The How, What, and Why to Become an Airbnb Superhost

Back in 2016, Airbnb launched a program within the platform that allowed people to become “Superhost.” This was a way to reward their most devoted hosts, and the platform stated that the Superhost status came with a number of excellent perks that could help skyrocket the monthly income of anyone who joined this newly established exclusive club.

Let’s take a look at the “Superhost” program and see whether it’s worth the effort. Find out what it takes to become a Superhost and what kind of perks you get once you achieve this coveted position.

Who Is an Airbnb Superhost?

An Airbnb Superhost is someone who shows exemplary dedication to excellent hosting on the platform. Airbnb created the program because they noticed a lack of consistency in the hosting end of things as people struggled to meet clientele expectation.

These struggles were probably brought about by the stiff competition for bookings on the platforms and hosts just weren’t motivated enough to do their best for the few clients that they got.

Another issue that brought about the creation of the Superhost program is the lack of a proper rating system that helped guests sift through the myriads of listings to find premium bookings. Think about it this way: the original rating system ranked hosts using stars – 5 stars for the best hosts (this system is still in play today in conjunction with the Superhost program).

The problem with this system is that about 80% of all hosts got around 4.5 stars, even the mediocre ones. This was mostly because all a guest needed was to get at least one 5-star rating out of 2/3 stays.

So, how was a guest to know which properties offered professional hosting services and which ones were run by amateurs who didn’t really know a thing about hospitality and weren’t willing to learn?

The Superhost program was created to highlight the disparity and fill the void. To be a Superhost, a host had to display exemplary hospitality skills and the property had to meet some key standards set by the platform. That way, a guest with particular tastes and requirements could more confidently choose to book a property that achieved the Superhost status with full confidence knowing that they will get a professional host.

Is Being an Airbnb Superhost Worth it?

Absolutely! When Airbnb created the Superhost program, they stated that it wouldn’t just be about a merit badge. There are some real-life impacts that come with being a Superhost. Some of the perks include:

• Gain better recognition for your listings since Airbnb will help market you through their search results and email bulletins
• The better search recognition puts you at a much better position to earn much more income due to the increased visibility and traffic
• After every year as a Superhost, you will get a $100 travel coupon. You also get 20% more on top of the usual referral bonus
• Then there is the “Superhost Badge” that appears on your listing to help you stand out

How to Become an Airbnb Superhost

Of course, there are certain terms and conditions that come with being a Superhost. Here are the requirements that you will have to meet to become an Airbnb Superhost:

1. Complete at Least 10 Reservations Every Year

This is the first requirement to become a Superhost on Airbnb: you have to complete at least 10 reservations a year or at least 3 reservations that total 100 nights. Although this sounds simple enough, with more than 6 million listings on the platform, to get these reservations you need to make some upgrades to your property.

One of the best ways is to include high-quality pictures and highly informative descriptions to attract more hits. That’s exactly what Airbnb wants, for you to give their users a better search experience.

2. Have Less than 1% Cancellation Rate

This means that you can receiveone cancellation in every hundred booking requests. That is unless the cancellations meet Airbnb’s “Extenuating Circumstances” threshold. This means that you have to keep your availability calendar updated.

There are some hosts who only host sporadically but leave the properties online and open for requests even when they aren’t available. Airbnb doesn’t like that, and this is their way of curbing that behavior. Only list dates on which you can accept reservations.

3. Maintain a Response Rate that is at 90% or Higher

This is one of the most difficult requirements to meet simply because it needs you always to be alert and respond to messages as fast as possible. Any time a guest sends you an email through the platform, you need to respond as quickly as possible.

Every year, Airbnb calculates how much time it takes you to respond to messages and to pass this test, you have to have a response rate of at least 90%. This means that you have to treat Airbnb messages as you would fire alarms – with immediate effect.

4. Have an Overall Rating of at Least 4.8 Stars

What this means is that you should receive a 5-star rating from at least 80% of your guests. The idea behind this is for you to provide your guests with an excellent experience when they stay with you. Do things to make them feel welcome and go above and beyond just being a landlord/host. Be nice and courteous and proactive.

One of the best ways to achieve this is to simply ask your guests to leave a 5-star review for you. If they were satisfied with what you had to offer, they’d have no problem doing that.

If they weren’t satisfied, then it’s your duty to find out what it is you can do to improve your hosting experience. Either way, you get to have your 5-star rating or to learn something that will increase your chances of getting it next time.

The trick to becoming an Airbnb Superhost and gaining more visibility, higher revenue, and more perks is to simply be an exemplary host. Be nice to your guests and make sure that your home is very well-maintained.