As an Airbnb host of a rental property, it is important for your vacation rental to have a strong positive presence online. A rental property with positive reviews will likely rent quicker than a property with negative or no reviews. To gain great guest reviews on Airbnb, put these 10 strategies to use.
1. Provide Accurate Details about the Listing
A guest who is disappointed by a misinformed property listing will have a difficult time removing the bad taste in their mouth from the initial disappointment upon arrival. To ensure your guest is not caught off guard by a feature or aspect of the property, make sure the details of the property are accurately depicted. This includes the size of the rooms, the layout of the property, and any extras that are included within the property.
For example, if you describe the rooms as “large, spacious, and accommodating,” and a guest arrives at your property to realize they do not have the adequate room they were promised, they may view the remainder of their stay as subpar.
2. Communicate
A guest should not have to wait on a confirmation email, rental agreement, or check-in instructions. Guests who are constantly waiting on receiving communication can associate this with a negative experience. Instead, set up automated emails for generic communication, such as confirmation emails and rental agreements.
Additionally, if a guest has messaged you to ask a question, you should answer the guest immediately. Prompt response to a guest’s question will make the guest feel like a priority and that you value guest satisfaction.
3. First Night Checkup
While your guest probably doesn’t want to be bothered on their vacation, there is nothing wrong with sending a message to your guest after the first night’s stay. Asking your guest if the property is accommodating or if they have any questions will make your guest feel like you care about the quality of their stay.
With Airbnb rentals, a guest is not as familiar with the property as you are. This means they may not know how to operate a thermostat or hot tub on the property. Checking with your guests to make sure they do not need any help or have any questions regarding their stay can easily emphasize the positivity of your guest’s overall experience.
4. Place Instructions throughout the Property
As the host of a property, keep in mind that guests may not use the same appliances throughout your property as they use at their home. Placing instructions for these appliances and systems throughout the house will keep your guests from having to ask you a question about one of these systems.
These instructions can be typed and placed in a frame on a counter or above the appliance to give an attractive, clean feel. Some of these systems may include the thermostat, oven, hot tub, and alarm system.
5. Freebies & Coupons
Even if your guest is visiting your property for complete rest and relaxation, they will still need to eat. Providing your guests with free items, such as bottled water or local treats will be a nice welcoming touch when your guests walk through the door.
You can also leave local coupons or discounts to nearby restaurants and attractions within the property for your guest to take advantage of. Try to team up with a local restaurant or attraction to give a discount to guests who are staying on your property.
See if the restaurant or attraction will provide a promotional code for your guests to apply online, should they decide to order their take-out online.
6. Don’t Be Cheap
Remember what it is like to be a guest yourself. The beauty of being a guest on vacation is having a few days to kick back, unwind, and not worry about the temperature on the thermostat. While it is understandable that you do not want to pay a fortune each month on utilities, try to provide a realistic suggestion for your guests to maintain the temperature if you must make a suggestion.
Guests do not want to feel like they are controlled by “Big Brother,” so allowing a guest to control this portion of their stay can easily contribute to your guests leaving you a positive review.
Another amenity to provide, which is also common in most homes and businesses, is free Wi-Fi. Offering guests free Wi-Fi will allow guests to enjoy their devices without worrying about the cost of data.
7. Send a Departure Email
In case something has gone awry during their stay, send your guests a departure email to ask them how their stay was. This will not only make your guests feel like the quality of their stay was important to you, but this also gives your guests the chance to address something with you privately, rather than on a public review.
8. Review the Guest First
Not long after the guest has departed, submit a review of your guest. This will prompt Airbnb to notify the guest that the host has reviewed their stay. The guest will not be able to see their review unless they submit a review of you and the property. Typically, the guest will want to see what you have said about their stay as a guest, so they will likely submit a review of you and the property.
9. Send Automated Review Reminders
If the guest has not submitted a review, schedule automated review reminders to email to your guest after their stay. This email will notify the guest that they should review the property and the host during their stay. This review reminder email can also remind the guest of the host’s review of the guest during their stay, which can contribute to a guest submitting a review.
10. Reply to Reviews
Guests who can read reviews of your property are likely to get a better understanding of the type of host they are booking with. Whether the reviews being left from guests are positive or negative, you should always respond to the reviews. This shows potential future guests that you are engaged in the guests’ feedback.
If a guest leaves a negative review, a future guest may appreciate your attentiveness to address the review publicly and not use the negative review against you as a host.
