If you’re a host wanting to take your Airbnb game to the next level, you might already have your eye on the Superhost prize. Earning the Superhost badge means you’ve been recognized by Airbnb for your outstanding efforts as a host. And not only do you get to feel all loved and appreciated by the Airbnb community, you might well get a boost in business too.
So before we dive into our tips for nabbing that Superhost badge, let’s take a quick look at some of the benefits of having it.
Why become an Airbnb Superhost?
Better search visibility: Your listing will show up when guests use the Superhost search filter. Airbnb’s search algorithm also looks favourably upon Superhosts, so regardless of whether the filter is on or not, you’re more likely to show up higher in results.
Immediate trust: Guests who are familiar with the Superhost badge can spot it on your listing at a glance. This immediately breeds a better sense of trust: they don’t need to read your reviews to know that you’re a responsive, five-star host.
Priority support: If you need to call Airbnb’s support team, you’ll get expedited to the front of the phone queue just for being a Superhost.
Travel coupon: Superhosts who maintain their status for a full year receive a $100 travel coupon, so they can get involved in the sharing economy as a guest as well as a host.
As for how to fast-track your way to Superhost status, it’s all about understanding how the system behind it works.
How Airbnb awards Superhost badges
Superhosts are evaluated by an automatic process. So while it would be nice to imagine an actual human being checking out all the great work you’ve done and manually bestowing that little golden badge, the reality is more impersonal.
Every three months Airbnb will automatically evaluate you, the host, to see if you’re eligible for Superhost status. You have to have met all the Superhost requirements for the past 12 months up to the evaluation date in order to receive (or keep) your badge.
If you meet the requirements the Superhost badge will automatically be added to your listings and profile page.
Tips for achieving Superhost status
And now, the thing you really came here for: the secret ingredients to Superhost status success.
Netting the Superhost badge isn’t actually that hard, but you do have to meet all the requirements, and continue to meet them in order that your badge isn’t revoked at the next evaluation date. In order to meet all the standards, here are some key tips to bear in mind.
1. Screen guests properly
One requirement of being a Superhost is that you don’t regularly cancel bookings. While occasionally mistakes happen, like accidental double-bookings or personal crises, cancellations should be kept to a minimum. Always screen guests properly for this reason: you don’t want situations where you accept a booking only to cancel later because you’re unsure the guest is a right fit for you.
2. Get your responses flowing
Superhosts must have a minimum response rate of 90%. Make responding quickly a habit or a process. If you can’t be available to respond in a timely way, look at ways to automate or outsource responses. Hiring a property manager to take care of it for you means you’ll not only have your response rate sorted, you’ll also have more time and less stress on your plate.
3. Nail your listing description
Superhosts have to complete at least 10 trips per year to their listings. To bump up your bookings and hit that quota, put some time into crafting and re-crafting your listing description to make it shine. That means great copywriting, accurate information, and possibly tailoring your listing to appeal to particular market groups (for example, families, luxury travellers, or couples). Need help writing a listing with Wow-Factor?
4. Take beautiful photos
Descriptions are well and good, you might be saying, but it’s the photos people look at first. You’d be right: for the same reason as above, having great photos is paramount to getting potential guests to click through to, and book, your property.
5. Manage guest expectations
The other requirement of being a Superhost? Impeccable reviews, of course! At least 80% of your reviews need to be 5 stars. That means doing your utmost to give guests a positive experience. One thing to bear in mind: impressions of your property aren’t just based on how good it is, but on how good it is compared to guests’ expectations. Managing expectations means being honest in your listing about any downsides it may have. It means being clear about your house rules. And it means open communication with your guests.
6. Personalise the experience
Another key tip in netting those 5 star reviews: guests always appreciate is a little personalised touch to their stay. It might be a hand-written welcome card addressed specifically to them, or a customised recommendation of a local activity based on their interests. If you can make their stay just a touch more personal, odds are they’ll reward you with a handful of stars. And your Superhost badge won’t be far behind.
