Every day, more and more people are becoming vacation rental hosts. This means you need to make your listing competitive to attract guests. The question hosts are asking is how to increase vacation rental bookings to get more revenue. There is no one specific way that can automatically lead to this. However, there are different ways you can use to increase your bookings. In the article below, learn some tips that can help your listing perform better.
- List on multiple sites
The best way to reach a wider audience and increase your booking is by listing your property on multiple sites. Even though some listings are more popular than others, try Airbnb, Booking.com, and VRBO. These are the most popular sites for short-term vacation rentals that will help you reach a bigger audience.
With a bigger audience, you will also be increasing the demand for your property, therefore increasing your bookings. 9 out of 10 times, when you list your property on multiple sites, your income is likely to increase. However, one thing you will have to be keen on is preventing double booking. You do not want a guest to book your space on Airbnb only to find another guest has booked it on VRBO on the same date. Use property management software that will prevent double-bookings.
Should I list short-term rentals on multiple sites?
Having your property listed on multiple sites is a surefire way to increase your revenue and your chances of getting more bookings. After all, new websites are springing up every week, so it’s essential to utilize the potential they give you. Listing on multiple channels could triple your revenue.
Hosthub
- Use high-quality photos
Photos are the selling point for any vacation rental. According to TripAdvisor, over 80% of travelers are likely to ask about your listing if you have posted about 20 quality photos. Your rankings are also likely to go up when you have listed quality images. The higher you are ranked, the more likely guests will book your space because you are visible. So, what makes great photos? Here are a few pointers that will help you produce quality images:
- Large (over 2000 pixels)
- Staging
- Well-lit
- High Resolution
- Take in Landscape
- Clean and organized unit
You have about 20 seconds to make a good first impression. Quality images are the most powerful tool to get a guest interested in your space. Even though, nowadays, there are many phones with good cameras, work with a professional photographer. This investment will pay off in the long run.
- Allow instant booking
Instant booking allows potential guests to book a space instantly using their credit cards. Most guests find this feature desirable, especially where people want to get things done instantly. It is also a great incentive for spontaneous travelers. According to data, by switching to instant booking, a host can see about a 52% increase in bookings. Instant booking often helps deliver a positive user experience. If you are worried about unwanted guests, you can have requirements in place like government ID or only accepting guests with positive reviews from other hosts.
How does instant booking on Airbnb work?
Instant Book is a feature that hosts can select for their listing which removes the approval process. Instead of being notified that someone is interested in your place and then giving them the thumbs up/down—guests can just choose their dates, book, and discuss check-in plans later.
GuestReady
- Use dynamic pricing
You can use a dynamic pricing tool to help increase your bookings and occupancy. Such a tool collects real-life data from local events and other listings and adjusts your listing’s price accordingly. One of the advantages of pricing tools is that they help you get bookings during off-peak season and capitalize on the booking during peak season. You can also choose to either automate this or make the changes manually. Either way, dynamic pricing is a great way to increase vacation rental bookings on your property.
- Automate your business
With the advancement of technology, you can automate almost all activities involved in your vacation rentals. It might not directly increase your booking, but it helps. This is by giving you more time to focus on other aspects of the business that can help increase revenue and occupancy. Fortunately for you, there are many automation tools available for hosts. For instance, automating your communication and scheduling with your cleaners saves time. In addition, such platforms make it easy for hosts to find cleaners, especially if you own multiple properties located in different cities. Another helpful element of automation is guest messaging and self-check-in. Airbnb makes it easy for you to implement automated guest messaging. With self-check-in, you need a smart lock where you can send personalized entry codes every time a guest arrives at the property.
With these five tips, now you have an idea of how to increase vacation rental bookings even during a low season. They are easy to implement and will not cost you much.
Why am I not getting many booking requests Airbnb?
It’s possible that your Airbnb listing has gone stale, and you’re no longer receiving bookings. All you have to do is make a minor adjustment to your listing. Upload a new photo, change the price by $1, and then switch it back. You might update your description with an additional line or block out a day and then unblock it.
Check out additional booking tips here!