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I’m at my wit’s end - I’m a new-ish host on Airbnb, launched a new listing on June 28, received a flurry of bookings (6, totaling over $4500) in the first couple days and then…crickets since July 1. I can’t find it when I search for a two bedroom, 1 ba, entire place that sleeps 6 (basically, I’ve filtered down to a handful of listings so mine should be there) for the third weekend in August, which is available.
I can’t include a link in this message, but the listing number is (removed by OP) if that’s useful at all.
Can anyone tell me what I’m doing wrong? Seriously, I’m just about in tears watching the summer season here in Maine evaporate.
I found it in google, but when it brought me to the pages, I didn’t find it in the first few listings. You have a lot of competition there, but also you got the “new host” boost for a while.
Go into the calendar and change the Prices daily by a few bucks up or down. This seems to help lift you.
Thanks, Kona (I’ve been reading your replies here for months, was hoping you’d reply!).
I’m using Wheelhouse for dynamic pricing, set to Conservative (lower pricing). I’ve changed my listing, including prices, every day (sometimes several times a day, as I’m adding pictures, tweaking the wording, etc.). I’m wondering if it’s because I don’t have many reviews? The awful thing is my next guest isn’t scheduled to arrive until Friday, and won’t be leaving until Monday, so I won’t be getting another review (IF I get one) for at least another five days.
Is this typical to have things plummet so quickly?
Just not sure about your area. It is typical for Kona to plummet in summer even without a … so I am not sure about coastal Maine!! Seems like this is your high season.
Could you book a friend in at the $10 minimum to get another review?
Yes, it is absolutely the high season, which is why I’m so distraught. We should be able to get 50% or more of our annual income goal from July 4 to Labor Day, even with highly competitive prices.
And I suggested the review strategy to my husband, but he is opposed - doesn’t want to risk being suspended by Airbnb (he’s a software developer, and thinks that ABB could figure that out somehow).
Go to progress and see how many views you have over the last 30 days. This will help you see if people are looking at your listing. Also update your calendar. It doesn’t much matter what you change it seems to give the listing a boost. Are you on IB? I usually don’t recommend it to new hosts but Airbnb loves IB. You can set parameters for who you accept on IB.
389 views (is that different IP addresses? Because I’m fairly certain that I’ve looked at it at least 150 times, LOL ). 1.8% booking rate, down from 3.8% a few days ago. My calendar is updated daily as well.
I turned on IB out of desperation about a week ago. Also, I sent an email to AirBnB (also out of desperation) explaining the situation. A customer support specialist named Monica replied back, asking me for the coordinates for my listings. I had given her the same number that I posted above, I don’t know what other coordinates are that she’s talking about.
The only thing I imagine she means is the coordinates from Google maps. Find your property on Google maps and make sure it’s marked with a pin. The coordinates are a series of numbers on the URL. (Or call back and ask )
Thanks. Wouldn’t you know when I was going online to email them, I came across something that said click here to email and another button to call. Really wish I had grab that phone number while I was at it…
Also, I put my listing on Homeaway this morning, already getting inquiries from that, so I’m feeling slightly more hopeful.
Food for thought. Only one review because your listing is new. Maybe change your wording to invite guests to be among the first to rent your newly listed home will help your number of bookings. (Won’t help it display but if they see it it may encourage them to book)
Well, I just got a reply a few moments ago asking me for the GPS coordinates (that I submitted 13 hours ago), along with the property address (which i have in the listing):
“I understand that you need to make an update to your listing’s address. I’m able to help process a one-time, permanent change to your address. Please reply to this message with confirmation of the following information:
Latitude and longitude GPS coordinates (please copy the decimal form and not the degrees/minutes/seconds).
Apartment or house number
Street name
City
State, province or region
Postal code
Country
Best regards,
Monica”
I don’t believe for a moment that this is the problem, as I am able to find the listing when I drill down on the map. But of course now I’m concerned that my five currently booked guests might think they have booked someplace else…?
I guess I have no other option but to wait and see if anything changes. In the meantime, I had three inquiries on Homeaway today, one of which I had to turn down because I had not blocked a weekend that was already booked on Airbnb.
(Yes, tomorrow - ack, today, it’s 4am here - will get calendar management software up and running…)
If they can’t see it, it doesn’t matter what my wording says.
Now Monica has replied asking me to clear cache and cookies, and search for it again. Which I did, and, nope, still can’t find it, even when I filter down to 26 homes (using IB, 4 guests, entire place, self-check in, free parking, 2bd/1ba, apartment).
… so I am not sure about coastal Maine!! Seems like this is your high season.
)
