No doubt that Airbnb has transformed vacation experience into something new and become an extra income line for many people. Airbnb is convenient whether you desire to rent your extra room or rent an entire property as a business. However. A lot of people list their properties in Airbnb and it’s hard to make your property stand out. The most effective way to have your property seen is having excellent ratings. We listed 10 simple tips in order to help you to increase your Airbnb Rating without investing much. If you are managing an Airbnb property, you need to take all these tips into consideration. They are very simple, but they make big difference for your visitors.
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Before moving to our list of 10 Tips to Increase your Airbnb Rating, let’s first understand Airbnb visitors. Airbnb visitors are slightly different than visitors who prefer staying at hotels & hostels. Whether their stay is a long- or short-term, they are looking to have home comfort. Sometimes they even pay extra in comparison to a hotel-stay just to experience comfort of a home. Yes, it means that some can be very needy, and you’re obligated to provide the best to make them comfortable. 10 Tips to Increase Airbnb Ratings is created upon our discussions with travelers who prefer Airbnb and experienced Airbnb Hosts.
Clean Property
Many Airbnb hosts make the mistake on taking advantage of cleaning fee and not using professional cleaning service. They often forget that a clean property is the most important element to increase your Airbnb rating. No matter how well you clean, it will be obvious you didn’t have professional cleaning service. It’s understandable that you want to make extra income on your listing, but this isn’t the proper way for it. Moreover, it’s neither fair nor ethical to charge your visitors extra for a service that you won’t provide.
In terms of keeping your property clean, choosing the right decoration is crucial. Pay attention how hotels decorate their rooms. Even they specifically choose color of marbles and tiles for longer use with clean look. They keep the same stuff for many years, so you can do the same. Choose everything wisely and make sure you can use them for many years. This is much better way to save and make extra money from your property.
Well-Equipped Kitchen
In the beginning of the article, we talked about characteristics of Airbnb users and the importance of meeting their needs. You should understand that you’re providing a temporary home for these people where they need to feel comfortable. Whether they’ll stay as a family or a group of friends, they will want to cook home. Remember that they gave up their hotel breakfast, all-day-long coffee, and room service to stay in your property. You should have a well-equipped kitchen, so they can enjoy their stay with homemade dishes.
Here is a list of things that you can add to your kitchen:
- A Cooking Set
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
- Coffee Machine
- Owen
- Toaster
- Juice Maker
- Mixer
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Useful Space
One of the most important reasons that people prefer Airbnb over hotels is because of extra space opportunity. As you know, an average hotel room is usually about 10 to 15 m2 or mostly smaller. On the other hand, most Airbnb properties offer way bigger space even if it’s a room or a studio apartment. Though, space means nothing if you can’t use it properly to make it useful. Especially, if the stay is longer, useful spaces become much more important.
You might be wondering what I mean by “useful spaces”, let me explain. As we live in the technology age, many people keep track of their work on-the-go. So, it’s always handy to have a little work station for visitors to use their laptops or tablets. However, it’s tricky to have both work station and dinner table if your property is a studio apartment. This is why I call it “useful space”, so it can be converted from one into another.
Spaces like closets, drawers, storages, etc. are always handy when it’s wisely installed. These extra spaces will allow your visitors to comfortable settle in your property even if it’s a short stay/ Don’t forget that your visitor’s comfort will help you a lot to increase your Airbnb Rating.
Durable & Multi-Use Furniture
Furniture is a key element. It’s important for hosts as it’s the way to save money and make more profits long term. It’s also important for visitors to benefit the best out of your property. First of all, all the items you have in your property must be durable. As it’s the only way to stay in the hospitality management business. If you have couches that are broken and not comfortable, or beds that make noise while you’re sleeping, you are likely to end up with bad reviews.
How can you choose your furniture? It’s easy. Do your research and ask other hosts to see which brand they use, what style they prefer for cozy spaces. Consider it as a business investment instead of seeing it as an expense line. You can also choose furniture that is easy to repair. For example, couches which has cover that you can replace, beds with storage under the mattress, etc.
Laundry Service
It’s a great advantage for your visitors if you have a washing machine and dryer in your property. Because Airbnb visitors usually washes their clothes themselves. They want to avoid paying extra for these services. However, even if you don’t have these in your property, you can provide this as a service. Of course, it’s hard to deal laundry if you only manage a single property, but it’s a good income line.
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Spare Bedding Supplies
Always have some extra pillows, bed sheets, comforters, etc. You never know what your visitors might need. They can spill something in the bed, or they can have an extra guest coming over. You don’t want to leave them hanging. Have some extra supplies, so they can feel home!
Keep the Artsy Spirit
Most of your visitors will be in their 20s or 30s, so they are full of energy. They see the world from a different perspective, so it’s important for you to keep the energy up. You don’t need to get professional support for this. Just make the area livelier. Paint walls with different colors, hang up canvas tabloids, etc. Put some cheap statues and vases around the property. Make little touches. Enjoy the space and make sure your visitors will enjoy it too. Don’t forget to consult with them about the style of the space.
Generosity is the Key
Be generous! These people are on vacation and they are just looking for some good time. Why wouldn’t you want your apartment to be a part of it? According to your property value or visitors’ length of stay, you can give some additional benefits. It can be as little as a candy bar, but it will still make your property different. Because there are not a lot of hosts pay attention to these little details. It’s an opportunity for you to turn it into your advantage in order to increase your Airbnb rating.
A list of ideas to welcome your Airbnb Visitors:
- A letter or postcard with a welcome message
- A candy bag or a chocolate bar
- Tourist guide map
- A list of stores nearby
Communication is a Must to Increase Your Airbnb Rating
IF you want to increase your Airbnb Rating, you must communicate with your visitors. Once you rent the property, don’t think that your responsibilities are over. You are in the hospitality industry, you must make sure your visitors enjoy their stay. In addition, you should make them feel the way that they can contact you when they need something. According to discussions, this was the most common point everyone mentioned. All the visitors desire to have a clear communication with the host, so they can ask what they need. Some hosts handle many properties, so they just want to check-in visitors and get over it. However, let me tell you that this attitude will not get you anywhere better. Due to lack of communication, your visitors are likely to rate your property low.
Extra Services
You can always provide extra services for your visitors to increase your Airbnb Ratings and have some extra income. It can be airport transportation, city tours, walking tours, etc. Imagine that you are a small size hotel and providing full services to your visitors. It’s always important to think professional about your Airbnb hosting. This is the only way to stand out among other properties. Be an entrepreneur!
