How to ask for listing critique on the Community Center

[Stephanie]

Hi everyone,

Welcome to the New to hosting board and 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:

• 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 critique” and anything else you think is suitable, like the example below:

You can always ask any of your Community Management team myself, Quincy, Nick and Liv 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

[Lucy810]

Hello, looking for some advice I have created two listings as I have two rooms available, whenever I do a search only one of the rooms is appearing. Any ideas why that might be ? Thanks 

[Sarah977]

@Lucy810  One of your listings says "new". Did you just list it? It takes about 24 hours for new listings to appear in the search system.

[Regina780]

Hi everyone, please critique my listing. 

Thanks,

Regina https://abnb.me/GUTU5RXXvob

[Nina1276]

Hello. My name is Nina, I'm from Ukraine, the city of Kherson. I want to thank everyone who supported us in difficult times. So we can help other people.https://abnb.me/k25uEyjRrob

[Catherine2784]

Hi @Step0  - We are new to hosting and wondering if you could critique our listing? We had two immediate reservations and now they have slowed. We also have had an issue where I went to request help through Airbnb and saw over 15 "pending" reservations. However, these never came through to my inbox to approve. Have you ever experienced this? It is very concerning as our reservations have suddenly slowed down. Here is the link to our listing: https://airbnb.com/h/mountain-home-5-min-to-skiing

[Molly391]

Hi @Stephanie I am new to hosting and having such fun with it. I have a unit on my property that has a longer term renter moving out and I wanted to list it on AirBNB going forward, but I am concerned as I have not gotten any bookings on this platform yet. I am in a coastal town, highly desirable gets lots of tourism and is a small charming town not terribly far from San Francisco. Thank you so much for any insight or tips! Listing: https://airbnb.com/h/coastalnook

[Sarah977]

@Molly391  Your place is cute. A couple of things I would do is retake the bathroom photo without all the product clutter on the shelf and cart. And the bathroom photo that shows an obviously used towel hanging bunched up and askew on the rod- that's not a very attracrive presentation. 

Also a bed for 2 people should have bedside tables and reading lamps on both sides of the bed.

Your description is good, but you need to explain who lives upstairs, who the guests are sharing the property with. It might seem obvious to you if you live there, but guests don't know- it could be long term tenants or other Airbnb guests.

[Molly391]

Fabulous I added more details about the house now. I had to add it to the additional description field since the first one is limited to 500 characters! I do plan to retake the photos as soon as the current renter is out so thank you for the tips. As for the bedside table there is not space on one side of the bed but there are the two sconces on each side as you see so does that suffice do you think? 

[Sarah977]

@Molly391  Yes, I saw there wasn't much space to put another table. The table isn't as important as the lamp, IMO, and you have that covered. Guests just like to have a place to put all the things humans normally have on their bedside table- their book, their glasses, their phone, but a couple could work that out.

Yes, the info about on-site host who lives upstairs is fine to put in the Other things to Note section. 

Some hosts who have larger places that house more than 2 guests will put it in the Description intro, to ward off partiers, or those who try to sneak in more people or pets, who tend not to book places where they know their activities will be obvious.

[Molly391]

Thanks @Sarah977 

super helpful!

[Vasyl11]

🇺🇦🕊️Thank you very much

[Norah15]

Critique my listing - Norah in Nelspruit, South Africa

https://airbnb.com/h/raka

[Sarah977]

@Norah15  What a charming little cottage. The only thing that jumped out at me was that you haven't described the living situation at all. Do you also live on the property? You say guests have user of the pool and other areas, but who are they sharing those areas with? I think thhat needs tobe made clear on any listing where guests don't have the property entirely to themselves.

[Norah15]

Critique my Listing - Norah in Nelspruit, South Africa

[Moises80]

I am new to Hosting and I'd like some feedback on my listing please, here is the link to my post.

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/New-to-Hosting/Critique-my-listing-Moises-in-Windsor-Ontario-Can...

Thanks in advance!

Regards,

[Jen-and-Garrett0]

Really cute place but the 1st thing I saw was... Dark and somewhat cramped angle of pic.. If I was searching as a guest? Search would go on to somewhere that looked more bright and light. More inviting.

All but 1 of your pics are too dark.

Last photo should be first it's the best one.

Want to wow guests with your photos. Make them want to pick yours. Turn every light on and open the windows before taking pic would help?

[Sarah977]

@Moises80  Your place looks cute and comfy and the reviews you've gotten make it clear your guests have been pleased.

You should use the description field to describe the accommodation itself, which looks like basically a one room studio. 

You say you are "usually on site". It is  not clear what this means. If you live in a house on the property, say that. 

[Rebecca1635]

CRITIQUE OUR LISTING PLEASE 

We are new and would love any and all feedback on our listing . Because it's a unique space and the options for room types are limited we weren't certain if we call our den space a second room (thinking not) so we had to list it as a second living space ? Any feedback is welcomed!  Thanks so much ! 

https://airbnb.com/h/mcbelge-hideaway-1

[Sarah977]

@Rebecca1635  Your place is really attractive and nicely furnished.

I think you could list the den as a second bedroom. 

But your guest count  is too high. 6 is way too many in a 1 bedroom, 1 bath place. You do not have dining room space for 6 nor living room space for 6. Forget any mention of an air mattress. You have a nice apartment, not a camping listing.

Just because you can cram more people in doesn't mean it's a good idea. It's a bad idea- you don't want to give guests the idea that they can cram in more people than there is really space for- before you know it they'll be 8 in there. 

It may also very well lead to critical reviews, guests saying the place was too small for 6. 

I don't understand the little tables next to the beds that have a plant taking up the entire surface. Beside tables are where guests put their phones, their book, their eyeglasses, a glass of water, etc. They serve a purpose, they aren't just something meant to be decorative taking up space.  They each need a reading lamp on them and nothing else. And the bedroom needs a bedside table and lamp on both sides of a bed for two people, not just one. 

[Gillian166]

hi Rebecca, I did respond in the other thread you posted in.

Agree with @Sarah977 's comments, the second room isn't overly private but it's not a deal breaker in your location I suspect, I stayed in an apartment in Sydney that had a bedroom like that, but it did have a tri-fold door rather than a curtain. 

I also noticed the bedside table situation in your main room.  Your place is perfect for simple Ikea style furniture (lucky you), that is minimalist, stylish and inexpensive, so 2 bedside tables should be easy to add in there.

Another reason to not host too many people is the hot water situation. Too many guests taking extra long "vacation length" showers will be a problem. (speaking from experience!), unless you are on some unlimited hot water supply via the apartment building? 

otherwise it all looks very stylish, well put together. Nice work!

[Rebecca1635]

Thank you @Gillian166  - Much appreciated. I think we will look for a more substantial divider based on both of your feedback and I have two end tables for the bedroom on order. The plants will go from the tables in the Den as well. As for the water, we were thinking about that as well - we have great hot water here, but it will be costly. 

Thank you for taking the time to send feedback. It is really appreciated.