5 Tricks that will Boost your Airbnb Ratings & Reviews
Before you read, please note that:
StayPro is a full service property management platform that updates video reports for each turnover, and shares them with Airbnb hosts via an integrated user system. Regular video evidence of your property will ensure that you can document the changing condition of your property without ever needing to be on scene.
Not to mention that StayPro’s services ensure a safe and contactless check-in process for guests and housekeepers. For hosts, no management work is required, so you can get income effortlessly.
Our professional short-term rental experts train the housekeepers to perform quality cleaning & pay attention to details. On top of that, StayPro also sets-up a full protocol to guarantee smooth turnovers and more revenue.
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Reviews are an integral part of the Airbnb experience. As a host on Airbnb, it is important to know how to generate positive reviews for your listing. StayPro has compiled a list of top 5 tricks to boost your Airbnb ratings & reviews. Using these tricks will get you good reviews much sooner than other hosts!
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Be Responsive!
There is nothing worse than asking a question and not receiving a prompt answer. Although it is not possible to be constantly in front of the computer, it is crucial for Airbnb hosts to remember that it is their obligation to answer the questions of their potential guests and of their booked guests in a timely manner.
Sometimes the potential guest can feel hesitant about the listing or about the safety of the neighbourhood and all they need is a quick conversation with you to ease their conscience. If you make them wait too long, they are likely to move on to find another listing. It is advisable to save time by utilizing Airbnb’s automated reply option which allows hosts to pre-compose replies to standard questions. In this way, the most common questions can get answered without you needing to be online.
Nevertheless, StayPro recommends that Airbnb hosts check their account every 12 hours at least. Be mindful that if the guest reports you to Airbnb and you are not responding, by default the platform will assume that you are at fault and may punish you. Since the Airbnb platform views and rates your listing according to your chat dialogue history, it is important to always check your messages.
If an inappropriate message is received, hosts should report it immediately because Airbnb cannot determine if something is inappropriate or not by itself. For published guest reviews, your property address should be private. If anyone includes your address in their comment, you have the option to take it down. For both situations, simply go to Airbnb’s Resolution Center and make sure your situation is transferred to an Airbnb Case Manager.
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Be Attentive!
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First Impressions
When your guest arrives, make sure to reach out to them and offer any assistance or guidance that they may need. Remember: your guests are not locals! They may need recommendations, advice, or help navigating their new landscape. It is important, as their Airbnb host, to lend a helping hand when needed.
Especially when the guest first checks in, inquire whether they are happy with the accommodation and have all that they need. If there is a problem, fix it as soon as possible so that your guest’s stay is not impacted.
You can also consider making a positive first impression by providing gift bags to guests upon arrival. Even something super affordable can make your guests feel welcomed and appreciated.
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Prepare Your Protocols
No matter the emergency—lost key, problematic plumbing, etc—be prepared to deal with it! StayPro suggests that you make an Airbnb checklist so you know what to do at a moment’s notice.
If an Airbnb host cannot solve these issues in a timely manner, a good option is to hire StayPro, a short-term rental management platform with a 24 hour concierge team available year-round to solve issues and with professional protocols. StayPro’s seasoned short-term rental experts will increase efficiency and of course, revenue!
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First Impressions
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Be Set Prices to Encourage Shorter Stays and Frequent Turnovers
It is important to boost your quantity of reviews. Since one reservation can only result in one review, it is in the Airbnb host’s best interests to encourage more reservations in a shorter time. To do that, you should try to make each reservation shorter!
There are three factors that have a direct correlation to shorter stays and therefore more reviews!
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Set a Minimum and Maximum Nightly Stay
In your Airbnb account, you can customize your settings and set your minimum and maximum night stay. This will ensure that your Airbnb listing attracts only short-term guests.
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A Low Cleaning Fee
A high cleaning fee de-incentivizes short-term bookings. Since it is a once-per-reservation fee, guests are less likely to book if they are only staying one or two nights. So, set a low cleaning fee and promote frequent turnovers.
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A Competitive Nightly Rate (optional)
While the cleaning fee is low, that doesn’t mean that your nightly rate necessarily must be! However, depending on the market, it is important to set your prices according to the demand. If no guest is booking your property, you will need to lower the nightly rate to stay competitive so you can get good reviews.
To clarify, StayPro’s strategy is not to permanently lower prices and have shorter stays. It is simply a recommended early-stage strategy for getting more reviews which are vital for boosting the status of your property on various booking platforms. The more positive reviews you can get, the quicker you will be featured on the first page of Airbnb, for example. By temporarily setting nightly rates and cleaning fees accordingly, Airbnb hosts are setting themselves up for future success—that is, higher revenues and less work.
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Set a Minimum and Maximum Nightly Stay
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Be Forward-looking!
The Airbnb host must take any unforeseen events in stride. Don’t panic! Don’t be rash!
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The Guest is Always Right, unfortunately
It is futile to fight the age-old phrase: the guest is always right. Unfortunately, while this isn’t factually true, in most cases you should never argue with a guest directly. This will escalate the situation and cost you time & money without any profit. As a short-term rental owner, be patient and careful with your language. If anything happens, you should search for evidence and apply to Airbnb for refunds and reimbursements.
Imagine that the Airbnb Resolution Centre is the judge and you are going to court. You need to have solid evidence to back up your claim!
If Airbnb hosts get complaints from the guest and they don't have any evidence or reason to defend themselves, they risk hurting their reviews and having to refund the reservation fee.
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Set a Security Deposit
The best way to prepare for any uncomfortable situation is to set a security deposit. In case of damages and an unaccommodating guest, Airbnb hosts can collect the security deposit provided that they can provide proof of the guilty party.
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Be on the Offensive, not on the Defensive
If you anticipate an altercation with a guest or possible damages, contact the Airbnb Resolution Center and report the incident before your guest does so! If something occurs, prepare your evidence!
StayPro, a short-term rental property management platform, ensures that video reports are taken and shared with clients during every turnover. It is extremely useful to have this sort of third party documentation as solid evidence if unpleasant incidents arise.
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The Guest is Always Right, unfortunately
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Be Proactive!
Lastly, don’t wait for the guest to remember to leave you a review. If you believe that the guest had a comfortable stay, invite them to leave a review with a friendly message on airbnb. If you followed the above steps, StayPro is confident that a good review is coming your way!
Great! Now that you have learned how to get more positive reviews, you are set to gain great revenues! If you want to start managing your property remotely to save time, see How to Manage Airbnb Remotely.
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