How To List On Airbnb - Step-By-Step Guide

Airbnb has been a huge success for property owners, with hosts earning billions of dollars between them. With the ability to rent out accommodation across the world, homeowners have been renting out rooms or entire properties on Airbnb.

But it is more complicated than you think to list on Airbnb. After all, you have to try to win over guests from your competition and ensure you make your property appealing. You also want to ensure you make the most profit with a successful listing. 

Therefore, you need to know how to list on Airbnb to take advantage of these things. We have written this guide to ensure you're in the best position to do so.

Get started

So, to get started on knowing how to list on Airbnb, you firstly need to make an account on Airbnb as a host. It’s worth filling out the bio, adding a photo and completing an identity verification. This is where you prove to Airbnb that you are who you say you are using your ID. This will help to reassure potential travellers that you are reputable. 

Once you have started an account, you then need to create a new listing for your chosen room or property. Before you fill out the details, make sure you know exactly what you are listing and have all the details to hand. That way, you will not need to stop and hunt down important details throughout the process. 

Also, it’s worth noting that it’s free to list but you will be charged a fee when you get a booking. This can either be host only or can be shared with the guest. Once your account is ready, it’s time to select Create a Listing.

How to list on Airbnb - the practical steps

Here is how you can get your listing on Airbnb live:

What is the property? 

The first thing you need to add is the property type. Whether this is a room in a property or an entire place, ensure you correctly identify the property. It’s worth adding if they have access to other areas of the accommodation too.

Where is the property? 

The next thing you need to add to your listing is exactly where the accommodation is. You don’t need to identify the exact address at this stage, but it’s important to mark where it is on the map, so the guests don’t book an unwanted location. 

Once they book, you can give them the full address and directions if needed.

How many can stay? 

You also need to identify how many people the property is for. You don’t want a large booking that you have to turn away as the property is for a smaller number. Clearly state how many guests can stay and put clearly the bedroom number on your listing. 

Also, if you can, add an extra bed or cot for families.

What are the amenities?

It’s time to now add what your property has to offer. For instance, perhaps your property has a car parking space. Or you might have access to a pool or gym in the apartment block. Add anything that will attract guests in this section.

How would you describe the property? 

The next thing and arguably the most important part of the listing is the description. You might want to focus on the views from the property if you are in a seafront location. Or perhaps it’s worth pointing out your locality to the centre of a bustling city. 

It’s always worth writing with the guest in mind. For instance, if you know your apartment will be attractive to families, talk about why it is a kid-friendly accommodation. 

Remember to be honest about the property and give an overview of what they can expect from each room and the location.

Have you added photos?

It’s so vital that you add photos of each room of the property. This will give the potential guest a visual idea of the property before they book. Ensure you cover all the amenities of the room or the whole property so they know exactly what is on offer when they book.

Have you listed your rules? 

It’s now time to add any house rules that are important to you. Whether you have a specific area of the home that is out of bounds or you are a definite no to parties, make sure this is included in the house rule section.

How long can they stay? 

You also need to set how long the guest can stay in the room or whole property. You might want a minimum of a couple of nights and the maximum you can choose is 28 days.

When is it available? 

You need to ensure you make it clear when the accommodation is free to book. If there are any dates you do not want to rent out the room or property, ensure you block these off so they do not get booked.

How much is your accommodation? 

You need to now price up your accommodation. Airbnb has a smart pricing option that will ensure you get a competitive rate and it will adjust it automatically to ensure you have the average rate for the area. 

In the pricing area, it’s worth adding in any extra fees such as cleaning so the guests are aware.

Can they cancel? 

Ensure you go for the option that suits you. There is a flexible, moderate or strict option that will affect whether the guest can cancel or not after booking.

How to book? 

You then need to decide if you want the guest to get in touch with you or whether you want to set up the instant book option. If you go for this, the platform will enable booking without any contact needed with the host. 

This often is appealing as it makes the process quicker and is less hassle for the host.

Is the listing all correct? 

Now it’s time to check the listing for any issues that need ironing out before you book. When you are ready, you can press “list” and the listing will be published and in search results within 72 hours, assuming there isn’t anything wrong.

Getting the most from your listing

Here are some important extra tips on how to list your house on Airbnb and how to transform your Airbnb listing to ensure you make the most profit possible:

Take the right photos

As we discussed above, you need to add photos to your Airbnb listing. But you need to ensure they are the best photos to help win over that potential guest. Use the best camera possible. Refresh your accommodation to make sure everything is in top form before taking the photos. 

It’s worth moving furniture so that the room looks spacious and you could even remove items before clicking away. Also, it’s worth editing the photos to ensure they are high quality. You could lightly retouch the photos to ensure the accommodation looks light and airy. 

It’s also common to take photos of the nearby location to help sell your property to guests. And if you can afford it, hire someone to take professional shots.

Add competitive pricing

While you can use Airbnb’s Smart Pricing option, it’s a good idea to do your own research on what competitors are currently pricing for their places. 

Also, keep an eye on events and seasonality as you could be making more profit when it’s more appealing to visit such as during the summer holidays. 

You could also consider applying discounts to attract guests. You could set a weekly discount or monthly discount which will ensure you make as much profit as possible if they stay for a longer stay. Always keep up to date with pricing and change accordingly.

Use instant book

As mentioned above, Instant Book is definitely an appealing option and is likely to get you more bookings. If you have to contact the host and wait for a response, it can put off the guest who might go to a different site instead of waiting. Or in the meantime, they might find a better option before hearing back from the host. Therefore, with an instant book option, they are more likely to book there and then and get confirmation quickly.

Use your calendar

Ensure that you have a calendar on your site that is clearly updated so that guests can find out quickly what is free and what is not. If you don’t have an updated calendar, it can often put guests off if they have to contact you to see if it’s free on certain dates. 

There is software available that will take the pressure off you by updating it instantly when your accommodation is booked. It’s also worth putting on the calendar any meaningful dates coming up in the area. For instance, if there is a big festival coming up, this might entice guests to book your accommodation.

Enable cancellations

While you don’t want guests to cancel on you, they are much more likely to book if cancellations are possible. After all, it lets them have some flexibility, even if they are unlikely to cancel before the trip. 

So when you create your cancellation policy, it’s worth going for the flexible option so that they have the opportunity to cancel and get their money back if necessary.

Ensure your description is top-quality

The description can make or break a person’s decision on whether to book so it’s very important to make sure this is of the highest quality to entice a guest to book. You want to market the property to the best of your ability so its worth giving as much information as possible. 

From where they might want to visit in the area to the best things to do in the space during the day or evening, it’s best to go into as much detail as possible. 

If you are not the best writer, a lot of people are sourcing these descriptions out to professional writers. They will write the best description possible to encourage guests to book your accommodation.

Listing on Airbnb FAQs

Is it worth it to list on Airbnb?

Listing your property on Airbnb is a great way for you to bag some extra cash and make sure your space is being utilized to its fullest potential. The listing process is quick and easy, and with the right photos and listing, your property can quickly become another avenue for business and income. 

Airbnb also provides you with great exposure within the vacation rental property market. Their schemes like registering you as a “super host” are also great advertising material for your property. 

Airbnb will also handle all the financial administration that comes with letting out a holiday home, meaning you can spend more time on making sure you give your guests a great experience. 

What percent does Airbnb take? 

Some people are put off renting their homes out on Airbnb because they’re worried about what percent Airbnb takes in total. However, Airbnb does not take that much compared to other property listing sites. 

Overall, Airbnb will require a 3% flat rate of the booking total which is a small fee to pay when you consider the amount of exposure you get on the platform. 

Is it profitable to list on Airbnb?

There are plenty of people who run very successful businesses on Airbnb. With the low fees associated with Airbnb, you still get to take home most of the profits from your vacation rental property. 

Having an Airbnb is a great way to have or start a small Airbnb business on the side. 

Conclusion

Airbnb is getting popular with travellers around the world, so it’s vital to ensure you have the best listing possible to gain the most profit. Ensure your home is the best it can possibly be and find ways to offer the most personalised experience for your guests. 

Keep an eye on what competitors are offering to find your own unique selling point for your room or property. You can look at competitor sites to find ideas of how to boost your listing.

It’s important to constantly check how you are ranking so that you can make changes quickly if you are not receiving the most viewings or are struggling to gain bookings. You can do this through your account and keep checking this as much as you can. 

Remember that as soon as you get completed bookings, ask them to leave reviews as these will help to increase the amount of bookings you will receive. 

And also promote your listing once you have published it. Share it on social media to help encourage people to visit your listing and gain more bookings.