What is a Superhost and the 5 Fundamental Factors you Should Really be Focused on to Increase your Airbnb’s Revenue
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If you would like a quick low down on Airbnb’s Superhost Status, you’ve come to the right place.
In this post you will learn more about:
What is a Superhost?
Why is it important?
The 5 fundamental factors to focus on to increase your Airbnb’s revenue
When I started my Airbnb hosting journey, I had gathered a lot of “market research” through being a frequent Airbnb guest. I’ll never forget the time I learned how fundamentally important cleanliness was to guests. It was the time I stayed in an Airbnb in Atlanta for Thanksgiving and the floors were so dirty that the bottom of my socks turned black and sticky! It totally grossed me out. But what was even more mind boggling about the situation was that the host provided disposable slippers (to mitigate the dirty floor) instead of having a proper cleaning protocol. When guests get put off by the most fundamentally important factors like cleanliness or the check-in experience, all the other efforts you make as a host (providing a welcome basket, communication, etc.) go out the window.
By gathering information about what I liked and didn’t like through first-hand experience and focusing on providing a great atmosphere for my guests, I was able to earn 5-star reviews and I became a Superhost at the earliest possible opportunity. Check out my prior post as well, which includes a list of the Amazon Essentials I purchased to ensure that guests have the highest quality experience.
So let’s get to it…
What is a Superhost?
Per Airbnb’s website, to become a Superhost you must have met the following criteria:
Completed at least 10 trips or 3 reservations that total at least 100 nights
Maintained a 90% response rate or higher
Maintained a less than 1% cancellation rate
Maintained a 4.8 overall rating
To oversimplify, make sure you are responding quickly to your inquiries and guests, don’t cancel on your guests (duh), and create an experience that your guests will want to rate highly.
Why is it important to be a Superhost?
The reason you want to become an Airbnb Superhost is because you rank higher in the Airbnb search results. It is also a lagging indicator that guests really love your property and your hosting skills!
Per Airbnb’s article on how search results work “Hosts who deliver outstanding hospitality generally improve the performance of their listings over time. For example, the algorithm considers the Superhost criteria—the number of cancellations by a Host, the responsiveness of the Host, and ratings and reviews for a listing—as well as Superhost status itself.”
But the algorithm considers many factors to determine how to order search results. The quality, popularity, price, and location of a listing heavily influence how a listing appears in search results.
So, while the Superhost status is important, let’s focus on getting good ratings and reviews here as those positive ratings and reviews, coupled with not canceling on your guests (duh) and good communication will naturally push you into the Superhost category without trying.
The 5 fundamental factors you should focus on to increase your Airbnb’s revenue:
Cleanliness: I mentioned my experience with the Atlanta Airbnb. You definitely do not want to leave your guests with sticky socks. A dirty listing will instantly get you bad reviews. A few ways to ensure your Airbnb gives your guests relaxing, crisp, clean vibes:
-Invest in, and coach up a cleaning crew. I created a shareable google doc with my cleaning instructions for my crew which includes alerting me of any stained sheets/towels/couches/rugs. It also includes photos of how I wanted the rooms to look after each turnover in case the crew changes.
-Purchase white sheets, towels, bathmats, and bedspreads. They can be bleached and also make the place look clean.
-Protect mattresses and pillows with protectors.
Check in and out: A good check in and out experience is critical. Ensure you have the right keyless door lock and ring doorbell so there are no hiccups.
Pricing: When starting out I listed my property around 75% of comparable listings. That improved my booking rate as the Airbnb search algorithm considers how your price compares to other listings in the area for the given dates. I also earned great reviews because the guests were so impressed with the experience they received for the money they spent. Over time, I was able to increase the price accordingly.
Clear and swift communication: I don’t agree with some of the articles I have read suggesting hosts over communicate. I send 2 standardized messages via the Airbnb app per guest. The first is clear check in instructions 24-48 hours before check in, I quickly answer any questions (which there usually aren’t many because of my iron clad instructions), and I follow up after check out asking for any feedback on what the guest liked and what I could improve upon. In the second message I ask for a positive review.
Do at least one special thing for your guests that will set your Airbnb apart and delight your guests. Whether it is providing a French press along with a bag of nice local coffee or travel sized toiletries, these are things that not every Airbnb provides and will leave your guests with a positive memory of your property.
Stick to these 5 fundamentals and organically, you will become a Superhost for sure.
