The Airbnb Secret Sauce

There are always people advertising that they can improve your success on Airbnb, assuring hosts that they can help you attract more bookings.

Unless they are Brian Chesky - the Airbnb CEO - scroll on - there is no need to buy their services and in reality they can't do anything you can't!

There are a number of simple things you can do to maximise your opportunities on Airbnb and they are neither rocket science nor only possible by some guru you pay.

AI Keeps Changing The Game

It's true Airbnb's algorithm has evolved again but it changes all the time - everyday with every search and interaction AND it will keep evolving with the leverage and personalisation that AI offers.

Thanks to AI it can and does increasingly tailor guest search results based on each guests behaviour, travel history and browsing habits. Unlike most platforms that use static ranking models Airbnb's is dynamic and as personalised as they can make it - and becoming more personalised by day

No host needs to pay someone to tweak their listing in the hope that they can improve bookings - firstly you will never know whether the changes they made actually did drive new bookings - secondly you can easily do anything that is worth doing. AND the ultimate "secret sauce" is in your hands.

What You Can Do?

1. Make sure the Listing Name and Description uses every available character as efficiently as possible to target key words that guests like to use in searches for your property's location. Helping to create this is a great use of ChatGPT

2. Make sure you list all your amenities and check they are as up to date as possible. Airbnb add new categories or items all the time. Don't exagerate Be Honest!

3. There is lots of evidence to demonstrate that hosts using a channel manager and dynamic pricing tools perform better than the host using static pricing and no channel management system. I do not know if airbnb prioritises these properties but it wouldn't surprise me given the higher revenue and guest feedback of "professional" hosts. "Professional" is their segmentation not mine! We use both and outperform our markets by more than 40%.

4. Respond to guests promptly it is a key metric used by Airbnb in its assessment of Hosts so you can assume the confidence a responsive host affords Airbnb will be prioritised.

5. Use professional high-res photos and add a description to each including local area features that add value like parks, beaches or stadia.

6. Adding instant book is reputed to add a 15% visibility boost - which if you have a channel manager and dynamic pricing only diminishes your work load so you have time to tweak your listing and add some descriptions to your photos.

7. If you outsource hosting then stay on top of them - ask questions to make sure they know what they need to do - make sure they offer the chance for points of differentiation. As an owner host I love the fact that most properties we compete with are operated by hosting companies - they follow a formula and therefore restrict the experience possible.

   
   

All of these are helpful but there is one which eclipses all of them...

Secret Sauce

Ensure your guests have such a great experience that they want to take the time to leave a review which encourages other people book.

This is the real secret sauce - change your paradigm if necessary - adopt a mindset that is absolutely fixated on the guest experience.

Your guest reviews are THE key metric and they will ensure that Airbnb prioritize you and your property because they want happy guests who become advocates of Airbnb.

As I said not rocket science!

NB - If you don't know that Airbnb has moved well beyond "Superhost" read the "Beyond Superhost".

Airbnb's own hierarchy is the most important factor!