New hosts trying to learn every day.

[Brian-and-Clara0]

Hi everyone, may we ask for your feedback to know what do you think and can have idea to add, positively, for our place. What do you think about our pictures and the main description of the place and rules? Another thing is, how long do you spend to get your first booking?

Listing link: Home in Lottsburg · ★New · 2 bedrooms · 5 beds · 1 bath

 

 

Thank you for that.  We appreciate it. 

[Listing link added by OCM]

[Joe771]

@Brian-and-Clara0 You have a great place. Here are a few things I noticed right from the start. 

Photos - quality of the pictures. Did you take them with your phone? The lighting seems to be a little off and I would recommend getting professional pictures taken. I would also look are changing your "hero" pic, to a one of the pictures of the water from inside of the property. That is what guest are coming for. I also helps to have descriptions under the photos. 

Description - I would look at rearranging the order of the information. I would put what guest should expect to have when they stay at your place first. Then if you want to talk about the attractions around you put that at the bottom. I would also suggest putting pet friendly in the title, it took me a while to find out that you except pets. That is a big hook for people. Suggestion for title - "Property Name" - Pet Friendly, Water Front. 

I would say you are off to a great start, you just need to change a few things up to hook people and get them interested in your place. 

Good luck!

[Brian-and-Clara0]

@Joe771

Hi, Joe!

We appreciate a lot your feedback, and we will fix your recommendations. Have a great day! 

Brian and Clara

[Mamedie0]

This is all great advice!  I have to chime in, that the description under the photos is too long….and some are not even labeled.  For example, I didn’t realize what I was looking at when I saw the photos of the outdoor shower…it had no description, maybe add shampoo or body soap in the pic so it’s more obvious?  The photo of the round table describes the living room…so it felt confusing: am I looking at a dining room table in the living room, or a separate living room that has a dining table in it? 

The place said it was renovated in 2024…but the kitchen cabinets do not look new.  If I see a listing that says renovated, I expect the kitchen to be renovated as this is the heart of any home.  There may be other areas that have been renovated (maybe new flooring) but guests are not going to really care about that.

 Overall, I agree with @Joe771 

 photography needs to be professional, or at least better quality, and I also noticed there’s too much happening in a lot of pics.  For example, am I supposed to be looking at the water/sky view, the fire pit are, or the hot tub?  Maybe take some individual photos of each that leads up to the whole view.

 Best of luck!

[Joan2709]

@Brian-and-Clara0 

Luv your place!

@Joe771  has already provided great suggestions! This time of year is tough to launch a new Airbnb in a seasonal market (beach properties). Sometimes that can't be helped though. I usually advise clients in seasonal markets to launch a few months before peak season, depending on the size of the property. Larger properties should launch at least 4-6months prior to peak season. Small properties, 2-3 months prior.

Professional Photos

I agree with @Joe771 , it's worth getting professional photos done. The cost is minimal compared to the ROI you'll get in increased bookings and you normally can write off as a business expense. Airbnb states that listings with professional photos get 20% more revenue. Professional photos will also help boost your search rank position (I’m told). It would be a shame not to have high quality photos to highlight all the great aspects of your property. I would definitely get several drone shots. At least one at twilight with all the lights on inside/outside and the outdoor firepit going. Consider string lights on the deck and turn those on too.

Cover Photo

This is the most important photo on your listing. The one you are using is ok, but I agree with @Joe771 that you should use one of the photos showing the water from inside the property or looking out over the water. Market research shows that any cover photo with water in it (hot tub, ocean, river, creek, lake) do very well. Also exterior, twilight shots do very well. A drone shot of the home looking towards the water with all the lights on would work great. For now, I would try one of the photos below as your cover photo until you get professional photos done:

Photo Captions

It’s important to have captions on every photo. Many guests make a booking decision on photos alone. Let the photos tell the story of your listing and anticipate what a guest might want to know about what is depicted in the photo. Answer those questions using your captions/descriptions.

Seasonality

Beach properties struggle in the winter months, as most people don't think of booking them in the winter. I usually suggest changing photos and description in the off-season to entice someone with things they can do in the winter, like gorgeous sunsets and cozy fire. Offer other things to do besides get in the water. You mention a gas fireplace inside, but it's not listed in the amenities and you don't have a photo of it? I would change up your listing description and photos for the different seasons. You have a paragraph about things to do when it’s raining? I would add something about the beautiful sunrises/sunsets, cozy fireplace and things to do from that section higher up in your description in off season:

“ENTERTAINMENT CENTER: But what if it rains? No worries as the home is close to the new "Compass" Center, with 6 screen movie theater, go-carts, mini-golf, and rock climbing. The movie theater seats are some of the most comfortable we have ever seen. Drive 30 min. to the larger town of Kilmarnock for shopping and more dining options.”

Min Stay

Looks like your min stay for weekends is 3 nights. You might consider lowering that to 2nights in the off season. I would try that until you get at least 5 bookings. You need 3 reviews for review stars to show on your thumbnail cover photo in guest searches and hopefully after five 5-star reviews you’ll get guest favorite.

Price

You should be priced about 20% less than your competition as a new listing; at least until you get those 5 reviews.

Listing Completeness - Location Section

You’re missing important information from this section like neighborhood description and getting around. Click the Location Card on the left side of the Listing Editor and complete the sections that appear on the right side.

Amenities – Incomplete?

Your amenities section appears incomplete? There are a lot of little pencil icons that indicate you need to add information. Go through your amenities and add all that info. Also, you mention a gas fireplace inside, but don’t list that in your amenities or have a photo of it? This is an important amenity for guests staying off-season. Suggest you click the (+) sign and then “All” and go through the entire amenities section again. Every amenity counts and all the little edits indicated by the pencil icon count towards what Airbnb calls “Listing Completeness”.

Wishing you much success! Let us know how it goes! 😊

[Brian-and-Clara0]

Thank you for your feedback, @Joe771. Have a great day! 

Brian & Clara

[Radovan5]

Hi @Brian-and-Clara0 great place I must say 🙂 .

I agree with all the things @Joan2709 and @Joe771 said about photos, description and in general.

Best thing for sure are photos done by professionals but if you still want to make your own photos I would also add to use phone with better camera and try to use wide angle for some photos it opens up space especially if some rooms are a bit smaller like bedrooms.

Also I would take photos of bedrooms with natural light so I would suggest that you roll up those venetian blinds and let the sunshine in and then take photos of your bedrooms.

About description I would make it a bit shorter these days people usually don't like to read long descriptions ( unfortunately ) but that's reality so keep it brief. Travelers are often scanning listing descriptions for the features they’re searching for rather than slowly reading.

I also agree with others that you need to have a discount like 20% for first month or two or more  just to attract travelers and get some reviews. 

Hope this helps a bit and good luck. 🙂

[Brian-and-Clara0]

Thank you, @Radovan5!

We appreciate your time. 

Have a great day!

Brian & Clara

[Alin3040]

Very nice!

[Quincy]

Hi @Brian-and-Clara0.  Welcome to the community and to hosting! Your place looks fantastic. I’d love to relax in the hot tub and enjoy the sea view. 🏖

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[Karlis3]

Hi @Brian-and-Clara0 ,
You really do have a beautiful property. Congratulations on setting it up on Airbnb!

(1) PICTURES
I do agree to all previous comments here, but from my personal opinion - your pictures are perfectly fine for initial listing launch and that should not be the reason for you to not get booked. So I would not focus on getting new pictures as the first thing to do on the "To Do" list.

(2) DESCRIPTIONS & TEXTS
What did 'distract' me were the texts - they seem either too long or too difficult to "digest".
In the descriptive parts: you have already used spacing - try adding some monochrome emojis that Airbnb allows, to make your checkpoints/bulletpoints more visible and readable and your descriptions appear more structurized. Add some capitalized headings, some checkmarks etc. Make the text look neat and tidy.
In the captions: all pictures should have some captions. Some captions are too long and again - too difficult and/or too boring to read. Keep it simple, stick to what is shown in the picture.
Your House Rules: do not worry whether they are good or not - those are the Rules of Your House. They cannot be wrong or irrelevant as long as they are reasonable. Just be sure to state everything clearly and precisely! Otherwise the punishment for unclarity in listing depiction and unexpected circumstances is bad reviews from guests. And each review that is lower than 5-stars is a bad review.

(3) PRICING
If you are on a low season currently, you should be lowering "the barrier for entry" as you are competing with the same supply but with a lower demand. So all the tips mentioned before that make you more "competitive" and stand out amongst others will do during a low-season.

(4) TIMING
If none of this works and you still do not seem to get booked enough even after the first weeks, it may be that the timing of your launch was unsuccessful. There is nothing much you can do but.. it will determine your future on the platform. Let me explain.
For each new listing airbnb algorithm gives a 30 day SEO boost during which your listing is shown high (usually on the 1st page) of the search results. If with this artificial boost you manage to 'prove' to the algorithm that guests book your place, then your life after these first 30 days will be much easier (and calendar more booked, of course).
If, on the other hand, with this artificial boost you cannot 'prove' to the algorithm that your place is 'worth booking', then after these 30 days your listing will get dropped somewhere down to lower search result pages where it naturally belongs - among other listings that are fighting for bookings and reviews.
And in this case, if you launch your listing during a low-season with a small demand in the area, it could be difficult to gather those first bookings and prove to the algorithm that your listing has demand. Then I bet you would have a completely different result if you launched few months before high season when people are planning their vacations and trips.
The first 30 days after launch matter. They determine your listing's future right after those 30 days.
So the final advice: if everyting sucks completely, even after the 30 days - close down the listing. Take a vacation and enjoy the place for yourselves. Wait until the low season ends. And launch again from scratch. Only this time - with the perfect timing.

Your property looks great. You not receiving bookings is not your fault or the place's. Those could be some circumstances that you are not aware of yet. In this case, it might be the wrong timing, that's it.
I am sure you can be very successful with your listing.


Hope this helps.
Happy Hosting,
Karlis

[Brian-and-Clara0]

Thank you, @Karlis3.

Good insights! We appreciate it!

Have a great day! 

Brian & Clara

[Oksana127]

Hi there! First off, I just want to say that your place is absolutely beautiful—really inviting and stylish. I love the atmosphere you’ve created!

Here are a few thoughts to enhance the guest experience and potentially increase bookings:

1. Photos and Atmosphere: Your photos look good, but adding a few that capture different times of day, especially with natural light, would give guests a sense of the space’s mood. Including some lifestyle shots (like a cozy coffee setup or an inviting bed with throw blankets and pillows) can add warmth and personality. A close-up of unique details, like any special décor pieces, can also make the listing stand out.

2. Description and Highlights: Your description is informative, but think about highlighting specific experiences guests can have at your place. Instead of focusing only on features, try painting a picture of what guests will feel or experience while staying there. For example, mentioning the perfect spot for morning coffee, or a cozy evening reading nook, can help guests imagine their stay more vividly.

3. House Rules and Expectations: It’s great to be clear on rules, and presenting them in a friendly, welcoming tone helps guests feel comfortable while understanding the expectations. Instead of long paragraphs, try using short bullet points or icons to keep it easy to read.

4. Extra Touches for a Memorable Stay: Small details, like leaving a welcome note or a guide with local recommendations, can go a long way in making your place feel special. Some hosts leave a small local treat or provide coffee/tea as a gesture of hospitality. It creates a lasting impression and can help you get glowing reviews.

5. Patience with First Bookings: Getting the first booking can take a little time as the listing gains visibility. Many hosts find success by starting with a competitive price for the first few guests to build up positive reviews. Also, don’t hesitate to check out Airbnb’s forums and resources—they can be super helpful!

Your place has so much potential, and I’m sure guests will love it. Best of luck, and hope you have your first booking very soon!

[Paula]

Hi @Oksana127 and @Kerubo0, I am tagging @Brian-and-Clara0 here so they receive a notification of your message. This way, we increase the chances of them getting back to us.

Quick tip: To tag someone, tap "@" and select the host's username from the dropdown menu 😊

[Brian-and-Clara0]

Hello!

 @Oksana127 ,@Kerubo0 and @Paula . 

Sorry for our delayed answer. We thank you for give us good tips and advices. 

We are in process to organize our house for the first guest, and it was the reason to answer just now. There are little details, but we are very excited about our bookings and our place. 

Thank you again for spending time to help us. 

Peace and success! 

Clara & Brian