With the Vacation Rental and AirBnB industry becoming ever more competitive, hosts are constantly looking for new ways to stand out. Hosting is a really demanding job, and unlike a bunch of other professions and gigs, there really isn’t that much content and support when it comes to figuring out what the best things to do are. That’s why we’re going to be writing more and more blog posts and AirBnB hosting guides, to help you guys out as much as possible.
We’re here today to talk about three particularly impactful ideas hosts can implement to master hosting and get more bookings.
Having a great online presence is key to getting tons of bookings. Building a website is a great first step, but almost more importantly is having a Facebook or Instagram page. Many travelers are relying on social media to get travel ideas, and being visible there is a great way to advertise your listing. Put up lots of nice pictures, experience ideas, and stuff like local recommendations.
It’s also really important to have easily accessible contact information. Make sure they can contact you about booking and trip questions, and make sure that links to your AirBnB listing are all over the place! You want to make it as easy as possible for them to find that AirBnB listing and book!
Business customers are often the most lucrative and least demanding. They’re busy, book on short notice, and generally the least interested in experiences and fun amenities. They want to be close to where they’re job or conference is, and basically want a comfortable place to sleep, prepare, and work.
Being able to offer business related amenities such as super-fast and reliable internet, workspaces (desk, recliner, etc.), steamer and clothes iron so their wardrobe is always fresh, and bathroom essentials like shampoo, conditioner, and soap. They don’t have the time to go out and get these for themselves.
Businesses will book regardless of price, and the average business customer stays around 6-7 days. Longer than the typical weekend and vacation customer! Not to mention that they generally stay during weekdays, which are less popular with leisure travelers.
Business travelers are also far more hassle free, and will almost never do anything to damage or dirty up your short term rental!
There’s a wide variety of AirBnB travelers. Many are simply looking for the best deal they can find, but there’s a large number of potential guests who are primarily in search of an authentic experience. AirBnB has been rolling out their ‘experiences’ program where hosts can create guided or unguided experiences.
These are basically itineraries and tours which guests can take part in. There’s an infinite number of flavors these can have, from bar crawls to hikes to art tours. Whatever your specific case may be, these experiences are highly sought after by guests and present a real opportunity to stand out and snag some of those high-value bookings.