People tend to hold on to their first impressions for life. That’s why it’s so important to make a solid first impression with your Airbnb profile. Your listing alone may get you lots of views, but add a catchy profile, and that listing goes from lookable to bookable in a heartbeat. It’s simply a matter of injecting some warmth and personality into your profile for that personal touch guests can connect with right away.
How do you create an effective Airbnb profile?
Potential guests want to find out as much as possible about your property and get an idea of your hosting style, whether on Airbnb, Vrbo, or Booking.com. To that end, you should consider the following points when creating your effective Airbnb profile:
- Connect: Message your Airbnb guests right away to establish an open line of communication and to give the guests a good impression of you.
- High-Quality Photos: Post-high-quality photos that generate engagement. Your Airbnb listing should draw attention to your home and the features it has. Including a high-quality profile picture will also give your guest transparency.
- Get Verified: Build trust by getting verified. This is super easy to do and doesn’t take very long. You just need a government id.
- Reviews: People put a lot of weight into ratings and Airbnb reviews. Make sure that you are giving your guests the best experience, and don’t be afraid to ask for a review after. This will help validate your Airbnb account to potential guests.
Common mistakes people make on their Airbnb profile
- Oversharing: Be careful about sharing too much information about yourself and rambling on. You want to be straight to the point but also personable.
- Pictures: people don’t always capture the right photos to highlight their vacation rental. You want your pictures to match the vacation rentals Airbnb profile description.
- Titles: Don’t miss out on opportunities to grab the guest’s attention. Some people don’t use all 50 characters available to them. You will miss out on using more descriptive words that could catch the guest that is casually scrolling through.
With these tips in mind, we’ll deconstruct some great Airbnb profile examples and reveal what works well with each profile.
Connect with your guests
First things first, introduce yourself. Airbnb users shouldn’t have to wonder who you are or where you’re from when booking your rental. Give them everything they need to know right off the bat to establish a connection that invites them to stay.
Don’t get too personal when writing about yourself. Your guests don’t need to know your favorite book or what you eat for breakfast. Yet, you don’t want to come across as too formal either. Think of your host profile as a hybrid of a resume and a dating profile. Include general, yet interesting information about yourself and a high-quality profile photo.
Here are some good Airbnb profile prompts to help get the gears churning for your own profile description. Use it as your guide.
- Where are you from?
- What do you do for a living?
- What do you enjoy most about being an Airbnb host?
- Where are your favorite travel destinations?
Let’s take a look at our first Airbnb profile example:
What works:
- In this profile description, the host answers all the questions asked.
- His pride and enthusiasm leap off the screen as he paints a picture of his hometown and his family’s long-standing connection with it.
- He’s eager to share his knowledge of the region with his guests and they know this will translate into a personalized experience of Cinque Terre.
Generate engagement with intriguing photos
Photos have the power to draw guests in, so it’s crucial that you get this right in order to generate engagement. Your images should showcase the best parts of your space and capture the surroundings in a way that piques the user’s interest. It could be the modern living room that features high ceilings and a spectacular view of the great outdoors, or the luxurious renovated full bath decked out with candles and roses.
It’s important that your photos be high resolution (480x720px or bigger at 72dpi). Airbnb provides specific technical requirements here, and if your photography skills are lacking, the platform even offers photography service in some regions!
Before you post your cover photo, make sure you’ve covered all your bases:
- Photos must be in color and have a focal point (what are you showcasing?).
- Don’t take a picture of a nearby landmark or solely a view—link it to your space.
- Your space should be well lit, preferably with natural light.
- Make sure your space is clean and uncluttered.
Let’s look at an example:
What works:
- This cover photo captures the majestic high ceilings in a rustic setting and invites guests to discover more.
- It’s a high-resolution image, so potential guests don’t have to use their imagination.
- The room is tidy and the decor exudes warmth, alluring viewers to keep clicking.
Spark excitement with a catchy title
It’s true that a picture’s worth a thousand words. But Airbnb cover photos are accompanied by titles, and sometimes those titles can be even more important than the photos—especially when they come with carefully selected buzzwords that guests are specifically looking for.
When creating your catchy title, think of your target guests’ expectations and the latest travel trends in the hospitality industry. Pack in those buzzwords and watch your listing rise to the top.
Other considerations for a punchy title:
- Avoid using generic, fluff-stuff words such as “nice” or “great.”
- Do use specific adjectives that define your property such as “oasis,” “rural,” or “cozy.”
- Use all 50 characters allowed by Airbnb.
- Shine the spotlight on your listings’ most loved features.
Here is an Airbnb profile example to inspire you to create your catchy title:
What works:
- This host’s title grabs attention immediately, regardless of whether you’re a comic fan or not. It’s unusual and catches the eye.
- His adjectives mix quirky with evocative/emotional descriptions.
- This catchy title is one of those that upstage the photo. On point.
Now another example:
What works:
- This host knows the type of guests she wants to target and the title zeroes in on that.
- This title complements the image, evoking a stylish space where guests can get lost in nature.
- Naming the space “The Nest” is on-brand with both the description and images.
- The host manages to combine an adjective AND two adjectives.
Build trust by getting verified on Airbnb
While verifications and references are not always required, they round out your Airbnb profile and help build trust in the airbnb community. Booking on Airbnb is a leap of faith for guests. Potential guests still fear scams and prefer booking with verified hosts. Adding verification will show that you are authentic and encourage more guests to contact you. Getting verified is super easy and you only need your driver’s license or another form of government ID. This is also your first step towards becoming a superhost! Airbnb Superhosts get more bookings because of stellar service and trust within the airbnb community.
References are helpful for if you’re a new host with limited or no reviews. You can request references from friends, other hosts, or past guests.
Here is an Airbnb profile example that includes verification and references:
Add reviews and more to your profile
Reviews are the cogs that keep the wheels of success rolling in your rental business. With every five-star review, you’re building your reputation. It could also mean money in the bank, since with better reviews, you can up your prices. There are smart pricing tools to help guide you there.
Don’t wait for your guest to make the first move, though—encourage your guests to leave a review. Hostfully provides software solutions to remind guests to review their stays, making your life that much easier.
Another level of connection you can establish on your Airbnb profile page is a welcome message to make guests feel at home from the first second. Then, once they arrive in your space, you can go one step further and leave them a welcome gift. They won’t forget their stay.
Last but not least, add the languages you speak. Guests will appreciate knowing how they can communicate with you when making a booking. It’s just one more way you can set yourself apart from a rapidly growing crowd of hosts.
Lock in more bookings with a stellar Airbnb profile
Cynthia Ozick once said, “Two things remain irretrievable: time and a first impression.” Create an Airbnb profile that immediately proves to guests you’re real, trustworthy, and can deliver a personalized experience that’s worth their hard-earned dollars. A good first impression will inevitably generate more bookings. Good luck!
