10 Proven Strategies for Increasing Your Airbnb Bookings

10 Proven Strategies to Increase Airbnb Bookings

Let’s talk about something that Airbnb hosts spend most of their time thinking about: how to increase bookings.

Feeling frustrated staring at half-booked calendars month after month for your Airbnb? Would an extra two weeks booked every month make your smile bigger and your wallet feel a little fuller?

Unfortunately, most Airbnb hosts find themselves struggling to break through the infuriating cycle of less than 50% occupancy month over month.

Where Most Airbnb Hosts Go Wrong

The majority of Airbnb hosts struggle with fully booking their properties for a few reasons:

• They fail to differentiate their properties

• They fail to adjust their pricing during off season

• They fail to appeal to a specific audience of guests

• They fail to market their properties using multiple channels

Luckily, there are proven strategies—used by the top 1% of Airbnb hosts—to help you avoid the above mistakes and increase your monthly bookings.

Here's the top 10 strategies:

1. Price your property competitively & seasonally

Setting competitive pricing is critical for maximizing bookings, especially if you’re new to Airbnb. Take time to research and set rates based on market data and seasonal demand fluctuations. AirDNA and Airbnb are your best friends here. Once you get a few reviews we recommend setting up dynamic pricing for your property. Dynamic pricing takes the guesswork out of what can be a complex and time-consuming process. Pricelabs is the tool that we use and recommend to all of our co-hosts.

2. Automate & personalize guest messaging

Automated messaging will save you hours per week and make you “available” 24/7. Well-timed and thoughtful messages make guests feel cared for and lead to better reviews. One of our co-hosts sends a customized welcome message to all booked guests asking for any special requests. She says guest satisfaction has skyrocketed since implementing this.

3. Design for specific, target audiences

Appealing to a niche target audience can boost bookings. This is the same principle that successful business owners and entrepreneurs use all the time. Get crystal clear about who your ideal guest is then consider the design, amenities, and location that would attract your ideal guest. One host styled her mountain cabin to appeal to hikers and has seen back-to-back full month bookings since. We use Minoan to find amenities (at discounted prices) that our ideal guests love!

4. Improve listing details & SEO

Optimizing listing content (descriptions, professional photos, keywords) and SEO helps you rank higher in search results. Ensure you use relevant keywords and high-quality photos to stand out. After revamping listing details, a host reported a 15% increase in booking requests within a week because their property started appearing higher in guest search results.

5. Turn on Instant Book

This is a simple one, but many hosts overlook it. Instant Book makes it easy for guests to book without back and forth messaging. Hosts who enable Instant Booking on average see a 20% increase in their bookings.

6. Provide unique guest experiences with add-ons

Offering add-ons like wine tastings or surf lessons creates memorable experiences. A beachfront host partners with local businesses to provide exclusive excursions for guests. He says it's a major factor in repeat bookings.

7. Offer special discounts for longer stays

Providing weekly or monthly discounts incentivizes longer stays, reducing vacancy gaps. One savvy host offers 15% off 6+ night stays during slower seasons. This simple promo keeps her calendar consistently booked.

8. List on multiple hosting platforms

Getting listings in front of more potential guests across platforms is a no-brainer. Hosts who cross-list on VRBO, Booking.com, etc. report much higher occupancy rates. Lodgify is the channel manager we use to keep all of our property calendars automatically in sync across platforms.

9. Promote on social media

Leveraging social media expands your reach and drives direct bookings. Post professional photos, run targeted ads, and highlight 5-star reviews. Hosts consistently investing in social media gain significant exposure and bookings. Stay Onera reported that they see almost 60% of their bookings come from social media.

10. Remove fees

Waiving extra fees like cleaning charges can give your listing a competitive edge. Analyze your pricing power to determine if you can remove fees and still earn your desired rate. Multiple top-ranked hosts highlight "no fees" to stand out. Pro tip: add your typical cleaning fees to your daily rate price. This way you can still cover for your cleaning fees and help guests feel like you aren’t gouging them with fees. Win-win.

By focusing on even a few of these key strategies, you will be well on your way to increasing bookings and achieving higher occupancy. If you take action to implement even a few of these techniques you’ll start to see your bookings soar!