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I posted our two listings (guesthouse and yurt) yesterday and it’s just like I gave birth or something… I’m finding myself checking how/if/where we show up in search results and noticing how far down we are… and how sometimes the yurt doesn’t show up at all. Airbnb asks for 1) “which place is most like yours?” > I answered House and Unique Space and 2) "Property Type > I answered Farmstay for both. Yurt is a choice, so I could do Yurt for Property Type instead of Farmstay.
My question is - does any of this matter? If someone searches for my town, “entire house” and dates, do all the Property Types come up together? Or does someone have to search for Farmstay, Yurt or Unique Space if I list the two of them that way?
Also, any advice about showing up higher in results other than patience is more than welcome.
Been working on this for a year… I acknowledge my anxious hovering
Here’s my listings: Feedback welcome! (Airbnb says "Post a better cover picture)
I only skimmed the second listing, but it’s very well written and looks like a beautiful place!
I don’t have an answer to your question, though. When I think of “farm stay,” I assume guests are invited to participate in the work of the farm, or will have other perks like fresh produce, milk, etc. Some people seek that sort of thing out; I imagine that most of your prospective guests are more looking for a country retreat, and not so much to be on a working farm. But I could be wrong.
Thanks CeeBee. We actually are a smallscale working farm and visitors are welcome to gather eggs or harvest produce or medicine plants, herbs etc. That said, I’m not all that invested in it being a “farmstay”, we happen to have a farm and these two rentals and mostly I just want folks to come and stay in them!
I would hesitate to not call it a farm stay if it’s actually on a farm and the guests get the “farm experience” even passively. Reason? I can see a city slicker showing up unaware that they’re going to hear a rooster crowing in the mornings, or smell the cows when the wind shifts, and complaining about it if you don’t list it that way.
My wife says the outhouse contradicts the above statement from the listing. Doubly so if it smells. She’s a city girl, though. We’d be living in a high-rise condo downtown if it were up to her.
First of all, your photos are gorgeous and really bring the place to life! Did you do them yourselves or have a professional photographer?
The answer seems to be “yes” as I searched within those parameters and your place was on the second page of 300+ (thanks to your New Listing boost). It says Farmstay in small letters at the top. Can you choose more than one category? Farmstay plus Yurt, for example?
Thank you! I took them with my iPhone. My 16 and 20 year old daughters have since educated me on editing and that, these days, filters are considered in bad taste. Who knew? Or maybe it’s only for that age group, not sure. I did back off the filters though
Thank you for searching for me. Did you just do a normal search, or did you specify Farmstay or Unique Space? Farmstay and Yurt are both “Property Types” and you can only choose one.
That’s a good point, thank you. Yes, there is a rooster, and he is prominently described in both listings, although I have read here that folks often don’t read the listing…
Your farm stay listings will come up. I have a private room on my little horse farm and it is listed as a farm stay. It comes up as well.
I give people a tour of the farm and let them meet and pet and interact with all the animals if they want to do it with me. I even indicate this in the listing and that some might be interested in helping me with my farm chores…no one has (luckily as that certainly slows down my well oiled process).
It did come in handy one time when my LTR on NY rented out suddenly after having been defaulted on almost 2 years prior. I had a month long guest staying with her cat and since my farm Sitter #1 was already booked and #2 couldn’t do it without being able to stay in the guest suite, I was in a really tight spot. I asked if she would be willing and able to do it for me if I paid her what I pay my professionals. She agreed and actually said it was her favorite part of the stay! I had already known this girl for a couple weeks and we got along well and was also a new army officer nurse. Most of my guests I wouldn’t have even considered them as possibles.
