Airbnb Hosting Guide

Airbnb Hosting Guide – How to Maintain Occupancy Throughout the Year

Airbnb has provided a great opportunity for investors and those seeking passive income to host their properties short-term. You might think that if you invest in an ideal property you are set. Well, not quite that simple. Read this Airbnb hosting guide to discover all you need to know.

Choosing the right property is only the first step and you will have to follow a few other strategies to maintain full occupancy year-round. If you talk to fellow hosts, they will tell you about the challenges they face in attracting guests. 

The ultimate aim of every Airbnb host is to make sure that their properties are occupied all year round. Here is an Airbnb hosting guide to help you with that and enhance the occupancy throughout the year. 

Choose the Right Location 

Just because you own a property in the middle of somewhere, you can’t list it on Airbnb and expect visitors. The first step in Airbnb hosting guide to increase occupancy is choosing the right location and this step begins even before you list on Airbnb. There are two simple ways in this Airbnb hosting guide that will help you decide on a good spot: either a tourist destination or a city that brings in businesspeople.  You could also choose spacious villas or bungalows in cities as people will prefer such places for celebrations, parties or weekend getaways. You must also make sure that the property is easily accessible and other factors like – walkable from the beach, metro station, etc are added benefits. You must also check if a particular location has a demand for more accommodations. There are very few chances to have year-round bookings if your property is in an area where a lot of providers operate. 

Competitive Pricing 

Once you find your property, the next thing in the Airbnb hosting guide is for you to ensure the correct pricing. Check out all the other property listings in the neighborhood and try to price yours accordingly. Make sure your price is competitive yet profitable. Also, consider the type of amenities offered by you and the others while pricing. 

Most hosts make the mistake of setting a single price for their property throughout the year. So make sure you regularly update your price. Airbnb allows you to quote two different prices for the weekends and weekdays. Make use of this feature. You can also change your pricing for every night. Use this option to price according to the season. If your property is in a popular hill station, then you can expect more bookings during summer and you can change the prices. Also, during popular holidays like New Year, you can increase the price as people will be ready to spend more. Likewise, decrease your prices during the off-season to maintain occupancy. 

If you have good reviews and high ratings, people will tend to choose your place even if it is priced slightly higher than the other competitors. At the same time, if you are a new host, offer discounts to attract guests and thereby increase your ratings. 

Become a Superhost 

The most successful properties on Airbnb are those managed by super hosts. This super host status is like the Instagram verified tick or Amazon’s Choice label. Your potential customers automatically gain a sense of trust. 

In order to reach the status of the super host, Airbnb needs you to reach or maintain certain requirements. 

  • Maintain an overall rating of 4.8;
  • Maintain a 50% review rate; 
  • Complete 3 reservations within 100 nights; 
  • Maintain a response rate of 90%;
  • Maintaining no/ minimal cancellations. 

Also, Airbnb has a system that offers increased visibility to super hosts not just on the website or app, but in advertisements, suggestions, etc. It also makes people believe that your property is better than the rest and that’s why you have superhost status.

Instant Booking 

The instant booking option is the simplest and greatest way for you to fill your calendar. If people are looking for accommodation at the last minute, this instant booking option will literally save you! The latest data has shown that there is a chance to earn 52 percent more by just turning on this instant booking option. You also have good chances of your property going up in the search list when you turn on the instant book feature. When you think about this feature from the perspective of the customers, it is very convenient for them; they don’t have to wait for your confirmation and can book faster.

However, most hosts feel concerned about activating this option as it could cause certain issues. But you can also take steps to overcome them, for example, you can make sure you specify that guests who fail to provide authentic identity proof will not be allowed to book. Hosts are allowed to cancel reservations without paying any penalty. You can make use of this if you find that the guests are not appropriate. 

Offer Amenities that Stand Out 

Most hosts make mistakes when it comes to the amenities they offer. Remember one of the Airbnb hosting guide principles that the more useful amenities you offer, the more chances you have to stand apart from your competitors. In order to get this part right, you first need to identify who are the typical guests for your property. Are they couples? Businesspeople? Groups of friends? Or family? This will help you furnish your property suitably and also provide the required amenities. In case of a vacation or long stays, guests will expect facilities like a kettle, oven/stove, refrigerator or dryer. You can avoid some of these features if your property mainly attracts businesspeople. Above all, don’t forget good quality WiFi. 

Upload Professional Photographs 

In most cases, the guests will be from out of town and will be unable to check your property in person before booking it. Since your potential guests will have to decide to stay at your property solely based on the information you provide on the site, it is up to you to make sure that your listing looks catchy and promising. If you don’t own a good camera, it is best to hire a professional. Make sure you have pictures of everything: exterior, bedrooms, living room, dining room, bathrooms and other facilities like swimming pools or gardens if any. When you think about it, photos are the most important thing on your listing to attract guests. 

Why do hosts face a poor number of bookings?

If you are struggling to take bookings or impress guests, there are a number of things that could have gone wrong on your part. Here are a few common mistakes as per our Airbnb hosting guide that hosts make and a few tips to help you overcome those.

Property Condition 

Cleanliness is one of the prime features that any guest would expect. If your property is not clean, you are bound to receive a bad review, which will prove disastrous for your business. Make sure that bedding, mats, and towels are cleaned after each stay and that only fresh ones are given to new guests. Make sure the cupboards, drawers, and dustbins are checked and cleaned before new guests arrive. Also sometimes, the lights or power sockets may be faulty and issues like this usually annoy guests. In case your property has a swimming pool, take care to clean it regularly. Always make sure your property is neat and clean, and this will gain you good reviews as well. 

As per Airbnb hosting guide, poor lighting, worn-out paint, cheap furniture, and smelly rooms are a bad sign and people would not even consider your place as an option. Guests would appreciate it if there is a sense of aesthetics that will make the property more appealing. Especially when you own big villas or bungalows, hire an interior designer to make the place seem colorful and lively. If you own properties on popular tourist spots, you really need to match up to the standards! 

Use scented candles or room fresheners to make your property extra sweet! 

Amenities 

Nowadays, everyone expects a good WiFi connection wherever they stay. Also, make sure you try to offer WiFi free of cost or at the minimal fee possible. Make sure you offer other basic amenities like kettle, tea/coffee sachets, refrigerators, hairdryers, etc. In the case of big villas or bungalows, make sure the kitchen is fully equipped with utensils, stove, oven, etc. The more useful amenities you offer, there are more chances for people to choose your property. 

Take a look at the properties listed close to you and try to make up for their missing amenities! It is a great way to put yourself a step ahead of the competition.  

Photography 

It is of utmost importance to make sure the photographs you upload are genuine and are not deceptive in any way. 

In addition to this, poor quality photos or a lack of photos can also reflect badly on your property’s performance. For example, some listings have very limited pictures of just the exterior and surroundings. This is not enough for the person to choose the place. So make sure you display good quality ample pictures. 

Conclusion

In addition to the above listed Airbnb hosting guide methods to increase occupancy, there are other ways as well. Ask your guests to leave reviews after their stay. More reviews will not only help you gain superhost status, but also help people to make informed choices while booking. In order to gain favorable reviews, you need to maintain a good standard. Always make sure you respond to potential guests in an instant; when you give a delayed response, there are good chances that your guests have already moved on to another property. Revamp your property often and make sure it is updated to suit the needs of today’s traveler. Airbnb automation wth Airbnb management software can help you with that

Always remember that the key to being a good host is a perpetual process and not a one-time solution. So make the best of your property that will guarantee a memorable stay for your guests!