Hosting a short-term rental can be both an enjoyable and profitable experience. However, at first glance, it can appear overwhelming. We’ve compiled some of our favorite Airbnb tips for hosts, based on years of experience, to help your short-term rental reach its full potential.

Host Tools provides an automated, unified calendar for short-term rental hosts, allowing you to seamlessly list on all major channels. Start your free trial today! 

Automate Guest Communications

Checking in with a guest before, during, and after their stay will set you apart from other Airbnb hosts. The best part – you can automate all of this. You should automate messages with Host Tools to thank your guest for booking, remind them about their upcoming stay, check-in on them during their stay, remind them about check-out rules, and encourage them to leave a positive review. Guests will see you as an extremely attentive host.

Are you overwhelmed with the responsibilities of being a host? Have too many properties to keep up with? Host Tools can help, and won’t cut into your profits as much as a co-host or property manager.  You can set up Host Tools to take care of your communication with guests, setting door codes, syncing availability and pricing across channels, scheduling and managing cleaning, and more.

Create a House Manual 

Fill out your listing with a house manual that includes information about both the property and neighborhood. A house manual should encompass things like wifi, parking information, public transit, nearby attractions, and your favorite places to grab a meal or drink. Use our template to make your own.  The best part about a complete house manual is that you will answer guest’s questions before they need to ask them. You will cut down on time spent messaging with guests because they will have everything they need at their fingertips. 

Encourage Guest Reviews

Often a guest doesn’t leave a review simply because they forgot. In addition to creating an incredible guest experience, you can encourage a guest to leave you a review by reviewing them soon after check-out and sending an automated reminder to review your property.

This is an especially important Airbnb tip because as a host, Airbnb reviews are one of the most valuable things you own. Lots of positive reviews will get you more bookings, and allow you to charge more for your property.  Airbnb pushes properties with the most reviews to the top of a guest’s search. 

Greet Guests with Welcome Baskets

Start a guest’s trip off right with a thoughtful welcome basket. Welcome baskets go a long way in enhancing a guest’s experience and will increase positive guest reviews. Welcome baskets can be as simple as information on the area, snacks, and extra toiletries. For an extra investment, you can provide enhanced comfort items like slippers, or create seasonal baskets for guests traveling around the holidays or celebrating an anniversary or birthday. Here are some ideas on what to include in your welcome basket. 

Invest in Short-term Rental Insurance

Your conventional homeowner’s insurance will not cover property damage or liabilities related to your Airbnb. While Airbnb offers some protection, hosts have found it difficult to be compensated for the coverage they need. Purchasing specific short-term rental insurance isn’t a large financial commitment, and will provide you with the peace of mind and protection you need. 

Keep Your Rental Spotless

If you grew up with the saying “cleanliness is next to godliness” – the saying rings true in Airbnb hosting! Hire a cleaning crew and automate your cleaning. A spotless property, especially in the Covid-19-era is vital in securing positive guest reviews.

Keyless Entry

As your business grows, you may not have the time to meet each guest in person. Plus, many guests prefer to get straight to relaxing upon arrival. Utilizing smart locks for keyless entry is a simple way to organize self-check-in. For example, there’s no scheduling stress if a guest’s flight is delayed. Plus you’re able to easily customize unique entry codes for each guest. This provides safety and peace of mind to you and your visitors. Here are five easy steps to automating the check-in process.

Learn the Basics of Search Engine Optimization

Learning the basic rules of search engine optimization will increase your guest occupancy rate. Airbnb uses over one hundred factors when ranking where your listing appears in a guest’s search. Optimizing your property listing will increase visibility and ultimately income.

List Your Property on Multiple Channels 

The more places your property is listed, the more eyes are seeing it. It’s important to list your property across multiple channels like Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, etc. Using property management software like Host Tools, will keep you organized and prevent double bookings. 

Provide Quality Linens

Invest in high-quality linens. Look for thread counts of at least 200 (300 is standard for superhosts), and purchase white sheets for easy bleaching. Guests booked your place to sleep – make sure it’s a heavenly experience!

Promote your listing on social media

Create a Facebook business page and Instagram for your property. Use social media to introduce yourself, the Airbnb, and neighborhood gems. These platforms can help tell your Airbnb’s story. 

Protect Your Property with Cameras and Noise Monitors

You’ve invested a lot of time and money into your Airbnb, so it is important to protect it. Install security cameras in public areas of the property (only outdoors, nothing inside the property) to protect both your property and yourself from lawsuits or liabilities. Install a noise monitor to help ensure no parties are held on-site – Airbnb has banned parties and will penalize hosts who allow parties at their property. You must disclose all recording devices to guests.

Understand Your Cancellation Policy

Flexibility is key in the short-term rental industry. Airbnb prioritizes properties in a guest’s search that offer flexible or moderate cancellation policies. Flexible cancellation entitles guests to a full refund up to 24-hours before a reservation. This is a risk for hosts, but it increases your visibility. 

Set Your Pricing

Airbnb offers Smart Pricing – but it isn’t your best option. Airbnb will underprice your rentals because it’s working to maximize profits for itself, not you. Using a platform like ours will allow you to create highly customized (yet simple) pricing strategies to maximize your income. 

Take Great Photos

We can’t reiterate it enough: quality Airbnb photography is instrumental to success. Spend the time making your property look great, and consider hiring a professional photographer to really make it shine. Guests will always gravitate toward a property with superb photos over one without. 

So there you have it! When you utilize these Airbnb tips for hosts we know you’ll see an increase in your productivity as a host,  and your guest’s experience:

• Automate guest communications
• Create a house manual
• Encourage guest reviews
• Greet guests with a welcome basket
• Invest in short-term rental insurance
• Keep your Airbnb spotless
• Keyless entry
• Learn the basics of search engine optimization
• List your property on multiple channels
• Provide quality linens
• Promote your listing on social media
• Protect your property with cameras and noise monitors
• Understand your cancellation policy
• Set your pricing
• Take great photos

Host Tools provides an automated, unified calendar for short-term rental hosts, allowing you to seamlessly list on all major channels. Start your free trial today!