Hi,
I have been a host for this lovely place for almost 9 ...
Latest reply
Hi,
I have been a host for this lovely place for almost 9 months now and would like your feedback about my place, so that I...
Latest reply
Hi there,
We have thought hard and long about opening our family home in Goa to guests. Itโs been a tough one but have finally listed it and now hoping for the right guests who will love and respect our home as much as we do ๐
I am aware that more needs to be done and better photos need to be uploaded, but we would love your initial response to our listing.
Thank you so much.
Lin
๐ Listing link: Home in Vaneli ยท โ New ยท 3 bedrooms ยท 4 beds ยท 3 baths
[Content modified by OCM]
Hi @Linda4721
From a guest's perspective, I am really happy that you have chosen to list your house on Airbnb. It's simply the dream of Goa or India for a tourist!
I backpacked in Goa when I was younger and stayed uncomfortably in a bungalow on the beach ๐ But if I were to return now as a "much older" person :-), your house would be exactly what I would choose for my family and myself. The photos sell themselves very well. It looks luxurious, clean, and inviting.
Of course, you could consider taking some pictures in full sunlight with lots of blue sky, but there is also something special about the slightly misty monsoon atmosphere that makes the place attractive, so keep a few of them. - However, I hear you are already considering updating your photos, which sounds great, and using one of these as a cover photo, as I think they would sell really well.
There are, however, many other things you should consider if you want to ensure that your listing appears among the first when people search on Airbnb in your area. If you're interested in me going into more detail about this, reply to this thread, and I'll elaborate further.
There may also be more good suggestions for optimization from the community in the coming days.
Best regards,
Karen
Hi @Karen4131Thank you so much for this feedback. It is very encouraging and helpful. Yes.. we have stayed in some very interesting places in India over the years๐
Yes please to any other advice you may have.
Thank you so much.
Linda
Hi there @Linda4721, I've added a tag with Karen's name to your comment. To tag someone, tap "@" and select the host's username from the dropdown menu. This way, they will receive a notification ๐
Thank you
Hello again @Linda4721
The first thing I do is check how a listing ranks compared to other similar listings in the area. Itโs crucial to aim for a spot on the first few pages of the 25 pages and 300 listings that Airbnb shows for any given search. Currently, your listing is being boosted because itโs โ*New,โ but this boost doesnโt last forever, so itโs something to keep in mind in the long run. (And itโs something you have a lot of control over if you work strategically on it.)
Firstly, Iโd like to reiterate that your family property has all the potential to become a great success because it truly โhas it all.โ Architecturally, itโs a fantastic house with a sleek, luxurious interior, a pool, etc., so you just need to understand what will ensure a good position on Airbnb in the long term. I have put together a list of key points to consider below:
Cancellation Policy: I see youโve chosen a strict cancellation policy, which is reassuring for hosts as it secures bookings. However, guests on Airbnb, Hotels.com, etc., have become accustomed to the flexibility of canceling closer to the arrival date. Many guests hesitate to book a place with a strict cancellation policy. Airbnb's search algorithm takes this into account, so having a strict policy might negatively impact your ranking.
Instant Booking: I'm not sure if youโve enabled "Instant Booking," but if not, consider doing so. Airbnb offers an option where only guests with good reviews can book instantly, while others must request to book. This is also said to improve your ranking.
Photos: Your photos should be high-resolution, bright, and of the real estate quality you often see in property listings. Your current photos are already attractive, partly because your place is so appealing. However, I would suggest brightening them up, hiring a professional photographer to retake them, and ensuring that 75% are taken on bright, sunny days. Also, make sure to include captions and visual descriptions for all your photos.
Description: Itโs said that the Airbnb algorithm favors longer descriptions. Make sure to fill out all the sections, including "Listing Description," "Your Property," "Guest Access," and "Other Details," which together form the description guests see. Ensure you complete ALL fields in the Airbnb listing panel. This can give you a ranking advantage.
Pricing: In the beginning, itโs very smart to price slightly below the market level, both to rank higher on Airbnb and to attract guests who can leave 5-star reviews. Once you start receiving good reviews, you can begin to raise the price to market level and eventually above if youโre doing exceptionally well. Consider using Airbnbโs option to create special offers as wellโthis can also boost your listingโs visibility.
These are five important tips. If you really want to dive deep into how to improve your visibility on Airbnb, try Googling โHow to beat the Airbnb search algorithmโ or something similar. There are plenty of great suggestions on how to improve your listing, and itโs worth the effort since not everyone takes these steps. This will give you a competitive edge.
Feel free to reach out if you have any more questions. Iโm a relatively new host myself, but Iโve managed to rank highly and receive excellent reviews by researching how to โdo everything rightโ on Airbnb. Iโm keeping my fingers crossed that this continues, but Iโve been surprised at how much you can influence your success with the right strategies.
Best of luck with everything!
Best regards,
Karen
I shall attempt to accomplish all of these things :). Thank you so much Karen. You are a very kind, helpful lady.
Letโs see if I can crack this ๐
Linda
You've just started with Airbnb and as you say have thought long and hard about sharing your home, and I am sure it's a decision that will bring you lots of reward and freedom. However as newbie to the platform (there's lots to learn I made lots of mistakes when I first started) I would at first be cautious about instant booking, dip your toe first with full control on who you accept into your home, get to know and understand the platform, how support works etc. With instant booking it is exactly that - the property is available the guests books and its automatically confirmed, without any input from you the host. You don't know anything about the guest until after the booking is confirmed and if you see something in a the guests reviews that makes you uncomfortable you have to have a very good reason to cancel without penalty from the Airbnb platform.
Hi @Lorna73 and @Linda4721
I understand the concerns surrounding instant booking, but I have chosen the โgood track recordโ option, which provides an extra layer of security, as shown in the image below.
I trust my fellow hosts to provide some level of assurance that a guest is reliable.
Of course, there are no guarantees that a guest will adhere to every specific set of house rules.
However, Airbnbโs mutual review system is a significant advantage compared to traditional rental methods, where guests and hosts were not evaluated.
I have decided to place my trust in this system and go all-in, as it is also a ranking criterion on the platform.
Naturally, each host must individually determine what they are comfortable with to ensure they feel secure when renting out their space.
- Karen
Thank you @Lorna. ๐
Please upload detailed and well lit pictures of your bathrooms and kitchen. Your exterior should also receive the same attention to details. I would also suggest you keep 3 sets of sheets, comforters and towels available. Keep whatever it not being used locked away
Hello @Mehrzad2, @Clydeishia0, @Fernando2404, @Pedro2032, @Ross869 and @Michael8961 thank you so much for your feedback ๐๐๐๐ I am tagging @Linda4721 here so they receive a notification of your message. This way, we increase the chances of them getting back to us.
@Michael8961 Thank you. The wall tiles are very reflective with the lights on but Iโll try again ๐
Hello! This place is beautiful! My recommendations I have are that the listing stated you did not provide a TV, carbon monoxide and smoke detectors and a dryer. I would add those as this will make it more appealing to a guest.