@Susan21
I know it's been a while since you posted but I was interested in your comment . . . I looked through your listing and searched your area to see what position it would have in my results. You are correct that it is not coming up in the first few pages. Then I looked through the comments to your post and was suprised to find 10 pages worth! I only viewed about 1/2 of the responses but from what I saw, the topic quickly veered off into complaints regarding search result postritions from other hosts. The only advice I saw was for you to become a superhost, which I had already noted that YOU ARE!
I am as well but with only 18 months as a host, I have no where near the length of experience that you do! However, I have done a fair bit of marketing before becoming a host, and I think I might be able to offer you some insight.
I check my own listing regularly, compare it to my competitors, etc and I too have felt that my listing should come up higher in search return. I achieved super host status in 9 months and have held it for the same amount of time. I have about 30 reviews, 88% of which are 5 star and I have a 4.9 star overall ranking. When I search my city for 2 guests (my max), my listing is currently coming up as #15 of over 300 "whole house" properties. However, when I add the price filter of $50, I come up in second position. The average nightly price for 2 people is $681.
My main selling point is my low price, with my ability to teach guests about Jamaica coming a close second. My place honestly has a wonky issues, but the showers are hot, the bed is amazing, and the views are spectacular. If people are willing to pay more, they can get places within walking distance to downtown and the beach; have a full kitchen rather than a kitchenette; and even get a shared pool. I can't compete with those things, so the only thing I can really do is offer a low price and my personal, unique skill as a host and tour guide. When I see what people charge in North America (where I am from) and I factor in my current world-famous tropical location, I get steamed that they can earn so much while I have to keep my price just a fraction of their's to attract guests. But it's just the way that it is. Many of my local competitors are thrilled to be making any money at all so their prices are honestly so low that it isn't logical! But again - it is what it is.
So my advice, even though you have been in the business a long time and are unquestionably good at it, is to lower your price to attract more guests. The way I look at it is, a lower income regularily totals more than a higher income infrequently. There are over 300 private room listings in your area. The average price for one person is $35, the average for two is $48. You charge $62 and $82. There are 16 other airbnb listing in your community that offer a private room with views and breakfast, have a 5-star listing and are operated by superhosts with an average nightly rate of $39. I suggest you lower your 2 person price to $38. If you rarely have single guests, make $38 your first person rate and set the 2nd person rate to zero. Your competition is stiff!
I think you could also attract more guests if you buy a special topper that converts your beds into a double, and advertise it as a double than can be divided into 2 singles. Lastly, I suggest you decide HOW you want to portray your place, and update your pictures to reflect this. Right now your focus appears to be the mountain view, the location, and your desire to have guests who are cat lovers: preferably seniors. You have some pictures which are gorgeous, but they don't come up until later in your current photo order, and are interspersed with ones that are nowhere near as nice.
If you can't retake your primary image and capture a more clear shot when the trees are green and not loosing their leaves, you might want to make #25, the night shot, your primary one - it is stunning and lets the user know that you have views and a central location. I would remove (or at least change the order of the map, pic #2 to the end), as airbnb provides the general location and you mention it in your written listing; remove #3 & #4; retake #6 (if that is the sea in the distance, you really need a better image and caption, and you should note in your listing that you have mountain AND sea views); put #5 after #7 (when I first saw #5 I thought the bedroom was off the dining room with glass doors and had no privacy); retake #8 as it is very dreary and place the new shot towards the end of your photos as it is not actually one of the your views); remove #9 as 10 is a much more modern and crisp pic; remove #11 as the office is very cluttered and it is only a common area; remove #13 and #14 and retake #15 so it shows the counter and chairs as they appear in #14 (cosy and inviting!) and remove the dishrack and items on the counter and fridge side, as well as the surplus kitchen utrensil hanging under the mircowave. #16 is a fabulous picture and I would place it closer to the beginning of your list, but it would be even better if the plate had more variety of food on it and the fork was placed on the plate as if someone just paused while eating for you to take the picture!
You mention that a maid is available to do laundry, so even though #17 is beautifully crisp and clear, if you could duplicate the image to include a youthful maid (esp if she wears a unifrom) this will add to the upscale nature of your listing. Pictures 18 thru 20 should be replaced with 2 photos taken without your personal decor, but with some large, plush cushions added to make the space look more comfortable. Maybe you could leave one modern magazine open on sofa with its cover showing, and a cup of tea on the coffee table? Again, this will make the room appear more inviting. Doolies, fake flowers in a ceramic swan and an abundance of antique furniture makes your beautiful space look too formal and very dated. I would suggest focusing more on your cosy, comfortable enlosed verhandah as photo # 22 is also absolutely gorgeous and should be definitely come closer to the beginning of your pictures! Remove #23, and also make mention in your listing that while you have cats, the guest areas are 100% cat and cat-hair free, as many people are afraid of animals, do not care for pets, or are alergic to them. I would also retake #24 or omit it. And I would replace #27 with a shot of your building's exterior, as your description focuses on its unique qualities, and place the doorman image, #26 after the exterior.
I also have a few suggestions to tweak your wording, but as I have no idea if you will appreciate the ideas I have already offered, I will stop here and invite you to message me privately if you should be interested in hearing more. One last thing, I would change the minimum stay to 3-5 nights unless you find that you are making good money with 1 night guests. Personally I find the amount of work I need to do between guests too much to offset the cost, and I don't feel I have lost any business by having a longer minimum stay.
I sincerely hope these suggestions are received in the same manner that they are given - from the heart and intended to be helpful - GOOD LUCK!
ps: when I modified my search of your community for a superhost with a 2person private room and breakfast, you came up as #1. 😄
