Owners are constantly on the lookout for the secret to increasing reservations, but what truly drives bookings? Is it high-end amenities? Professional photography? Or might it be the setting? While all of these factors contribute to your Airbnb success, one critical factor is responsible for the initial hook: a compelling description! The visitor hook is what will truly increase your bookings (well, and good management software for properties on Airbnb, of course). So, how will you persuade your guests to stay with you?
Many hosts are put off by the need for effective Airbnb copywriting and are forced to hire an Airbnb copywriter outright. While hiring a professional is one approach to getting a great description, it is not the only way.
We’ve compiled all of the best strategies and tricks for nailing Airbnb copywriting and some advice for hiring a professional if you decide to outsource it. If you want to increase your bookings, don’t overlook what genuinely earns you reservations, such as your Airbnb description and vacation rental software.
What exactly is Airbnb copywriting?
The term alone puts hosts under pressure to provide an expert-level description if they want to obtain any bookings. The good news is that it’s fairly straightforward once you understand what your guests are searching for. Even better, no two descriptions are alike, and coming up with your own can help your listing stand out from the crowd.
Airbnb copywriting is a carefully designed listing description focusing on search engine parameters and the guest hook. It is the words that will attract your customers. Therefore, it is effectively the elevator pitch for your Airbnb.
Why is listing copywriting important on Airbnb?
It would be simple to put a “two-bedroom flat in the city center,” but this does not entice guests. Having a nice Airbnb description is crucial, but it’s also a lot of work. Working within a strict character count limit of only 50 characters and needing to choose every word strategically will take more than 15 minutes.
Despite the initial work required, the payoff is enormous. A strong Airbnb copy will help you attract the ideal guests, enhance your page rating, and, most importantly, increase your reservations! Let us go a little deeper.
Impress potential visitors
The ideal situation is for all of your clients to find you through word of mouth or by searching for your Airbnb listing directly. Regrettably, this is rarely the case. Most of the time, you’ll be persuading strangers to book a stay in a new town and a new hotel. You’ll need to persuade newbies to make a reservation based solely on your Airbnb listing. Now it makes sense to have good Airbnb copywriting talents.
You may be vying for the same weekend slot as a million other “two-bedroom residences in the city center,” so how will you distinguish yours? Good Airbnb copywriting distinguishes your listing from the competition while impressing all potential guests that visit your page.
Communicate expectations.
Because your property cannot speak for itself, you must be the one to intervene. In your description, set the tone for what you expect from your guests. This isn’t the place to lay out your house rules, but by favorably exhibiting your property’s “feeling,” you avoid having to over-clarify guidelines later.
Appeal to the appropriate audience
Similarly, you want to attract guests who will fully enjoy everything your home has to offer. You’re not simply selling your home; you’re also protecting your peace of mind. Let’s imagine you own a tiny cottage holiday rental outside of town. You perceive your property as a peaceful retreat from the city, ideal for couples or calm travelers, yet some visitors may see it as an opportunity to hold a large buddy reunion without being plagued by noise complaints.
Increase the visibility of your Airbnb listing.
Keep in mind that your Airbnb ranking does not follow the same pattern as your Google ranking. SEO is still important but in a new way. Your listing will be rewarded if it is descriptive, echoing Airbnb’s push for quality. According to Airbnb, “creating a competitive listing begins with having a clear, accurate description of what guests will receive.”
You have a better possibility of raising your rank in the Airbnb search feature if your Airbnb copywriting is appropriately crafted.
Airbnb Copywriting Techniques
You’ve probably understood the significance of strong Airbnb text by now, but you might be wondering what makes an Airbnb description unique. If you are hesitant to hire a professional, there are several ideas and tactics you may use to become your Airbnb copywriting guru.
Emphasize your primary selling points.
Many hosts make the mistake of including too much or too little information about the property in the title. A maximum of one or two selling elements are advised for an Airbnb listing title. If having a jacuzzi is unusual in your location, include that in the title. Putting your main sale front and center is what will draw potential guests’ attention.
However, you don’t want to overload your guests. If your title resembles a laundry list, it will be too cluttered on the eyes, and consumers will just go on to the next listing. That is why, ideally, you should find the optimum balance between the two. Highlight your best qualities without overdoing them.
Fillers should be avoided at all costs.
Your description should include information about your property. Fillers and generic adjectives provide nothing to your visitors. Using the wrong description phrases might make your property appear generic and spammy. Your adjective selection should convey a sense of optimism without veering toward an untruth. Here are some examples of words to avoid:
- Beautiful
- Pretty
- Nice
- Great
Also, avoid using the word “extremely.” When you use words like “extremely” to highlight or enhance a point, you’re essentially wasting four characters that could have been better used as a replacement for a more particular term. In the same character count, really good views can be better described as breathtaking scenery. Because you have a limited amount of space, choose your words carefully!
There are no bad words.
Even if you’re trying to convey a positive message, saying it in negative terms has the opposite effect. You want guests to have a great experience from beginning to end, especially if you’re attempting to convince them that your hotel is the best one for their holiday.
Assume a cabin is located in the woods encircling Nashville. Perhaps the original description was “quiet cabin away from the busy roadway.” The first adjectives that come to mind are “busy” and “highway,” both of which have a bad connotation despite being a great selling point. “Quaint cabin set away in the Nashville woods,” try again. You convey the same thing in a far more pleasant tone.
SEO is still important.
Airbnb promises a complex algorithm (about 100 parameters) for matching guests with the ideal property for their trip. The ranking system is extremely accurate when it comes to matching passengers to suitable lodgings, but if you want any of the desired traffic, you must learn how to hack it.
Airbnb is open about what it takes to improve your score; all you have to do is follow the instructions. The algorithm is not restricted to description alone, although it is a crucial factor to consider. So, what are your options?
According to their website, “the algorithm considers how frequently guests click on your listing, how frequently guests seek to contact you from your listing page, and how many booking requests you accept.” If many guests add your listing to their wish lists, it will rank higher, and those guests are more likely to see your listing in future searches.”
Simply put, your listing must be clickable. The more clicks you receive, the higher your listing will appear. A catchy headline that genuinely provides information about your property is what will draw Airbnb visitors to your listing and, as a result, enhance your rating in the search results.
How to Locate the Best Airbnb Copywriter
If you’ve never worked with freelance travel writers before, you might be unsure where to start. We can certainly assist! It’s more popular than ever for freelancers to specialize in one area, and Airbnb copywriting is no different. Finding the ideal person in such a specialized profession may appear difficult, but once you know where to look, you’ll be well on your way to finding the Airbnb copywriter of your dreams.
Referrals and personal recommendations
If you have a network of friends or coworkers who own vacation rental houses, an excellent place to start is by asking for recommendations. More often than not, property owners who have gotten good service will gladly pass on the provider’s contact information, especially if both sides stand to benefit from the agreement.
Ask your peers for recommendations and ideas, or start discussions on online forums for vacation rental communities and see what happens. These talks might take place on sites where you already market your holiday rental, such as Airbnb or HomeAway, as well as in professional LinkedIn groups, Facebook groups, or Reddit threads.
Platforms for freelancing
Try online freelance marketplaces like Upwork or Speedlancer to jump right in and locate freelance copywriters to freshen up your site. Upwork is the largest and, probably, the most well-known tool for both professionals and corporations. You may quickly browse freelance writer profiles, read reviews about their work, and discover the fees they charge.
Because freelance writing is already a competitive field, especially for sought-after travel writing projects, you may find that copywriters may compete for your attention with highly competitive rates. Don’t settle for the first writer you come across; instead, research the market beforehand and make an informed decision based on writer evaluations and work samples.
Agencies
Instead of hiring a person, you may hire an umbrella copywriting agency and delegate the paperwork and decision-making to them.
One approach is to work with a professional firm, such as GuestHook, which is quite knowledgeable about vacation rental ad descriptions). Alternatively, choose a more all-encompassing firm like Copify, which works with huge brand names from a variety of industries and will match you with a copywriter who is a good fit for your role.
Many of these businesses charge by word or per post, so always verify pricing before you hire.
Social networking sites
You can actively seek freelancers using the website’s advanced search option and networks like LinkedIn for talks. What’s amazing about LinkedIn is that your search results are arranged according to their relevance to your network. That is, if you have any shared connections, they will appear in the top results, allowing you to ask your mutual connection to introduce you.
Similarly, many independent travel writers and small writing businesses will have profiles on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms. Simply enter in your search term and select the “Accounts” option on Twitter to see all the results that include those keywords in their bio.
You can also search Twitter for relevant hashtags used by freelancers – The productive Writers’ list is a great place to start.
Contacting freelance travel writers directly on social media lets you start a conversation as a fan of their work, which gives a solid foundation for creating rapport and beginning your professional connection with them.
Summary
Airbnb is a major player in the holiday rental market. Getting your property known and visible on this prominent OTA could lead to big bookings! Except for word of mouth or direct bookings, all reservations must begin somewhere, and this is often from your listing title and description.
Airbnb copywriting will provide you access to the number of reservations you desire. You may expect higher Airbnb bookings in no time if you follow our industry secrets of emphasizing your major selling points, avoiding empty words, keeping the message upbeat, and incorporating SEO into your text.
You’ll need a reservation system to manage your incoming stays if you become a booking superstar, thanks to your exceptional Airbnb copywriting talents. Lodgify makes it simple to keep track of your Airbnb bookings. Try it out for free with our 7-day trial.
