Airbnb Bookings Down?
You’re looking at your calendar and it’s blank. It happens to all of us, but what do you do to fix the problem? We will discuss the 7 things that I do when my bookings are down, or I just have that nagging feeling that something is about to go wrong.
Add More Amenities And Discounts
We are not only talking about the luxury soap you have in the bathroom but the things that you have on your listing itself. The more amenities you can check off, the more the Airbnb algorithm will push your listing to be seen. Highlight all of the amazing features your home has to offer to attract more guests during the booking process!
Discounts are a great way to catch the eye of potential guests. You may be hesitant to put discounts all over your listing, but they don’t have to be huge. Smaller discounts for monthly bookings, long-term, and extended stays are a great way to push people to book. It will help you to fill your calendar and put you at ease knowing you have some reservations for a few weeks at a time in the future.
Use Dynamic Smart Pricing
Airbnb has smart pricing that you can toggle on at the click of a button. Ask yourself, are people coming to stay at your Airbnb during the week for work, is it a weekend destination, or both? Whatever it may be, adjust your pricing based on what you see other listings around you are doing.
If your Airbnb is priced more than 30% outside of the range that you are seeing for competitors, you should consider staying within that range – this is all about getting the Airbnb algorithm to help promote your listing.
Update Your Photos in your Airbnb Listing
Has your house changed since you last put photos up of your listing? Is the landscaping different or is it currently a new season than what your photos are showing? Updating the photos will help to portray your home accurately for people who are coming to stay.
When taking photos of your home, hire a professional photographer! We can’t stress enough how much better your listing will look with professional photos vs images from your iPhone.
Update Your Airbnb Listing Title
How does the listing title for your home sound? You don’t need to be too technical, Airbnb likes to be specific but also favors descriptive words. Add some updated words and details to your listing. People like to be transported into the space that they’re booking, so get creative and help them do just that!
Respond Quickly And Enthusiastically To Inquires
When people reach out and have questions, if you don’t respond almost immediately it puts doubts in their minds about how you are going to be as a host during their stay.
When a potential guest sends a message, thank them for reaching out, answer the question, and let them know that you are always there to help. This tells them you are not only dependable and a great resource during the booking process, but most importantly if they decide to book then they have more confidence in what their stay is going to be like.
Allow Pets in your Short-Term Rental
This is one of the most requested and searched features for people traveling in the United States. If you allow pets in your Airbnb, it will immediately set you apart from the competition. Hosting pets is a great feature and is one of the top ways to increase bookings.
People that travel and have pets love to bring them along for the ride. The trend has only gotten stronger since the pandemic and will continue as people are working from home.
You do have to be prepared and have the right mindset for your home when hosting pets, so be sure that you are ready to take this step as an Airbnb host.
Get Five-Star Reviews – Become a superhost
After making all of these changes to your Airbnb listing, you need to get five-star reviews. If you have had guests in the past and are not receiving reviews, be sure to send them a message and ask them to leave one. As hosts, we always appreciate the feedback. If your guests had a great time during their visit, they will not mind leaving you a positive review.
In Conclusion
When your Airbnb bookings are down, don’t panic, just be prepared to make some changes to get back on track. If you are doing all of these things and getting five-star reviews, the Airbnb algorithm is going to start favoring your listing and will help promote which will lead to your calendar filling up!
