You know how special your space is, but it can be challenging to make yours stand out among the millions of listings on Airbnb. An easy way to tell more people about your listing is to name your space and personalize your listing by creating a custom link—a unique web address that captures the essence of your property and makes it simpler for potential guests to find and book your space.
To get you started, we’re sharing the inspiration behind some of the most creative custom web addresses hosts have made so far, along with their top tips.
Who can create a personalized web address?
Any host on Airbnb can create their very own web address for their listing. Access to these personalized web addresses is available in all 62 languages supported by Airbnb, but the links themselves are only available in English characters.
Though anyone can browse your listing by typing your unique link into their web address bar, the link will redirect to your default Airbnb listing link that ends with a string of numbers. So, don’t be confused if your personalized web address changes once you type it into your web address bar.
How do I come up with a personalized web address?
Consider asking friends or family to share their favorite aspects of your property, and explore their ideas. “There was definitely a brainstorming session,” says Superhost Priscilla of Atlanta, who created unique web addresses for her three properties: blue-atlanna, yellow-atlanna, and visitatlanna (which is an Airbnb Plus listing).
“In Atlanta, the locals don't say ‘Atlanta’ but some rendition of ‘Atlanna’ or ‘Atlannuh,’” Priscilla says. “My best friend, Johnny, and I came up with ‘Visit Atlanna’ because it was literal yet cheeky enough to build a brand around.” Same goes for her other two colorful apartments in the heart of Midtown East, each of which are true to their name.
How do I create my unique web address?
Follow these three simple steps:
- Go to Listings in your Airbnb app or on the Airbnb site.
- Click on the listing that you’d like to create your very own web address for.
- Scroll down past the photo and location sections to Custom Link, and click the Edit button to make your link.
What should I do with my personalized web address?
What you choose as your link can be an attention-grabbing way to reveal a little more of your personality as a host. Just like the title of your listing on Airbnb, your web address should be short and sweet—100 characters is the maximum, but shorter is easier to remember.
We asked some Superhosts who have already made their web addresses to share the inspiration behind the catchy names they chose. Here are their top tips for making a great web address:
- Find a way to be unforgettable. “We wanted a custom link that was memorable and short enough to tell people,” says Superhost Steve of Winter Park, Colorado. He was inspired by the towering figure that stands outside his five-bedroom house: a 20-foot-tall bear statue that’s carved from a tree trunk. “I wanted to get in early to pick the link [bear-shadow] before anyone else chose it,” he says.
- Highlight something unique about your space. For instance, alohamaui is an Airbnb Plus property in the middle of the beach scene in South Maui, Hawaii. The web address tells guests which island the one-bedroom condo is on, and “aloha,” the Hawaiian word for hello—as well as love, peace, and compassion—offers a playful vibe.
- Embrace your creative side—you don’t have to be literal. Take mojavemoon, a two-bedroom house in Yucca Valley, California, near Joshua Tree National Park. This web address alludes to its location in the Mojave Desert, which is ideal for stargazing.
- Help set expectations for guests with adjectives. In London, atmospheric-bloomsbury-flat is a one-bedroom that’s flooded with natural light, complete with an inviting desk overlooking a lush Bloomsbury park. Mentioning the neighborhood with the evocative use of the word “atmospheric” helps potential guests picture their stay right away.
- Use numbers sparingly. All personalized web addresses must contain at least one letter, but since the default Airbnb listing link automatically ends with a string of numbers, words are your friend. You could sprinkle a number or two into your web address, especially if it refers to the number of bedrooms or something historical about your space, like the year it was built.
- Promote your personalized web address far and wide. Some creative ways of sharing your custom link include printing it on business cards, adding it to your email signature, listing it on your Instagram profile page and other social media accounts, and putting it on any other marketing materials you have for your listing. Superhost Callie of Duluth, Georgia, says her unique web address (schoolhousecottage) has made life a little less complicated. “I use it on my Instagram,” she says. “It’s so much easier to have that as the link rather than using the whole long thing.”
- Don’t underestimate word-of-mouth promotion. “My mom writes [an annual] Christmas letter,” Callie says. “The last two years, she's wanted the web address for [my Airbnb listing]. This year, it was so much easier because I had the custom link.” And that doesn’t just apply to the printed word: “I've also been able to verbally tell people when I'm talking with friends or out to dinner,” Callie adds.
- Keep in mind there are a few things you can’t include. The full policy is here, but links can’t use some words, such as “verified” or "Airbnb.” They also can’t be fewer than three characters, or use symbols or punctuation (except hyphens). Though you can use generic property types or locations in your link—apartment, cabin, Paris, Mexico, and the like—you can’t use only those words. Figuring out what to add is the fun part!
A personalized web address can make it easier for guests to find your listing, and having one can be another way for you to stand out as a host. Or as Superhost John, who chose alohamaui, says: “It’s nice to just be able to give someone a link that’s easier to remember than a bunch of numbers.”
Ready to create your own personalized web address? We can’t wait to find out what you dream up. For more inspiration, check out how one Superhost attracted more than 100,000 followers on Instagram with a clever name and social media strategy.
Updated: March 2nd
