A simple search on Airbnb will show you that your listing exists in a very competitive landscape. To date, there are over 1.5 million listings in almost every country in the world! Guests are assaulted by a multitude of options when they go about their searches for their next stay and it becomes increasingly difficult to get more bookings on Airbnb. So how do you separate yourself from the masses? Luckily, as with all technologies, strategies exist to make sure that you don’t have to simply rely on luck for guest bookings. The following details your SEO strategy on three fronts; your listing, your Airbnb profile and you.
Optimize Your Listing – first step to get more bookings on Airbnb
1. Keep that Calendar updated… Always!
Airbnb themselves say: “Hosts who don’t let their calendar get a month or more out of date are 70% more likely to get booked.” So, keep your calendar up to date at all times. It is by far one of the easiest ways to give your search rankings a positive bump. Thanks to Airbnb’s algorithm, hosts who regularly update their calendars are tagged as both active and responsive.
If you’re a keener and your calendar is up to date, an easy and simple hack would be clicking the up-to-date button. This bumps your profile and listing up within Airbnb’s algorithm slightly. Another sneaky trick would be to block out future dates and then make them available again after a minute or so. This makes it seem like you’ve just freed up a bunch of dates and raises your listing up through the ranks.
If a monthly calendar update can increase your booking rate by 70%, what would a daily calendar update produce? Albeit, this sort of engagement requires a fair bit of commitment and work on your part, but just think about the benefits from 10 minutes, or less, of your time a day.
2. Be price wise
Airbnb’s built-in pricing calculator maybe handy when you are first learning the ropes of listing your property. However, you may be forced to deviate from its suggestions once you have the lay of the land. If you are a new host and in need of those crucial reviews to put your listing on the map, other than Airbnb SEO, your tactic may revolve around undercutting your competition. But as time goes on and if you feel that you’re ready to hang with the established veterans of the game, then you may want to consider to raise your prices to compete with them.
Looking at your competitors’ prices on the map can only get you so far. Fortunately, there is a slew of pricing tools to help you gather data and make the right decisions, like Beyond Pricing. Price sensitivity is no longer reserved for guests, but as a host you must be equally sensitive to prices as well if you want to get more bookings on Airbnb.
3. Have a one-night stand…in the best way possible
Show off your flexibility and allow single night stays. Decreasing your listings stay duration to 1 night increases the number of ways that your listing will appear in the Airbnb searches. Even though your bookings will be shorter, you are guaranteed to get more bookings on Airbnb.
4. Use the right words to showcase your listing in the best light
The fact of the matter is that guests will read about your place first before seeing it. So make sure to increase their likelihood of finding your listing by using the right words to describe it. Better yet, put yourself in their shoes and try to think of the words that your guests might use to describe your place. When you have covered your amenities, then it is time to spread outwards to the landmarks, sights and attractions of your town or city. The more search terms that match with your descriptions, the higher your listing will rank in search results.
5. A picture is worth a thousand words
But it need not cost you a bundle of money. For eligible hosts and in select cities, Airbnb gives you access to a free professional photographer. Your listing will not only benefit from a professional photoshoot that will attract more bookings but your accommodations pictures will be tagged with the Airbnb watermark which shoots your listing up through the SEO rankings. If your city is not eligible, there is a good guide.
6. Instant Book – instantly get more bookings on Airbnb
Considered as a black sheep in the Airbnb options, Instant Book, when activated, allows guests to instantly book your listing as long as it is available. This means that they bypass any pre-approval waiting times. Travelers with sensitive time frames flock to listings with this option as they require a greater amount of flexibility than listings that require a pre-approval from the host. A certain percentage Airbnb’ers even limit their searches to listings marked with Instant Book.
Optimize Your Airbnb Profile
1. Do not underestimate the power of reviews
One of the best ways to increase your Airbnb SEO rankings is to cultivate a fair amount of reviews. A reservoir of positive reviews is the hallmark of a top and trustworthy listing. This alone can almost guarantee an increase in both bookings and search rankings. While you can’t guarantee that each and every guest leaves you a review, you can help move things along by leaving them a review and then asking for a review in return. Think of the search process as a job interview and your reviews are your references.
2. A complete profile
You might be surprised to know that Airbnb’s SEO algorithm rewards you for completing your profile. It is another point for your reputation as a trustworthy host. Remember to fill out every single section in your profile. It indicates to Airbnb that you are responsible enough to host guests and Airbnb acts accordingly by bumping up your search ranking.
3. Strive to be a Superhost
Let’s make this perfectly clear. You want that Superhost badge, and you want it bad. Meet the requirements to become a Superhost and you are not only presented by a special badge of recognition in your profile but also gets you closer to the top of the search results.
Optimize the Host (Yourself)
1. Respond ASAP
Treat your responses to guest inquiries like your calendar updates, fast and frequent. This shows Airbnb that you mean business and that you are eager. The result for your speedy service is a double positive. On one hand your SEO ranking increases and on the other this action prevents your ranking from degrading! Bet you didn’t know that Airbnb punishes lazy hosts, well now you do.
2.Avoid Cancelling Bookings…Like The Plague
Follow through with you offers or else bad reviews are coming and there goes your Airbnb reputation along with your search ranking.
3. Log In Frequently
Regularly logging into Airbnb is one of the markers that Airbnb’s algorithm looks for when deciding whether to bump you up or down the search results ladder. Make it a habit and it will pay dividends in the long run and help you get more bookings on Airbnb.
4. Put On Your Marketing Hat
Use the social media that you have at your disposal to promote your listing. Airbnb will recognize the work you’re putting in and indeed your ranking will rise. But, more importantly, you will also be attracting people to your listing who would not have otherwise tried to look for it on Airbnb. The overall effect will be a rise in bookings.