Having trouble getting the hang of things? How can you optimize the filling of your rental calendar for your listing on Airbnb?
So you’ve taken the plunge and are ready to make a splash on Airbnb? The only downside is that the clientele isn’t exactly pouring in, and you’re wondering whether you made the right choice by spending a few hundred euros to renovate the room, studio, apartment or villa you’d like to rent on the platform. To help you out of this predicament, here are a few tips to optimize the filling of your Airbnb calendar.
How can you optimize the filling of your calendar?
Optimizing the filling of your Airbnb calendar more or less boils down to doing everything possible to ensure that travelers are interested in your accommodation, rather than that of your competitors. In short, that’s what it’s all about. But in practice, how do you make your accommodation more attractive? The secret lies in a few pillars, which are detailed below.
Offer a unique listing and accommodation worthy of a 5-star hotel
We can’t say it often enough: the secret to success on Airbnb is to publish a well-crafted ad that stands out from the crowd. Here are a few tips to help you do just that:
- Choose a home in the best possible location,
- Write a unique description,
- Opt for professional photographs instead of those taken with your smartphone,
- Offer the right price (useAirDNA).
Positive reviews
Because location and beautiful photos of your property aren’t everything, travelers and potential tenants also look at the reviews and comments of your ad. That’s why it’s vital to have only positive reviews. And when it comes to this, Airbnb and Booking don’t allow you to cheat: it’s not possible to delete or hide reviews. As a result, a negative review or a derogatory comment will remain attached to your ad throughout its existence on the platform.
Clearly, no host knows whether he’ll get good or bad reviews. However, being clear about what you’re offering, being loyal to your tenants and, above all, being close to your potential tenants are the keys to getting positive reviews for every stay.
Be warm, available and open to conversation. Be flexible about travelers’ requests. Avoid disputes, or find common ground in the event of a dispute, and you’re sure to have loyal, regular tenants. But above all, positive reviews. Good reviews encourage travelers to trust your ad. This trust is then translated into bookings, and then into optimized filling of your Airbnb calendar.
Finally, don’t forget to always respond to negative reviews to learn more about the reasons for the review. Just to show future tenants who read everything on your ad, that you take the time to listen to those who trust you by renting out your property on Airbnb or Booking.
Free services
To set yourself apart from the competition, offer free services. Airbnb charges for almost everything. Offering breakfast or a bottle of wine always attracts more guests. This heartwarming gesture won’t cost you more than €10. Who could resist a touch of attention from the host who opens the doors of his home to us?
Attract last-minute bookings
Many travelers book at the last minute. So it’s important to be flexible when it comes to last-minute bookings. This gives you a certain advantage over hosts who require reservations to be made within 48 to 24 hours of arrival.
By making your home accessible 24/7, you can potentially increase its occupancy rate by an average of 20%. Which is far from negligible. What’s more, Airbnb automatically improves the listing of accommodations with flexible accessibility.
Uncompromising price monitoring
The final secret to optimizing your Airbnb calendar fill is quite logical. You need to keep a close eye on your competitors’ prices. Static prices throughout the year devalue your listing, while prices that fluctuate according to the season, booking peaks and above all the competition make your listing dynamic.
This not only increases the attractiveness of your listing (and therefore your accommodation), but also its referencing on Airbnb. All this translates into a higher occupancy rate for your calendar.