How to Build the Best AirBnB Listing
Essential Strategies for Success
There’s no arguing with the fact that Airbnb is the king of the short-term rental world. According to a study done by Transparent, over half of global vacation rental inventory is listed solely on Airbnb, and it’s more often than not the first place that many people go when they’re searching for vacation rentals. That’s why you should put tons of time and effort into crafting your Airbnb listing–not only will it help you get more visibility, but it can also help you to earn more revenue from your short-term rental.
In this blog, we’ll highlight some of the best ways to build a successful Airbnb listing for your vacation rental.
Putting Your Best Foot Forward: Professional Photography for Your Airbnb Listing
The first and perhaps most important part of building a successful Airbnb listing begins with professional photography. If you’re just starting out on your own, without a property management company to guide you through the process, it can seem like a huge expense to hire a professional photographer for your short-term rental. Many owners decide to just go the cheaper route and take cell phone photos of their property, but often this can backfire, especially if your listing is brand new and in need of reviews.
The main reason to spring for professional photography is this: when it comes down to it, Airbnb is mainly a visual medium, and pictures are worth a thousand words. While your property description, location, and amenities do play a part, most of the user base on the site will pay the most attention to property photos, so it’s important to put your best foot forward in order to attract the right guests to your rental property. If you can, spring for the professionals to come out and capture your property in beautiful, well-lit photos, and it’ll pay off big time in the long run.
When creating your listing, choose the best five photos of your property to put first, the ones that you think will help your home stand out the most on Airbnb. These first photos will show up in your full listing once a user clicks on your property, and if your photos are attractive and alluring enough to potential guests, you’ll find your calendar booked up in almost no time at all.
Don’t Forget to Stage Your Property
Before your photography session is scheduled, there’s one important task to take care of: staging the house. Although it’s fine to list your property as-is, you’ll quickly find that the competition is stiff and you’ll be competing against other owners whose homes are perfectly-staged in each and every property photo.
To stand out from the crowd, it’s important to take some time to make your home as welcoming as possible to potential guests. This means cleaning up any personal belongings that might make a guest feel uncomfortable, like family photos, and making the space as minimal as possible so just about any guest can imagine themselves staying there.
Time to Shine: Creating A Great Headline, Summary, and Listing Description for Your Airbnb Listing
The third aspect of creating an effective Airbnb listing is to craft an expertly-written headline, summary, and listing description for your property. If you’re someone who loves to work with words, now is your time to shine. But even if you’re not an expert wordsmith, it doesn’t take too much extra effort to create an effective description that will draw in guests.
First impressions matter and your headline and listing summary should be written in such a way that potential guests are enticed to learn more about the property. The first step is to craft a compelling headline that will tempt guests, one that highlights the key benefits of staying at your property. If you have incredible mountain views, be sure to mention that in your headline, such as “2BD Retreat with Great Mountain Views”. There is a character limit to your headline, so ensure you keep it short and to the point. Similarly, your property summary should include a few of the advantages of staying at your rental property, offering potential guests a compelling glimpse into what it would be like to live in your neck of the woods.
Finally, your listing description is not to be forgotten, as it is essentially the heart of any successful Airbnb listing. This is where you can let loose, describing in full all of the benefits of booking your property and the journey your guests will go on if they decide to book with you. Take your guests on a mini-walkthrough the home and pen down each and every amenity they’ll find in the space, highlighting key features that make the property stand out, such as mountain views, ski in/ski out, hot tubs or pools, or any other standout amenities that your home offers. One important objective in your description is to strive to balance the more informational parts with those that will create an emotional connection with your guests.
Creating an Airbnb Listing Doesn’t Have to Be an Onerous Task
Crafting a successful Airbnb listing requires a blend of creativity, attention to detail, and a deep understanding of what guests desire, but if you implement these strategies, you’ll be well on your road to Airbnb success.
For more short-term rental tips and tricks, check out our blog, where we’ve written up quite a few great guides, including a first-timer's guide to owning a vacation rental or our blog on landscaping your rental property like a pro.