How to Become an Airbnb Superhost in 2018

Achieving Airbnb Superhost status is an accomplishment reserved for the best hosts on the platform. That little badge, displayed on host profiles, tells everyone that this host is someone that knows what they’re doing, a host that can be trusted and a host that cares about the experience they offer their guests. Successful Airbnb hosts always strive to become Superhosts. It’s a signal to potential guests that staying with them will be worth their money and time. With this achievement unlocked, hosts can expect a much higher enquiry rate and in return, a better outlook on the platform and an increased income.

The Benefits of Being an Airbnb Superhost

Becoming an Airbnb Superhost does take substantial effort. As a marker of the most dedicated hosts, it requires time, energy and investment in your property to be acknowledged by the platform. For that reason, many hosts do wonder if the benefits are actually worth the effort. The reality is that if you want to do well as an Airbnb host, you need to do everything you can to make sure you’re getting as much attention as you possibly can. This means that you need to optimise your listing, have competitive nightly-rates, fit your listing with eye-grabbing photos and have the best Airbnb host rating that you can. As an Airbnb Superhost, your listing is guaranteed to stand out a lot more in search result pages, guests will trust you and you’ll be eligible for the benefits afforded to these hosts by Airbnb itself. The perks of becoming an Airbnb Superhost include:

• An appealing badge on your listings and profile
• A $100 travel voucher from Airbnb itself, to show their appreciation
• Priority support from Airbnb’s customer support team
• Invitations to local Airbnb events

The Steps to Becoming a Superhost

Airbnb’s assessment of a whether a host is eligible for Superhost status is measured over the past 365 days. During this time, the platform will look at a few different aspects of your hosting skills to see your commitment to Airbnb, your activity, your communication and your feedback. Airbnb doesn’t require hosts to apply for the achievement on their own. It’s simply through achieving the minimum requirements that they will be awarded the title. The following milestones will determine whether you are given Superhost status on Airbnb:

Host At Least 10 Guests

Airbnb will need to see that you’re an active host throughout the year before they decide whether you are a Superhost or not. Their requirement is that you host at least 10 guests during this period. Airbnb hosts wishing to make this accomplishment will need to remain active in the year leading up to their achievement, and in the future to make sure they maintain the status.10 guests isn’t an excessive amount for an Airbnb host. In fact, for those looking to profit from Airbnb in Auckland, hosting 10 trips can be achieved relatively quickly. Attracting guests gets easier the more people you’ve hosted too. Use this period to build up some fantastic reviews and you’ll reach the quota in no-time.

Have an Outstanding (90%) Response Rate to all Requests

Airbnb believes that responding to all requests (even if you’re rejecting someone) is an important measure of a host’s quality. For this reason, the platform will assess your response rate before granting you Superhost status. Hosts should always stay on top of their game with getting back to all guests. Responding to everyone within 24 hours is a safe and straightforward way of becoming a top-tier Airbnb host. Response rates will also allow you to achieve better search result page rankings, getting your listing in front of as many eyes as possible. Responding to everyone, in a timely fashion, will help to optimise your Airbnb profile.

Achieve a 4.8 Star Rating Overall

With reviews a fundamental part of Airbnb, it’s really important to keep your ratings as high as you can. This means that you’ll need to consistently offer a great experience for every single one of your guests and where possible, go above and beyond to secure that outstanding feedback. Previously, Airbnb noted that hosts need to “achieve a 5-star rating 80% of the time” in order to become a Superhost. They recently changed this in July 2018 to maintaining a 4.8 overall rating during an assessed year. All successful Airbnb hosts need to keep ratings in mind, besides the Superhost achievement, they’ll help you attract guests, get better placement in search results pages, and allow you to charge more for your property.

Refrain from Cancelling any Confirmed Reservations

Cancelling on confirmed reservations isn’t a good look for any Airbnb hosts. The platform places a lot of importance on sticking to your word and hosting guests you have confirmed. Cancelling on people last minute is extremely inconvenient and can create issues with travel plans, payment and other time concerns. For this reason, hosts that are prone to cancelling on confirmed reservations will find that the Superhost status evades their efforts. Airbnb does take circumstances into account if you have to cancel for reasons outside of your control. If you’re ever in this situation and you find yourself having to cancel on someone, make sure you check out Airbnb’s Extenuating Circumstances Policy. Here you can find information about contact points and required documentation to prove your situation.

Airbnb Superhosts Get More Bookings and Earn More

In an April 2018 study on whether becoming an Airbnb Superhost is worth it, AirDNA found that Superhosts experienced; an 81% higher occupancy rate, 60% more revenue per available day and a 5% improvement in listing traffic. In a time where Auckland Airbnb hosts are subject to rising tax rates and increased scrutiny around their services, becoming a Superhost is a highly desirable move. As a recognised top host, you’ll be able to surpass sub-par listings, compete with the best available properties and grow your earning potential on the platform.