Appearing on AirBnB listing of available homes.

[Larry680]

We have an AirBnB in a good size city...

There are many hosts and homes available in the city...almost, 1,500.

AirBnB only posts app. 300, (15 pages) which means you have a small chance of being listed..no matter how highly you are rated.  I would like to stay with AirBnB, but it seems they are forcing me out to other channels to get in front of people!!!

Any thoughts?

[Joan2709]

@Larry680 

It all depends on where the algorithm places you in search rank. Some factors are known:

Price

Professional Photos

Instant Book

Flexible cancellation policy

Amenities

Popularity (recent bookings/reviews)

Good Reviews

Availability

Response Time

If you are in a saturated market, you will have to be even more competitive. This would be true on any platform, not just Airbnb. That said, platforms with less listings mean a "smaller pond" to compete with, but also fewer "fish" - smaller group of potential guests. 

How Search Works

https://www.airbnb.com/resources/hosting-homes/a/how-search-works-on-airbnb-460

How Search Results Work

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/39

[Joan3131]

Thank you! We really "check all the boxes" when it comes to amenities, reviews (all 5 stars), perfect response rating, etc. We are a Super Host, Guest Favorite and in the top 1%. I have not done Instant Booking in the past as I like to see the reviews for our guests . . .but I have recently switched over to Instant Booking with no caveats (e.g. requiring a good rating with Airbnb) to see if we can fill up a few empty nights in June and July. What we are realizing is that there are 1100 Airbnbs in the Savannah historic district and many one-bedrooms like ours. So the competition is high.

We are currently looking at signing with a channel manager, specifically Hostfully (we will be talking with Synchronest on Friday and have chatted with Lodgify as well). Have you used a CM or what do you think of using them? We would like to list with VRBO and Booking.com and plan to create a website for direct bookings; so having a CM would certainly be helpful in syncing calendars and dynamic pricing. Your thoughts??

Thanks again! I look forward to hearing back 🙂

[Joan2709]

@Joan3131 

It's always a good idea to list on multiple platforms. Be aware that if you are booked well on one platform, you naturally will not do as well on the others as your calendar will be blocked and have less availability. Even so, with some of the things we are seeing happening on Airbnb, I definitely think this is the way to go.

Instant Book

I think it would be a better idea to lower your price using Custom Promotions or use Dynamic Pricing (PriceLabs) to get more views/bookings, rather than turn on Instant Book. Too many risks with Instant Book and there are loopholes with the optional settings that have caused alot of issues for Hosts.

Use Dynamic Pricing

I would try using a Dynamic Pricing software like PriceLabs. This will ensure your listing is priced correctly for demand. Some Channel Managers offer PriceLabs as an integration with their services. 

Channel Managers

We don't used a channel manager, but have considered it. There are plenty out there and it's best to do your own research to determine what they charge and what options they provide. I would definitely go with one that offers Direct Booking capability with the subscription unless you are very "techy" and able to do that yourself. It is much better to use a Channel Manager to sync calendars as they sync much faster than if using the Airbnb sync to prevent double bookings. This is especially true if using Instant Book.

I have only heard negative comments about IGMS as a Channel Manager, so I would avoid them. Some Dynamic Pricing software companies have partnered with IGMS as a Channel Manager with nothing but headaches, so I would not select that option if offered when establishing your Channel Manager account.

Social Media

Be sure to utilize Social Media to highlight your Direct Booking Site once it is up. Create a Business page on Instagram/Facebook and add the link to your Direct Booking Site.

[Shelley159]

Hi @Larry680 

There's no listing on your profile, so we can't check for you.

You could ask the owner of the listing to reply and to post a link (we may post links to our own listings in the Community Center).

[Joan3131]

Here's our listing: https://rb.gy/q8bxwb Would appreciate your thoughts!

We are currently considering listing with VRBO and Bookings.com and signing up with a channel manager to sync calendars, etc. We plan to create a website with their help for direct bookings. We will then appear on google vacation rentals. 

Do you use a channel manager? Do you recommend using one?

Appreciate your thoughts!

[Shelley159]

Unfortunately it seems to be the usual issue @Joan3131

The algorithm loves low prices.  When I put in Historic District Savannah, 2 guests, your price for 1 to 3 July is 38.8% higher than the average of the first 6 listings. When I add a filter to only see entire homes, your price is still 35.2% higher than the first 6.

I found you in the middle of page 5 for 1 to 3 July, despite your track record. Sorry about the price thing, but it seems to be the reason for ranking low on average. Dropping the price is no fun, and can also sometimes bring worse guests.

(Keep in mind that I search in private mode to see the raw results - there will certainly be guests who are a good match for your property according to the algorithm, who will see you in a higher position. That's why you are getting bookings, just not as many as you'd hoped)

[Joan3131]

Yes, lowering prices is never fun and, as you said, can attract less desirable guests. Hard to find a balance 😞 Thanks for the input!

[Joan2709]

@Joan3131 

It is striking a balance with pricing. I would use a Custom Promotion to try 10% discount and see if you move up in search rank. A 10% discount shouldn't attract those pesky and troublesome bargain hunters, but still might get you booked. Some money is better than no money. I still don't think it is a good idea to turn on Instant Book though.

Use a Custom Promotion and don't manually lower the price.

[Joan3131]

Perfect 🙂