Great question—it goes without saying that you should make sure that everything on your listing is correct and updated and that it is as easy as possible for guests to choose your listing over someone else, even if they are a bit cheaper.
The most significant place I find people fall down is with photos; make sure you have professional pictures of the property, beds made without wrinkles, meaning it doesn't look like someone just got out of the bed (I see that a lot), if you can use white sheeting it makes a huge difference and makes the place look clean - that is why most hotels all have top white sheets. Make sure everything is spotless in kitchens & bathrooms in the photos. Also, show pictures of anything that guests might say is a surprise, like kitchen appliances they can use, pool toys, the little welcome gift you might put out, or anything that makes it look like you have made an extra effort for the guest.
Finally, I have noticed that if you are attentive to your listing, meaning you keep it updated, answer all reviews, and keep photos updated, the listing seems to come up higher in the result. I think that Airbnb rewards hosts who are active on their listings.
Hope that helps, Liz
