Please critique my listing - I’m struggling with getting bookings

[Liudmila31]

I’m struggling with getting bookings on my Airbnb listing despite having few good reviews yet.  Can someone provide tips on optimizing the listing for better visibility and booking rates?

🌟 Listing link: Home in Norcross · 1 bedroom · 1 bed · 1 shared bath

[Content modified by OCM]

[Hafsteinn2]

@Liudmila31 I think you may need a professional photographer, the photos you have are inconsistent and the lighting is not great. 

[Hannah1399]

Hello @Liudmila31 , Your place looks beautiful but pictures are the first thing people see. I would suggest retaking the photos. Give 2 views of each room and open ALL windows and turn in ALL lights so the photos are nice and bright. I had professional photos done and if possible that is always a good investment. On the amenities it says No dryer, no hot water and no essentials like towels or washcloths. I assume you may have some of those,  so check on this items to update the are correct!! Also list the things that are near your location to draw people to you. Is it in a quiet neighborhood, or downtown, near a park. Anything fun to do near your place they can easily access or get to. A single room can be great for traveling nurses and they book sometimes 30-90 day stays! Allow long or short stays also helps and offer 15-20% off for longer stays over 28 days. 

[Liudmila31]

Hello, Ms. @Hannah1399 ,

Thank you for your feedback! I will follow your recommendations. It makes a lot of sense to update the pictures, and offering a discount for certain numbers of days is a great idea.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to give their suggestions...

[Giannis80]

@Liudmila31 The three most important strategies for optimizing your Airbnb listing are:

1. High-Quality Photos
2. Competitive Pricing
3. Positive Reviews

[Jaffar1]

Good day @Liudmila31,

I don’t offer shared spaces with in my listing Protfolio, therefore can’t offer a very specific insight about your offering .

In my opinion the photos need to be improved immediately they are too dark, the shades or blinds should be shown open as well as closed.

a few colorful cushions on the bed and sofa will also enhance the rooms appearance. pictures are critical elements of any listing and good lighting will help.

perhaps you should think about hiring a professional photographer to assist you with taking pictures.

all the best,

Jaffar

[Jackie223]

Hi - Here's some things that I would question...

Why is the rate in CAD (Canadian dollars) and you're in Georgia?  That makes me wonder if the ad is legit.

How many other bedrooms are in the house that I might have to share the common spaces with?

Make clearer what the dedicated private space is.  Is it the bedroom and bathroom?

Make clearer what rooms are the shared spaces and with how many other people I might be sharing with.

Is there only a loveseat in the living room?  Seems like there should be more seating available.

Is there a TV?

Show a picture of the backyard.

Show a closer picture of the kitchen... maybe taken from the dining room.  It looks like a nice kitchen. Show it off.

[Giovanni353]

Hello Liudmila,
Do you have enough pictures of your bedroom? 
make sure to show enough pictures of the bedroom and the shared bathroom and specify if you want to share females only or males.
Pictures must be colored and very clear.

Also list how close is your room to main attraction in your city.
Make sure to use the recommended pricing by Airbnb for your location to increase your booking.
 
Ps. Are you Italian by any chance? Liudmila is Italian name.
Buona fortuna con i tuoi annunci

[Heather2002]

More pictures of the spaces, a much better description is needed on the space. You need to make sure you are in line on your pricing for the per night and the cleaning fee. I do not offer shared space, so I cannot attest to this - but the cleaning fee seems very high for the space. This is an area that I would recommend doing a competitive analysis on your property.

[James3879]

Hi,

The first impression I get with your listing is that it looks clean and sterile.  Your first picture should be your best picture and the next four should highlight what makes you place special.  You need to create an experience for your guests.  When a guest is looking through listings, what makes yours stand out.  You have a very short time to capture a guest's attention.  Most people will scan the page looking at the pictures and the interesting ones they will click on.  If your listing isn't clicked you will not get a booking.

Next look at your title:  

Room in Norcross, Georgia, United States

This is important marketing space.  They are looking in the area already.  What makes yours special.  Are you close to town, convention centers or hospitals?  Think from a guest perspective things that my attract them.   I have one close to the beach and highlight that.  My in town locations people want Free parking.  Things like wifi or even washer and dryer could be listed.  

You picture draws them in, and then your title and description is what sells.  Your description is short and weak.  "Make some memories at this unique and family-friendly place."  What makes it unique?  What makes it family friendly?  These are your sales pitch areas.  Try ChatGPT.  Ask it to rewrite a sales pitch to have guest book your location.  There is a little more to this but if you play with ChatGPT it can improve your description.

Your first picture is ok, but doesn't get me excited to click on your listing.  Generally speaking brighter pictures, well framed get attention.  Getting professional photos may help. 

A well written description will also make a huge difference.  Also ensure you have completed your listing as much as possible.  Many listings only have 50-60% completion.  Having a complete listing will help as well.

Hope this helps.

If I can be of any assistance, please reach out.  jim.hinen@gmail.com

[India106]

Hi there! I would definitely change the name of the listing! I think your photos are decent. 

[Holly519]

Maybe let people know what is close by?

[James4029]

Your listing looks clean and lovely. Here are some things I would check, and some things I would ensure you have on your listing.

1 - Check your amenities on the whole listing, but also in each room. There are amenities for the entire listing on each individual listing, but also on each individual room. Make sure you check all that apply

2 - In the listing under Guest Safety, under Property Info, make sure Limited Essential Amenities is not checked, if your listing has running water, wifi, indoor showers etc.

3 - Hire the airbnb suggested photographer to take pictures of all the shared rooms so guest can see more of the place.

4 - Lower your prices and adjust to USD for payment. You can also offer weekly discounts that will help. Once you start getting good bookings, raise the price little by little until they drop off again, or people feel the value is not a good match. For those people, give a big discount to retain a good review from them and set the price a bit lower.

5 - Your description needs to be more detailed, and less of a one-liner. Why would they want to stay there? Is it close to downtown, is it close to public transit, is there easy access to entertainment or a mall near by? Things like that.

6 - I feel like a robot has made this listing, somehow. I can't put my finger on it, but if you are real, please reply with "I like spaghetti" and I can give you more advice. 🙂

[James3992]

I agree with everyone else.  Photos are very important.  I also think your rooms look too bland and lack any color.  Try adding wall art, curtains, side chairs, etc., something to give the rooms personality.  You also are not offering much in the way of amenities that people may find important.  What about snack items, breakfast items, water, etc.  Do the bathrooms have items that you may find in a hotel, i.e., blow dryer, soaps, make-up mirror, etc. Also your description lacks any substance about your listings.  Let people know what makes your place so special.  What makes it stand out compared to other listings in your area?  

I may sound critical, but it is important for your guests to have a welcoming feeling and to know what to expect.  

Hope this helps and I wish you the best of luck.  

[Glenn392]

1) You need more pictures, captioned to show whether shared or personal, and showing both inside and the outside. The guest should see their entire bedroom. Of course, you can get 'better' pictures but for now what's most important is that they see their personal space and the shared spaces, inside and outside.

2) Please provide more of a description of what they are renting, for example, is this a one bedroom space with an ensuite bathroom, in a quiet or busy neighborhood, in a home with x kids and pets?  Please say more. Do you provide a starter supply of toilet paper, laundry detergent, paper towels?  Or none?  Or as much as I need?  You don't say. You say 'no essentials'. Hmmm.  What does that mean?  No salt or pepper? No sheets? Do I get a shelf in the refrigerator?  As much space as I need? No towels?  I don't know but no essentials sounds off putting to me.

3) In the where you'll be section, please fill in.  Are you close to highways?  How close?  Which ones?  Close to public transportation?  How close? A three minute walk to the bus line?  What bus line #?  What train line?  Do they run seven days/ week? To where? Please anticipate what a guest might want to know about the location and its proximity to places in the area. List them and the mileage.  You might want to create a guide to the area using Airbnb's template in doing so.

4) So I see that the only rules are two guests.  So I assume it's OK to bring my three Great Danes , snake, and three year old, that I can use kitchen at 3 am and you don't mind that I smoke constantly and I'm loud night owl (there are no quiet hours).  I'm a party animal and will have visitors night and day; you don't say anything about visitors, so I guess it's OK.

5) There's no hot water?  So I shower just in cold water?

6) So it looks like I get two rooms: a King bed pull out and a Queen bedroom?  Is that right?  You show both.

7) The listing says no dryer but the picture shows a dryer, so I'm confused.

😎 It just doesn't seem to me that the Host has thought through how they would share this space with a guest, what the guest might want to know about the house, about the space they're sharing and with who, about the neighborhood, about the location. 

9) I would encourage the Host to 'fill in' the details, look at comparable listings to see how they're described and think through how they want it to work with a guest and then document the listing and house rules accordingly.

10 The space looks clean and appealing.

11) Good luck!