA SYNC today and supercharge your Airbnb presence.
Keep Learning:
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