Getting Good with Airbnb

If you’re just starting to get your feet wet in the short-term rental space, then you’re likely on Airbnb. Though we’ve discussed other platforms before, not even Airbnb haters (if they exist) can ignore the growth that the company has been getting these past few years.

With so many people trying to strike while the iron is hot, how do you “strike harder” than others? Yeah, many people are using the platform more so than ever, but the same goes for homeowners! If customers don’t even see you, you won’t get any clicks. How do you get found more than your competition? We’ll be giving some basic tips to help you roll that snowball off a bit later, but it’s essential to know a couple of things first.

Understanding How Airbnb Works

Just like how your colleague might try to suck up to your boss to get promoted, you’d have to understand what Airbnb likes and try to follow suit.

Don’t like the analogy? Think of it as a sport like football or basketball, where it’s essential to be smart to win. Skill and strong bodies are great, but a strategy built around the rules and technicalities of the sport brings championships. It’s the same thing with Airbnb (and real estate in general)! Even if you have a fantastic rental, you still have to know how to do your marketing, find the right tenants, maintain the property, and many more.

So how does Airbnb work?

Online giants like Google and Facebook utilize certain algorithms to do their jobs. Controversy aside, the fact that these sites have some sort of understanding of our preferences is huge technological advancement. They’re able to map out this information through the algorithms they’ve developed. If entrepreneurs want to get to the first page of Google, you want to be on the first page of Airbnb as it functions in the same way, just on a smaller scale.

The site shows its consumers the listings that they’re likely to book based on their preferences and that of Airbnb itself. For example, when guests click on a listing to see more of it, Airbnb thinks that they’re interested and may show the same listing again soon or others like it. The more they look at (and more so if they book) a listing, the more Airbnb would recommend it to them, so that everyone gets to have more fun!

So how do you get on top of the Airbnb search list?

Let’s start with the most basic one of all – you, the host. Your actions determine how Airbnb looks at you as a source of income! As cynical as that may sound, that’s the truth in business, right? Here are some of the factors you might want to focus on:

• Reviews – This is the most obvious one. If guests love you, then Airbnb has no reason not to brag about you to other guests! Of course, getting your guests to leave good reviews is a whole topic in itself, so we may have to come back to this soon!
• [New listings – Don’t have your first booking yet? Not a problem! Airbnb ensures that new hosts get the spotlight too. Make sure you don’t waste your chance!]
• Price – Try to look at the completion. In your area, what’s the average rate? How does your property fare in the game?
• Response rate (and response time) – You can’t leave guests hanging! Airbnb prefers that you respond within 24 hours.
• Instant Bookings – Because Airbnb wants to make things as fast as possible for guests to book, Instant Bookings give you brownie points in the algorithm’s eyes.
• Calendar Viewing – If you show love for Airbnb, they’ll love you back! The algorithm takes note of how often you visit your Calendar Page. You can easily tick this off your checklist by having the Calendar Page set as your home screen!
• Superhost Status – We’ll talk more about this in a later article, but being a Superhost means that Airbnb knows that you’re one of their best hosts, and who else would they show on the search results?

Make Sure They Click!

While you’re on your way to the first page of Airbnb, you have to at least be click-ready whenever you get there. It’s not like you’ll be the only listing there, right? You’re going to be competing with the top hosts! And when you do get there, if people constantly opt for the other listings, the algorithm might think it made a mistake, putting you back from where you came from.

Here are some quick steps to get your guests’ booking!

• Stun them with great pictures! If you try to search for your property on Airbnb, do you see yourself drawn to your own listing compared to other ones? Does the first photo give a great impression? It might be good to try to stand out from the rest by hiring a professional photographer to get things done!
• Overwhelm them with amenities! Part of “standing out from the crowd” includes providing people with amenities that are unique only to your listing. Imagine if you’re the only host in the area that offers decent internet connectivity, a great kitchen, or even a hot tub! While you might not have the budget to offer the entire universe to your guests, try to see what people are looking for. It’s going to be different for each location.

From here on out, you can at least expect people to start clicking on your post to learn more! Here, you have to impress them even further. Through your listing, showcase an experience that they might be missing out on! This is where everything ties in together. Great photos, incredible amenities, quick response times, availability, and the support of positive reviews can build a warm experience for customers.

And even if you’re not on the first page just yet, people who go to the second, third, or thirty-fifth pages are sure to choose your listing. It’s only a matter of time before you hit the top!

Want to Get Started? Go to Airbnb’s website right now and try things out yourself.