How to Make Your Short-Term Rental Stand out on AirBNB and VRBO
Staying at a short-term rental over a hotel has become increasingly popular with travelers due to the privacy and more luxurious amenities. While this is great for business, it can also present new challenges, like a rise in competition as more people decide to try their luck at operating their own short-term rentals.
Having more competition doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll lose business, but it may signify the need to step up your game to ensure your rental stands out on AirBNB and VRBO more than others in your area. Here are a few ways you can raise interest in your rental to attract new guests and sustain recurring ones.
Take Professional Photos
Snapping a few photos with your iPhone may seem like an easy way to list your rental sooner, but it may not be helpful in attracting guests. Travelers want to feel confident in the rental and host they choose to stay with. Posting professional photos clearly showing every aspect of the property gives the impression that you’re a safe and reliable rental option.
Use a Canva Graphic Cover Photo
When a prospective guest is scrolling through rental options, the listings may start blending together, making it more difficult for yours to get noticed. Creating a graphic cover photo with Canva using a logo and multiple photos is more likely to attract attention in the sea of standard house pictures, raising interest and encouraging guests to tap on your listing for more information.
Get Featured on the Front Page
Getting your property featured on AirBNB or VRBO’s front page is a sure way to attract interest because more people will see the listing. You can do this by actively updating your listings with relevant information. Try moving photos around, changing the property description, or altering the prices each week. Pricelabs can help you identify current market rates, so you don’t accidentally go too high or low.
Receive 5-Star Reviews
Try to get as many 5-star reviews as possible. You can do this by ensuring your rental is always immaculate, and your guests are comfortable at all times during their stay. Consider investing in Hospitable, a customer management software that sends personalized automated messages directly to your guests. This will increase response time to their inquiries and automatically send a review request after their stay, which can increase your ratings.
Earn Superhost or Premier Host Status
Highly-rated, experienced, and reliable hosts can earn Superhost status through AirBNB and Premier Host status on VRBO. This status is typically granted to hosts who go above and beyond and exceed guest expectations. If you can get this status, it’ll set you apart from other hosts, and guests may be more inclined to rent from you over others. They may even share their experience with friends or family, sending more business your way and helping your rental thrive.
