Becoming an Airbnb host allows you to turn your entire home or even a room into a rental to generate passive income from your vacancy. But while the concept of a vacation rental or a short-term rental is quite easy, learning how to sell your space and see bookings can be difficult. Fortunately, every successful host and superhost has already walked in your shoes and discovered the best practices for ensuring their Airbnb listing sells.
If you’re interested in learning how to write an Airbnb listing, let’s look at some tips and tricks to optimize your listing description and attract potential guests.
1. Captivating Titles
The first step in learning how to write an Airbnb listing begins with the most important thing on search results: the title.
It’s important to remember that your target audience is looking for a listing on Airbnb that sells them an experience, not just giving them an idea of what they might be getting when they select your property to rent.
For example, if you have a house you’re looking to rent out, you don’t want to say something basic such as, “Home available for rent”. This doesn’t encourage guests to choose your listing over other available Airbnb options.
Instead, you want to pitch something that almost demands they click on your listing. This might look something like, “Gorgeous, secluded bungalow by the beach”. As you can see, the title illustrates some of the perks that guests may be looking for when they’re looking for somewhere to stay in your area.
The more compelling your title, the easier it will be to hook potential guests. You should also look into ways you can optimize your title to improve your presence on the Airbnb platform.
2. Highlight Unique Features
Arguably the most important part of any booking is all the unique selling points one property can offer that the others don’t.
For example, if you tend to host during the summer and you’re renting out a space that is going to appeal to all of the adults going on summer vacations or weekend getaways, saying that you have a pool might just be what gets you more bookings than other hosts in your area.
Now’s the time to look at your listing and think about all of the amenities your home has to offer.
Some examples of amenities that guests want that you may or may not have include:
- Wi-Fi
- Pool/hot tub
- A fully stocked kitchen (appliances, cookware, etc.)
- A free place to park
- Self check-in
- Air conditioning
- Washer/Dryer
- Pet-friendly spaces
Remember, guests are looking for an experience they can’t get from a hotel. The more your Airbnb offers a luxury experience that feels like home, the more inquiries you will receive. Listing all the amenities your property offers is essential to attracting the bookings you want.
3. Craft a Compelling Description
If you’re looking into how to write an Airbnb listing, chances are you’re looking for a lot of support when writing an effective and appealing Airbnb description. After all, the Airbnb listing description can be the trickiest part of creating a listing. What do you write? What are the rules? Why do some descriptions get more attention and help properties rank higher on Airbnb?
While your listing is going to vary depending on what type of Airbnb property you have and what amenities are offered at that property, there are a few rules of thumb for optimizing your Airbnb listings’ description and getting it just right. When crafting the description for your Airbnb listing, always:
- Write a Brief Description: No guests want to read an essay on why they should select your rental instead of another one. Keep this in mind when you’re writing your description and you’ll be able to capture the attention of your guests much faster. Say only what you need to say and ensure you do it succinctly.
- Paint a Picture: What makes an Airbnb a great Airbnb? It’s all in the experience. You’re not just selling your property; you’re selling a moment. What can guests do while they’re there? What will they be able to enjoy? What are guests looking for when they come to your home and how can you sell that guest experience in your description?
- Highlight the Benefits: All of the most popular amenities and selling points of your property should be highlighted in your description. Capture the magic of what makes your rental so unique and compelling so that guests know your property is the one to book.
- Use the Other Listing Features to Inform Guests Anything Else: The reason why descriptions should be brief is because there are other areas in your Airbnb listing where you can provide information on booking terms, basic property information, and beyond. You don’t want to litter your description with obvious or non-essential information guests are able to find elsewhere on your listing.
4. Showcase High-Quality Photos
A picture is worth a thousand words and this is true for some of the best Airbnb listings. If you don’t have high-quality photos of your property on Airbnb (or you have no photos at all), it’s going to make it harder to attract more guests.
To improve your hosting journey, you must attach photos to your Airbnb listing. Photos can be tricky, but you can always take better home photos by using high-quality equipment, shooting during the day when you have the most natural light, and capturing the look of the space as it will be when guests rent it out. You should also squeeze in a couple of shots highlighting the top amenities offered in your home.
If you’re struggling to get high-quality pictures that will help your listing rank higher, you can always reach out for professional support. You likely won’t need to update these for a while unless you have major renovations that change the look and layout of your property.
5. Set Clear House Rules
Just because someone booked your property for a predetermined period, doesn’t mean they have full reign over that property moving forward. Whether you’re new to Airbnb or you’ve been keeping up with the platform for a while, you likely know about things like Airbnb’s strict party ban. There are rules implemented by both the platform and individual property owners to make sure that the process goes smoothly for everyone.
Be clear about these rules and make sure to address them upfront so that guests know exactly what rules they have to adhere to while they’re staying in your rental. The more transparent and straightforward you are, the easier it is for everyone!
6. Offer Personalized Recommendations
Many people love to book an Airbnb that’s outside of where they live. While this can serve as a great getaway, most aren’t going to know the area and how they can have a fun time there. Being a helpful host by offering personalized recommendations of places they can visit locally can go a long way in bolstering your host status. Having the ultimate Airbnb goes just beyond online optimization. If you act like the best host, you can become the best host.
7. Provide Prompt and Friendly Communication
No one expects hosts to be online all the time, but you do need to be active so that you can field any questions potential guests might have about your Airbnb listing and any questions or concerns that they may have while they’re renting out your property. Always approach communication with speed, a friendly tone, and a desire to make sure that your guests’ questions are answered to the best of your ability. This will easily determine whether or not Airbnb users rent from you.
8. Enhance Your Listing with Guest Testimonials
Saying that you have a stellar property is one thing. Showing that you have a property people want and backing that with social proof is another thing entirely. As an Airbnb host, you always want to opt for the latter. Posting guest testimonials that reveal guest experiences gives those looking to book your property more information to go off as they figure out where they’re going to stay. Better yet, it tells them more about you as a host, highlighting the check-in and stay experience, how communicative you are, and whether you met the needs of people who have stayed in the past. Social proof is always a strong selling point.
Use the Tips Above to Improve Your Airbnb Listing by Leaps and Bounds
Learning how to write an effective Airbnb listing isn’t too difficult, especially when you examine successful properties that are consistently booked. By implementing some of the changes mentioned above, you can transform a property that receives little attention into one that attracts more activity throughout the year. By leveraging best practices and utilizing the resources Airbnb provides to hosts, you can create listings that stand out to potential guests.
