Another Take on The Importance of Excellent Listings

I am nearly always shocked when I search Airbnb to find the perfect spot for a particular getaway. Shocked at what, you might ask? The abysmal quality of a significant number of listings!

Just a few weeks ago, I was searching for a 5-bedroom property in Maine that would suit my family of 6 and our friend’s family of 4 for a week-long getaway. We were aiming for something mid-priced, close to a good surfing beach. To my surprise, 30-50% of the listings were of extremely poor quality—dark, blurry cell phone photos, minimal descriptions, and several other small issues.

Looking closely at some of the photos, I could tell these properties were probably fine, but my gut reaction to the dark images was to skip right over them. I passed on many listings and found one that truly showcased itself.

In Airbnb's early days, you could get away with a poorly executed listing and still do well, but those days are long gone. Today, listings need to meet the highest standards to command maximum revenue.

As a coach at HostCamp, I’ve reviewed hundreds of listings and helped write or set up dozens more. From my experience, an excellent listing has four key attributes:

1. High-Quality Professional Photos

Rob always says it: Professional photographs are not optional. They are essential.

I often hear the objection, “But professional photographers are expensive!” Real estate photographers can charge anywhere from $150 to $1,000 or more, and while that might seem costly—especially at the end of the property purchase and setup process—thinking in terms of upfront dollars is short-sighted.

The return on investment (ROI) from professional photos is hard to understate. Imagine you own a property with an Average Daily Rate (ADR) of $250. You hire the best real estate photographer in town for $1,000 to take interior, exterior, golden hour, and drone shots. A thousand dollars feels steep, right? But if those professional photos bring in just two more nights of bookings annually, that’s an extra $500 in revenue—a 50% return on investment!

Or, if you can charge just 1% more in ADR because of the better photos, that’s $1,200 more revenue annually on a $60,000 property—a 120% return on your $1,000 investment!

2. Excellent Listing Copy

Your listing description is your property’s voice. Airbnb allows a maximum of 500 characters for the introduction. Each of those characters must serve a purpose: to turn lookers into bookers! Treat it with the care of a high-caliber author crafting their novel.

Beyond the intro, the rest of your listing should walk potential guests through the space. Be detailed, complete, and engaging. If writing isn’t your strong suit, put together a rough draft and pay for an editor—or run it through an AI like ChatGPT (though beware, AI can sometimes go overboard, so tone it down as needed).

3. Amenities

Complete the entire amenities section of your listing. Some hosts skip items they deem irrelevant, like bowling alleys or laser tag (yes, really!). But Airbnb insiders claim the algorithm rewards more comprehensive listings. So, check off everything applicable and fill in any available details.

4. Host Bio

A host bio isn’t just fluff—it helps humanize your listing. Guests like knowing who they’re booking with, and a blank profile or logo without a bio can be a turn-off. You don’t need to be fascinating; just add a friendly photo and share a bit about yourself. This can put potential guests at ease, knowing they’re booking with a "real" and relatable person.

These elements aren’t optional if you want to generate bookings and maximize revenue. Take 20 minutes to review your listing(s) today and see where you can improve. Then, create a plan and get started!

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