Airbnb has disrupted the traditional hospitality industry by offering travellers a more personalised, unique and affordable way to experience the world. Booking through the platform offers many benefits for a traveller; from a diverse range of accommodation types, honest testimonials from previous guests and hosts that are generally locals, helping travellers discover hidden gems and experience the destination in a more authentic way. With these unique features, it allows guests to customise their holiday entirely to achieve their exact travel desires and speaks to reason that the platform has become globally favoured. It stands to reason then that standing out on the platform and improving the Airbnb ranking for your property is a goal for many property owners.
Since its founding in 2008, Airbnb has experienced exponential growth and has become one of the largest and most popular online booking platforms in the world. However, with millions of listings, it can be challenging for hosts to stand out and attract guests to their property. This is where your property ranking comes into play. Your Airbnb ranking is determined by a complex algorithm that considers several factors, including the number of bookings, reviews and your response rate. Maximising your property ranking is crucial for attracting more guests, earning more revenue, and establishing a positive reputation as a host.
In this blog, we will explore some direct and indirect strategies to improve the Airbnb ranking for your property and ensure that you’re reaping the benefits of Airbnb’s success.
- Provide accurate and detailed information:
The information that your supply your guest within your Airbnb listing is important for many reasons. It is vital to ensure your Airbnb listing is always up to date with accurate and helpful information. This will assist in setting expectations for guests and avoiding misunderstandings or negative reviews; in turn, allowing you to build trust and enhance your reputation.
Ensure you have updated and high-quality photos of your property, detailed descriptions, and competitive pricing to accurately depict what the guest will be receiving. Regularly update your calendar to ensure that your property is available for booking when guests are searching for accommodation in your area. This will improve your booking rate and ranking on Airbnb. When creating or updating your listing make sure to use keywords and hashtags that accurately reflect your property’s location and amenities. This will work to improve your search visibility on Airbnb and indirectly increase your ranking on the platform.
- Improve your guests experience:
Providing your guests with excellent hospitality to ensure they have a memorable experience can help boost your ranking and attract positive reviews.
A guest’s experience in your property starts with communication. Connect and build a positive rapport with guests prior to check-in and ensure you respond clearly to all guest enquiries, requests, and concerns in a timely manner. Making sure you meet their cleanliness expectations also plays a vital role in their experience. Your property must always be spotless and well maintained before your guest checks in. Regularly inspect and replace any worn or damaged items such as linens, towels, appliances, and furnishings. You can also make a guest feel welcome and appreciated by leaving an extra touch when they arrive. Flowers, snacks, beverages or simply a welcome card can assist in making a guests stay memorable, leading to positive reviews and word-of-mouth referrals.
- Offer special deals and promotions:
Offering specials and promotions on Airbnb can indirectly increase your property’s ranking on the platform by increasing your bookings, improving your reviews and boosting your revenue. Airbnb rewards hosts who generate more income through their platform, and especially in the quieter periods, this is one of the most effective ways to do so. Travellers often look for the ‘best deal’ when searching for accommodation. Airbnb is a competitive marketplace, and offering Special deals and promotions can help attract potential guests to your listing giving you an edge over your competitors. By providing a discount or another benefit, you also show that you value their business and are willing to go the extra mile to provide a positive experience. Offering deals and promotions on Airbnb is an effective method of exposure and can lead to repeat bookings, positive reviews and referrals that will be rewarded through airbnb’s ranking system.
- Achieve Superhost status:
Airbnb’s Superhost program is one that all hosts should strive to achieve. It is a powerful endeavour that can provide hosts with a wide range of benefits and advantages. As a Superhost you are presented to potential customers as someone who will accommodate their travel needs. It requires you to provide Airbnb with evidence over a 12-month period showing that you are a host willing to put in the hard work for their guests. Although this can require a lot of work, you will find that the rewards are worth the effort. Airbnb rewards their top performing hosts and there are a multitude of requirements to qualify. You must have completed at least 10 trips or 3 bookings totalling at least 100 nights of stay, maintain at least a 90% response rate, maintain a less than 1% cancellation rate (exceptions apply), and maintain a 4.8 overall rating.
- Reviews:
You will notice that reviews are talked about a lot throughout this article. Reviews can be one of the most powerful tools for your property, if used correctly. Potential guests often look at the testimonials of previous guests as a trustworthy reference for the property. Although it is incredibly beneficial to encourage guests to leave good reviews on checkout, it is not just receiving positive reviews that can advantage your property. The way in which you respond to them can be just as important. Whether you are responding to positive or negative reviews, it is imperative to compose a response that is professional and addresses all feedback and concerns. Negative reviews are obviously not something that you want to receive for your property, however, the way in which you respond to them has the power to realign your potential and previous guests’ perception of you and your property. Guests want to see that you are willing to listen and address concerns in a competent and constructive manner. You also have the ability to review your previous guests. Making sure you have a high and fast response rate for reviews on your Airbnb account is one of the most effective ways to improve your property’s rating.
Did you know you can now manage all your Airbnb reviews directly from HiRUM’s channel manager, HiSITE, without needing to log in to the Airbnb Host Portal? Contact us today to find out how.
Airbnb’s search algorithm takes into account several factors when determining your property’s ranking. Improving your ranking on Airbnb is essential for maximising your profits and success on the platform. By following the tips mentioned above you can improve your ranking and attract more bookings. This in turn can lead to higher profits, increased demand for your property and a positive reputation on the platform. In a competitive market, improving your property ranking is crucial for standing out from the crowd and achieving success on Airbnb.
Not yet connected to Airbnb? Get in touch with the team at HiRUM & HiSITE to get onboarded today.
