How to Write an Outstanding Airbnb Profile [6 Step-Strategy]

All aspects of your Airbnb listing are important. While having high-quality property photos is the first step to attracting potential guests, your Airbnb profile also matters (even more than you might think!)

The Airbnb profile gets overlooked because many hosts don’t realize that guests actually pay attention to it. Going the extra mile to create an awesome profile can boost your reservations. In fact, a study found that Airbnb host profiles have a significant impact on perceived trustworthiness for guests.

Guests want to know as much as possible about your Airbnb listing before they book it. This way they can feel safe when making a reservation. A complete profile:

• Creates a good first impression. A complete Airbnb profile lets guests know that you are serious about your business and want to appear professional.
• Attracts your preferred target audience. Tell potential guests about your interests/lifestyle to attract only certain guests to your offerings.
• Proves that your listing isn’t a scam. When you add all of the available verifications to your profile, guests can be certain that you are a real person.

If you want to make a good first impression and look trustworthy, follow these 6 steps to crafting an outstanding host profile.

1. Choose an Appropriate Profile Photo

The photo that you select for your Airbnb profile photo should be inviting and attractive. Make sure that your grooming and dress are neat and clean. In most instances, business casual attire is your best bet.

Make sure that your face is fully visible and that you have a neutral or positive facial expression. If you prefer to smile in profile pictures, by all means, go ahead and do so.

Avoid taking photos that obscure your face. Don’t wear dark glasses or anything else that makes it look like you are trying to hide your real identity. You should also make sure that your photo is high-res and is not grainy or blurry. 

2. Add a Profile Description

As you fill in the various sections of your profile, make sure to add a comprehensive description. Here are a few questions that you may want to answer in your profile description:

• Where are you from?
• How long have you been a vacation rental host?
• Why did you become a vacation rental host?
• What’s your favorite thing about being a vacation rental host?
• What’s your occupation?
• What are your hobbies? 
• Where have you traveled before?
• How long have you lived in the area or what insight can you offer on the local area that guests will appreciate? 

As you create your Airbnb profile description, make sure to write in a conversational manner. This will make you sound approachable and friendly. A good way to sound less formal is to use contractions in your writing. 

Don’t be afraid to get creative and have some fun. However, save the sarcasm and jokes as they could be interpreted by your guests differently than you intended.

3. Get Verified

Scams are the biggest worry that many guests have when booking on vacation rental platforms. By adding verifications to your profile, you can help to alleviate these fears by proving to guests that Airbnb knows who you are. Options for verifications include:

• Government ID (driver’s license, passport, or national identity card)
• Selfie
• Email address
• Phone number
• Work email

Your guests will feel safer if you take some time to complete all of the verifications. Also, you can connect your Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts.

Verifying your Airbnb account will help add extra credibility and trust to your listing. This can help you stand out from other listings that don’t feature any verifications. The data shows that guests are more likely to book stays with hosts who have their profiles verified by Airbnb.

So, completing the verification steps is a free and easy way to increase the chance of your property being booked more frequently.

Besides, after your profile is verified, you will be able to justifiably request that your guests provide their ID if they’d like to book with you. 

While sharing your personal data may seem risky, you can rest assured that Airbnb won’t disclose it to any third party. The only thing to keep in mind is to avoid sharing it using unsecured public Wi-Fi networks.

4. Post References

You should also add References to your Airbnb profile. Friends, family, and colleagues are useful as references. However, it’s even more powerful if you can get a past guest to leave you a reference. A well-written reference should speak to your character as a reliable and professional person to do business with.

5. Keep Your Airbnb Profile Updated

If you change jobs or move to a different city, make sure that you edit your profile to reflect these updates. You don’t want there to be any inconsistencies between what your profile says and the answers you give to guests when they inquire about your property.

Remember that even the smallest discrepancies add up. Certainly, you don’t want your Airbnb guests to have any reason to think that you are not telling the truth about who you are.

6. Keep Your Response Rate High

An Airbnb profile also shows the host’s response rate and response time. You want to always respond promptly to any inquiries that you receive. Otherwise, your competitors may appear to be faster and you will lose a potential reservation. 

If you want to improve your response rate, consider using vacation rental software such as iGMS. It will allow you to automate some of your guests’ interactions and provide prompt service even when you are physically unavailable to reply. 

Keep in mind that response rate and time are important for obtaining Superhost status. A high response rate and fast response time can lead to greater visibility in Airbnb search results.

Conclusion

People who travel with Airbnb prefer it because they get the authentic experience of having a local host. However, they are also taking a risk by deciding to book with someone who they don’t personally know. By crafting an exceptional Airbnb profile, you can help people feel like they know you already, which makes it a lot easier to trust you. 

It doesn’t take a lot of effort to create an outstanding profile. However, you’ll need to put some thought into it if you want a profile that will boost your reservations. Fortunately, all your efforts will pay off with just a single extra booking! 

To improve other aspects of your Airbnb listing and unlock its full potential read our dedicated guide.