“Critique my listing - Farm-stay, Philadelphia, MO, USA”.

[Carrie643]

As a Newbie host, I need objective help with our main photo . We have a lovely little remote farm get away here, the location is very private, surrounded by woodland and fields, our farmhouse cottage is cosy and clean with wood stove and woodland deck. Decor theme is 'farm to table living' which I've focused the decor and experience on - providing a farm cooked breakfast etc. However here is my problem - the outside of the property just doesn't capture this... the siding is mismatch in colour and style and to me, doesn't look very cute) its not something I can change very soon... would any of you advise to put an internal photo, or an arial photo as the main photo or just go with what we have got? If any of you have come across other properties similar in theme to what I'm going for ( that I can take inspiration from in terms of external presentation) I'd appreciate seeing any photos/links... thanks so much for sharing your experience and wisdom!!
The little pallet farmhouse

here is the link to our listing. 
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1238510140085975282?check_in=2025-01-14&check_out=2025-01-16&guests=2&a...

[Sky389]

Hi Carrie. Thanks for letting us review your listing. I think the exterior of your house is super cute and would not worry too much about it.  However, there are things that you may want to change:

-The tall plant in your picture looks like it needs more life and perhaps you may want to remove it or put it somewhere else.

-I would move the couch to face the TV as it would open up the room more. Replace the console where the TV sits with the white console behind the couch.

-Your dining pics are lovely. Show things like your pots/pans. Provide a variety of spices.

-In the bedroom, hang the solid curtain to the same height as the curtain next to it. The brown throw looks a bit sloppy and you have too many pics of the main bedroom.

-Your deck looks really nice but it also looks unfinished which may deter people with kids.

-LOVE the pics with the pigs and other farm animals. Perhaps you may want to include this in your listing - something like, meet the pigs, chickens, etc.

-Bathroom - take pic without showing the toilet paper.

-Are you pet friendly? If you are, you should include that because you have a lot of outdoor space.

-Where is the hot tub, BBQ, board games, or fire pit? You mention it but there are no pics of them.

Make sure that you provide your first three guests with a discount so Air can show your listing to more people. Hope this is helpful.

Sky

[Carrie643]

Hey @Sky389 Thanks for taking the time out to send feedback, I really appreciate honest perspective... things that you start to 'not see' like the sorry Avocado tree and the bathroom bulbs / antlers etc - when you see them every day, they just start to blend in!  I didn't even think about how they would impact a guess impression, but it would totally impact my impression of someone else's place!! Lol...I've been making notes and compiling a to do list so thank you, its very helpful and practical feedback. 

Lol my husband would laugh if I read him your comments - we have debated the layout of the living room many times, the problem is that 'that couch' is really too big for the room and if I put it the other way it actually takes up the full wall and gets too close to the fire, I think I need to put it on Craigs list and see about a smaller one that can be positioned more aesthetically. Its on my list....

yes the deck needs finishing - we just got the wood for the rail as the snow came in so its top priority and we can get better outdoor shots including the bbq area etc. as mentioned. 

We have debated making the farm interactive but not sure if we are covered insurance wise so that's why I held back on the 'experience' aspect of it. I think I need to cut my teeth on a few simple bookings before we explore the world of farm adventures lol...  But because we have so many animals we are not a good place to bring pets just from a liability perspective and also our own dog is a livestock guardian so might see other dogs as a threat to the farm... but I get it, it looks like we should be!! Maybe I need to represent this in the description some how.... 

Thanks for the note on the discount - I didn't realise that Air bnb would push it more with a discount... for sure I will look into that. 

I'm so encouraged by the hosting community on this forum, its been such a wonderful way of getting some great tips and advice. Thankyou again for reaching out

best wishes

Carrie 

[Μηνάς0]

Hi Carrie!

First off, I absolutely love your property—it looks like such a charming and peaceful retreat! You've done a fantastic job curating the “farm-to-table living” experience, and I’m sure guests will be drawn to that unique touch.

Regarding your main photo, I agree that it’s essential to choose one that best captures the essence of your listing. Since the exterior siding isn’t your favorite, I’d suggest using an internal photo or an aerial shot as the main image. For internal photos, highlight a cozy space, like the wood stove or a beautifully set table with farm-fresh details. For aerial photos, ensure the surroundings—woodlands, fields, and privacy—shine through. Both options will set the right tone and intrigue potential guests. For inspiration tray to ad some photos that show to the guest what he is going to experience in the property , like a kitchen in a cooking mode setup ( ex. like you are at the middle of cooking or having a table set for dinner or enjoying a cup of cocoa by the fire) try to pass to the guest filings and emotions. 

 Focus on how they use angles, lighting, and staging to emphasize their property's charm.

Lastly, I noticed a couple of minor details in your photos: in the bathroom, there’s a bag of toilet paper in front of the sink—removing it could give a cleaner, more polished look. Also, the lightbulb colors differ slightly. Matching the tones (e.g., warm white) would create a more cohesive and inviting feel.

You’ve done a wonderful job already, and I’m sure with a few tweaks, your listing will be irresistible! Keep up the great work! 😊

[Carrie643]

Hey @Μηνάς0 Thankyou for your kind and encouraging review of our property!! I have had some wonderful insight and feedback shared and have a long list of revisions to make to the staging and photos! I confess that the things that you start to 'not see' like the sorry Avocado tree and the bathroom bulbs / toilet paper etc - when you see them every day, they just start to blend in and you forget they are there !  I didn't even think about how they would impact a guess impression, but it would totally impact my impression of someone else's place!! Lol...I've been making notes and compiling a to do list so thank you, its very helpful and practical feedback. 

The bathroom bulbs are on my list, and I love the idea of some experiential photos - maybe the fire when its lit etc, I totally see what you are saying, thank you!! 

We do have an aerial shot that I can include and also when the recent snow clears we can get some better shots of the deck and outside area, maybe a shot of the table set up and looking out onto the deck with the doors open in spring.... 

From all the feedback I have a much clearer idea of what to aim for, immediate tweaks I can make and then what to aim for as we go forward. Its been so helpful! 

thank you again for your feedback

best wishes

Carrie 

[Emilie]

Hi @Carrie643, 

Congratulations on getting started, how is it going so far for you?

Several other hosts have shared a lot of feedback and suggestions for you (thank you everyone for your input), it would be wonderful to hear what you think, and what edits -if any- you decide to implement! 

Looking forward to hearing from you. 🙂

Emilie

[Carrie643]

Hi @Emilie Wow, what an awesome introduction I have had to such a wonderful community of hosts on this forum! It has enabled me to make a very focused 'to-do' list with a llist of revisions to improve my listing both in the short term and also bigger picture. I have work to do!!

I think I have now replied to each and everyones awesome feedback so time for me to get to work on improvements! 

Feeling much encouraged and hugely supported! 

Thanks to everyone

Best wishes

Carrie 

[Karen114]

@Carrie643  Cute place!  I would add your amenities to your headlines. Here's an example :

Farm Stay Fire Pit Hot Tub  Wooded Private Deck  

Looks like you could use some pro pics and staging.  Not sure about the deer antlers, it would not bother me as my dad was a big hunter, but it may offend others. 

I put your description through Chat GPT and here's what it spit out. 

Escape to our enchanting farm stay with loads of rustic charm. Nestled amidst serene woodlands, our cozy farm cottage invites you to start your day with a fresh cup of coffee on the treetop deck, surrounded by the soothing whispers of nature. Indulge in a hearty breakfast crafted from ingredients grown right here on the farm, bursting with farm-to-table freshness. As evening falls, gather around the crackling fire pit, grill up a delicious meal on the BBQ, and let the stars light up your night

Love the pics of all the farm animals, so cute! 

[Carrie643]

Hey @Karen114 

Thanks so much for your encouragement and feedback! I have been making detailed notes from all the advice, thoughts and ideas... I hear you on the antlers, we may move them for a better aesthetic... lol my father in law just brought me a set of long horns!! - its the country setting we live in!!

I've actually revised a few of the photos for short term and I'm working towards a better splash shot of the table set for dinner with view onto the deck as the main photo... I love what chat GPT returned, makes it feel very experiential - thank you for taking the trouble to do that, its a great idea and a great way to employ the tool! I have cut and paste the text for later 🙂 

I had noticed some other properties had more descriptive headings. The little pallet farmhouse is our brand name ( social and farmers market) but I don't suppose it really matters being the title of the air bnb. You seem to have a good head for marketing and branding... maybe you have further thoughts on that?!?

Thanks again for reaching out and for taking the time to offer such thoughtful advice. 

Best wishes

Carrie 

[Karen114]

@Carrie643  Putting your property name in the title is good if you have your own website and are hoping to get the prospective guest to seek you out on Google and book direct.  If you're not doing direct bookings,  it's best to have your amenities in the title to attract the guests' attention. 

If you do have a website with your property name, I would save that for all your socail media pages. 

Chat GPT is an invaluable tool for creating headlines, listing descriptions etc.  I use it almost daily.  It comes in especially handy when needing to respond to a subpar review or even responding to a guest that you are stuck on how to respond. 

[Carrie643]

Makes sense @Karen114  I'm starting on my revisions now! Thankyou so much once again for your insights! And I'll remember that tip for responding to guests -super smart idea- lol!!