Sound Familiar?
Pesky Problem
You only read each Airbnb guest review once.
And that single read through happens on your phone in the moment the review comes in. Really, you’re just eager to quiet the worst-case-scenario-narrator in the back of your mind, the small sliver of yourself who is perpetually convinced that your Airbnb guests secretly had a horrible stay and are about to drop a bomb in your listing’s reviews.
But once you scan through the latest guest’s kind words and your fears are alleviated (and perhaps your ego slightly boosted), you tuck away your phone and forget about it. The likelihood that you’ll ever read through that review again is slim to none.
Let's Try This
Bite-Size Solution
Reframe your written reviews as a treasure trove of data.
Instead of thinking of your reviews as a test you have to pass with each stay, look at your archive of written guest reviews as your own treasure trove of marketing data. In their reviews, your happiest guests have left you a litany of what they love most about your place.
This is pure gold. Your most delighted, enthusiastic guests have told you exactly how to attract more guests like them (you know, more guests who will absolutely adore your space.)
We are frequently shocked by the amazing attributes or amenities that are only mentioned in the written guest reviews, but appear nowhere else in the entire Airbnb listing. “Oh! This place actually has a super walkable location!” “Oh! Turns out they have phenomenal wifi.” “Oh! This place has a supposedly amazing view!”
For many hosts, your Airbnb listing represents the entirety of your business’ marketing efforts. This is not the time for a hands off approach. You can’t expect your previous guests to do all the bragging for you, or for that matter, expect your potential guests to read all the fine print written by previous guests.
Your Airbnb listing should highlight what your ideal guests love most about your place, front and center. And it’s your job to know what those attributes actually are, (they might surprise you!), and advertise them yourself.
5 Minutes
Here's Your First Step
Identify what previous guests love most about your Airbnb.
Grab a pen and paper, pull up your own listing in the app, and tally up what guests are talking about the most in their written reviews. The winning attributes may feel like a revelation. It’s entirely possible that something you take for granted about your space feels exceptional to your guests. And by not mentioning it in your listing, you’re leaving more bookings on the table.
Identify the top 3 to 5 attributes or amenities that your guests are raving about. Then, review your photos, amenities list, and written description. How can you amplify those qualities so they are impossible to miss? As they say in journalism, don’t bury the lead. Put your best foot forward, even if it took your guests to tell you which foot was best.
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