With the growing popularity and usage of Airbnb for short-term lodges by both hosts and guests, greater attention is put by hosts on raising their Airbnb occupancy rate and making their Airbnb rental properties stand out of the crowd on the Airbnb app.
Therefore, it is known that Airbnb reviews for both hosts and guests are the most important factor that can make or break the demand for Airbnb rentals and the overall success in this domain. Hence, let us take a look at what Airbnb reviews are, how they work, and what to do in order to get good feedback and reviews.
What Are Airbnb Reviews and How Do They Work?
The Airbnb application gives both guests and hosts the ability to review their experience renting Airbnb property and publicly share their reviews. Airbnb provides this feature as an attempt to enhance the experience of hosts and guests alike, which consequently helps develop the entire experience of Airbnb and enriches its credibility.
After guests check out of an Airbnb property, the Airbnb reviews system gives hosts the chance to review their experience with the guests and also gives the guests the chance to evaluate their hosts and their experience as a whole. Both will be given certain questions, including:
- Describe your experience
- Write a private feedback
- Write public feedback about your experience
- Rate cleanliness
- Rate communication
- Rate observation of house rules
- Would you recommend this guest/host?
Reviews are limited to 500 words and should follow the Airbnb content policy, and you can edit what you wrote up to 48 hours from writing the reviews before your host or guest completes his/her Airbnb reviews task
The Airbnb reviews system proved to be the most important tool that pushes the occupancy rate either up or down and dramatically affects reviewers’ decisions on whether to rent a certain property or not. Therefore, it is important to focus on both the quality and the quantity of Airbnb reviews.
Why Are Airbnb Reviews Your Best Friend and Worst Enemy in Airbnb Rentals?
It is a no-brainer that Airbnb short-term rentals require more work compared to long-term rentals due to the high turnover rate and also the constant fluctuation in the occupancy rate. Therefore, the importance of Airbnb reviews derives from their influence over the increase of demand for a certain property, but how?
The more positive reviews an Airbnb rental gets, the higher its occupancy rate will be, simply because people who look for Airbnb rentals take into consideration seriously both positive and negative reviews, and based on that, they decide whether to rent the property or not.
Airbnb reviews also generate traffic on the Airbnb website, which gradually leads to a higher demand for the property, and that certainly increases positive cash flow to the host and motivates him or her to raise the property’s charge.
Likewise, getting negative reviews from Airbnb guests certainly affects the demand for the property and its rank on the Airbnb website.
On the other hand, getting positive reviews is also important for Airbnb guests. Whenever a guest requires to book an Airbnb rental, the host checks the guests’ profile and reviews to make sure they are renting the property to appropriate guests who won’t cause any harm or damage to the property and are easy to communicate with, and based on that they will decide whether to confirm the booking or not.
Related: Airbnb Reviews: Top Influencers Affecting Your Occupancy Rate
How to Get Good Reviews
Getting good reviews is not really hard to obtain, albeit with hard work and commitment, and it entirely depends on you as a host and your strategy of managing your Airbnb profile and property, and most importantly, the way you deal with customers before and during their stay in your Airbnb rental.
Here are some tips that will help you get positive Airbnb reviews and hence increase the demand for your property:
1. Be a quick responder
One of the major skills that a good host must have is communication and the ability to always answer inquiries and calls from guests quickly and comprehensively. In many cases, people have inquiries about the rental prior to renting it, and they tend to contact the host.
You have to reply as quickly as possible and give them all information they need with a respectful and friendly tone, as your way of dealing with guests might either bring them to you or push them away, even if you have a really good rental.
Once guests book your Airbnb, it is important to write them all they need to know prior to their arrival and always be alert during the time of their check-in as they might, for some reason, be unable to access the door, so always be available, make their arrival as easy as possible, and DON’T MAKE THEM WAIT.
2. Make your listing meet guests’ expectations
It is true that when you write a description of your listing on the Airbnb website, you should choose an eye-catching title and an attractive description by telling guests what they want to hear; however, this should not, by any means, affect your honesty.
All amenities that you listed on the Airbnb website should be available and in good condition, like heating, AC, bed sheets, kitchen equipment, etc. If you, for instance, write that a list of suggestions for places to visit or a welcoming letter will be available on the table upon guests’ arrival, you should have them there and prepare everything as expected and more.
The worst thing you can do is write that there will be a breakfast available or a shower kit and not prepare them, for example.
3. Offer a clean, welcoming place
There are a lot of ways in which you can show hospitality; however, it all starts with a clean place. Providing a clean place for Airbnb guests should be your top priority, so make sure to clean the floor, the ceiling, the BATHROOM, and all amenities included.
Also, make sure to provide clean extra bed and toilet sheets and shampoos, as cleanliness definitely will be noted in your positive reviews. Ensure that your listing does not have any insects or bugs because that would be really bad, and the Airbnb policy states that any listing with many complaints about bugs will be in danger of cancellation.
There are also many simple and costless ideas you can utilize to show hospitality, such as writing a warm welcoming letter as well as providing a local breakfast and/or some drinks like tea and coffee. Let your Airbnb guests feel that they are living the entire experience of traveling and provide them with friendly vibes of home that other short-term lodges like motels and hotels lack.
Related: How Do You Create the Best Airbnb Property in Town?
4. Give your guests their space and privacy
Although it is true that in many cases, people choose Airbnb because they want to meet new people and get to know locals, you should anyhow respect their privacy, especially if you are renting out a room in your house, and never enter guests’ rooms to check on your property unless you take their approval beforehand.
Everyone, even the most extrovert guests, like quietness and privacy, so be always respectful of your guests’ needs and space. If you have children in your house, try as much as you can to be quiet, calm, and friendly.
Related: 5 Things You Need to Do to Boost Your Airbnb Reviews
Bottom Line
Although getting good reviews needs hard work and commitment, it is absolutely attainable and can be your main key to raising the occupancy rate and the demand for your property. As you noticed in this article, it heavily relies on how good, understanding, and respectful of an Airbnb host you are and to what extent you are willing to succeed in your Airbnb property investment.
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