Airbnb has been a popular accommodation booking service for years. With over 5.6 million active listings in over 220 countries, it provides an international service that can be used by anyone at any time.
Airbnb has created a peer-to-peer marketplace where hosts can make their space available to travelers and vice versa. The company provides a cheap way to travel because it provides travelers with an opportunity for accommodation at a lower cost than hotels, resorts, or other traditional options.
Planning to rent out your apartment or vacation property to earn additional cash? Consider adding your property to Airbnb.
Read on to find tips and Airbnb hacks for hosts that are new to Airbnb hosting like you.
What to Consider When Becoming an Airbnb Host?
With the above facts, it is not surprising that more and more people are becoming Airbnb hosts.
If you are wondering if becoming an Airbnb host would be worth your while, here are some of the benefits that you can get out of it:
- As an Airbnb host, you can live in your own home and still earn money.
- You get an opportunity to connect with people from all over the world.
- You can provide a more personalized travel experience to Airbnb guests, which many find enjoyable and rewarding.
- As an Airbnb host, you will get a chance to live a more sustainable lifestyle by reducing your carbon footprint and saving money on rent or mortgage payments.
Proven Tips for New Airbnb Hosts
Airbnb is a great way to meet new people and travel to different places, but before you start doing Airbnb hosting, there are some things you’ll want to know to create a profitable Airbnb business.
LePack, an online store that sells quality hotels, motels, and Airbnb supplies, prepared these five helpful tips that will help you get started on your first Airbnb experience as a host.
1. Create a Great Airbnb Listing Title That Can Grab a Potential Guest’s Attention
Your Airbnb listing title is the first thing that a potential guest will see, so it has to be catchy and compelling enough to get them interested in clicking on your listing.
Keep the following in mind when creating your Airbnb business listing title:
- Create an eye-catching title that stands out from the others.
- Include your location in the title for easy browsing by a potential guest.
- Use numbers to stand out and represent your rental property’s best features
- Use keywords in your title to help your Airbnb listing appear higher in search results
- Include a call-to-action at the end of your title.
An Airbnb listing title is limited to 50 characters, which should be just enough to include your type of accommodation and other outstanding features.
An example of an outstanding Airbnb listing title would look like this:
Rustic Private Cottage w/ King Bed + Lakeside View
“Rustic Private Cottage” is a catchy title that catches your attention from the very beginning and hints at what the accommodation will be like.
2. Add Great Photos and Descriptions of Your Vacation Rental
When it comes to creating a compelling picture and description for your Airbnb listing, there are a few best practices that you should keep in mind.
First, the most important thing is to make sure that you have the appropriate pictures. Pictures are what draw potential guests in and give them an idea of what they can expect when they arrive at your vacation rental. It is also important to make sure that you have pictures of all the major areas of your Airbnb rental- living room, kitchen, bedroom, etc.
Next, it is important to make sure that you have a good description. The more information you provide about your vacation rental property and the amenities available on-site, the more booking you will get. You should also mention any special features of your property such as a view or a deck where guests can relax.
Lastly, it is important to make sure that the price is competitive with similar properties in your area. Your listing should be able to stand out based on the quality of your space and amenities, but you will have a more competitive edge if your price point is comparable or even lesser to other rentals in your area by offering a discounted rate.
3. Make Guests Feel Welcome, Safe, and Comfortable in Your Airbnb Property
There are many qualities that make a good Airbnb host. The most important thing is to be welcoming and friendly.
People will judge your house and your property based on how you interact with them. You should answer any questions that come up as soon as possible. and be willing to go the extra distance to make your guests feel welcome.
To achieve Superhost status, consider these tips to ensure you will get a repeat booking from your guests:
- Provide a welcoming environment by adding flowers or welcome baskets inside their rooms.
- Give guests privacy and space.
- Make guests feel safe by providing them with locks on their doors, lights in the house, etc.
- Let your guests know about any pets or other animals living in the house so that they can prepare for them accordingly.
- Offer delicious snacks and refreshing beverages.
- Have plenty of fresh towels and sheets on hand – it sounds like something you would do for yourself, but it’s just as important for your guests!
- Help guests keep their rooms clean and tidy by providing trash bins and sanitary bags.
- Provide a great bathroom experience with great-smelling shampoo, soaps, and body lotions.
- Be flexible with check-in time and let the guest know about any possible inconveniences or delays before they arrive so that they can plan ahead accordingly.
- Leave an invite in the room – a handwritten note is always a thoughtful touch, and it will make your guests feel special.
4. Respond to Airbnb Reviews Promptly and Professionally with Empathy and Understanding
Reviews are important for any business to succeed. They can provide a sense of trust and authenticity for your prospective guests.
There are three types of reviews, each with its own benefits and drawbacks:
- A positive review from a guest who has used your service will give you a boost in rankings on Google.
- A negative review from a guest who has had an unsatisfactory experience with your service will show up prominently in Google search results, which could be bad for your Airbnb business.
- A neutral review from someone who hasn’t used your service before will not affect your rankings on Google at all, so it’s the best type of review to have if you want to avoid any potential damage to your online presence.
A successful response to an Airbnb review should be polite, thorough, and personal. It should not make excuses for the problems that a guest experienced. Instead, it should make a guest feel like his or her concerns have been taken seriously and addressed properly.
It is important to think about what your Airbnb response can do for your customer. For example, if they felt neglected or ignored during their Airbnb stay, you should apologize and reassure them that you are doing everything in your power to prevent this from happening again in the future.
It’s important to reply to negative reviews as soon as possible. This is because it’s an opportunity for you to provide some customer service and show that you care about the guest’s experience.
You should also take this opportunity to learn from your mistakes and improve your service in the future. However, if you are not able to reply immediately, don’t worry – just make sure that you do it as soon as possible.
5. Use Social Media to Book More Guests and Get Positive Reviews
Airbnb has been able to grow exponentially in the last decade by using social media as a marketing tool. It has allowed them to reach more people and make more money, which is why it is important for hosts and guests alike.
According to Airbnb, the following are the most important factors for guests to choose one listing over another:
- Location
- Sleep quality and amenities
- Quality of photos and description
With a good photographer and some social media content ideas, you can capture your guest’s attention and make them choose your Airbnb listing instead.
The following are some tips from Airbnb on how to create social media content that will get guests to choose your listing:
- Provide clear, easy-to-read text
- Keep captions short and descriptive
- Use hashtags to show the relevance
- Include a photo or video for every post
Use social media to your advantage and you will soon see an influx to your booking!
CONCLUSION: Follow The Above Airbnb Hosting Tips to Become A Successful Host
Hosting on Airbnb is a great way to make some extra money, but it does come with some responsibility.
Airbnb hosts have a lot of responsibilities that they need to take care of in order to be successful. They need to be considerate, responsive, welcoming, and knowledgeable about their city or local area.
By following the above tips, you will become a successful Airbnb host who will turn casual travelers turn into happy guests who will keep coming back to your Airbnb rental. Some Airbnb hosts shared that some of their guests have become friends who visit them every year while others retained their connection through social media.
