I have no guests

[Halima35]

Ever since I listed my apartment on Airbnb I have had no guests to book my apartment. I don't know what to do and its sad. Can I know what to do to get guests book my apartment or what you guys did to get guests book your apartment?

[Ardis-And-Teresa0]

We had no guests for a month.  We finally paid to have a friend stay.  (We got all the money back but the fees and taxes.)  She wrote a glowing review and we started getting bookings.  People are reluctant to be the first.  It might be an awful place. They don't know until someone else vets it.

[Christine615]

Be careful. Paying friends to stay in order to get a review might get your listing removed. 

[Halima35]

Hmmm really 🤔

[Robin4]

@Halima35 

Halima, getting started can be hard! You have a nice apartment and your listing photos look ok  but, you don't have a history, guests will naturally want to see a nice review or two before they will be confident to book.

But there are ways you can help get yourself that first few bookings to get you going on your hosting career.

You are offering a special reduced rate at the moment, and that may not be helping you. You can be too cheap, guests will look at your listing and think 'if it's that cheap, and it's not booked it must be no good'!.  In a general area search you are showing up on page 13 in search position 228

There are over 1,000 Airbnb properties in Lagos which means you have a lot of competition, and if you are not in the top 5 search pages you just will not get seen by prospective guests. You need to improve your listing search placement.

Here are the ways I have found Halima, to get my listing noticed.

1/......The algorithm that picks where your listing will be shown reacts to 'Activity'. The more things that change/happen to your listing, the closer to the top of the search pages your listing will appear.

One way you can do this is keep changing something about your listing.....change a photo or two, add a house rule,  get a couple of friends to send an enquiry to which you respond. It doesn't commit the friend to anything and after 24 hours the enquiry just disappears. Add a house rule or an amenity. Every few days change some aspect of your listing, the algorithm will respond and your search placement will rise nearer to that first page.

2/......Offer something a prospective guest is not expecting. Go to your local supermarket and ask the manager if you can purchase 'Best Before' date cheeses for a cheap price and turn on a cheese plate for incoming guests. They like that and it will attract guests to your listing because it's a touch of luxury they won't get at other listings.

I could go on but I don't want make this post over long, If there is anything specific you would like some help with send me a direct message and I will try to help you.

Good luck Halima.

Cheers.........Rob 

[Halima35]

Thank you sooo much Robin for this reply. It really contained plenty things🙏😇

[Halima35]

Wow😲... Awesome 👍😎

[Zamani-Nonduduzo0]

Hi Halima35 

I see that your listing is new so give it time you will definitely get bookings or you can just lower the amount just to atleast have one or 2 reviews then you can increase it again. 

[Halima35]

Thank you so much. I will do just that

[Tracey510]

Could you share your listing so I can see what proverbial guests are seeing?

[Andrea6232]

Hi @Tracey510 , click on @Halima35 photo and then on "View Airbnb profile" and you will see Halima's lisiting 😉

[Halima35]

 

Please help me check and tell me what's wrong. Thank you

[Helen744]

@Tracey510 , just click on @Halima35,s name and you will see her profile.. H

[Jenny]

Hi @Halima35 

How has business been since you posted here?

Big thanks to @Robin4, @Andrea6232, @Zamani-Nonduduzo0 and @Christine615 for coming along to give their support!

Jenny

[Christine615]

When I first got started there weren't many listings in Kansas City. So I listed and had a booking the next day. But it might also be because I've got three bedrooms and could hold a larger family or several friends. Now there are a lot of listing in Kansas City so I'm not quite as busy.

Some questions - one, you had a friend stay but I go to your listing and there are no reviews. So people might be cautious because of all the stories about Airbnb's that aren't real listing. Also, it takes time.

Can you do some research to help us? When you go to your calendar do the new tools Airbnb introduced allow you to see what else is in the area and if they are getting bookings? I once switched to "traveler" mode to see what other rentals were in my area and what they are charging.

Also, you have check in at 3pm but checkout at 9am. Is that normal in Nigeria? Here, at hotels, the checkout is 11am to 12pm. That allows people to sleep in, or have breakfast, or not rush to leave. That rule would make things difficult in the U.S. but know Nigeria might have a different standard for guest stays.

Overall, your place is really cute. It just takes time to get bookings. Once you do, things will take off a bit. Wishing you every luck in the world!