6 ways to make your Airbnb listing stand out

According to Business of Apps, Airbnb has over seven million listings, run by 4 million hosts, on just the Airbnb platform alone!

For those of you based in Auckland (like Zodiak Management) are competing against at least 8000 listings on Airbnb alone, according to stats provided by New Zealand Herald from 2018.

So, to get guest bookings in this highly saturated market, you’re going to need to make your Airbnb listing stand out from the crowd.

So how can you make your Airbnb listing stand out from everyone else’s?

1. Take some high-quality Airbnb photos

First impressions really count, especially in the Airbnb market! Your guests will judge your property heavily on the photos of your Airbnb property that you provide.

So, therefore, using high-quality photos really counts!

Airhost Academy suggests you hire a professional photographer so that they can take great-quality images of your Airbnb. To make the most of this photographer's time, this company recommends that you should take a bit of time to go through your Airbnb property and write a list of the rooms and key features that you would like this photographer to capture.

Also, remember to encourage the photographer to take these photos from many different angles, so your potential guests can really get a great impression of your Airbnb property.

Here are some tips that will help you take the best photos for your Airbnb listing:

• Take your photos in daylight- the early morning or late afternoon/evening light can work really well for some gorgeous shots.
• Do not clutter your space with furniture, art, and other props because this will crowd your photos.
• Make sure you include in the photos important details such as the backyard, pool, balcony, parking, and other key features.
• Make sure your photos aren't blurry as you are taking them (there's nothing worse than snapping all your photos only to realise they've turned out blurry).

Ideally, you should aim for 20-30 photos of your Airbnb property in your listing.

If you want more tips on How to Take Fantastic Airbnb Listing Photos, you could check out our previous article.

2. Become a Superhost

As Architectural Digest says, one surefire way to make your listing stand out against your competitors is to become an Airbnb Superhost.

Being an Airbnb Superhost is a badge of honour that shows that you are one of the best Airbnb hosts in your area. Plus, this is also a filter that guests can use to select from when booking an Airbnb rental property.

If you want A guide to becoming an Airbnb Superhost you could check out our previous article.

3. Write a well-written and accurate description of your Airbnb property

It’s no surprise that Airbnb NZ suggests that you should write an accurate description of your Airbnb property. There’s no use in using falsities to draw in your guests because obviously, they will find out that you’ve lied once they turn up at your property, and they will inevitably complain about this, and leave a bad review.

What you can do instead is focus on the elements of your rental that truly make it special. For example, you could write about elements that make your listing unique, the overall style, and the atmosphere.

Make sure you mention features that might make your property more appealing to guests, such as a spa pool, easy parking, an outdoor area with a BBQ, and anything else that will make your listing stand out from the crowd.

Another thing that Airbnb NZ suggests is mentioning if any pets usually occupy the space, or any allergens, to keep people informed.

If you want to know How to Write a Stellar Airbnb Description you could check out our previous article.

4. Use a catchy title

The first thing a guest will usually see when they are viewing your Airbnb listing is the title, so you must make this stand out. 

Some tips to make your title stand out are as follows:

• Use all the characters you are allowed
• Don’t use all capitals in your title
• Include characterful details that your guests will love
• Include keywords

If you want to know How to entice more guests with a catchy Airbnb title you could check out our previous article.

5. Utilise great Airbnb reviews

As Learn Bnb suggests, great reviews will definitely attract guests to your property, so you must build and maintain great Airbnb reviews. 

Because really, who is going to want to stay at your property if you have a whole lot of 1-star reviews that use words like “dirty” and “run-down?” Not me!

I'm sure you will enjoy this previous Zodiak article, Here’s a tick list to get good Airbnb reviews.

6. Use important keywords

Lodgify believes that one of the keys to making your Airbnb listing stand out is to use keywords that people search for a lot, including terms such as, “bright,” “modern,” “luxury,” and “historic.”

In the age of COVID, you could even use words that make Airbnb guests feel safer (as long as they are accurate, of course) such as “sanitized,” “secluded,” and “sanitization.”

Conclusion

In conclusion, there is so much competition when it comes to listing your Airbnb property on any Airbnb platform (especially Airbnb). So you really need to make your Airbnb listing stand out in order to attract guests.

Some key ways to do this are: 

• Taking high-quality photos of your Airbnb
• Become an Airbnb Superhost
• Write an accurate and well-written description of your Airbnb
• Write a catchy Airbnb title
• Utilise great Airbnb reviews
• Use important keywords

However, if you are an Auckland Airbnb host that doesn’t want to stress over your Airbnb listing, but rather just focus on the money coming into your account, you could always consider Zodiak Management as a property management company to use.

Zodiak Management will take care of your listing for you, and maintain your listings on Airbnb platforms (as well as managing your bookings and even the clean after visitors leave), so you can just focus on watching your bank account expand!