Guest Won't Leave a Review

[Heidi125]

I am new to hosting and I had my second guest which went great, but she will not review me.  I sent her an email on airbnb reminding her to please review me, but crickets...nothing.  She had a lovely time here and even left me a note saying so.  She wants to come back in December.  What happens now?  I need good reviews and reviews period if I am going to have people want to come and stay with me.  

What do you do in these situations?  It makes me think I will have to bribe, pay, etc my guests to leave reviews.  I don't know what to think, or what to do.  Any thoughts or guidance.  Like I said, she told me she had a nice time here and that her time here was perfect and she wants to come back.  

TIA...Heidi-

[Fred13]

@Heidi0, the best you can do is ask, once. Whether they do or not, it is entirely up to them. Only 50% of my guests leave reviews, but when they do they are glowing, yet only 50% do so. Go figure.

[Heidi125]

Okay, thanks for letting me know.  That's strange.  I honestly thought all would leave a review.  

[Maria758]

Hola @Heidi125!

@Fred13 made some very good points!  I am coming up to our 1 year anniversary as being Airbnb Hosts and we have had some guests leave happy, but not leave a review.  It was really disappointing at first, and I thought we were never going to get enough reviews to make a mark, let alone Superhost status, but I've learned that this is just something we can not control.

On a side note, I know you were kidding about paying your guests for reviews, but here's an Airbnb article on it anyway.  Moreso leaving this link for other readers who may have the same idea but are not kidding.  

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/548/what-is-airbnb-s-extortion-policy

As for us, we have a few Saved Messages that we like to send to our guests after they have checked out of our home.  If you would like some examples, I am happy to share if you send me a direct message.  Although Airbnb will send them a reminder as well, after they have checked out, usually the day of, they may still be traveling so we will wait a few days before sending our "Reminder Message."

Additionally, after we write a reveiw for our guests, usually a few days after they check out, they will see yet another reminder from Airbnb to write a review if they would like to read the one we wrote for them.

The process is all very good, but it's up to the guests to write one.  I only wish guests were penalized if they didn't write reviews.

Hope this is helpful!  Let me know if you have any more questions, happy to help!

Happy Hosting!

Izzie, Co-Host

LOV Puerto Rico

[Heidi125]

Izzie, thank you.  I am hoping I saw your name spelled properly.  Forgive if I didn't.  I would love to see what you mean.  I would never extort money.  

I guess I am just nervous as I am new and she was a 3 night guest.  She is young.  22 years old.  So, that could be it.  And, just returning back to college.  But she had a great time.  It would just help me so much as so far I only have one review.  

Yup, it's just the luck of the draw. 

When I first went on air bnb, it was buzzing.  I was having overnights sign up right away.  Now, not so much!

Heidi-

[Helen3]

@Heidi125 That's because Airbnb artifically boost new listings. Perfectly normally to see a large drop after the artifical boost period.

And don't worry about not all guests reviewing many don't.

My figure is 84% but I share a home so have more of a personal connection.

[Heidi125]

Okay, great.  Good to know this!

[Ellen33]

Why do you want to penelize guests who dont write a review? Some do, others dont. Thats how it is

[Heidi125]

Hi @Ellen33-I read my post.  Not sure where I said I want to penalize guests.  

[Noa7]

Hi Izah

your response to Heidi was helpful to me as I have same issue. Can you please share the saved message you mentioned? Thanks so much! 

[Fred13]

Oh here is another one I have noticed. We have a Guest Book on site, and on it most guests DO write about their experience, usually in a very uplifting, eloquent manner, yet they do not leave an official review on Airbnb. Perhaps because what they had to say, they already did so.

We oftentimes do copy their narratives and add them under the 'Guest Book' section in our web site. Perhaps, the Guest Book may not help to raise the % of reviews on Airbnb, but it has been quite surprising how many read our web site first (about 100k hits per month), and then book through Airbnb, which we encourage and like best vs. direct. So perhaps the reviews in our web site have helped to generate bookings on Airbnb; but not necessarily reviews on it.

We would remove that Guest Book if needed more reviews on Airbnb and if we were convinced there was an inverse connection, which we suspect there is, but not sure.

P.S. The guests appear to love reading the Guest Book. 🙂

[Heidi125]

@Fred66-is your website different than airbnb?  A separate entity?

[Fred13]

Yes, it is how we started before Airbnb and we have maintained it since.  It allows us to offer alternatives in bookings, though we do tend to encourage inquirers to book on Airbnb because honestly they always been exceptional with us. [personal information hidden for safety reasons]