How to make your Airbnb listing stand out in 2023?

Today I would like to talk about how to make your Airbnb listing stand out in 2023. Airbnb is one of my favorites resources to find accommodation when I travel, because who needs hotels these days when you can stay in real homes of real residents? But not only that. I have been a part of the other side of this project for over 4 years. I am offering my little studio in Tallinn (the capital of Estonia) for visitors to the city. All this time I kept my super host status for the service I provide.

But why is it important in 2022 specifically? Well, the number of listings on Airbnb is now higher than ever and you need to provide something special to capture the attention of your potential guests.

How to make your Airbnb listing stand out in 2023?

Basics

So, how to make your Airbnb listing stand out in 2023? We start with the basics. After many tries and failures, I found out what a little studio needs to have and whatnot. From the must-haves, I should list the following items:

• Towels, soap, shampoo, shower gel, blow dryer and toilet paper in the bathroom. Ironically, blow dryer turned out to me the most asked item from my guests.
• Sponge, drainer, dish liquid, cutlery, cups, mugs, plates, bowls, kettle, pot, pan for the kitchen. The funny part is, no matter how many things I have in the kitchen, there will be always someone not happy enough. Once I got a neutral review, just because I didn’t have a potato-peeler (a WHAT?). So, my suggestion here is, add everything that would be important for you to have in the kitchen if you were traveling yourself, but don’t overdo it.
• In the kitchen, I also added teabags and coffee. Something simple, but it adds up to the value seen by my guests.
• The bedroom only requires the most important things – comfortable pillows, warm blankets and clean sheets.
• Besides, I would suggest having extension cords (visitors always travel with their gadgets and they need to be flexible to re-charge everything).
• Wi-Fi is a must. You don’t have the Internet at home, you can forget about success in Airbnb.

Items you don’t need:

• TV. Yes, I used to have a TV in my listing, and it didn’t add any value, but problems, because I had to teach some of my guests how to use a remote control.
• A tablet. At the beginning, I thought I was going to add something unusual, and in my case, I have purchased a tablet for my guests to use, in case they didn’t want to use or forgot their own gadgets. Nope. Nobody ever forgot their own gadgets, and nobody cares about a tablet in the apartment.
• Washing machine. That is normally something much appreciated by tourists, but not necessary. It adds up some costs and is not worth having, because of no change in customers’ satisfaction.

Furniture

It was much easier to fill up my 27-square-meters studio with furniture. All I needed was a full kitchen with a fridge and a stove/oven, a dining table and a few chairs, a couch that folds into a double bed, and an armchair. The closet is also a must. In addition, I have a console with an extra chair, where guests could work from home if needed. The light is also important; therefore, I added several desk lamps in the room.

Photography

If you don’t know, Airbnb works together with independent photographers, who can come to your place and take some professional photos of your property. Unfortunately, they don’t do any photo editing (at least, according to my own experience) and the photos were rather simple. After 2 attempts, I decided to take photos of my listing by myself, and I was happier with the result.

A little suggestion on that, try to take photos of ordinary things at home, but from unconventional angles. This adds up some interest to your listing. For more interior design and home decor photography tips you can check the Internet, there is plenty of information.

USP

Having your property listed in Airbnb makes you a businessman of some sort. Therefore, you need to treat your listing like a business. To stand out from thousands of other listings, try to brainstorm what will be that one special thing, which will make your property unique.

In my case, it is sustainability. I have built my entire home keeping in mind the sustainable living concept. I educate my guests by providing tips on how to contribute to the sustainable tourism of Estonia.

Final thoughts

Besides all that, don’t forget to add a catchy title and detailed description. Fortunately, Airbnb provides all the tools you need for that. The more details you add, the better.

What about you? Did you list your property on Airbnb? If so, what would be your advice?

Featured photo by Karsten Winegeart on Unsplash