How to ask for listing critique on the Community Center

Stephanie
Community Manager
Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

How to ask for listing critique on the Community Center

Stephanie_0-1628688524539.png

Hi everyone,

 

Welcome to the "Ask about your listing" board – I hope you’ve been finding lots of useful information, insights and advice from our community. One of the amazing things about this space is that those starting out on their Hosting journey can get a keen eye on their listing to work out those little niggles and considerations they may not have thought of just yet. We’re more than happy for you to share your listing for this purpose - here’s a guide on how you can do it in a way that makes it easier for your community to find and offer critique:

 

  • Start a conversation to create a topic.
  • Name your topic “Critique my listing - (your name and where you’re from)” for example “Critique my listing - Stephanie in London, UK”.
  • Include your favourite listing picture in the post. This makes the topic stand out more, gives viewers a sense of the type of listing you offer and means your Community Management team can more easily highlight it to the rest of the community.
  • Share something about what your trouble might be at this point in your journey. This might be a lack of bookings, missing house rules, or even your custom URL.
  • Finally, post a link to your listing and add the tag on the thread “listing feedback” and anything else you think is suitable, like the example below:

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You can always ask any of your Community Management team myself, Quincy, Bhumika, Jenny, Breanna and Paula if you need help. And you can share a link to your Critique my listing topic in the comments section below too!

 

What’s your biggest worry with your listing at this point in your journey that you want help with?

 

Thanks,

 

Stephanie

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Please follow the Community Guidelines 

172 Replies 172

This was helpful, thanks!

Stephanie-And-Chris1
Level 2
Savegre de Aguirre, Costa Rica

Hello, I am new to hosting and would love assistance or advice. We live in a popular surf beach town in costa rica with 4 cabinas. Everyone doing airbnb here says they have been consistently booked since they've opened their doors but i have not had that experience. I just updated my listing name in hopes that may be the issue. I thought it might be because we had no or very few reviews. We've had guest tell us that they've stayed in way more expensive places and ours is way nicer. We've had good reviews from everyone staying, but i am not sure what i am doing wrong and why we aren't booked all the time. I appreciate any help and thank you for your time. 

Stephanie 

 

https://www.airbnb.com/h/lajunta-dominical-cabinas

 

https://www.airbnb.com/h/lajunta-dominical-cabinas2

 

https://www.airbnb.com/h/lajunta-dominical-cabinas3

 

https://www.airbnb.com/h/lajunta-dominical-cabinas4

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Stephanie-And-Chris1  I couldn't really say why you aren't getting bookings, if similar offerings in your area are getting booked up.

 

One thing I will say is that although I'm a fan of color and have plenty of colorful things in my listing, color needs to used in moderation and in balance with other things. I would never be able to stay in rooms painted those colors, it's overwhelming and oppressive. A feature wall painted a bright color with other walls painted neutral colors looks nice, or walls painted in calm colors- soft pale green, soft buttery yellow, etc.

 

Painting the outsides of the buildings bright colors is fine, but intense wall colors inside is too much.

 

And the rooms also look stark. Some art on the walls, some throw rugs on the floor, billowy white curtains, would soften the spaces and make them look cozy.

 

Beds need reading lamps on bedside tables. 

 

I don't know if this has anything to do with lack of bookings, but it's why I personally wouldn't be attracted to stay there.

 

And I wouldn't be interested in sharing a community kitchen during a pandemic.

 

 

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

Duplicate deleted.

Oh wow, looks like I have two promotions running and they are compounding. I quickly adjusted this! Thanks so much. How did you feel about my house rules ?

Spell check never picks up on these things! Thank you so much.

 

Thats actually my air purifier from IKEA. I was surprised that AIRBNB doesn't add this as an amenity.  I will include notes on this under the pic. 

 

Running to the store for 2 packs more of hangers! All good points! Thank you so much

@Kimberly589 

"GUESTS We prefer to accommodate one guest per reservation at this time. No additional guests allowed, staying overnight, visiting nor otherwise, who are not on the booking. Occupancy limit for this room is 1 and cannot be exceeded in or on the property at any given time. Please make sure your number of guests is accurate on your reservation as that is the number permitted to stay overnight on the property."

 

Rewrite this. Eliminate the first sentence and the wording about making sure the correct number of guests is listed.

 

Your listing currently is for one guest only. Period. No need to mention "preference", which takes it out of the realm of a rule, nor entering the correct number of guests. 

 

The no visitors is good, as is reiterating the occupancy limit,  but eliminate "not on the booking."

 

If you decide at some point to accept 2 guests in that room, you can alter your guest count and the wording then.

Sundar6
Level 2
New York, NY

Please critique my listing!  Sundar - Just listed my cottage in Pine Hill, NY. I have a lot of views but not bookings, how do I convert these to bookings? 

Link: http://airbnb.com/h/pinehillhideaway

Coverphoto.png 

Miranda249
Level 2
Scotland, United Kingdom

Critique my listing please. Just listed a holiday home in St andrews Scotland. Had a few guests but want to improve photos of the listing. Struggling which to use as cover photo.... exterior or interior photo. Many thanks, miranda.

20211119_115709.jpg

airbnb.com/h/st-andrews-vintagehome

@Miranda249  Your listing looks fine. Photos, description, all good. I think that's a good cover photo- the place is unique-looking, so that is good for attracting views.

 

One thing- you say it is semi-detached, and that some outdoor areas are shared, but you don't explain that. If you or someone else lives on the property, you should make that clear.

 

And I suggest not having breakable little glass vases and such around- they will for sure eventually get broken, especially as you accept children.

 

Miranda249
Level 2
Scotland, United Kingdom

Screenshot_20211029-194410_Maps.jpg

 

@Sarah977 thank you so much for taking to time to give feedback, much appreciated. I've updated the section under 'notes' to explain the shared path......the path to the house is in red on the map and the steps are mutual and then our path crosses the edge of neighbours front garden before reaching its own front garden gate.. don't know if you could explain it more clearly than me!!! We don't live in the hamlet and I've put that under 'guest interaction' but not sure where this shows up on the actual listing or if I should put it somewhere else too..... Thankyou again. X

 

 

@Miranda249  It's actually not a great idea to let guests know how far away you are. When something is listed as an Entire Home, there is Airbnb wording right at the top of the listing that already states that. Reinterating how private a place is, and that they will never see the host or a local co-host is the sort of wording that partiers look for.

 

Better to let them wonder if you live 10 minutes down the road and could drive  by at any time, or that the co-host lives across the street.

 

Good that you explained what is shared better.

Rasheda3
Level 9
KCMO, MO

Please critique my listing! I've been hosting for about a month now. All feedback is greatly appreciated. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/51395773?adults=1&location=Raytown%2C%20MO%2C%20United%20States&check_i...

@Rasheda3  Your place looks clean and well set up. 

 

But your description is scanty, and your photo gallery could use more photos. I also wonder why you are trying to cram 6 people into  a 2 bedroom place with 2 beds. I assume you have a fold out couch that sleeps 2 more, but that isn't mentioned anywhere. 

 

Accommodating more guests isn't necessarily a good idea. You might find that you have far less potential issues if you listed for 4 than 6, as many other hosts have found. 

Thank you so much! I will add details to my description. I have also changed the number of guest to 4 instead of 6.