How to Optimize Your Airbnb SEO

The stay is over – but the relationship does not have to be. Customer acquisition is a difficult task in all industries, which is why investing in the cultivation of repeat guests is a priority for all, especially those in the short-term rental sector.

So, you have added your apartment on Airbnb, it has been a while since it has been online and you are still receiving next to none reservations. Certainly your listing should be performing better, shouldn’t it? We agree, and we are here to share some tips and tricks you could implement to ensure that you are satisfied with the revenue earned through the platform!

1. Eye Catching title
   Easily the most important part of your listing, it is imperative that your title stands out right off the bat! This is the first impression that the guests will form regarding your listing, so it is important for the title to be catchy, inviting and straight to the point.
2. Choose the right photos
   It goes without saying that the photos that you choose to share on your listing are very impactful at helping potential guests decide whether to click on your listing or not. Great quality photos also rank higher in Airbnb ́s search results. This is certainly something you should keep in mind!
3. Amenities
   A little known hack that is worth noting is that Airbnb gives higher search rankings to hosts that provide the following amenities on their listing: Internet, Hangers, Essentials, Desk, Iron and Hair Dryers! Have you added these to your description? Now is a great time to do so!
4. Organise your descriptions
   Usually, having a wall of text as a description can really throw off the potential bookers as it often makes you feel like you are reading a legal disclaimer. Airbnb gives you unlimited characters so you should choose to spread out the description in a manner that doesn ́t tire the eyes. Make sure you break the description down into sections so that people can focus on exactly what they want to know about, be it the bedroom or the view from the balcony. From there, they can make the decision to keep reading the rest, or book immediately. If you would really like to stand out and go the extra mile, you can use emojis that are relevant to what is being described! For example, if your listing is close to the beach, you include an emoji of a palm tree, or a beach umbrella to your description. If that is a bit too bold for you, you can simply use the tick emoji to create a classy checklist-style description!
5. Add a call to action
   Once your potential guest has finished scanning through your description, you want to make sure that they book with you! Often people make the mistake to not actually ask their guests to do so, this is where the call to action comes in. Something as simple as “We’d be happy to welcome you to stay at our lovely apartment this summer. Book your stay with us now!” can make all the difference.
6. Add suggestions for places worth visiting nearby
   Generally best when added to the top of the summary section, these can help the potential guests learn more about what famous landmarks can be found nearby without having to look your location up on google. Include how many minutes it takes to walk to the closest popular spot, or the metro, and you will certainly increase your chances of getting booked!
7. Social Media is your best friend (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter)
   It is always important to build the brand of your listing for social proof and views. Creating a Facebook or Instagram page for your property and linking it to your listing on Airbnb is certainly a great way to make sure you receive several clicks (and potential bookings) in a fool-proof manner! For an example of this, you can have a look at our Instagram page!

At LovelyStay, we use all these tactics and more to boost the visibility and bookings of all the properties that we manage. To know more, just contact us here to see what we could do for you!

LovelyStay is a dynamic and driven short term rental company dedicated to help owners earn income effortlessly since 2016. Situated in downtown Lisbon, our company is keen on offering the best accommodation to both tourists and locals visiting our popular capital. This is achieved through cutting edge technology developed by our in-house IT department, and the several culturally-diverse personnel that make up the LovelyStay family. Reliability, transparency, good communication skills, and multicultural backgrounds are what we find commendable and what we hope to see in all our employees.

Written by: Ismat Ara Khan