Why (and How to) Update Your Airbnb Listing

We’ve mentioned in one of our articles that it’s essential to update your listings on Airbnb for SEO. We’ve said it, but we haven’t exactly told you how to do it.

Let’s fill that gap now.

Why Update Your Listings?

Search rankings in Airbnb matter, just like how it does in Google searches. One of the factors that give you Airbnb brownie points is updating your listings.

Why? Because updating your listings gives Airbnb the idea that your listing is still active and not just some random listing from five years ago. Not only does Airbnb want this, but your guests too! If you’re trying to book a stay elsewhere, aren’t you reading the listing as well? Everyone wants to make sure that they’re getting what they want out of their stay.

Understanding Airbnb

Airbnb works with an algorithm. This means they employ the combined powers of technology and mathematics to their benefit. If you’re wondering why they would use such powers, it’s because it would be impractical to use humans to review millions of listings on the platform.

They wouldn’t say it, but their algorithm is likely aimed to bring the most money to the business. Instead, they made it sound nicer by saying that they “help guests find the perfect listing for their trip – and help hosts find guests who are a great fit for their space…”

On Airbnb’s site, they say that they look at “nearly 100 different factors” for every listing to appropriately match guests to the listing they want to see (and, as mentioned, vice versa).

One of the three categories Airbnb mentions is listing details (with the other two being guest needs and trip details). Hence, this article is written to help you out!

How Do You Do It?

If you’re really asking “how” to edit them, it’s easy! Go to Menu, click on Listings, click on the one you want to update, locate Listing Details, and click the Edit button on whichever section you’re updating.

But let’s get a bit more technical, shall we?

What terms do you think will be relevant to your guests? One of the most underrated details many hosts ignore is including the name of your area!

You could also go for location-specific details. Think major landmarks, tourist attractions, and incredible views. Terms like “near the city” can significantly impact the number and kinds of guests that make a booking with you. With that in mind, “near the city” may still be vague to many, so take your time to describe the environment they’d be in.

Don’t have any of that going your way? Not a problem! You may also choose to focus on your amenities instead! Airbnb’s famous for “staycations,” after all. Guests want to maximize the quality of their stay. Describe the rental in ways that the photos can’t. How big is the space? What sort of mood were you going for when you designed it? What makes it unique to the other listings around you?

Seasons change, so listing details should also change. Try to stay on top of what’s happening around you! Is it summer? Bring a “summer vibe” to the listing! And don’t leave it on “summer mode” for the rest of the year. Make sure to change it accordingly when the temperature starts to go down in the fall and winter. Upcoming events and holidays are a big deal, too! Update your calendar to let your guests know what to expect. Is some huge sporting event happening? Is a famous artist having a concert nearby? Are the northern lights appearing anytime soon?

We know this may be cheating for an article about updating listings, but you might want to emphasize season-related amenities like fireplaces during the winter or pools in the summer.

Pricing plays an important factor as well! We’ve talked about the importance of appropriately pricing your listing in comparison to your competition here. You may use services like Beyond Pricing or Pricelabs and the like if you want it to be optimized based on their data. Some hosts suggest getting results by reducing the price by a tiny bit every day, but we think it’s a matter of trial-and-error that’s dependent on your circumstances.

Other tips

One other special trick we’d like to interject here is updating your calendar. Besides taking note of holidays and upcoming events, it’s good to frequently update your calendar even for absolutely no reason at all! There IS a reason, but it just isn’t so apparent. Airbnb sees it when you keep updating your listings (even if you just update something then revert them back to normal), and the same goes for the calendar. The algorithm is likely thinking you’re such an engaged host that you’re always doing your best to create a great experience for your guests… even if you’re just blocking out random dates in the future, then immediately freeing them up. But of course, you’re still a great host, right? (Only the best hosts read our articles.)

Airbnb used to say, “Hosts who don’t let their calendar get a month or more out of date are 70% more likely to get booked.” They’ve since removed this statement perhaps to prevent hosts from gamifying the algorithm. But, we still know about it. Now you do. There’s no way to verify if this tactic still holds true for everyone, but a little test won’t hurt.

Thinking of doubling-down on your short-term rental cash flow? You can try things out with Shorefront Investments! We’re Florida-based real estate investors looking to buy and sell properties fast. You could be one of our buyers by joining our buyers’ list! Are you thinking of doing things the other way around? Trying to sell your property instead? You can also give us a call at (850) 713-4866, send us an email, or fill a form on our front page!